HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR PYROMETALLURGICAL VESSEL USING THERMOELECTRIC/THERMOMAGNETIC DEVICES

摘要

A method and apparatus for harvesting waste thermal energy from a pyrometallurgical vessel (1) and converting that energy to direct electrical current, the method including deriving and controlling a primary fluid flow (103) from a primary heat exchanger (10) associated with the pyrometallurgical vessel (1), providing a secondary heat exchanger (12) physically displaced from the pyrometallurgical vessel (1) which exchanges heat between the primary fluid flow (103) from the primary heat exchanger (10) and a secondary fluid flow (104). The secondary heat exchanger (12) has at least one thermoelectric or magneto-thermoelectric device having two operationally-opposed sides, the operationally-opposed sides being in thermal communication with the primary and secondary fluid flows (103,104) respectively. A temperature difference is maintained between the two operationally-opposed sides of the thermoelectric or magneto-thermoelectric device and electrical energy is generated from the temperature differential. The pyrometallurgical vessel preferably generates a magnetic field (14) in the region surrounding the pyrometallurgical vessel (1) and the secondary heat exchanger (12) having at least one magneto-thermoelectric device is positioned physically displaced from but within the magnetic field (14) surrounding the pyrometallurgical vessel such that the direction of temperature gradient across the secondary heat exchanger is oriented normally to the maximum principal direction of the magnetic field (14) and electrical energy is generated from the temperature differential and magnetic field via the Nernst effect or magneto-thermoelectric effects.