Tellurex

Diesel Truck Thermoelectric

Freight truckers will greatly benefit from a new generation of green Tellurex in-vehicle thermoelectric generators (TEGs), which use the Seebeck Effect to create energy from heat for significantly improved diesel mpg and other sources of economic payback. Tellurex thermoelectric eco-friendly products are powering key research efforts, where large engines, producing sufficient heat, are run under steady loads for energy generation over long periods of time.

All Tellurex thermoelectric modules provide industry-leading reliability and durability thanks to our advanced coating process. Lab testing reveals that long after a competitor’s thermoelectric power generating modules have lost performance or quit working altogether, Tellurex products are working at full power. Email us to learn more.

Waste Heat Energy Conversions

Diesel engines, like all internal combustion engines, operate in an efficiency range of 30-40%. Sixty to seventy percent of the energy input is dissipated as waste heat through the exhaust system. For over the road truckers, energy generation from this waste heat can increase the overall diesel fuel economy of a vehicle by up to five percent, depending on engine size.

APU Applications

Supplementing the power output from diesel auxiliary power generators is another excellent eco-friendly application of Tellurex thermoelectric knowhow, advanced materials and specially coated modules. How much power? In cooperation with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Michigan State University, Tellurex participated in a Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) to produce a TEG capable of generating 1.6 kW of power by converting waste heat from a diesel-powered, battlefield-quiet tactical generator.

The cost of diesel fuel, increasing electrical loads, no-idling regulations and new emission legislation have brought heightened attention to the need for auxiliary power units to generate power while the engine is off. As a green diesel strategy, an APU saves a truck with overnight routes about $3,600 per year at a $3 per gallon fuel cost while reducing carbon exhaust.

To address this need, the Department of Energy is currently funding efforts to produce solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) APUs, but it is important to understand that an APU integrated with an exhaust heat TEG is a competitive alternative. The Tellurex green thermoelectric alternative promises to be lighter, quieter, much simpler to construct and easier to maintain.

Thermal and Humidity Management

Tellurex can heat, cool and dry sensitive environments. For example, to deal with extreme duty cycles we help you engineer thermally managed enclosures for batteries that can also provide cogeneration of electrical power during a cooling cycle. We can also provide a “box within the trailer” enclosure design for precise thermal management of temperature and humidity sensitive freight.

Tellurex diesel truck module design attributes include:

  • Solid-state with no moving parts
  • Precise and stable temperature management or modulation to 0.1°C
  • Controlled distributed cooling and heating
  • Superior electrical output across a variety of temperature ranges
  • Electronic noise that is easily managed
  • Maintenance-free design
  • Emission-free, recyclable and environmentally friendly

Email us to learn more about Tellurex capabilities for diesel truck applications.