however small the difference it makes it is still accountable. i know it's been said before but it's the small things that make the differences. i think when this has been developed it might become something commonly used in cars. not to mention if this technology was used in power plants which produce a substantial amount of unused excess heat. like all alternative fuel sources development of the technology needs to be funded.
Green cars - Gaining power from Exhaust
· By: Staff
· Date: 2008-02-21
Comments (3) Join conversation
Wherever there's heat, there's a energy to be harnessed, and the quest to do that economically has been a 40-year passion for Professor Mike Rowe of Cardiff University in the U.K.
The science of turning waste heat into electricity is called thermoelectrics and professor Rowe has done some pioneering work in the area. Back in 1964, his PhD work included developing a method for generating alloys with an extra small 'grain,' giving it enhanced thermoelectric properties.
The thermoelectric effect is the creation of a voltage when two materials, each with different temperatures, are placed next to each other. The effect was first discovered in 1821 by German Physicist Thomas Seebeck. Later, French physicist Jean Peltier discovered that applying an electric current produced a temperature difference.
The effect became known as the Peltier-Seebeck effect, and it is now the focus of intense research in Japan, where the goal is to develop advanced thermoelectric modules with 15% efficiency in converting heat to electricity.
One calculation estimates that the technology could potentially save Japan as much as 20 million gallons of crude oil.
In the case of automobile exhausts it's estimated that successful development of the technology could enable exhaust heat to generate enough electricity to eliminate the belt-driven alternators that currently generate electricity for vehicles.
General Motors and BMW are hope to improve fuel economy by as much as 10% using thermoelectric technology.
Professor Rowe can be contacted at : rowedm1@Cardiff.ac.uk
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Comments
tze, on Sunday, 23. March 2008 at 08:38 AM
hijinks, on Monday, 25. February 2008 at 06:48 PM
somhow i have a feeling this one is not that effective. I can't see a small amount of electrical power from thermoelectrics replacing the alternator anytime soon
connor, on Saturday, 23. February 2008 at 06:03 PM
I can'tunderstand why our government here in the UK doesn't jump on this one. It's not as if we're self sufficient in energy or anything. Maybe we're relying on our military to keep us supplied from the middle east
