Development of liquid-turbine power generator due to convective flow of mercury induced by low-temperature waste heats

液体涡轮发电机组是一种利用100℃以下废热的新型能量收集系统。在此工作中，进行了理论可行性研究，验证了该方案，并进行了样机的制作和演示。首先，汞被认为是提议的发电机最有希望的介质，因为它在室温下具有最重的相对密度，预计会有更高的动量。但是，理论计算表明，对流流速相对较低，如果使用汞，则无法获得有效动量。采用介质相变强制流动的方法，测量任何沸点低、密度高、不溶于水的达到NOVEC的液体。最后，根据假设过程，利用NOVEC/水双相介质实现发电。

As a new energy harvesting system from waste heats below 100 degreeC, liquid-turbine power generator had been proposed due to liquid convective flow. In this work, theoretical feasibility study to check the proposal, manufacture of prototype apparatus and demonstrations were done.Firstly, mercury was considered the most promising medium for the proposed power generator since it has the heaviest relative density among any liquids under room temperature, expecting the higher momentum. However, it had been clarified from theoretical calculations that the convective flow rates were relatively low, and then efficient momentum could not be obtained if mercury had been utilized. To adopt enforced flow due to phase changes of medium to the proposed power generator, surveying any liquids reached NOVEC with a low boiling temperature, higher density and insolubility to water. Finally, power generation could be achieved with using NOVEC/water biphasic medium according to assumed processes.