Experimental Analysis of a Waste-Heat-Utilization-Strategy Using Thermoelectric Device in C.I. Engine

Abstract

Abstract-The present worldwide problem regarding automobiles is limitations of fuel and environmental pollution. When an internal combustion engine is operating, a large amount of energy is wasted as exhaust gas and with engine cooling. The efficiency of an internal combustion engine ranges from 30% to 40% and about 60% to 70% of the overall energy loss in a combustion engine is heat. The present experimental and computational study investigates waste heat recovery from the exhaust gas heat of an internal combustion engine using a thermocouple and heat pipes to produce electric power. This system proposes thermoelectric generation (TEG), working with heat pipes to produce electricity from a limited hot surface area. The current TEG system is directly connected to the exhaust pipe, to utilize the maximum possible heat available at the exhaust of C.I. engine. As designed, this heat recovery system produces a maximum of 1.54mV when the hot exhaust gas heats the evaporator surface of the heat pipe to 277o C. The results obtained, promises great possibilities for application of this technology in future energy-efficient vehicles.