Thermoelectric generator (TEG) is a good opportunity for improving fuel economy and reducing emissions of a vehicle, taking in mind high fuel cost and need for cleaner vehicles. TEG transforms heat to electricity (the Seebeck effect) and could be applied to waste heat in a vehicle. Electricity generated could be used for operating electric motors, powering sensors, or charging a battery.There are two major issues in TEG development for a vehicle: heat transfer considerations and TE material selection.The present work describes the efforts directed towards heat transfer considerations and employs bismuth telluride as thermoelectric (TE) material. Effective heat transfer system was developed for TE modules integration into practical TEG as a part of an exhaust system of a vehicle with 3.5L Ford Ecoboost internal combustion (IC) engine. The goal was to optimize the design of a TEG, including size and weight, and to obtain the maximum performance from this device. Experiments were conducted with the TEG developed that simulate real world conditions.
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