This disclosure relates to generating electricity and, more particularly, to generating electricity by converting waste heat.
As electronic components become more powerful, the amount of thermal energy these components generate greatly increases. Accordingly, various devices (e.g. heat sinks and cooling fans) are utilized to dissipate such thermal energy. Unfortunately, while such devices may dissipate such thermal energy, this energy is wasted and simply exhausted into the surrounding environment. This problem is further complicated when numerous computing devices (e.g. servers) are placed into a common environment (e.g. a server room), wherein a considerable amount of thermal energy is generated and more complex thermal management systems (e.g. refrigeration systems, air circulation and exhaust systems) are utilized to thermally manage such a common environment.
In a first implementation, an electrical energy generation device includes an energy conversion device thermally coupled to an electrical component and configured to convert thermal energy produced by the electrical component to mechanical motion. An electricity generation device is coupled to the energy conversion device and is configured to convert the mechanical motion to electrical energy. At least a portion of the electrical energy energizes the electrical component.
One or more of the following features may be included. The energy conversion device may include a Stirling engine. The electricity generation device may include a generator. The electrical component may include a processing system. The electrical component may be configured to be coupled to a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be configured to be powered by a power supply system. An electrical coupling system may electrically couple an output of the electricity generation device to the printed circuit board, thus allowing for at least a portion of the electrical energy to be provided to the electrical component.
In another implementation, a processing system includes a microprocessor. An energy conversion device is thermally coupled to the microprocessor and configured to convert thermal energy produced by the microprocessor to mechanical motion. An electricity generation device is coupled to the energy conversion device and configured to convert the mechanical motion to electrical energy. At least a portion of the electrical energy energizes the microprocessor.
One or more of the following features may be included. The energy conversion device may include a Stirling engine. The electricity generation device may include a generator. The microprocessor may be configured to be coupled to a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be configured to be powered by a power supply system. An electrical coupling system may electrically couple an output of the electricity generation device to the printed circuit board, thus allowing for at least a portion of the electrical energy to be provided to the microprocessor.
In another implementation, an electrical energy generation device includes an energy conversion device, including a Stirling engine, thermally coupled to an electrical component and configured to convert thermal energy produced by the electrical component to mechanical motion. An electricity generation device is coupled to the energy conversion device and configured to convert the mechanical motion to electrical energy. At least a portion of the electrical energy energizes the electrical component.
One or more of the following features may be included. The electricity generation device may include a generator. The electrical component may include a processing system. The electrical component may be configured to be coupled to a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be is configured to be powered by a power supply system. An electrical coupling system may electrically couple an output of the electricity generation device to the printed circuit board, thus allowing for at least a portion of the electrical energy to be provided to the electrical component.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Referring to
Electrical component 14 may be configured to be coupled to printed circuit board 16. Examples of printed circuit board 16 may include but are not limited to a motherboard, a processor board, a daughter board or an expansion card. Printed circuit board 16 may be configured to be powered by power supply system 18. For example, power supply 18 may be configured to convert standard 110 volt AC voltage to one or more DC voltage levels (e.g. 12 Volts and/or 5 Volts) to power the various components included within/coupled to printed circuit board 16 (including electrical component 14).
As is known in the art, the above-described electrical components (e.g. electrical component 14) generates thermal energy 20 (commonly referred to as waste heat) during normal operation, due to inherent inefficiencies in electrical component 14. Energy conversion device 12 may be configured to convert thermal energy 20 produced by electrical component 14 to mechanical motion.
One example of energy conversion device 12 may include a Stirling engine. As is known in the art, a Stirling engine may be commonly referred to as a heat engine in which repeated expansion and compression of a working gas (e.g., air, helium or hydrogen) may convert thermal energy 20 into mechanical motion. Stirling engines may be classified as an external combustion engine, in that combustion does not occur within the cylinder(s) of the Stirling engine and an external heat source (e.g., thermal energy 20) may be used to heat one or more these cylinders of the Stirling engine. Stirling engines are closed systems, wherein a working gas (e.g., air, helium or hydrogen) is alternately heated and cooled by shifting the gas to different temperature locations within the Stirling engine.
In a two-cylinder (e.g., alpha configured) Stirling engine, one cylinder is kept warm (e.g., via an external heat source) and the other cylinder is kept cool. The Stirling engine may be thought of as having four different phases, namely Expansion phase, Transfer 1 phase, Contraction phase, and Transfer 2 phase. Referring also to
EXPANSION PHASE (the transition from
TRANSFER 1 PHASE (the transition from
CONTRACTION PHASE (the transition from
TRANSFER 2 PHASE (the transition from
Crankshaft 56 of energy conversion device 12 may be coupled to electricity generation device 22 and may be configured to convert mechanical motion (e.g., the clockwise rotation of crankshaft 56) to electrical energy. One example of electricity generation device 20 may include but is not limited to a generator (e.g., a permanent magnet synchronous generator). Electricity generation device 22 may generate electrical energy, such that at least a portion of the electrical energy generated by electricity generation device 22 is provided to and energizes electrical component 14. For example, electricity generation by 22 may be configured to generate a 12 Volt DC voltage signal that may be used to at least partially energize electrical component 14.
Electrical coupling system 24 may electrically couple output 26 of electricity generation device 22 to printed circuit board 16, thus allowing for at least a portion of the electrical energy generated by electricity generation device 20 to be provided to electrical component 14.
Having thus described the disclosure of the present application in detail and by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure defined in the appended claims.
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