The thermoelectric generator will return the car lost power + video

More than half of energy of the USA working for nothing. Not because idles, and for the reason that a large part of the energy consumed, for example, cars and heavy machinery, is lost as heat. Spent the "extra" heat irreversibly dissipated to the atmosphere. On changing this situation working scientist from the Massachusetts Institute of technology gang Chen (Gang Chen).

As is known, thermoelectric materials convert a temperature difference into a potential difference in electricity. About ten years ago, gang Chen Carl Richard Soderberg (Carl Richard Soderberg) from MIT, using nanotechnology, have dramatically increased the efficiency of one such material, paving the way for the creation of more cost-effective thermoelectric devices. In 2008, researchers improved the efficiency of a thermoelectric transducer based on bismuth antimony telluride by 40%.

For the implementation of the invention was established by the company GMZ Energy, one of the founders of which was Chen. Using the earlier achievements, the company's employees have created a thermoelectric generator (TEG) module size in square inches and in thickness a quarter of an inch, which converts heat emitted by vehicles into electricity to bring him back in the side chain and to increase efficiency.

TAG generates electricity when heat is supplied to the top of the module. Tension is created by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor from the hot top to the cold ground.

This approach is not new, but in conventional thermoelectric elements heat is transferred not only by the movement of electrons, but also their vibration, which leads to lower conversion efficiency. GMZ managed to reduce the losses and increase the performance of TAG by 30-60% compared to other analogues.



A TAG developed by the company, can withstand heating of the upper part up to 600 ° C at a temperature of lower surface about 100о. At a temperature difference of 500 degrees, the unit area of 4 cm2 generates electricity with a capacity of 7.2 watts. Mounted next to the exhaust of the car, it significantly reduces the load on the regular generator, reduces fuel consumption and harmful emissions.

GMZ Energy recently presented a thermoelectric generator with a power of 200 W, created with the support of the U.S. Department of energy. These generators will be equipped with combat vehicles and tanks of the us army that will allow the military to save fuel, which costs about $9 per liter.

In the framework of another government grant GMZ is working to improve the efficiency of passenger cars. The use of Tags, the company is expected to improve the efficiency of passenger vehicles by 5%.



Source: facepla.net