Waste heat gathering and transfer system and method

Abstract

A waste heat gathering and transfer system and method that, in certain embodiments, includes a collector for collecting at least a portion of waste heat dissipating from one or more waste heat sources, such as equipment surfaces and flames, a heat-to-electricity converter; and an electricity-to-grid transfer interface. In some instances, the system and method also include an electric-to-grid optimizer. In some embodiments, the heat-to-electricity converter is a semiconductor-based converter. In other embodiments, the heat-to-electricity converter is an organic rankine cycle. In some instances, the heat collector includes an external collector layer with an inner and outer surface, an internal collector layer with an internal and external surface, an interior gap area between the external collector layer inner surface and the internal collector layer internal surface, an insulating material, a heat collecting component, and a heat transfer component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A waste heat gathering and transfer system comprising:
 a collector operable to collect at least a portion of industrial equipment-emitted intermittent high temperature-grade waste heat dissipating from one or more industrial equipment surfaces, wherein the one or more equipment surfaces comprises a rotating surface;   a support structure;   a heat transfer component;   and a heat-to-electric;   converter.   
     
     
         2 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1  wherein the collector is stationary. 
     
     
         3 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 2  wherein the collector is stationary mounted on the support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more equipment surfaces is a rotating drum surface. 
     
     
         5 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , further comprising a closed loop system. 
     
     
         6 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the industrial equipment-emitted intermittent high temperature-grade waste heat comprises dissipating heat temperatures between 500° F. and 600° F. 
     
     
         7 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the industrial equipment-emitted intermittent high temperature-grade waste heat comprises dissipating heat temperatures averaging 500° F. along a length of the one or more equipment surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , further comprising an insulating material at least partially positioned on the one or more equipment surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the collector further comprises one or more semiconductor-based heat collectors. 
     
     
         10 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more semiconductor-based heat collectors are fully enclosed within a plurality of collector layers. 
     
     
         11 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more semiconductor-based heat collectors comprise thermodynamic heat sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage technology. 
     
     
         13 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 12 , wherein the energy storage technology is a battery-based technology. 
     
     
         14 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more equipment surfaces comprises a mixing equipment surface. 
     
     
         15 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 14 , wherein the mixing equipment surface comprises an aggregate mixing equipment surface. 
     
     
         16 . The waste heat gathering and transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more equipment surfaces comprises a de-moisturizing equipment surface.