Researchers have been working on thermoelectric generators and materials to capture waste heat in vehicles and convert it to electricity to improve fuel economy. Now BSST and General Motors are each testing their advances in this area and are assembling the first prototype thermoelectric generators for testing in commercial cars and SUVs. BSST will install prototypes in BMW and Ford cars and GM in a Chevrolet SUV.
BSST began developing high efficiency Thermoelectric Waste Energy Recovery Systems for passenger vehicle applications in November 2004 under a contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Program. The goal of the effort is to reduce fuel consumption by converting exhaust gas waste heat into electricity using a Thermoelectric Generator (TEG). The electric power that is harvested from the waste heat would replace a significant portion of the electric power that is produced by a vehicle's alternator. BSST's TEG design and development are supported by contributions from BMW, Ford and Visteon in the areas of vehicle system simulation and subsystem hardware development.
BSST is using blends of hafnium and zirconium that work well at high temperatures as TEGs can reach 500 degrees celcius and this has increased the generator efficiency by about 40 percent. GM is using skutterudites, cobalt arsenide minerals doped with rare earth elements like ytterbium. GM's preliminary tests show that fuel economy could be improved by 3 percent using TEGs, but further research and testing could yield better mineral formulas with greater efficiency up to ten percent.
Experts say it could be around four years before TEGs make it into production vehicles.
Credit: BSST
Top image: Burger Motorsports
