Power assist using ambient heat

• US 8,624,432 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ryuji Maeda
• Original Assignee: Ryuji Maeda
• Inventors: Maeda, Ryuji
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US13/861,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 307/46, 307/44, 307/48, 307/80
• US Class Current: 307/46
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

An energy boost circuit adapted to provide power to a load is described. The circuit includes a pair of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for converting thermal energy from a heat source into electrical energy; a pair of capacitor banks arranged in parallel, each coupled to one of the TEGs for storing the electrical energy generated by the TEG; a power converter; a first switching element coupled between a first capacitor bank in the pair of capacitor banks and the power converter; a second switching element coupled between a second capacitor bank in the pair of capacitor banks and the power converter; and a monitor/controller coupled to the first and second switching elements and adapted to selectively switch the switching elements in order to provide a power boost to the load, where the monitor/controller automatically switches the switching elements based at least partly on charge levels measured at the capacitor banks.

Claims

1. An energy boost circuit adapted to provide a power to a load, the circuit comprising:

a pair of thermoelectric generators (TEGs), each TEG coupled to a heat source and each adapted to convert thermal energy from the heat source into electrical energy;

a first capacitor bank and a second capacitor bank arranged in parallel, each capacitor bank coupled to one of the TEGs and adapted to store electrical energy generated by the TEG to which the capacitor bank is coupled;

a first switching element coupled to the first capacitor bank;

a second switching element coupled to the second capacitor bank;

a power converter connected to the first and second capacitor banks; and

a monitor/controller coupled to the first and second switching elements and adapted to selectively switch the first and second switching elements in order to provide a power boost to the load,

wherein the monitor/controller automatically switches the first and second switching elements based at least partly on charge levels measured at the first and second capacitor banks.

2. The energy boost circuit of claim 1 further comprising a main power source coupled to the load in order to provide power to the load.

3. The energy boost circuit of claim 2 further comprising a third switching element coupled between the power converter and the load, wherein the monitor/controller is further coupled to the third switching element and is further adapted to switch the third switching element.

4. The energy boost circuit of claim 2 further comprising a regulator coupled between the main power source and the load.

5. The energy boost circuit of claim 2, wherein the main power source comprises one of a battery, a fuel cell, and a solar cell.

6. The energy boost circuit of claim 2, wherein the main power source acts as the heat source.

7. The energy boost circuit of claim 1, wherein the load acts as the heat source.

8. A boost circuit adapted to provide power to a load, the boost circuit comprising:

an energy converting circuit having a pair of thermoelectric generators (TEGs), each coupled to a heat source and each adapted to convert thermal energy from the heat source into electrical energy;

a first capacitor bank and a second capacitor bank arranged in parallel, each of the first and second capacitor banks coupled to one of the TEGs, each of the first and second capacitor banks adapted to store the electrical energy generated by the TEG to which the capacitor bank is coupled;

a first power converter coupled to the first capacitor bank;

a first switching element coupled between the first power converter and the load;

a second power converter coupled to the second capacitor bank;

a second switching element coupled between the second power converter and the load; and

a monitor/controller coupled to the first and second switching elements adapted to selectively switch the first and second switching elements in order to provide a power boost to the load; and

wherein the monitor/controller switches the first and second switching elements based at least partly on charge levels measured at the first and second capacitor banks.

9. The boost circuit of claim 8 further comprising:

a third switching element coupled between the first power converter and the first capacitor bank; and

a fourth switching element coupled between the second power converter and the second capacitor bank,

wherein the monitor/controller is further adapted to selectively switch the third and fourth switching elements in order to provide power from each of the capacitor banks to each of the power converters and the monitor/controller switches among the third and fourth switching elements based at least partly on charge levels measured at the first and second capacitor banks.

10. The boost circuit of claim 8 further comprising a main power source coupled to the load and capable of providing power to the load.

11. The boost circuit of claim 10, wherein the main power source comprises one of a battery, a fuel cell, and a solar cell.

12. The boost circuit of claim 10, wherein the main power source acts as the heat source.

13. The boost circuit of claim 10 further comprising a regulator coupled between the main power source and the load.

14. The boost circuit of claim 8, wherein the load acts as the heat source.

15. A method adapted to efficiently provide a power boost to a load, the method comprising:

providing a pair of thermoelectric generators (TEGs), each TEG coupled to a heat source and each adapted to convert thermal energy from the heat source into electrical energy;

providing a first capacitor bank and a second capacitor bank connected in parallel, each capacitor bank coupled to one of the TEGs;

storing the electrical energy generated by each of the TEGs using the capacitor bank to which the TEG is coupled;

providing a first switching element coupled between the first capacitor bank and the load;

providing a second switching element coupled between the second capacitor bank and the load;

providing at least one power converter between the first and second switching elements and the load; and

switching the first and second switching elements in order to provide a power boost to the load, the switching being performed at least partly based on charge levels measured at the first and second capacitor banks.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing a third switching element coupled between the power converter and the load; and

switching the third switching element in order to provide a power boost to the load.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a regulator coupled between a main power source and the load.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the main power source comprises one of a battery, a fuel cell, and a solar cell.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the main power source acts as the heat source.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the load acts as the heat source.