Thermal equilibrium regulator for a thermoelectric power source

Claim 2

A thermoelectric generator system for converting heat energy into electrical energy, comprising: a heat source; a heat sink; a thermopile exposed to and influenced by said heat source and said heat sink; a load electrically connected to said thermopile; and a control means connected between said load and said thermopile, said control means including a sensor connected in series with said load and said sensor electrically connected to a fuel pump that provides a liquid hydrocarbon fuel to said heat source wherein voltage developed across said sensor regulates the voltage of said fuel pump for controlling the fuel flow rate through the fuel pump to maintain said thermopile in thermoequilibrium.

Claim 3

The thermoelectric generator system according to claim 1 and further comprising that: said control means includes a regulation means for operating said fuel pump at a predetermined maximum rpm from no load to full load, and; said control means further includes means for decreasing the rpm of said fuel pump beyond full load thereby maintaining the thermopile in thermoequilibrium as said thermopile is operated above full load.

Claim 4

A regulated thermoelectric generator system for converting hydrocarbon fuel into electric energy comprising: a thermopile having a hot side, a cold side, and at least one pair of outlet connections; fan means for cooling said cold side of said thermopile; burner means for combusting said hydrocarbon and for heating said hot side of said thermopile; an electrically driven fuel pump means for supplying hydrocarbon fuel to said burner means; a load connected to said outlet connection of said thermopile, and; sensor means connected in series with said load for controlling said fuel pump means.

Claim 5

A regulated thermoelectric generator system for converting hydrocarbon fuel into electric energy comprising: a thermopile having a hot side, a cold side, and at least one pair of outlet connections; fan means for cooling said cold side of said thermopile; burner means for combusting said hydrocarbon and for heating said hot side of said thermopile; an electrically driven fuel pump means for supplying hydrocarbon fuel to said burner means; a load connected to said outlet connection of said thermopile, and; sensor means connected in series with said load for controlling said fuel pump means.

Claim 6

A thermoelectric generator system for converting hydrocarbon fuel into electric energy according to claim 3 and further comprising that: said sensor means is a resistor; and, transistor control circuitry including a power supply connected across said resistor for controlling said fuel pump means.

Claim 7

A thermoelectric generator system for converting hydrocarbon fuel into electric energy according to claim 4 and further comprising that: said transistor control circuitry includes a first transistor having a base and emitter connected across said sensor resistor, the collector of said first transIstor being connected to said fuel pump means and to said power supply; a second transistor having its collector connected to said fuel pump means, its base connected through a variable resistor to the emitter of said first transistor, and; the emitter of said second transistor is connected to the base of said second transistor through a fixed resistor and to said power supply thereby producing a regulated thermopile output that controls the voltage across said fuel pump means in such a manner that said thermopile operates at a constant regulated voltage from no load to full load and at thermal equilibrium thereafter to load short circuit.