Generation of Electricity from Gasoline Engine Waste Heat

Abstract

A typical total waste heat recovering technology, using thermoelectric generators (TEGs), coupled with a gasoline engine was investigated in this study. Mathematical methods for assessing and optimizing the performance of the application were presented followed by the different configurations of the applications of TEGs in vehicles. The test rig, set up in an indoor experimental laboratory, was a Cussons gasoline engine with energy recovering at the front, middle and rear of the exhaust gas pipe and at the exit of the water cooling pipe. Experiments were performed under both idle and loading conditions of the engine. Though the overall efficiency of the TEGs was low due to high irreversibilities, the output power of the TEGs established a level of electrical power that can be obtained from the engine waste heat.

Key words: Gasoline engine, waste heat, TEGs, electricity.