US 12,262,638 B2
Tubular heat exchanger with thermoelectric power generation function
Keiichi Ohata, Kyoto (JP); Nao Majima, Kyoto (JP); Akihiko Ikemura, Kyoto (JP); Michio Okajima, Kyoto (JP); and Shutaro Nambu, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to E-ThermoGentek Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/605,177
Filed by E-ThermoGentek Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 5, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/041386
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/149326, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-008937 (JP), filed on Jan. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0190227 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. H10N 10/13 (2023.01); F28D 7/16 (2006.01); F28F 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC H10N 10/13 (2023.02) [F28D 7/16 (2013.01); F28F 13/003 (2013.01); F28F 2013/006 (2013.01); F28F 2275/06 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tubular heat exchanger with a thermoelectric power generation function, comprising:
a thermoelectric power generation module mounted on a cylindrical outer circumferential surface of a heat exhaust tube; and
a cooling pipe mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the thermoelectric power generation module, the cooling pipe being for allowing a cooling material to flow therethrough,
wherein
the thermoelectric power generation module performs thermoelectric power generation by using the outer circumferential surface of the heat exhaust tube as a high-temperature source and using an inner circumferential surface of the cooling pipe as a low-temperature source,
the thermoelectric power generation module is a flexible thermoelectric power generation module,
the cooling pipe is a double cooling pipe including a cylindrical inner pipe and an outer pipe, and the cooling material flows between the inner pipe and the outer pipe,
the flexible thermoelectric power generation module is configured such that a gap extending along the axial direction is provided in a part of the thermoelectric power generation module relative to the circumferential direction, and
both wound ends of the inner pipe in the circumferential direction are welded to each other along the axial direction, and a welded portion of the both wound ends is located inside the gap.