The waste heat recovery for power generation from automotive exhaust using thermoelectric cell (TEC)

• Published in: Journal of physics. Conference series Vol. 1349; no. 1; pp. 12037 - 12043
• Main Authors: Yaakob, Y, Fahmi, A, Ghafar, H, Ibrahim, D, Moria, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Air flow; Automobiles; Cold flow; Cold water; Electric cells; Electric potential; Heat; Heat recovery systems; Internal combustion; Light emitting diodes; Physics; Temperature gradients; Thermal energy; Thermoelectricity; Voltage; Waste heat recovery
• ISSN: 1742-6588; 1742-6596
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/1349/1/012037

The internal combustion process to move the vehicles had indirectly releasing waste heat into the environment which contributed to global warming. Thermal-electric Cell (TEC) is a device that able to convert thermal energy to electrical energy cleanly. The TECs system work when it is sandwiched between the hot and cold side. The objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of tapping a waste heat using thermoelectric cell (TEC) from car exhaust. The experiment had been carried out in stagnation condition in the laboratory using 1500 cc petrol engine DOHC (4G91). Four TECs (SP1848-27145) were connected in series on the top of exhaust muffler. The experiments were run in two type of cooling methods using air flow from standing fan and the flowing cold water. The maximum voltage of 2.42V was produced when temperature difference, DT reached 83°C. The LED bulbs were connected to TEC and light up when the voltage of 1.60V is obtained. The results have proved that the temperature difference between two sides is the dominant effect to determine the TEC performance. The generated power could be utilized to power an auxiliary application in the vehicle itself.