Fluid Transport Device And Method For Manufacturing A Fluid Transport Device

Abstract

A fluid transport device includes a conduit unit having a wall for separating an inside from an outside of the conduit unit. The device also includes an energy supply unit coupled to the conduit unit and configured to provide electrical energy based on a temperature gradient between the inside and the outside of the conduit unit. The device also includes a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit and to generate data representative for the state of the conduit unit. The energy supply unit supplies the electrical energy to the monitoring unit, thereby enabling the monitoring unit to monitor the state of the conduit unit. A method for manufacturing a fluid transport device is also described.

Claims

1. A fluid transport device comprising: a conduit unit having a wall for separating an inside of the conduit unit from an outside of the conduit unit, wherein the conduit unit is configured to transport a fluid through the inside of the conduit unit; an energy supply unit coupled to the conduit unit, wherein the energy supply unit is configured to provide electrical energy based on a temperature gradient between the inside of the conduit unit and the outside of the conduit unit; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to generate data representative for the state of the conduit unit; wherein the energy supply unit is configured to supply the electrical energy to the monitoring unit, thereby enabling the monitoring unit to monitor the state of the conduit unit.

2. The fluid transport device of claim 1, further comprising: a data transmission unit configured to transmit the data generated by the monitoring unit to an external device.

3. The fluid transport device according to claim 1, wherein the energy supply unit comprises at least one thermoelectric generator positioned on the wall of the conduit unit or is at least partially integrated into the wall of the conduit unit, and wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator is configured to generate the electrical energy based on the temperature gradient between the inside of the conduit unit and the outside of the conduit unit.

4. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the conduit unit comprises a composite material and wherein a dielectric component of the thermoelectric generator is arranged between two plies of the composite material.

5. The fluid transport device according to claim 4, wherein the composite material comprises carbon fiber reinforced plastics.

6. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator includes a plurality of thermoelements electrically connected in a serial or a parallel arrangement.

7. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator includes a dielectric layer integrated into the wall of the conduit unit.

8. The fluid transport device according to claim 7, wherein at least one thermoelement is placed on each side of the dielectric layer of the thermoelectric generator.

9. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator comprises printed electronics integrated into the wall of the conduit unit; or wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator comprises hybrid integrated electronics integrated into the wall of the conduit unit.

10. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator comprises a flexible structure configured to adapt to the shape of the wall of the conduit unit.

11. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one thermoelectric generator is at least partially wrapped around the wall of the conduit unit.

12. The fluid transport device according to claim 3, wherein the wall of the conduit unit has a first wall portion providing a direct contact surface with a first part of the at least one thermoelectric generator; and wherein the wall of the conduit unit has a second wall portion connected to the least one thermoelectric generator via an insulation layer spatially separating the second wall portion from a second part of the at least one thermoelectric generator.

13. The fluid transport device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit configured to monitor the state of the conduit unit by at least one of detecting a leakage occurrence at the conduit unit, determining a temperature at the conduit unit, determining a pressure at the conduit unit, determining a flow rate at the inside of the conduit unit or determining a pH-value of the fluid.

14. A fluid distribution system comprising a fluid transport device according to claim 1.

15. A method for manufacturing a fluid transport device, comprising: manufacturing a conduit unit having a wall for separating an inside of the conduit unit from an outside of the conduit unit, wherein the conduit unit is configured to transport a fluid through the inside of the conduit unit; integrating an energy supply unit at least partly into the conduit unit during manufacturing of the conduit unit, wherein the energy supply unit is configured to provide electrical energy based on a temperature gradient between the inside of the conduit unit and the outside of the conduit unit; and coupling a monitoring unit to the conduit unit such that the energy supply unit supplies the monitoring unit with the electrical energy, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit and to generate data representative for the state of the conduit unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a fluid transport device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a wall portion of a conduit unit of a fluid transport device having a thermoelectric generator according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a wall of a conduit unit of a fluid transport device having a thermoelectric generator according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of thermoelements of a thermoelectric generator according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method for manufacturing a fluid transport device according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The representations and illustrations in the drawings are schematic and not to scale. A better understanding of the method and system described above may be obtained through a review of the illustrations accompanying this application together with a review of the detailed description that follows.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a fluid transport device 10. The fluid transport device 10 comprises a conduit unit 12 having a wall 14 for separating an inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 from an outside 18 of the conduit unit 12. The conduit unit 12 is configured to transport a fluid through the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12. The flow direction of the fluid flow 11 is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1.

[0054] The fluid transport device 10 further comprises an energy supply unit 20, for example a thermoelectric generator 21, which is coupled to the conduit unit 12. The energy supply 20 unit is configured to generate electrical energy based on a temperature gradient between the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 and the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12. The temperature gradient establishes over the wall 14 due to a temperature difference between the fluid that flows inside the conduit unit 12 and a medium present at the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12. For example, the temperature of the fluid on the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 may be greater than the temperature on the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12. This temperature gradient can be leveraged by the thermoelectric generator 21 to provide the electrical energy.

[0055] The fluid transport device further comprises a monitoring unit 30 configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit 12, wherein the monitoring unit 30 is configured to generate data representative for the state of the conduit unit 12. The energy supply 20 unit is configured to supply the generated electrical energy to the monitoring unit 30, thereby enabling the monitoring unit 30 to monitor the state of the conduit unit 12. In other words, operation of the monitoring unit 30 is ensured by the electrical energy provided by the energy supply unit 20.

[0056] As can also be derived from FIG. 1, a data transmission unit 40 may also be coupled to the conduit unit 12. The data transmission unit 40 may be communicatively coupled to the monitoring unit 30 in order to receive data obtained by the monitoring unit 30 and transmit these data to an external device 50. The data transmission between the data transmission unit 40 and the external device 50 may be conducted via a wired or wireless transmission.

[0057] It is noted that FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the different components of the fluid transport device 10 and that the arrangement and integration of these components within the fluid transport device 10 can be modified as described herein.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a wall 14, in particular a wall portion 14, of a conduit unit of a fluid transport device, for example the conduit unit 12 of the fluid transport device 10 of FIG. 1 described above. The wall portion 14 is made of a composite material, in particular carbon fiber reinforced plastics having a plurality of plies 14a to 14n being arranged in a stacked manner as shown in FIG. 2. The wall portion 14 separates an inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 from an outside 18 of the conduit unit 12. The composite material may be an electrically conductive material.

[0059] A thermoelectric generator 21 is integrated into the wall portion 14 of the conduit unit 12. The thermoelectric generator comprises a dielectric component 23, e.g., a dielectric layer 23a, which is a functional part of the thermoelectric generator 21. The dielectric component 23 may have a flat structure, for example a foil-like or sheet-like structure. The dielectric component 23 is arranged between a first ply 14a and a second ply 14b of the composite material. The first ply 14a may act as a first electrode and the remaining plies 14b to 14n may act as a second electrode of the thermoelectric generator 21. Both electrodes also form functional parts of the thermoelectric generator 21.

[0060] As indicated with DT in FIG. 2, a temperature gradient or difference 22 between the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 and the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12 is established by the different temperatures of the fluids inside and outside the conduit unit 12. In this example, the temperature on the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12, which may occur as a result of the fluid flow 11 through the conduit unit 12, is higher than the temperature on the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12.

[0061] The thermoelectric generator 21 includes one or more thermoelements 21a to 21n which also represent functional parts of the thermoelectric generator 21. The one or more thermoelements 21a to 21n may be attached, e.g., printed, on the dielectric component 23. The thermoelements 21a to 21n may be electrically connected in parallel or in series. In the example shown in FIG. 2, only one dielectric component 23 is arranged within the wall portion 14. However, it is understood that multiple dielectric components 23 having thermoelements 21a to 21n attached thereon can be arranged in the wall portion 14. For example, a further dielectric component 23 with thermoelements 21a to 21n can be arranged between the first ply 14a and the second ply 14b or between two of the remaining plies 14b to 14n of the stack.

[0062] The thermoelectric generator generates a voltage, i.e., electrical energy, which is indicated with DV in FIG. 2. A copper foil may be arranged on each side of the wall portion 14 which act as connection points of the electrodes for the respective voltage levels. The generated electrical energy from the thermoelectric generator 23 can then be used by the monitoring unit 30 and/or the data transmission unit 40 (cf. FIG. 1) for their operation.

[0063] The fluid transport device 10 can be manufactured by using an impregnation of carbon fiber reinforcement to obtain the structural part of the wall portion 14 of the conduit unit 12, wherein parts of the fiber reinforced wall portion 14 act as the thermoelectric generator 21.

[0064] An exemplary realization of the thermoelectric generator 21 includes a double-sided deposition of an inorganic-organic hybrid p-type thermoelement paste onto the dielectric component 23, e.g., a fibrous substrate in the form of a glass fiber lamina, which is integrated into the fiber reinforced wall portion 14, and thus forms a structural single-thermoelement through-thickness thermoelectric generator 21. As noted above, highly conductive carbon fibers may be used which provide the reinforcement of the wall portion 14 and also serve as the internal junctions, i.e., electrodes, of the thermoelectric generator 21. As should be understood, the efficiency of the thermoelectric generator 21 can be further improved by using multiple in-series and/or in-parallel interconnected thermoelements, thereby increasing the total thermoelement voltage and power output.

[0065] In an alternative example, the thermoelectric generator 21 can be fabricated on a thin foil, e.g., polyimide, which allows simple interconnections, for example using printed electronics.

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a wall 14 of a conduit unit 12 of a fluid transport device, for example the fluid transport device 10 as described with reference to FIG. 1 above. The inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 provides a passage for a fluid and is separated from the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12 by the wall 14. The wall 14 is present in the form of a tube, preferably made of CFRP, and includes a thermoelectric generator 21 which is located, e.g., attached, on the outside 18 of the conduit unit. The wall 14 of the conduit unit 12 has a first wall portion 14a providing a direct contact surface with a first part 24a of the thermoelectric generator 21. The wall 14 of the conduit unit 12 further has a second wall portion 14b which is connected to the least one thermoelectric generator 21 via an insulation layer 15 which spatially separates the second wall portion 14b from a second part 24b of the at least one thermoelectric generator 21.

[0067] In particular, the insulation layer 15 thermally isolates the second part 24b and a third part 24c of the thermoelectrical generator 21 from corresponding second and third wall portions 14b, 14c, whereas the direct contact between the first wall portion 14a and the first part 24a of the thermoelectric generator 21 enables an enhanced heat flux via the contact surface between the first wall portion 14a and the first part 24a of the thermoelectric generator 21. In consequence, if the temperature of the fluid on the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 is greater than the temperature of the fluid on the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12, then the first part 24a of the thermoelectric generator 21 which directly contacts the first wall portion 14a may have a higher temperature than the second and third parts 24b, 24c of the thermoelectric generator 21 since the second and third parts 24b, 24c are thermally isolated from the wall 14 by the insulation layer 15. This temperature difference over the different parts of the thermoelectric generator 21 enables electric energy generation as explained above. Electrical connections may be provided in the form of the electrodes 26, for example tapes made of silver, which are coupled to the thermoelements 21a to 21n which will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a top view onto the thermoelectric generator 21 of FIG. 3. In particular, FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of thermoelements 21a to 21n of said thermoelectric generator 21. As can be seen, thermoelements 21a to 21n extend over the three parts 24a, 24b and 24c of the thermoelectric generator 21. The thermoelements 21a to 21n comprise a meandric shape. It is noted that the first part 24a of the thermoelectric generator 21 represents the part which directly contacts the first wall portion 14a of the conduit unit 12, whereas the second and third parts 24b, 24c of the thermoelectric generator 21 represent the parts which are isolated from the corresponding second and third wall portions 14b, 14c of the conduit unit 12 (cf. FIG. 3).

[0069] The thermoelectric generator 21 may be present in the form of a flexible structure 25 which is configured to adapt to the shape of the wall 14 of the conduit unit 12. Accordingly, the thermoelectric generator 21 of FIGS. 3 and 4 can be shaped in an arbitrary manner. The flat structure of the thermoelectric generator 21 as shown in these Figures is merely an example. In particular, the thermoelectric generator 21 may be at least partially wrapped around the wall 14 and/or the insulation layer 15 of the conduit unit 12. For example, a flexible lamina-printed thermoelectric generator 21 is wrapped and bonded with the appropriate tooling around the CFRP tube 12. P- and n-type aqueous thermoelement inks or pristine single walled carbon nano tube (SWCNT) powder can be employed to manufacture the thermoelectric generator 21. A glass fiber reinforcement layer (dielectric component) can be selectively printed via ink dispersion processes within an in-plane p-n thermoelectric generator area using a predetermined pattern. The resulting optimal multiple p-type and n-type printed films exhibit efficient thermoelement values and, in addition, a good stability in air, when operating at temperatures up to 140° C.

[0070] The printed flexible structure 25 of the thermoelectric generator 21 can be impregnated with epoxy resin during the manufacturing of the CFRP tube. In particular, additional individual glass fiber layers 23 for the thermoelectric generator 21 can be pre-impregnated with epoxy resin and integrated into the tube 12 to create the temperature gradient 22 between the inside 16 and the outside 18 of the composite tube 12. Afterwards, the composite tube 12 which incorporates the thermoelectric generator 21 can be prepared with a molding tool that is employed for the polymerization process.

[0071] An automated and continuous 2D printing of solution-processed functional inks onto the glass fiber reinforcing layers 23 may enable the realization of a functional prepreg system for laminae-devices, which can be directly utilized within a multifunctional CFRP part manufacturing procedure.

[0072] A fully printed thermoelectric generator 21, which may be used in the inventive fluid transport device 10, may comprise multiple serially interconnected p- and n-type thermoelement films which may be configured for power generation up to an open-circuit voltage of about 1 V, short-circuit current of about 1 mA and a power output of greater than 200 μW at a certain temperature gradient of 100 K.

[0073] As a further example, an epoxy resin matrix nanomodification (e.g., CNT-based fillers) may be employed for an enhancement of fracture toughness of the CFRP parts of the tube 12 and an improvement of their through-thickness thermal conductivity. This structure enhancement may compensate for any additional mass due to the integration of the glass fiber spatial insulating layers 23.

[0074] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method for manufacturing a fluid transport device, for example the fluid transport device 10 of FIG. 1 described above. A step S1 of the method comprises manufacturing of a conduit unit 12 having a wall 14 for separating an inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 from an outside 18 of the conduit unit 12, wherein the conduit unit 12 is configured to transport a fluid through the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12. Another step S2 of the method comprises integrating an energy supply unit 20 at least partly into the conduit unit 12 during manufacturing of the conduit unit 12, wherein the energy supply unit 20 is configured to provide electrical energy based on a temperature gradient 22 between the inside 16 of the conduit unit 12 and the outside 18 of the conduit unit 12. Another step S3 of the method comprises coupling a monitoring unit 30 to the conduit unit 12 such that the energy supply unit 20 supplies the monitoring unit 30 with the electrical energy, wherein the monitoring unit 30 is configured to monitor a state of the conduit unit 12 and to generate data representative for the state of the conduit unit 12.

[0075] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.