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Currently, ATEGs are about 5% efficient. However, advancements in thin-film and quantum well technologies could increase efficiency up to 15% in the future. [5]The efficiency of an ATEG is governed by the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the materials and the thermal efficiency of the two heat exchangers.
Every human activity, transport and industrial process generates waste heat, being possible to harvest residual energy from cars, aircraft, ships, industries and the human body. [1] From cars the main source of energy is the exhaust gas. [32] Harvesting that heat energy using a thermoelectric generator can increase the fuel efficiency of the car.
Increases heat transfer rates. Increases friction loses. Decreases entrance length. Reduces the difference between the laminar and turbulent heat transfer rates, in contrast to the straight tube case. The coil pitch S has negligible influence on the pressure drop and the heat transfer rates.
Thermoelectric cooling uses the Peltier effect to create a heat flux at the junction of two different types of materials. A Peltier cooler, heater, or thermoelectric heat pump is a solid-state active heat pump which transfers heat from one side of the device to the other, with consumption of electrical energy, depending on the direction of the current.
This increase in heat transfer capacity per unit volume comes at the expense of an increase in pressure drop across the heat exchanger. This pressure drop may be significant, so the heat transfer enhancement is often limited by the pumping power available.
An exhaust heat recovery system turns waste heat energy in exhaust gases into electric energy for batteries or mechanical energy reintroduced on the crankshaft. The technology is of increasing interest as car and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers continue to increase efficiency, saving fuel and reducing emissions.
The Department of Energy said the practice is best executed while the vehicle is plugged in to ensure the battery is sufficiently charged and that the cabin is warmed to optimize performance.
This cools the heat sink and whatever it is in direct thermal contact with. Use of fluids (for example coolants in refrigeration) and thermal interface material (in cooling electronic devices) ensures good transfer of thermal energy to the heat sink. Similarly, a fan may improve the transfer of thermal energy from the heat sink to the air.