Tellurex
Diesel Truck Thermoelectric
Long-haul trucking will greatly benefit from new generation thermoelectric generators (TEGs), where improved energy efficiency links directly to economic payback. Tellurex thermoelectric products are powering key research efforts, where large engines, producing sufficient heat, are run under steady loads for long periods of time.
Waste Heat Energy Conversions: 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. Converting this waste heat into energy can increase the overall efficiency of the vehicle by up to five percent, depending on engine size. Limiting factors in this application include variability in both the exhaust stream volume and its temperature. Cogeneration, or combined heat and power (CHP), uses engine heat to simultaneously generate both electricity and heat useful for other purposes, such as driver comfort or battery life extension. It is one of the most attractive forms of energy recycling.
APU Applications: Supplementing the power output from diesel auxiliary power generators is another excellent application of Tellurex thermoelectric advanced materials products. In cooperation with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Michigan State University, Tellurex is participating in a Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) program 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 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. An APU saves a truck with overnight routes about $3,600 per year at a $3 per gallon fuel cost.
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 thermoelectric alternative promises to be lighter, quieter, much simpler to construct and easier to maintain.
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.