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Title: Enhancement of automotive exhaust heat recovery by thermoelectric devices

Abstract

In an effort to improve automobile fuel economy, an experimental study is undertaken to explore practical aspects of implementing thermoelectric devices for exhaust gas energy recovery. A highly instrumented apparatus consisting of a hot (exhaust gas) and a cold (coolant liquid) side rectangular ducts enclosing the thermoelectric elements has been built. Measurements of thermoelectric voltage output and flow and surface temperatures were acquired and analyzed to investigate the power generation and heat transfer properties of the apparatus. Effects of inserting aluminum wool packing material inside the hot side duct on augmentation of heat transfer from the gas stream to duct walls were studied. Data were collected for both the unpacked and packed cases to allow for detection of packing influence on flow and surface temperatures. Effects of gas and coolant inlet temperatures as well as gas flow rate on the thermoelectric power output were examined. The results indicate that thermoelectric power production is increased at higher gas inlet temperature or flow rate. However, thermoelectric power generation decreases with a higher coolant temperature as a consequence of the reduced hot-cold side temperature differential. For the hot-side duct, a large temperature gradient exists between the gas and solid surface temperature due tomore » poor heat transfer through the gaseous medium. Adding the packing material inside the exhaust duct enhanced heat transfer and hence raised hot-side duct surface temperatures and thermoelectric power compared to the unpacked duct, particularly where the gas-to-surface temperature differential is highest. Therefore it is recommended that packing of exhaust duct becomes common practice in thermoelectric waste energy harvesting applications.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Alabama A&M University, Normal
  2. ORNL
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Fuels, Engines and Emissions Research Center (FEERC); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). National Transportation Research Center (NTRC)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
OSTI Identifier:
985757
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Energy Conversion and Management
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 224; Journal Issue: D8; Journal ID: ISSN 0196-8904
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; AUTOMOBILES; EXHAUST SYSTEMS; HEAT RECOVERY; HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT; THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS; DESIGN; PERFORMANCE; WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION; NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems; thermoelectric; efficiency; heat exchanger

Citation Formats

Ibrahim, Essam, Szybist, James P, and Parks, II, James E. Enhancement of automotive exhaust heat recovery by thermoelectric devices. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1243/09544070JAUTO1438.
Ibrahim, Essam, Szybist, James P, & Parks, II, James E. Enhancement of automotive exhaust heat recovery by thermoelectric devices. United States. https://doi.org/10.1243/09544070JAUTO1438
Ibrahim, Essam, Szybist, James P, and Parks, II, James E. 2010. "Enhancement of automotive exhaust heat recovery by thermoelectric devices". United States. https://doi.org/10.1243/09544070JAUTO1438.
@article{osti_985757,
title = {Enhancement of automotive exhaust heat recovery by thermoelectric devices},
author = {Ibrahim, Essam and Szybist, James P and Parks, II, James E},
abstractNote = {In an effort to improve automobile fuel economy, an experimental study is undertaken to explore practical aspects of implementing thermoelectric devices for exhaust gas energy recovery. A highly instrumented apparatus consisting of a hot (exhaust gas) and a cold (coolant liquid) side rectangular ducts enclosing the thermoelectric elements has been built. Measurements of thermoelectric voltage output and flow and surface temperatures were acquired and analyzed to investigate the power generation and heat transfer properties of the apparatus. Effects of inserting aluminum wool packing material inside the hot side duct on augmentation of heat transfer from the gas stream to duct walls were studied. Data were collected for both the unpacked and packed cases to allow for detection of packing influence on flow and surface temperatures. Effects of gas and coolant inlet temperatures as well as gas flow rate on the thermoelectric power output were examined. The results indicate that thermoelectric power production is increased at higher gas inlet temperature or flow rate. However, thermoelectric power generation decreases with a higher coolant temperature as a consequence of the reduced hot-cold side temperature differential. For the hot-side duct, a large temperature gradient exists between the gas and solid surface temperature due to poor heat transfer through the gaseous medium. Adding the packing material inside the exhaust duct enhanced heat transfer and hence raised hot-side duct surface temperatures and thermoelectric power compared to the unpacked duct, particularly where the gas-to-surface temperature differential is highest. Therefore it is recommended that packing of exhaust duct becomes common practice in thermoelectric waste energy harvesting applications.},
doi = {10.1243/09544070JAUTO1438},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/985757}, journal = {Energy Conversion and Management},
issn = {0196-8904},
number = D8,
volume = 224,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}