Browse Topic: Waste heat recovery
The thermoelectric generator system is regarded as an advanced technology for recovering waste heat from automotive exhaust. To address the issue of uneven temperature distribution within the heat exchanger that limits the output performance of the system, this study designs a novel thermoelectric generation system integrated with turbulence enhancers. This configuration aims to enhance convective heat transfer at the rear end of the heat exchanger and improve overall temperature uniformity. A multiphysics coupled model is established to evaluate the impact of the turbulence enhancers on the system's temperature distribution and electrical output, comparing its performance with that of traditional systems. The findings indicate that the integration of turbulence enhancers significantly increases the heat transfer rate and temperature uniformity at the rear end of the heat exchanger. However, it also leads to an increase in exhaust back pressure, which negatively affects system
This paper has been withdrawn by the publisher because of non-attendance and not presenting at WCX 2024.
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have fabricated a novel device that could dramatically boost the conversion of heat into electricity. If perfected, the technology could help recoup some of the recoverable heat energy that is wasted in the U.S. at a rate of about $100 billion each year.
For electric vehicles (EVs), driving range is one of the major concerns for wider customer acceptance and the cabin climate system represents the most significant auxiliary load for battery consumption. Unlike internally combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EVs cannot utilize the waste heat from an engine to heat the cabin through the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Instead, EVs use battery energy for cabin heating, this reduces the driving range. To mitigate this situation, one of the most promising solutions is to optimize the recirculation of cabin air, to minimize the energy consumed by heating the cold ambient air through the HVAC system, whilst maintaining the same level of cabin comfort. However, the development of this controller is challenging, due to the coupled, nonlinear and multi-input multi-output nature of the HVAC and thermal systems. Furthermore, the controller must satisfy different control requirements by leveraging multiple control actuators
Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) convert ambient heat into electrical power. They enable maintenance-free, environmentally friendly, and autonomous power supply of the continuously growing number of sensors and devices for the Internet of Things (IoT) and recovery of waste heat. Scientists have now developed three-dimensional component architectures based on novel, printable thermoelectric materials.
Many technical processes only use part of the energy consumed. The remaining fraction leaves the system in the form of waste heat. Frequently, this heat is released into the environment unused; however, it can also be used for heat supply or power generation. The higher the temperature of the waste heat, the easier and cheaper it is to reuse.
In recent years, fossil fuel dependence has generated a worldwide concern about the environmental consequences arising from its burning. The high oil demand has also generated the risk of shortage for this mineral and, consequently, of the products derived from it. Ethanol onboard reforming is regarded as a prominent technology that is able to recover waste heat from the exhaust system of internal combustion engines, as well as reduce emissions. The process is based on exploring the potential of endothermic reactions to convert hydrated ethanol into high energy density products, such as hydrogen and methane. This paper had the objective of implementing a thermodynamics and chemical kinetics model to evaluate the effects of ethanol-water content, reactor inlet temperature and ethanol to exhaust gas ratio in the reformate composition and reformer process efficiency using a platinum-based catalyst. The main reforming mechanisms for these conditions are ethanol thermal decomposition and
In prior work, the EGR loop catalytic reforming strategy developed by ORNL has been shown to provide a relative brake engine efficiency increase of more than 6% by minimizing the thermodynamic expense of the reforming processes, and in some cases achieving thermochemical recuperation (TCR), a form of waste heat recovery where waste heat is converted to usable chemical energy. In doing so, the EGR dilution limit was extended beyond 35% under stoichiometric conditions. In this investigation, a Microlith®-based metal-supported reforming catalyst (developed by Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI)) was used to reform the parent fuel in a thermodynamically efficient manner into products rich in H2 and CO. We were able to expand the speed and load ranges relative to previous investigations: from 1,500 to 2,500 rpm, and from 2 to 14 bar break mean effective pressure (BMEP). Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the H/C ratio of the fuel on H2 production and on the engine
This paper describes and compares different powertrain configurations for the retrofit of a heavy-duty Class 8 truck, powered by a 12.6 liters diesel engine. The engine is firstly equipped with an electrification-oriented organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system and then coupled to a traction electric machine into a hybrid powertrain. An electrification-oriented ORC system can produce enough energy to cover the ancillary loads, which in long-haul applications for freight transportation are quite demanding. Nevertheless, only powertrain hybridization can achieve significant improvements in the overall system efficiency. Both systems may thus be implemented in the same vehicle, but an efficiency improvement is guaranteed only if the system is carefully managed so as to reach a trade-off between the requirements and potential benefits of the ORC system and those of the hybrid powertrain. In a previous work, the presence of the ORC system in a series hybrid retrofit has shown to allow for just a
Various potential alternative fuels for internal combustion engines are studied nowadays to reduce dependency on fossil fuel. Hydrogen-rich reformate produced onboard as a result of fuel reforming in an internal combustion engine with a high-pressure thermochemical recuperation is a promising alternative gaseous fuel. This paper reports on the effects of the reformate fuel injection method on energy efficiency and combustion characteristics of a single-cylinder spark ignition (SI) engine with a high compression ratio (16:1) at steady-state conditions. A comparison between port (PFI) and direct (DI) reformate injection is performed. Engine performance and combustion parameters are evaluated and analyzed. For both injection strategies, a similar relatively high indicated efficiency (50%) is observed. This is a joint result of waste heat recovery and hydrogen combustion benefits. With the PFI method, the lower engine volumetric efficiency, due to hydrogen induction into the intake
Even a basic analysis of the use of fuel energy in a combustion engine would indicate that one-third of fuel energy is converted into exhaust waste, which is released into the environment. The scale of energy loss encourages scientists to try to consider the waste heat of exhaust gases as a potential source of useful energy. It is a standard today that waste heat is commonly used to power a turbocharger applied to internal combustion engines. Waste heat can also be used to drive an adsorption cooling system for air-conditioning inside the car. The drawback of that solution is complexity of the system and size of adsorption bed which make it not suitable for automotive industry use. The concept of increasing the capability of vehicles’ turbo engines can boost performance of turbo-charged engines through extra cooling of air being impelled into the combustion chamber of the engine. Cooling of the charge inside the intake manifold saves fuel and reduces nitric oxide emissions in exhaust
New internal combustion engines (ICE) are characterized by increasing maximum efficiency, thanks to the adoption of strategies like Atkinson cycle, downsizing, cylinder deactivation, waste heat recovery and so on. However, the best performance is confined to a limited portion of the engine map. Moreover, electric driving in urban areas is an increasingly pressing request, but battery electric vehicles use cannot be easily spread, due to limited vehicle autonomy and recharging issues. Therefore, hybrid propulsion systems are under development, in order to reduce vehicle fuel consumption, by decoupling the ICE running from road load, as well as to permit energy recovery and electric driving. This paper analyses a new-patented solution for power split hybrid propulsion system with gearbox. The system comprises an auxiliary power unit, adapted to store and/or release energy, and a planetary gear set, which is interposed between the ICE and the gearbox. A further device, coupled with the
Among the different opportunities to save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions from internal combustion engines, great attention has been done on the waste heat recovery: the energy wasted is, in fact, almost two thirds of the energy input and even a partial recovery into mechanical energy is promising. Usually, thermal energy recovery has been referred to a direct heat recovery (furtherly expanding the gases expelled by the engine thanks to their high pressure and temperature) or an indirect one (using the thermal energy of the exhaust gases - or of any other thermal streams - as upper source of a conversion power unit, which favors a thermodynamic cycle of a suitable working organic fluid). Limiting the attention to the exhaust gases, a novel opportunity can be represented by directly exploiting the residual pressure and temperature of the flue gases through an Inverted Brayton cycle (IBC), in which the gases are expanded at a pressure below the environmental one, cooled down and then
The electrification of the internal combustion engine is an important subject of future automotive technology. By using a motorized internal combustion engine, it is possible to recover waste energy by regeneration technology and to reduce various losses that deteriorate the efficiency of the internal combustion Engine. This paper summarizes the results of the development of an engine-integrated motor that can be applied to a 48V mild hybrid system for motorization of an internal combustion engine. Like the 48V MHSG-mounted mild hybrid system designed to replace the generator in the auxiliary belt system, the motorized internal combustion engine is designed with the scalability as the top priority to minimize the additional space for the vehicle and to mount the same engine in various models. The addition of an integrated motor to the crankshaft instead of the MHSG of a belt-driven mild hybrid system that replaces the generator will allow the removal of components with redundant
Items per page:
50
1 – 50 of 127