Exhaust Gas Driven Generator with Altitude Compensation for Battery Dominant Hybrid Electric Vehicles

HEVs historically have had reduced performance at elevations higher than sea level. The effects of this loss of performance can be mediated with the use of a standard turbocharger; however, approximately 80-90% of the vehicle's operation is at altitudes where full boost from the turbocharger is not needed to maintain performance characteristics comparable to conventional vehicles of the same size. If the turbocharger is used to drive an electric generator, the power produced by the turbine section that is not needed to produce boost in the compressor section of the turbocharger can be used to charge the traction battery of HEVs.

The Exhaust Gas Driven Generator converts the thermal energy, normally wasted through the exhaust of the ICE, to electrical energy stored in the traction battery of the HEV. By recovering a portion of the heat energy of the exhausted combustion gases, the Exhaust Gas Driven Generator can improve the volumetric efficiency and effective thermal efficiency of the propulsion system of the HEV, thus reducing the fuel consumption of the typical HEV even further.