Denso Corporation

Shinya Kitagawa

Takuya Matsuda

Yoshiyuki Okamoto

Takahiro Uno

Kenichi Kachi

A heat exchanger includes: a plurality of tubes arranged in an up-down direction; and a reinforcing plate arranged on a lower side of a lowermost tube of the plurality of tubes. The reinforcing plate has a bent portion protruding downward and extending along a longitudinal direction of the tube. The bent portion includes at least one discharge hole to discharge a condensed water. The discharge hole is formed by an upstream rib extending from the upper side toward the discharge hole in an upstream region and a downstream rib extending from the upper side toward the discharge hole in a downstream region, and a height dimension of the upstream rib is different from a height dimension of the downstream rib at least partially along a longitudinal direction of the tube.

Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger includes multiple tubes and multiple fins. Each of the tubes has a tubular shape extending in a horizontal direction. Each of the fins is disposed between adjacent ones of the tubes in a vertical direction vertical to the horizontal direction. Each of the fins is corrugated and includes bent portions located near the adjacent ones of the tubes and flat plate portions each of which extends in the vertical direction to connect between two of the bent portions. Each of the fins includes a pair of slits and an offset portion. At least a portion of the pair of slits extends to one of the bent portions. The offset portion is formed by having a portion of each of the fins between the pair of slits recessed inward of the one of the bent portions.

A thermoelectric power generator includes: a pipe in which a first fluid flows; a power generation module including a thermoelectric conversion element; and a holding member that is in contact with a one side part of the power generation module, such that heat of a second fluid that is higher in temperature than the first fluid transfers to the one side part of the power generation module. The holding member holds the power generation module and the pipe in a heat transferable state, such that the pipe is in contact with the other side part of the power generation module. The thermoelectric power generator includes a heat conductive component interposed between the holding member and the pipe to define a heat transfer course through which heat transfers from the second fluid to the first fluid, at downstream of the power generation module in a flowing direction of the second fluid.

Thermoelectric power generator

A second fluid having a higher temperature than a first fluid, which flows in a duct, flows in contact with outside fins. Opposed regions of each power generation module and the duct apply pressure to and in contact with each other. Opposed regions of each power generation module and a corresponding one of a first outside plate and a second outside plate apply pressure to and in contact with each other. The duct is formed from a material having a thermal expansion coefficient larger than the first outside plate and the second outside plate. Additionally, two power generation modules are not necessarily required, and at least one power generation module is provided.

Thermoelectric power generation device

A thermoelectric generator includes a tube in which a first fluid flows, a power generation module, a holding member, and a heat exchanging fin. The power generation module includes a thermoelectric conversion element. The holding member holds a stacked body in which the power generation module and the tube are stacked with each other such that heat can be transferred between the power generation module and the tube. Both end portions of the holding member are located and fixed outside both ends of the stacked body. The heat exchanging fin includes a pair of end fin portions provided on the reverse surface of the holding member at portions corresponding to the both ends of the stacked body, and an intermediate fin located between the pair of end fin portions and higher in stiffness than the pair of end fin portions.

Thermoelectric generator

Each of a first outside plate and a second outside plate includes bent portions at its both ends in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which a low-temperature fluid flows. The bent portions of the first outside plate and the bent portions of the second outside plate are respectively welded together in a resiliently deformed state to approach each other. The bent portions of the first outside plate and the bent portions of the second outside plate are respectively welded together to generate stress to press a first power generation module and a second power generation module on a duct.

Growing community of inventors

Kariya, Japan

Shinya Kitagawa