Power generation system

Abstract

A thermal plasma generator may be used in conjunction with at least one thermal to electric converter, such as a solid state thermal to electric energy to electric converter. A micropipe heat pump extracts heat from the at least one thermal to electric energy device, which in turn may convert the heat into electrical power. The power generation system may be disposed within a vehicle, and provide electrical power for propelling the vehicle.

1 . An apparatus for generating electrical energy from a thermal energy source comprising: 
 at least one thermal to electric converter operable to directly convert at least a portion of a thermal energy of said thermal energy source to electrical energy; and    a micro-pipe heat sink thermally coupled with said thermal to electric energy converter.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a hydrogen source, wherein said thermal energy source comprises a hydrogen plasma generator coupled with said hydrogen source.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein: 
 said hydrogen plasma generator comprises a chemically assisted hydrogen plasma generator that includes a reaction vessel;    said at least one thermal to electric converter comprises a plurality of solid state thermal to electric converters, each having a hot side thermally coupled with said reaction vessel; and    said apparatus further comprises an electrical circuit current coupled with said plurality of solid state thermal to electric converters to power a load.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said hydrogen source comprises a water-derived hydrogen source.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said at least one thermal to electric converter comprises a superlattice thermoelectric device.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said at least one thermal to electric converter comprises a quantum thermotunneling thermionic device.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said micro-pipe heat sink comprises a plurality of hollow fluidly sealed ligaments.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said micro-pipe heat sink comprises a heat transfer coefficient of at least about 100 W/m*K.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a thermal energy storage subsystem;    a thermal energy transfer means coupling said thermal energy storage subsystem with said thermal energy source; and    at least one additional thermal to electric converter coupled with said thermal energy storage subsystem.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said thermal energy storage subsystem comprises a phase-change thermal energy storage subsystem.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising an electronic controller in control communication with said at least one additional thermal to electric converter and configured to vary an input current thereto responsively to a power demand input signal.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said thermal energy storage subsystem further comprises a micro-pipe heat pump including a heat sink having a thermal transfer coefficient of at least about 100 W/m*K.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein: 
 said hydrogen plasma generator comprises a housing; and    said at least one thermal to electric converter comprises a structural component of said housing.    
   
   
       14 . An electrical propulsion system comprising: 
 a thermal energy source; and    at least one thermal to electric converter operable to directly convert at least a portion of a thermal energy of said thermal energy source to electrical energy;    a micro-pipe heat sink thermally coupled with said thermal to electric converter; and    at least one electric propulsion motor coupled with said at least one thermal to electric converter.    
   
   
       15 . The electrical propulsion system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a housing; and    a hydrogen source;    wherein said thermal energy source comprises a hydrogen plasma generator in said housing which includes a reaction vessel, said hydrogen plasma generator coupled with said hydrogen source; and    wherein said at least one thermal to electric converter comprises a plurality of solid state thermal to electric converters thermally coupled with said reaction vessel.    
   
   
       16 . The electrical propulsion system of  claim 15  wherein said hydrogen source comprises a water splitting apparatus.  
   
   
       17 . The electrical propulsion system of  claim 16  wherein said water splitting apparatus comprises a catalytic water splitting apparatus including an aluminum-based catalyst.  
   
   
       18 . The electrical propulsion system of  claim 16  wherein said hydrogen source comprises a low current plasma electrolysis apparatus coupled with said reaction vessel.  
   
   
       19 . The electrical propulsion system of  claim 15  further comprising at least one of, a thermal energy storage device and an electrical energy storage device.  
   
   
       20 . The electrical propulsion system of  claim 15  comprising a diamond film heat sink having a heat transfer coefficient greater than about 2800 W/m*K.  
   
   
       21 . A method of producing electrical power from a thermal energy source comprising the steps of: 
 thermally coupling at least one thermal to electric converter with the thermal energy source;    directly converting at least a portion of thermal energy from said thermal energy source into electrical energy via the at least one thermal to electric converter; and    removing heat from the at least one thermal to electric converter at least in part via a micro-pipe heat sink.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the removing step further comprises removing heat in part via a fluid disposed within hollow ligaments of the micro-pipe heat sink, and in part via another fluid disposed outside the hollow ligaments.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the thermal energy source is a hydrogen thermal plasma generator, the method further comprising the step of supplying hydrogen to the hydrogen thermal plasma generator at least in part via a catalytic water splitting reaction.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the step of supplying hydrogen to the hydrogen thermal plasma generator comprises supplying hydrogen via a low current plasma water splitting reaction.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of selectively separating hydrogen and oxygen produced via the supplying step at least in part via a gas-selective membrane.  
   
   
       26 . A power generation apparatus comprising: 
 a thermal energy source; and    a micro-pipe heat sink thermally coupled with said thermal energy source.    
   
   
       27 . The power generation apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said thermal energy source comprises a chemically assisted hydrogen thermal plasma generator.  
   
   
       28 . The power generation apparatus of  claim 27  further comprising at least one solid state thermal to electric converter coupled with said micro-pipe heat sink and disposed between said micro-pipe heat sink and said thermal energy source.  
   
   
       29 . The power generation apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said at least one solid state thermal to electric converter is configured to generate electrical power.  
   
   
       30 . The power generation apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said micro-pipe heat sink comprises a heat storage/transfer medium, said power generation apparatus comprising another heat sink thermally coupled with said micro-pipe heat sink and comprising another heat storage/transfer medium.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said micro-pipe heat sink comprises a first micro-pipe heat sink and said thermal energy source comprises at least one chemically assisted hydrogen plasma generator, said apparatus further comprising: 
 a catalytic water splitting hydrogen source coupled with said at least one chemically assisted hydrogen plasma generator;    a plasma heat pump that includes a second micro-pipe heat sink coupled with said at least one chemically assisted hydrogen thermal plasma generator;    a working fluid moving means operable to circulate a working fluid to said first and second micro-pipe heat sinks;    an electrical energy storage subsystem coupled with said at least one thermal to electric energy converter;    a thermal energy storage subsystem in thermal communication with said at least one chemically assisted hydrogen plasma generator, said thermal energy storage subsystem comprising at least one other thermal to electric energy converter configured to transfer thermal energy responsively to an input current thereto and at least a third micro-pipe heat sink;    at least one of a boost converter and a buck converter coupled with said at least one thermal to electric energy converter;    a signal conditioning means coupled with said at least one of a buck converter and a boost converter; and    an electronic control system that includes an electronic controller operably coupled with said catalytic water splitting hydrogen source, said at least one chemically assisted hydrogen thermal plasma generator, said plasma heat pump, said thermal energy storage subsystem, said electrical energy storage subsystem, and said at least one of a boost converter and a buck converter.    
   
   
       32 . A residential or industrial appliance including the apparatus of  claim 31.