HiTEG - High-temperature generators for waste heat recovery in vehicles and industrial burner systems

Project name

HiTEG - High-temperature generators for waste heat recovery in vehicles and industrial burner systems

Project duration

01.06.2011 - 30.11.2014

Brief description

The overall aim of the project is to develop materials for thermoelectric generators that can be used in the temperature range from 200 to 1000°C, as well as modules, connection technologies and systems for exhaust gas energy recovery through a multidisciplinary collaboration based on the division of labor. These should convert up to 20% of the waste heat from combustion plants, road and rail vehicles into electrical energy, almost maintenance-free and reliably, and thus make a significant contribution to environmental protection. Within the project, thermoelectrically active materials are to be developed from readily available and ecologically harmless recyclable materials that enable a technically useful efficiency of the overall thermoelectric generator (TEG) system. The project also aims to develop industrially usable manufacturing, assembly and connection technologies adapted to the operating conditions of the TEG in conjunction with constructive, material and technological developments of peripheral units that allow extensive series production, are cost-effective and environmentally friendly and ensure sufficient operating time and reliability of the TEG. Finally, demonstrators are to be set up on the basis of the project results to investigate the basic suitability of material and technology development in the application areas of road and rail vehicles and industrial burners.
The aim of the Chair of Internal Combustion Engines in the project is the efficient recuperation of exhaust gas energy from internal combustion engines in vehicles using thermoelectric generators, taking into account the overall system behavior (primary process, emissions, system efficiency). Due to the higher exergy supply, the focus is on integration close to the engine in the exhaust tract. This should take place either upstream or in the catalytic converter without a complex bypass solution with additional ducts and flaps. The result of the work is the implementation of the complete system integration of a thermoelectric generator close to the engine in a functional demonstrator vehicle. The integration into the exhaust tract by means of a heat exchanger designed for this purpose, as well as the cooling circuit and vehicle electrical system connection, are to be dealt with in an interdisciplinary and holistic manner. In order to support the project partners in the development of new thermoelectrics, a specification sheet will be drawn up in advance. This allows the new thermoelectric generators to be designed directly for the range of requirements of a vehicle application.

Cooperation partners

• Chair of Vehicle Modeling and Simulation, TU Dresden
• Faurecia Emission Control Technologies, - (Germany)
• Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, - (Germany)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems, (IKTS) (Germany)
• Bombardier Transportation GmbH, - (Germany)
• O-Flexx Technologies GmbH, - (Germany)
• ANCeram GmbH & Co KG, - (Germany)
• NOXMAT GmbH, - (Germany)
• Amerigon Europe GmbH, - (Germany)

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