全球化的時代,能源需求越來越大,地球上的資源卻不是取之不盡、用之不竭。道路能源系統(Road Energy System)是藉由柏油道路所吸收的太陽熱能將冷水轉變成熱水,供有需要的時候使用;世界許多地方也利用海洋熱能轉換(Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, OTEC)系統,藉由不同溫度海水的溫差發電。本研究主要考慮將以上兩個系統結合,蒐集太陽照射在柏油路面上所產生的熱能,藉由能量轉換系統,將熱能轉換成電能,以供日常生活所需。因此考慮於道路鋪設柏油路面時,先安置管子以便於實驗時可注入冷水,利用太陽照射在柏油路面上所產生的熱能傳導至管子中的冷水,此時管子內的水受熱能作用影響,產生熱能變成溫水,再將溫水及冷水注入於簡單製作的熱能交換器中,利用溫差效應推動渦輪產生電力。
Increasing global energy demand is likely to overtake the natural energy supply. We attempted to develop the use of asphalt road energy systems to convert the solar thermal energy to electric energy to partially offset the increasing energy demand.We conducted experiments using tubular heat exchangers to convert the solar radiation energy to aqueous thermal energy. The aqueous thermal energy is obtained by injecting cold water into the installed heat exchangers absorbing the solar thermal energy stored in asphalt road and retrieving the warm water from the heat exchangers for turbine electricity generation.