COMBINED CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE AND THERMOELECTRIC STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION
First Claim
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1. An electric power generation system comprising:
- a ceramic liner of a hot gas path enclosure;
a thermally conductive conformal layer on the liner shaped to provide a plurality of conformal mounting surfaces;
thermoelectric elements mounted on the thermally conductive conformal layer with an inner surface of each thermoelectric element adjacent one of the conformal mounting surfaces of the thermally conductive conformal layer;
cooling channels connected to an outer surface of the thermoelectric elements; and
a clamp that surrounds the ceramic liner, thermally conductive conformal layer, thermoelectric elements, and cooling channels for applying a compressive clamping force to maintain thermal and physical contact between the ceramic liner, thermally conductive conformal layer, thermoelectric elements and cooling channels.
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Abstract
An electrical power generation system consists of a ceramic hot face liner of a gas path enclosure thermally and mechanically connected to thermoelectric elements mounted on a conformal thermally conducting layer on the liner. Cooling channels connected to the backside of the thermoelectric elements provide a thermal gradient across the elements and resulting electrical power output. Clamps to maintain thermal and physical contact of all elements in the system are provided to maximize power generation.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electric power generation system comprising:
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a ceramic liner of a hot gas path enclosure; a thermally conductive conformal layer on the liner shaped to provide a plurality of conformal mounting surfaces; thermoelectric elements mounted on the thermally conductive conformal layer with an inner surface of each thermoelectric element adjacent one of the conformal mounting surfaces of the thermally conductive conformal layer; cooling channels connected to an outer surface of the thermoelectric elements; and a clamp that surrounds the ceramic liner, thermally conductive conformal layer, thermoelectric elements, and cooling channels for applying a compressive clamping force to maintain thermal and physical contact between the ceramic liner, thermally conductive conformal layer, thermoelectric elements and cooling channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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fabricating a ceramic hot gas path liner; depositing a layer of thermally conducting material on the liner; forming flat conformal surfaces on the thermally conducting layer; adding thermoelectric elements to the flat conformal surfaces of the thermally conducting layer such that an inner surface of the thermoelectric elements is in direct thermal and physical contact with the flat conformal surfaces of the thermally conducting layer; adding metal cooling ducts to the outer surface of the thermoelectric elements such that the surfaces of the metal cooling ducts are in direct thermal and physical contact with the outer surfaces of the thermoelectric elements; and applying a compressive clamping force to the metal cooling ducts, thermoelectric elements, thermally conducting layer, and hot gas path liner to maintain thermal and physical contact between them that creates a thermal gradient in the thermoelectric elements and forms an electric power generation system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification