Research on effective utilisation of solar thermal energy by solar energy bench

This study looks at the effective utilisation of thermal energy especially in a small power domain. In previous studies, the author has clarified the effectiveness of using thermal energy applications for HEMS (Home Energy Management System). In this HEMS, sensor network nodes were used which required an average power of several hundred micro Watts to continue working. We set a challenge to utilise the energy of the temperature difference between the human body and circumference and successfully achieved in excess of an average 100uW power. Now we are interested in gathering more power from solar thermal energy. The first stage involved developing a solar energy bench. The solar energy bench design was based on the solar cooker for gathering solar thermal energy and was focused as the thermal energy raising the temperature of the dumped water used for heat retention. The warming surface of the thermoelectric element was exposed in hot water to solar energy and the opposite surface of the element was attached to the heat sink and exposed in the cooling side. In the first trial, we obtained an electrical energy of almost 0.2mW which was very small compared to estimates. The first prototype had many problems: heat insulation mechanism; heat collecting mechanism; heat transfer mechanism and especially around the heat dissipation mechanism. Subsequently, the revised model introduced a water cooling mechanism on the cooling surface. In the revised solar energy bench, successful results were achieved. The obtained power was over 3mW which is sufficient to keep the sensor network system working. The consideration about the power generating characteristics between air cooling mechanism and water cooling mechanism will be discussed.