ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEM FROM EXHAUST USING THERMO-ELECTRIC GENERATOR

A number of irreversible processes in the engine limit its capability to achieve a highly balanced efficiency. The rapid expansion of gases inside the cylinder produces high-temperature differences, turbulent fluid motions, and large heat transfers from the fluid to the piston crown and cylinder walls. These rapid successions of events happening in the cylinder create expanding exhaust gases with pressures that exceed the atmospheric level, and they must be released while the gases are still expanding to prepare the cylinder for the following processes. By doing so, the heated gases produced from the combustion process can be easily channeled through the exhaust valve and manifold. A large amount of energy from the stream of exhausted gases could potentially be used for waste heat energy recovery to generate power. Various methods to harness the waste heat to produce power effectively had ended up in vain. This project proposes and implements a thermoelectric waste heat energy recovery system for internal combustion engine automobiles, including gasoline vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles.