New Technology Can Turn Heat Waste Into Electricity
Great news on the power efficiency front: Scientists have invented a new material that can efficiently convert heat waste in cars, power generators, and heat pumps into electricity. The new material is thermoelectric, and can turn heat into energy without any pollution.
The invention, thallium-doped lead telluride, is twice as efficient as the second most efficient material used in thermoelectric power. The lead telluride creates electric power like a conventional heat engine coupled to an electric generator, but uses electrons as the working fluid instead of water or gas. Additionally, it creates electricity directly.
Most importantly, the material is most effective between 450 and 950° Fahrenheit. This is a typical temperature range for many power systems, including car engines.
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Many experts argue that up to 60 percent of a gasoline engine’s energy is lost through waste heat, so a thermoelectric device using lead telluride would be a welcome addition to any car. Such devices have no moving parts; this means that wear and tear is virtually non-existent.
Research project leader Joseph Heremans of Ohio State University is optimistic about the future of thermoelectric nanotechnology—he hopes to boost the efficiency rating of the new material by a factor of two. For now, though, we can be content with the incredible new technology created by Heremans and team.
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Photo Credit: Vladimir Jovovic
Another thing that will help the population generate energy… I hope it works out.
David
I would like to point out that the technology developed to produce the electricity is not a device but rather a material. All that needs to be done is coat or dope the parts of a device that is in contact with the wasted heat. One would harness the electricity by putting some leads from the material to an energy reservoir or even directly use the generated electricity.
If this device can really convert heat directly into electricity why use it only on the cars.
From geothermal energy to steel plants or solar concentrators I can see a lot of possible uses
Thermopiles have been around for many decades. I wonder what size and weight they claim would be needed as well as the financial cost of building a unit such as they describe that is capable of producing any meaningful amount of power. A $3,000 brick that weights 30lbs. that only produces enough power to charge a cell phone would not be attractive to me.
I agree with NescioNomen, who posted two pages behind me.
Think of solar farms. Hundreds of solar cells in the desert can 1) Be turned to face the sun at all hours of the day (although this hasn’t been done in most places, there are companies looking at a cheap method for it
2) Have sunlight focused onto them for increased output.
I wonder what would be the result of using this technology in place of solar panels with the same two modifications I spoke of above. My guess is that it would most likely be possible to heat up the material to that temperature, but would it be cheaper than solar panels to do so?
One correction: NescioNomen, who posted two *posts above me.
Also, referring to someone’s comment on the first page. I’m pretty sure an internal combustion engine reaches temperatures far greater than ~200 degrees F.
This technology would not be implemented in such a way to reduce the running temperature of the engine by cooling it, and therefore reducing the engine’s efficiency. It would be use to soak up heat being released to the environment, which is pretty much where all the gasoline’s energy [thats not converted to kinetic energy or lost to frictin] goes anyway. Although a lot of that heat is lost throughout the entire car at various axles and in all moving/electronic components, the heat surrounding the engine can be potentially tapped into. It’s just a question as to the danger of using this material near a car engine, and if the exact location where this material can be used is hot enough. Also, it has to be worth the money.
SOUNDS UNPRACTICAL TILL THE TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT PROVE ITSELF. BUT GOOD THINGS ARE NOT BELEIVED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
WELL IF WORKS IS WONDERFUL ACHIVEMENT.
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