Pipeline thermoelectric generator assembly
First Claim
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1. A thermoelectric generator assembly for field devices in an industrial process environment, comprising:
- a thermoelectric generator having a hot junction flange and a cold junction flange, and providing a thermoelectric power output;
a heat sink thermally coupled to the cold junction flange, and couplable to the industrial process environment;
a process heat source adapter thermally coupled to the hot junction flange and having a process heat pickup couplable to a process heat source; and
the process heat pickup extracting heat from the process heat source such that the thermoelectric power output is sufficient to energize at least one field device.
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Abstract
A thermoelectric generator assembly. The thermoelectric generator assembly comprises a thermoelectric generator. The thermoelectric generator has a hot junction flange, a cold junction flange and a thermoelectric power output. The thermoelectric generator assembly generates electrical power from heat differentials for use in powering field devices in industrial process monitoring and control systems.
156 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A thermoelectric generator assembly for field devices in an industrial process environment, comprising:
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a thermoelectric generator having a hot junction flange and a cold junction flange, and providing a thermoelectric power output; a heat sink thermally coupled to the cold junction flange, and couplable to the industrial process environment; a process heat source adapter thermally coupled to the hot junction flange and having a process heat pickup couplable to a process heat source; and the process heat pickup extracting heat from the process heat source such that the thermoelectric power output is sufficient to energize at least one field device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A thermoelectric generator assembly for field devices in an industrial process environment, comprising:
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a thermoelectric source that has a hot junction coupled to a process heat pickup that is couplable to a process heat source, and that has a cold junction couplable to the industrial process environment, and that provides a power output; a regulator circuit that receives the power output and that provides a regulated output for a field device; field device utilization circuitry that receives the regulated output, the utilization circuitry having a use requirement for power; and an energy storage circuit that receives the power output, that senses when the power output exceeds the use requirement and couples excess power output to a capacitance; and
that senses when the power output does not meet the user requirement and couples makeup power from the capacitance to the regulator circuit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A field-mountable electronics assembly for industrial processes, comprising:
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a regulator circuit configured to provide a regulated output derived from a power input couplable to a thermoelectric power generator; a field instrument interface configured to be energized by the regulated output and provide power to a two wire process control loop that communicates field device data, and an energy storage circuit that couples to the power input configured to store power from the thermoelectric power generator and provide stored power to the interface. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification