Research on Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion System Based on Supercooled Thermal Energy Storage
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摘要: 针对水下滑翔机(UG)等水下无人系统续航受限的问题, 提出并实验验证了一种基于过冷相变材料(EPCM)与热电模块(TEM)耦合的海洋温差发电系统。该系统利用 EPCM 在下潜过程中保持过冷液态、在低温海水环境中自发结晶释放潜热的特性, 在 TEM 冷、热端之间建立稳定温差, 实现海洋温差能向电能的直接转换。制备了三种不同配比、质量为 2.5 kg 的 EPCM, 并在模拟海表-深海温度环境下测试其过冷稳定性和发电性能。结果表明, 98% 六水氯化钙(CCH)+2% PEG200 的 EPCM过冷和释放潜热行为更稳定, 在深海工况下最大开路电压为 15.2 V、最大短路电流为 43.06 mA, 单次发电持续约
2640 s, 输出电能为 518.09 J; 在完整下潜–上浮剖面中累计输出电能达 821.44 J, 对应系统体积能量密度为 547.63 kJ·m−3。研究结果表明, 该系统可在单个潜浮剖面内实现稳定能量输出, 具有良好的工程应用潜力。Abstract: To address the limited endurance of underwater unmanned systems such as underwater gliders (UGs), an ocean thermal energy conversion system coupling supercooled phase change materials (EPCM) with thermoelectric modules (TEM) is proposed and experimentally validated. By maintaining EPCM in a supercooled liquid state during descent and triggering spontaneous crystallization with latent heat release in cold seawater, a stable temperature difference is established across the TEM, enabling direct conversion of ocean thermal gradient energy into electrical power. Three EPCMs with different compositions and a mass of 2.5 kg were prepared, and their supercooling stability and power generation performance were evaluated under simulated sea surface–deep sea thermal conditions. The results show that the EPCM composed of 98% calcium chloride hexahydrate (CCH) and 2% PEG200 exhibits more stable supercooling and latent heat release behavior. Under deep-sea conditions, the system achieves a maximum open-circuit voltage of 15.2 V, a maximum short-circuit current of 43.06 mA, a power generation duration of approximately2640 s, and a single-cycle energy output of 518.09 J. During a complete descent–ascent profile, the cumulative electrical energy output reaches 821.44 J, corresponding to a volumetric energy density of 547.63 kJ·m−3. The results demonstrate that the proposed system can provide stable energy output within a single dive cycle and shows promising potential for autonomous energy supply in underwater unmanned systems. -
图 1 基于过冷储热的海洋温差发电系统原理示意图
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the supercooling thermal-storage-based ocean thermoelectric power generation system
图 2 单对PN结热电偶温差发电原理
Figure 2. Principle of thermoelectric power generation by a single pair of PN junction thermocouple
图 3 温敏热管在海表工作的原理
Figure 3. Principle of the temperature-sensitive heat pipe operating at the sea surface
图 4 温敏热管在海底工作的原理
Figure 4. Principle of the temperature-sensitive heat pipe operating on the seabed
图 8 测温点在实验装置中的分布
Figure 8. Distribution of temperature measurement points in the experimental setup
图 9 3种 EPCM 与温差发电片热端在3次循环中的温度-时间响应
Figure 9. Temperature-time responses of three EPCMs and the hot side of the thermoelectric generator during three cycles
图 10 样品2单次过冷-结晶成核循环实验的温度-时间响应
Figure 10. Temperature-time response of Sample 2 during a single supercooling-crystallization nucleation cycle
图 11 电路海底输出的开路电压和短路电流
Figure 11. The open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current at the subsea circuit output
图 12 海底和海表温差发电功率随时间变化
Figure 12. Power output of the thermoelectric power generation varying with time between the seabed and the sea surface
图 13 温差发电装置模拟由海底上浮海表的温度变化
Figure 13. Temperature variation of the thermoelectric power generation device during the simulated ascent of the submersible from the seabed to the sea surface
图 14 海底上浮海表过程中输出的开路电压和短路电流
Figure 14. The output open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current during the ascent from the seabed to the sea surface
图 15 TEM热端温度随时间变化的拟合曲线
Figure 15. Fitted curves of TEM hot end temperature versus time
表 1 3种不同配比的EPCM质量分数
Table 1. Three different ratios of EPCM quality scores
% EPCM CCH PEG200 CaCl2 样品1 97.0 3.00 0 样品2 98.0 2.00 0 样品3 88.9 2.22 8.88 
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表 2 实验电压和电流测试不确定度
Table 2. Experimental uncertainty of voltage and current measurements
序号 UA/V UV I/mA IA 1 16.56 ±0.102 8 43.06 ±0.104 2 13.45 ±0.087 3 32.70 ±0.103 3 10.50 ±0.072 5 21.91 ±1.030 4 7.06 ±0.055 3 16.30 ±0.102 5 4.95 ±0.044 8 10.28 ±0.101
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表 3 实验EPCM触发释放最高温度测量不确定度
Table 3. Experimental measurement uncertainty of the peak temperature during EPCM triggering and release
样品 Tmax/℃ $ u\left(x\right) $ $ x\pm u\left(x\right) $ 1 25.7 0.12 25.7±0.12 2 25.9 0.12 25.9±0.12 3 26.3 0.12 26.3±0.12
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