Patent Application
20150040960
The invention relates to an artificial turf, comprising:
Such artificial turf is per se known. The per se known artificial turf can become really quite warm under the influence of for instance solar radiation and at high temperatures. The artificial turf can for instance reach a temperature of a maximum of about 50° C.
It is an object of the invention to improve the existing artificial turf
The artificial turf of the type according to the invention stated in the preamble is provided for this purpose with heat-conducting means for conducting heat absorbed by the artificial turf.
The temperature of the artificial turf can be reduced by conducting heat away from the artificial turf Alternatively or additionally, heat conducted by the heat-conducting means can be converted to usable energy, such as electrical energy.
In an embodiment of the artificial turf according to the invention the heat-conducting means have a thermal conduction coefficient higher than 5 W/mK, preferably higher than 10 W/mK, more preferably higher than 50 W/mK, still more preferably higher than 100 W/mK. The thermal conduction coefficient of an artificial grass fibre, which can for instance be manufactured from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), usually lies below 1 W/mK, for instance around 0.25 W/mK for PE. The per se known artificial turf hereby has a relatively low thermal conductivity. Addition of the heat-conducting means according to the invention to the artificial turf, which heat-conducting means have a higher thermal conduction coefficient than the artificial grass fibres and/or the carrier, in particular the above stated values, enables heat absorbed by the artificial turf to be conducted efficiently by the heat-conducting means.
The heat-conducting means can for instance comprise a metal, since a number of metals in any case have a relatively high thermal conductivity. The metal can for instance be chosen from the group comprising aluminium, gold, iron, copper, nickel, silver, bronze, brass, steel, zinc and platinum. Alternatively or additionally to the metal, the heat-conducting means can each comprise preferably solid material with a suitable thermal conductivity coefficient such as, though not exclusively, diamond or graphite. In another embodiment of the artificial turf according to the invention the heat-conducting means comprise a heat-conducting element incorporated in the carrier. The heat-conducting element can extend in the form of for instance a grid or other flat element in the carrier. The heat-conducting element preferably extends here over substantially the whole surface area of the carrier. The heat-conducting element can in this way efficiently conduct heat absorbed by the artificial turf.
In yet another embodiment of the artificial turf according to the invention the heat-conducting means comprise a number of heat-conducting elements incorporated in the artificial grass fibres. The heat-conducting elements extend for instance in a longitudinal direction of the artificial grass fibre, for instance in a core thereof.
In yet another embodiment of the artificial turf according to the invention the heat-conducting means comprise a number of heat-conducting elements, which elements are connected to the carrier and extend therefrom. The heat-conducting elements extend here between the artificial grass fibres. The heat-conducting elements can optionally have a shape and/or colour adapted to the artificial grass fibres such that they are visually difficult to distinguish from the artificial grass fibres and the appearance of the artificial turf is preferably not adversely affected by the heat-conducting elements.
In yet another embodiment of the artificial turf according to the invention the heat-conducting means are connectable to a converting device for converting heat conducted by the heat-conducting means to electrical energy. Heat absorbed by the artificial turf can in this way be usefully applied. The converting device can be incorporated in the artificial turf or remotely thereof.
Practically, the artificial turf comprises a connecting means for connecting the heat-conducting means to a converting device for converting heat conducted by the heat-conducting means to electrical energy. Said connecting means may for example comprise a heat-conducting cable or the like.
The invention also relates to a system for generating electrical energy from heat, comprising
Using such a system according to the invention heat absorbed by an artificial turf according to the invention can be usefully applied by being converted to electrical energy using the converting device. The dimensions of artificial turf can be relatively large, whereby a relatively large amount of electrical energy can be produced from solar energy using the system according to the invention.
The converting device can for instance be incorporated in the artificial turf, for instance in the carrier thereof The converting device can alternatively be disposed remotely of the artificial turf.
The converting device can be chosen from the group comprising a microturbine, a stirling engine and a Seebeck generator. Such converting devices are relatively small, whereby they can be disposed easily in or remotely of the artificial turf. The system can optionally comprise a number of such converting devices.
It is noted that the efficiency of a number of the stated converting devices may be relatively low. However, owing to the relatively large surface area of the artificial turf a relatively large amount of electrical energy can still be produced even with a low-efficiency converting device.
The invention also relates to a building, comprising:
The artificial turf can for instance be arranged on a (flat) roof of the building. An artificial turf can be aesthetically attractive, and an artificial turf can for instance be aesthetically more attractive than solar cells. Electrical energy can be produced by arranging the system according to the invention on or at a building, wherein the aesthetic quality of the building can be retained or possibly even enhanced.
It is noted that the artificial turf according to the invention can particularly be a decorative artificial turf.
The invention is further elucidated with reference to the figures shown in a drawing, in which:
Device 6 is shown schematically and can for instance comprise a microturbine, a stirling engine or a Seebeck generator. The system can optionally comprise a number of such converting devices 6, wherein the same or different types of device 6 can be provided. In
Heat-conducting elements 4 can conduct heat absorbed by carrier 2 and/or by artificial grass fibres 3, as well as being able itself to collect solar radiation and conduct the thereby generated heat. Both options are seen in the context of this invention as heat absorbed by the artificial turf.
Heat-conducting elements 4 and/or heat-conducting elements 7 and/or heat-conducting elements 8 can optionally be combined in one artificial turf. An artificial turf can for instance comprise a heat-conducting element 7 in the carrier as well as one or a number of heat-conducting elements 4 and/or heat-conducting elements 8, wherein conducting elements 4 and/or heat-conducting elements 8 are connected for thermal conduction to heat-conducting element 7. The heat from heat-conducting elements 4 and/or heat-conducting elements 8 can in this way be conducted in simple manner via the heat-conducting element 7 that is connected to a cable 5.
It is noted that the invention is not limited to the shown embodiments but also extends to variants within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011281 | Aug 2013 | NL | national |
