F. P. Brito

Thermoelectric Exhaust Energy Recovery with Temperature Control through Heat Pipes

Currently, a great deal of the automotive industry’s R&D effort is focused on improving overall vehicle environmental and energy efficiency [1]. For instance, one of the things that Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrid cars (HEV) have in common is the recovery of waste energy, namely during braking. But, when an I.C. engine is operating (e. g. as a range extender in an EV), a large amount of energy is also wasted within the exhaust gases and with engine cooling, energy that could otherwise be recovered by different methods. This paper reports on the recovery of waste thermal energy using thermoelectric generators (TEG) for application in hybrid, extended range electric vehicles and more generally in any vehicle that could benefit from the generation of a small amount of electric current that would reduce the alternator operation time. Although some manufacturers are trying to develop TEGs to use at exhaust temperatures, there are still no commercially available TEG modules capable of withstanding these extreme temperatures. The present work assesses the potential of the use of heat pipes (HP) as a means of transferring energy from the hot exhaust gases to the TEG modules at a compatible temperature level while minimizing the loss of efficiency due to temperature downgrading. The type of HP used in this study is called Variable Conductance Heat Pipe (VCHP), and its deployment has the advantage of inducing good temperature control. Various types of HPs were designed, manufactured, tested and improved with the aim of enhancing the overall heat transfer process, enabling an optimal level of electric energy recovery from the referred TEG modules. This was accomplished by the testing of different fluids inside the HP and by regulating the pressure of the gas chamber. Although the system is still under improvement, the results indicate that the use of VCHPs in conjunction with thermoelectric generators is a convincing technique for recovering otherwise wasted energy from the exhaust gases.

An experimental study of the influence of loading direction on the thermohydrodynamic behaviour of twin axial groove journal bearing

An experimental assessment of the influence of angle between the groove axis and the load line on the thermohydrodynamic behaviour of twin groove hydrodynamic journal bearings has been undertaken. At nine different loading direction angles, the oil–bush interface temperature profiles, oil outlet temperature, maximum bush temperature, total flow rate, and oil flow rate through each groove were measured for variable applied load and oil supply pressure while the feeding temperature was kept constant (40°C). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the influence of loading direction on the performance of journal bearing with two axial grooves in which the flow rate were measured in each groove for different working conditions under laminar regime. It was found that the variation of loading direction has a strong effect on the bearing performance. Under some running conditions, negative lubricant flow rate (hot oil reflux) at one groove was detected. This seldom-reported phenomenon was found to affect the bearing performance dramatically. Increasing supply pressure yielded a temperature decrease, especially for high loads, and sometimes prevented the occurrence of hot oil reflux.

Heat-pipe assisted thermoelectric generators for exhaust gas applications

Millions of hybrid cars are already running on our roads with the purpose of reducing fossil fuel dependence. One of their main advantages is the recovery of wasted energy, namely by brake recovery. However, there are other sources of wasted energy in a car powered by an internal combustion engine, such as the heat lost through the cooling system, lubrication system (oil coolers) and in the exhaust system. These energies can be recuperated by the use of thermoelectric generators (TEG) based on the Seebeck effect, which transform heat directly into electricity. To recover the energy from the hot (up to more than 700 °C) exhaust gases it is possible to use controlled heat transfer, but this would limit the heat transfer potential at partial loads, as commercialy available TEG are limited by their maximum allowable temperature (∼250°C). Therefore Heat Pipes were used as an alternative heat transfer mean, so it would be possible to retain the heat transfer potential, while controlling the maximum temperature at a reasonable level. This is the method to recover the exhaust heat presented in this work. Numerical simulations were performed to assess the potential for this design, involving internal combustion engine simulation, thermoelectric generators simulation and heat transfer modelling. Additionally, the use of variable conductance heat pipes (VCHP) is discussed, as a means of achieving TEG module maximum temperature limitation.Copyright

Influence of heat pipe operating temperature on exhaust heat thermoelectric generation

Increasingly stringent targets on energy efficiency and emissions, as well as growing vehicle electrification are making attractive the electric recovery of the energy normally wasted through the tailpipe of Internal Combustion Engines. Recent developments in thermoelectrics (TE) may soon make them a viable solution for such applications [1]. This team has been exploring the potential of using TE modules in combination with variable conductance heat pipes for transferring the exhaust heat to the generator with very low thermal resistance and at a constant, prescribed temperature. This passive temperature control eliminates the need for bypass systems in the event of temperature overshoots. The operating temperature of a generator should be as high as possible in order to maximize the Seebeck effect. However, currently available modules are temperature limited. Moreover, the higher the HP temperature the less the usable thermal power at the exhaust will be (heat can only be transferred to from a hotter to a colder body). The present work assesses both theoretically and experimentally the influence of the HP temperature in the electric output of a thermoelectric generator. A small diesel engine and a generator were tested and it was found that a high HP operating temperature is only limitative for performance in the cases where low exhaust temperature and low engine power are present. In those cases it is possible to estimate an optimal HP temperature in order to maximize power output. The combined use of Seebeck modules and heat pipes was found to be highly advantageous in various ways.

Temperature Controlled Exhaust Heat Thermoelectric Generation

The amount of energy wasted through the exhaust of an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle is roughly the same as the mechanical power output of the engine. The high temperature of these gases (up to 1000°C) makes them intrinsically apt for energy recovery. The gains in efficiency for the vehicle could be relevant, even if a small percentage of this waste energy could be regenerated into electric power and used to charge the battery pack of a Hybrid or Extended Range Electric Vehicle, or prevent the actuation of a conventional vehicles alternator. This may be achieved by the use of thermodynamic cycles, such as Stirling engines or Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC). However, these systems are difficult to downsize to the power levels typical of light vehicle exhaust systems and are usually bulky. The direct conversion of thermal energy into electricity, using Thermoelectric Generators (TEG) is very attractive in terms of minimal complexity. However, current commercial thermoelectric modules based on Seebeck effect are temperature limited, so they are unable to be in direct contact with the exhaust gases. A way to downgrade the temperature levels without significantly reducing the regeneration potential is to interpose Heat Pipes (HP) between the exhaust gas and the Seebeck modules in a controlled way. This control of maximum permissible temperature at the modules is achieved by regulating the pressure of phase change of the service fluid of the HP. In this way the system will be failsafe against overheating and will be able to operate efficiently under both low and high thermal loads. Such is the case of the range extender unit being developed by the team, which has a low (15kW) and a high (40kW) power mode of operation. Various designs concepts were evaluated by simulation, design and test. Although efficiencies were still moderate, it was possible to demonstrate the potential of this system for optimizing the output of commercially available temperature limited TEGs.

Thermoelectric Exhaust Heat Recovery with Heat Pipe-Based Thermal Control

Heat pipe (HP)-based heat exchangers can be used for very low resistance heat transfer between a hot and a cold source. Their operating temperature depends solely on the boiling point of their working fluid, so it is possible to control the heat transfer temperature if the pressure of the HP can be adjusted. This is the case of the variable conductance HPs (VCHP). This solution makes VCHPs ideal for the passive control of thermoelectric generator (TEG) temperature levels. The present work assesses, both theoretically and experimentally, the merit of the aforementioned approach. A thermal and electrical model of a TEG with VCHP assist is proposed. Experimental results obtained with a proof of concept prototype attached to a small single-cylinder engine are presented and used to validate the model. It was found that the HP heat exchanger indeed enables the TEG to operate at a constant, optimal temperature in a passive and safe way, and with a minimal overall thermal resistance, under part load, it effectively reduces the active module area without deprecating the temperature level of the active modules.

A survey on electric/hybrid vehicles

Since the late 19th century until recently several electric vehicles have been designed, manufactured and used throughout the world. Some were just prototypes, others were concept cars, others were just special purpose vehicles and lately, a considerable number of general purpose cars has been produced and commercialized. Since the mid nineties the transportation sector emissions are being increasingly regulated and the dependency on oil and its price fluctuations originated an increasing interest on electric vehicles (EV). A wide research was made on existing electric/hybrid vehicle models. Some of these vehicles were just in the design phase, but most reached the prototype or full market production. They were divided into several types, such as NEVs, prototypes, concept cars, and full homologated production cars. For each type of vehicle model a technical historic analysis was made. Data related to the vehicle configuration as well as the embedded systems were collected and compared. Based on these data future prospect of evolution was subsequently made. The main focus was put on city vehicles and long range vehicles. For city vehicles the market approach normally consists in the use of full electric configuration while for the latter, the hybrid configuration is commonly used. The electrical systems and combustion engines found in these vehicles are compared in order to forecast the evolution trend in terms of specifications and performance of the whole vehicle and of each system.

Analysis of the effect of module thickness reduction on thermoelectric generator output

Conventional thermoelectric generators (TEGs) used in applications such as exhaust heat recovery are typically limited in terms of power density due to their low efficiency. Additionally, they are generally costly due to the bulk use of rare-earth elements such as tellurium. If less material could be used for the same output, then the power density and the overall cost per kilowatt (kW) of electricity produced could drop significantly, making TEGs a more attractive solution for energy harvesting of waste heat. The present work assesses the effect of reducing the amount of thermoelectric (TE) material used (namely by reducing the module thickness) on the electrical output of conventional bismuth telluride TEGs. Commercial simulation packages (ANSYS CFX and thermal–electric) and bespoke models were used to simulate the TEGs at various degrees of detail. Effects such as variation of the thermal and electrical contact resistance and the component thickness and the effect of using an element supporting matrix (e.g., eggcrate) instead of having air conduction in void areas have been assessed. It was found that indeed it is possible to reduce the use of bulk TE material while retaining power output levels equivalent to thicker modules. However, effects such as thermal contact resistance were found to become increasingly important as the active TE material thickness was decreased.

Modelling of thermoelectric generator with heat pipe assist for range extender application

Recent trends towards electrification of vehicles favour the adoption of waste energy recovery into electricity. Battery-only Electric Vehicles (BEV) need a very large energy storage system so the use of a Range Extender (RE) may allow a significant downsizing of these bulky components. The Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) have two major discarded energy fluxes, engine cooling and exhaust gas. In Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREV) and hybrids the potential for heat conversion into electricity is particularly convenient. The direct conversion of thermal energy into electricity, using Thermoelectric Generators (TEG) is very attractive in terms of complexity. However, current commercial TEG modules based on Seebeck effect are temperature limited, so they are unable to be in direct contact with the exhaust gases. A way to downgrade the temperature levels without reducing its potential is to interpose Heat Pipes (HP) between the exhaust gas and the modules. This control of maximum temperature at the modules is achieved by regulating the pressure of phase change of the HP fluid. Such design is convenient for engines with large thermal load variations, such as the RE being developed by the team, with a low (15kW) and a high (40kW) power mode of operation. This system will be able to operate efficiently in both modes. The present work presents the thermal modelling of such a system in order to assess the suitability of this approach. This work is complemented with the experimental work being carried out by the team in this subject, already with some published results. The model was validated with experimental data with a good correlation. Therefore, it was possible to demonstrate the potential of this system for wasted heat recovery.

An experimental investigation on the influence of deactivation of a groove on the performance of a twin groove journal bearing

Laboratory tests have been carried out in order to assess the influence of groove activation and deactivation on the performance of a twin axial groove steadily loaded hydrodynamic journal bearing. Temperature distribution at the oil–bush interface, oil outlet temperature, total oil flow rate, partial oil flow rate (at each groove), and motor consumption were measured for several journal speeds and loads under constant feeding pressure (pf) and constant feeding temperature (Tf), at five different loading angles (Γ). In this study, the corresponding groove was deactivated whenever negative oil flow rate was observed in it and results were compared. It was found that the groove deactivation strategy has profound influence on the bearing performance when negative flow rate occurs at one groove, preventing such undesirable effects as lubricant starvation at the loaded region of the bearing. Groove deactivation in the event of negative flow rate may be easily implemented by incorporating a check valve to the feeding system of each groove. Such strategy seems to be highly recommended for the safe operation of bearings subjected to high loads and load angles deviated from 90°.