JP2903101B2 - Thermionic power generation element - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermionic power generation element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thermionic power generation is a power generation technique in which thermal energy is directly converted into electric energy by using thermoelectrons emitted from the surface of a high-temperature metal. Thermionic power generation has such features that the operating temperature is more appropriate than MHD power generation and thermoelectric power generation, and that there is much room for improvement in thermal efficiency.

In this thermionic power generation technology, a high-temperature emitter electrode emits thermoelectrons, and a collector electrode collects the thermoelectrons. In the thermionic power generating element, the space between the emitter electrode and the collector electrode (hereinafter simply referred to as “electrode space”) must be kept at a very small distance of, for example, 0.5 mm or less. Therefore, extremely precise machining is required to manufacture the electrodes, and a ceramic spacer or the like needs to be interposed between the electrodes in order to maintain an appropriate electrode space distance. In general, a thermionic power generating element has a configuration in which an emitter electrode and a collector electrode are coaxially cylindrical.

[0004]

However, in the past, when the thermionic power generation element was used for a long period of time, the electrodes were sometimes deformed. In conventional coaxial cylindrical thermionic power generation elements, the radial deformation of the electrodes can change the distance of the electrode space, change the power generation output characteristics, or short-circuit the emitter and collector electrodes. there were.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermionic power generation element in which the electrodes are not easily deformed even when used for a long period of time, so that the power generation output characteristics do not change or a short circuit between the electrodes does not occur.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a thermionic power generating element comprising: an emitter electrode for emitting thermoelectrons; and a collector electrode for collecting the emitted thermoelectrons. One of the two types of electrodes is a polygonal cylindrical electrode, and the other is a plate-like electrode provided separately corresponding to each surface of the polygonal cylindrical electrode. A thermoelectric power generating element characterized in that the thermoelectric power generating element is pressed and supported on the polygonal cylindrical electrode side with a conductive spacer interposed therebetween.

In a thermionic power generation element having an emitter electrode for emitting thermoelectrons and a collector electrode for collecting the emitted thermoelectrons, one of the two types of electrodes is cylindrical and the other is cylindrical. The invention also provides a thermionic power generation element wherein the shape electrode is divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction, and each of the electrodes is pressed and supported on the cylindrical electrode side with an insulating spacer interposed therebetween.

[0008] The plate-shaped electrode or the electrode divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction facing each other with the polygonal cylindrical electrode or the cylindrical electrode interposed therebetween is sandwiched with the polygonal cylindrical electrode or the cylindrical electrode interposed therebetween. The thermoelectric power generation device according to any one of the above aspects, further comprising an elastic member that performs the pressing support according to the present invention.

[0009]

The plate-like electrode or the electrode divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction is divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction of the polygonal cylindrical or cylindrical electrode. It is pressed and supported on the prismatic or cylindrical electrode side.
Therefore, using the thermionic power generation element of the present invention for a long time,
Even when the polygonal cylindrical or cylindrical electrode moves or deforms with respect to the axis, the distance of the electrode space between each split electrode and the polygonal cylindrical or cylindrical electrode is kept constant. .

Further, even if each of the divided electrodes expands and contracts in the circumferential direction of the polygonal cylindrical or cylindrical electrode, the divided electrodes are divided. The expansion and contraction do not induce the deformation of other divided pieces.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a thermionic power generating element in which the electrodes are less likely to be deformed even when used for a long period of time, so that the power generation output characteristics do not change or a short circuit between the electrodes does not occur.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a basic structure of a thermionic power generation element according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the structure of FIG. 1 taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis.

The thermionic power generating element of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a hexagonal cylindrical emitter electrode 1 for simplifying the manufacture of the electrode. A strip-shaped (plate-shaped) collector electrode 2 is provided at a position facing each of the six outer peripheral surfaces of the emitter electrode 1, and the emitter electrode 1 and the collector electrode 2 are provided between the two electrodes. A ceramic spacer 3 is fitted in order to keep an appropriate electrode space while keeping electrical insulation. The heat source 4 heats the emitter electrode 1 from which thermoelectrons are emitted.
The emitted thermoelectrons pass through the electrode space and are collected by the collector electrode 2.

Further, the thermionic power generating element of this embodiment includes an elastic member 5 having six arms 8. The elastic member 5 presses and supports the collector electrode 2 toward the emitter electrode 1 by sandwiching the six collector electrodes 2 facing each other with the emitter electrode 1 interposed therebetween with the arm 8 interposed therebetween.

The output from collector electrode 2 is electrically coupled and led out from collector lead 6. The emitter electrode 1 is provided with an emitter lead 7 separately. When a load is connected between the collector lead 6 and the emitter lead 7, an electric circuit is formed and an output can be taken out.

In the above embodiment, the emitter electrode 1 has a hexagonal cylindrical shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the emitter electrode 1 may be formed in a polygonal cylindrical shape other than a hexagonal shape. Further, instead of the polygonal cylindrical shape, it may be formed in a cylindrical shape. In this case, the collector electrode may be divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical emitter electrode, and each of the electrodes may be pressed and supported on the cylindrical emitter electrode side with a ceramic spacer interposed therebetween. In the above embodiment, the emitter electrode 1 has a hexagonal cylindrical shape, but the collector electrode may have a hexagonal cylindrical shape, or may have another polygonal cylindrical shape or cylindrical shape. In this case, whether the emitter electrode is strip-shaped (plate-shaped) (when the collector electrode is a polygonal cylinder)
Alternatively, it may be divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction of the electrode (when the collector electrode is cylindrical).

[0017]

According to the thermionic power generating element of the present invention described above, the electrodes are hardly deformed even when used for a long period of time, so that there is no change in power generation output characteristics or short-circuit between the electrodes. Can be provided.

Further, the structure can be made lighter and simpler than a thermionic power generation element having a special structure in which the electrodes are not deformed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a basic structure of a thermionic power generation element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the thermionic power generation element as one embodiment of the present invention, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the structure of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Emitter electrode 2 Collector electrode 3 Ceramic spacer 4 Heat source 5 Elastic member 6 Collector lead 7 Emitter lead 8 Arm

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thermionic power generation element comprising: an emitter electrode for emitting thermoelectrons; and a collector electrode for collecting the emitted thermoelectrons, wherein one of the two types of electrodes has a polygonal cylindrical shape, The other is a plate-like electrode provided separately for each surface of the polygonal cylindrical electrode, and each plate-like electrode is pressed toward the polygonal cylindrical electrode with an insulating spacer interposed therebetween. A thermionic power generation element characterized by being supported. 2. A thermoelectron generator comprising an emitter electrode for emitting thermoelectrons and a collector electrode for collecting the emitted thermoelectrons, one of the two types of electrodes being cylindrical and the other being of a cylindrical type. The thermoelectric power generating element is divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical electrode, and each of the electrodes is pressed and supported on the cylindrical electrode side with an insulating spacer interposed therebetween. 3. A method in which the plate-shaped electrode or the electrode divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction facing each other with the polygonal cylindrical electrode or the cylindrical electrode interposed therebetween is interposed between the polygonal cylindrical electrode or the cylindrical electrode. The thermoelectric power generation element according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an elastic member that supports the pressing by being sandwiched.