1-11. (canceled)
12. A thermoelectric power generation system comprising:
a thermoelectric generator having thermoelectrics with at least one cold side and at least one hot side, the TE generator configured to generate electrical power when a temperature gradient is present between the at least one cold side and the at least one hot side;
a first working fluid in thermal communication with at least one heat source;
a second working fluid separate from the first working fluid, the second working fluid in thermal communication with the at least one hot side, and in thermal communication with the first working fluid of such that heat is transferred from the first working fluid to the second working fluid; and
a flow control system adapted to control the flow of the second working fluid in response to changes in heat originating from the at least one heat source.
13. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 12, wherein the first working fluid flows through the at least one heat source.
14. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 12, further comprising a thermal storage.
15. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 12, further comprising a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first working fluid and in thermal communication with the second working fluid, and further comprising a heat exchanger bypass controllable via the controller, to cause some or all of the heat from the at least one heat source to bypass the heat exchanger.
16. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 12, wherein the flow control system comprises a controller and one or more flow control devices operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the one or more flow control devices modify the flow of the second working fluid in response to signals from the controller.
17. A thermoelectric power generation system comprising:
a thermoelectric generator having thermoelectrics with at least one cold side and at least one hot side configured to generate electrical power when a temperature gradient is present across the at least one cold side and the at least one hot side;
a first working fluid in thermal communication with at least one heat source;
a second working fluid in thermal communication with the at least one cold side, the first working fluid and the second working fluid separate from one another, wherein heat is transferred from the second working fluid to the first working fluid; and
a controller in communication with flow control devices adapted to control the flow of the second working fluid in response to changes in operating conditions for the thermoelectrics.
18. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 17, wherein the first working fluid flows through the at least one heat source.
19. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 17, wherein the at least one heat source comprises an engine having a coolant system.
20. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 19, wherein the second working fluid can be selectively placed in thermal communication with the coolant system of the engine, such that during engine warm-up, heat transferred from the thermoelectrics to the second working fluid is further transferred to the cooling system for the engine, thereby decreasing warm-up time for the engine.
21. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 17, further comprising a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first working fluid and in thermal communication with the second working fluid, and further comprising a heat exchanger bypass controllable via the controller, to cause some or all of the heat from the at least one heat source to bypass the heat exchanger.
22. The thermoelectric power generation system of claim 17, wherein the flow control system comprises a controller and one or more flow control devices operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the one or more flow control devices modify the flow of the second working fluid in response to signals from the controller.
23. A method of generating power from waste heat using a thermoelectric generator having thermoelectrics with at least one cold side and at least one hot side configured to generate electrical power when a temperature gradient is present across the at least one cold side and the at least one hot side, the method comprising:
transferring heat between a first working fluid and a second working fluid separate from the first working fluid, the first working fluid in thermal communication with at least one heat source, wherein the second working fluid is in thermal communication with either the at least one cold side wherein heat is transferred from the second working fluid to the first working fluid or the at least one hot side wherein heat is transferred from the first working fluid to the second working fluid; and
controlling the flow of the second working fluid in response to changes in operating conditions of the at least one heat source.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first working fluid flows through the at least one heat source.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one heat source comprises an engine having a coolant system.
26. The method of claim 25, further comprising, during engine warm-up, transferring heat from the thermoelectrics to the second working fluid; and transferring heat from the second working fluid to the cooling system for the engine, thereby decreasing warm-up time for the engine.
27. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling the flow of heat from the at least one heat source to the second working fluid based on changing heat flux of the at least one heat source and the capacity of the thermoelectric generator.
28. The method of claim 23, further comprising storing thermal energy.
29. The method of claim 23, further comprising transferring heat from the first working fluid to a heat exchanger; transferring heat from the heat exchanger to the second working fluid; and controlling a heat exchanger bypass to cause some or all of the heat from the at least one heat source to bypass the heat exchanger.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An image heating apparatus comprising:
a coil for generating a magnetic flux by electric power supply thereto;
an image heating member for heating an image on a recording material by heat generation using the magnetic flux generated by said coil;
magnetic flux adjusting means for adjusting a distribution of the magnetic flux directed from said coil toward said heat generation member in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the recording material;
moving means for moving said magnetic flux adjusting means to a position for making smaller the magnetic flux directed from said coil toward said heat generation member at an end portion of said image heating member than at a middle portion;
switching means for switching a number of recording materials per unit time to reduce the number of the recording materials having a length, measured in the perpendicular direction, smaller than a maximum usable length as measured in the perpendicular direction; and
operation control means for enabling an operation of said moving means during operation of said switching means.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of said image heating member, temperature control means for controlling the electric power supply to said coil on the basis of an output of said first temperature detecting member, and a second temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of said image heating member at a position different from a position at which said first temperature detecting member detects the temperature, wherein said moving means is operated on the basis of an output of second temperature detecting member.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of the recording materials per unit time is reduced on the basis of the number of the recording materials during a continuous heating operations.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic flux adjusting means includes a shield member for shielding the magnetic flux directed from said coil toward said image heating member.