Waste Heat Recovery From Generators in the Deployed Army

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Tamm ◽  
J. Ledlie Klosky ◽  
Jacob Baxter ◽  
Luke Grant ◽  
Isaac Melnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waste Heat ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Fuel Savings

Electrical power generation in austere settings, such as combat zones, places a heavy burden on the US Army; high costs in both dollars and lives lost require that every drop of fuel be used effectively and efficiently. In remote locations such as combat outposts (COPs) and small forward operating bases (FOBs) in Afghanistan, electrical power derived from the Army’s standard Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources (AMMPS) generator is even used to heat water for showers and heat living spaces. This heating requires conversion of thermal energy to mechanical energy, which is then converted to electrical energy and back to heat. Thus, a significant fuel savings could be realized through the more efficient production of heat. A combined heat and power system is proposed; efficiency is increased by routing the generator exhaust through simple ducting to a standard gas hot water heater to produce hot water with waste heat. With funding from the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force, cadets and faculty at the United States Military Academy designed, built and tested a system for under $1,000 in parts which was readily coupled to a 5 kW AMMPS generator to produce hot shower water. Results indicate a possible fuel savings of 1500–2000 gallons per year, 20–35% increased fuel utility, and the ability to provide 10–20 five gallon showers during every 5 hours of operation of each 5 kW generator. At a fuel cost of $20–50 per gallon in the deployed environment, and considering the large inventory of deployed generators, the payback for the Army could be tremendous.

scholarly journals Hollow Piezoelectric Ceramic Fibers for Energy Harvesting Fabrics

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 155892501300800
Author(s):  
François M. Guillot ◽  
Haskell W. Beckham ◽  
Johannes Leisen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Lead Zirconate Titanate ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Lead Zirconate ◽  
Ceramic Fibers ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Electromechanical Performance ◽  
Alternative Power

In the past few years, the growing need for alternative power sources has generated considerable interest in the field of energy harvesting. A particularly exciting possibility within that field is the development of fabrics capable of harnessing mechanical energy and delivering electrical power to sensors and wearable devices. This study presents an evaluation of the electromechanical performance of hollow lead zirconate titanate (PZT) fibers as the basis for the construction of such fabrics. The fibers feature individual polymer claddings surrounding electrodes directly deposited onto both inside and outside ceramic surfaces. This configuration optimizes the amount of electrical energy available by placing the electrodes in direct contact with the surface of the material and by maximizing the active piezoelectric volume. Hollow fibers were electroded, encapsulated in a polymer cladding, poled and characterized in terms of their electromechanical properties. They were then glued to a vibrating cantilever beam equipped with a strain gauge, and their energy harvesting performance was measured. It was found that the fibers generated twice as much energy density as commercial state-of-the-art flexible composite sensors. Finally, the influence of the polymer cladding on the strain transmission to the fiber was evaluated. These fibers have the potential to be woven into fabrics that could harvest mechanical energy from the environment and could eventually be integrated into clothing.

A Review of Two Patents Relating to Novel Energy Harvesting Techniques to Provide Electrical Power On-Board Gun-Fired Projectiles

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahangir Rastegar ◽  
Richard Murray
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Harsh Environment ◽  
Logical Framework ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Piezoelectric Elements ◽  
Harvesting Techniques

This is a review of two patents relating to electrical power generation on-board gun-fired munitions. The devices harvest mechanical energy from the motion of the projectile (e.g. the axial firing acceleration), and then convert the energy from mechanical to electrical using novel mechanisms and materials such as piezoelectric elements. The devices are particularly important for several reasons. Firstly, the devices are inherently safe because the root source of the electrical energy is the motion of the projectile; therefore no electrical energy can be produced until after the projectile is fired. Second, the devices have a much longer shelf-life than competing electrical power sources such as batteries. Finally, the devices are simple, rugged, and reliable making them ideal for the harsh environment on-board gun-fired projectiles. In addition to presenting the general approach, the logical framework of the patented embodiments is presented, especially with respect to the types of motion used for harvesting and the challenges presented by the varied magnitudes of those motions in different weapon platforms.

Analysis of Surface Waste Heat Recovery in IC Engine by Using TEG

2015 ◽  
Vol 787 ◽  
pp. 782-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Prakash ◽  
D. Christopher ◽  
K. Kumarrathinam
Keyword(s):  
Waste Heat ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Heat Energy ◽  
Ic Engine ◽  
Point Tracking ◽  
Power Point Tracking ◽  
Power Point ◽  
Heat Energy Recovery

The prime objective of this paper is to present the details of a thermoelectric waste heat energy recovery system for automobiles, more specifically, the surface heat available in the silencer. The key is to directly convert the surface heat energy from automotive waste heat to electrical energy using a thermoelectric generator, which is then regulated by a DC–DC Cuk converter to charge a battery using maximum power point tracking. Hence, the electrical power stored in the battery can be maximized. Also the other face of the TEG will remain cold. Hence the skin burn out accidents can be avoided. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system can work well under different working conditions, and is promising for automotive industry.

scholarly journals The Global Survey of the Electrical Energy Distribution System: A Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 2247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Archana Sudhakar Talhar ◽  
Sanjay B. Bodkhe
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Central Intelligence Agency ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Energy Scenario ◽  
The World

This paper gives a review of energy scenario in India and other countries. Today’s demand of the world is to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, during the production of electricity. Henceforth over the world, the production of electrical power is changing by introducing abundantly available renewable energy sources like sun and wind. But, because of the intermittent nature of sustainable power sources, the electrical power network faces many problems, during the transmission and distribution of electricity. For resolving these issues, Electrical Energy Storage (EES) is acknowledged as supporting technology. This paper discusses about the world electrical energy scenario with top renowned developed countries in power generation and consumption. Contribution of traditional power sources changed after the introduction of renewable energy sources like sun and wind. Worldwide Agencies are formed like International Energy Agency (IEA), The Central Intelligence Agency, (CIS) etc. The main aim of these agencies is to provide reliable, affordable and clean energy. This paper will discuss about the regulatory authority and government policies/incentives taken by different countries.  At the end of this paper, author focuses on obstacles in implementation, development and benefits of renewable energy.

Energy harvesting from quasi-static deformations via bilaterally constrained strips

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (18) ◽  
pp. 3572-3581
Author(s):  
Suihan Liu ◽  
Ali Imani Azad ◽  
Rigoberto Burgueño
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Low Power ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting ◽  
Power Budget ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Static Conditions

Piezoelectric energy harvesting from ambient vibrations is well studied, but harvesting from quasi-static responses is not yet fully explored. The lack of attention is because quasi-static actions are much slower than the resonance frequency of piezoelectric oscillators to achieve optimal outputs; however, they can be a common mechanical energy resource: from large civil structure deformations to biomechanical motions. The recent advances in bio-micro-electro-mechanical systems and wireless sensor technologies are motivating the study of piezoelectric energy harvesting from quasi-static conditions for low-power budget devices. This article presents a new approach of using quasi-static deformations to generate electrical power through an axially compressed bilaterally constrained strip with an attached piezoelectric layer. A theoretical model was developed to predict the strain distribution of the strip’s buckled configuration for calculating the electrical energy generation. Results from an experimental investigation and finite element simulations are in good agreement with the theoretical study. Test results from a prototyped device showed that a peak output power of 1.33 μW/cm2 was generated, which can adequately provide power supply for low-power budget devices. And a parametric study was also conducted to provide design guidance on selecting the dimensions of a device based on the external embedding structure.

Investigation and Optimization of Power Based Smart Home Module Integrated with Automatic Solar Tracking System and MPPT Technique

2019 ◽  
Vol 889 ◽  
pp. 526-532
Author(s):  
Thai Viet Dang ◽  
Si Thong Dinh ◽  
Xuan Toi Bui
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Power Consumption ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Research Result ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Power Sources

Currently, the world has a lot of research and practical application of intelligent building systems integrated with intelligent power systems. Because Vietnam is a country with potential for solar energy, the integrator of solar energy is being strongly developed. However, the research result of the optimization of electrical energy used by the intelligent type solar integration is rare. This paper presents the design and structure of the module of intelligent control and monitoring via wireless network integrated with the automatic solar concentration system. The system allows easy connection and operation of all electrical power sources including the dispersal solar power to ensure the efficient and lower power consumption. In addition, the solar cell system is applied the Maximum Power Point Tracking technique (MPPT), which helps to stabilize and improve the power generation efficiency of the PV panels. The test results on the module showed absorption performance of automatic solar-cell flat plate systems is raised by 20-30% and power consumption in small households reduced approximately 30%.

scholarly journals Study of Hybrid PVA/MA/TEOS Pervaporation Membrane and Evaluation of Energy Requirement for Desalination by Pervaporation

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 1913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zongli Xie ◽  
Derrick Ng ◽  
Manh Hoang ◽  
Jianhua Zhang ◽  
Stephen Gray
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Commercial Application ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Pervaporation Membrane ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Multiple Effect Distillation

Desalination by pervaporation is a membrane process that is yet to be realized for commercial application. To investigate the feasibility and viability of scaling up, a process engineering model was developed to evaluate the energy requirement based on the experimental study of a hybrid polyvinyl alcohol/maleic acid/tetraethyl orthosilicate (PVA/MA/TEOS) Pervaporation Membrane. The energy consumption includes the external heating and cooling required for the feed and permeate streams, as well as the electrical power associated with pumps for re-circulating feed and maintaining vacuum. The thermal energy requirement is significant (e.g., up to 2609 MJ/m3 of thermal energy) and is required to maintain the feed stream at 65 °C in recirculation mode. The electrical energy requirement is very small (<0.2 kWh/m3 of required at 65 °C feed temperature at steady state) with the vacuum pump contributing to the majority of the electrical energy. The energy required for the pervaporation process was also compared to other desalination processes such as Reverse Osmosis (RO), Multi-stage Flash (MSF), and Multiple Effect Distillation (MED). The electrical energy requirement for pervaporation is the lowest among these desalination technologies. However, the thermal energy needed for pervaporation is significant. Pervaporation may be attractive when the process is integrated with waste heat and heat recovery option and used in niche applications such as RO brine concentration or salt recovery.

Highly efficient functional GexPb1−xTe based thermoelectric alloys

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (37) ◽  
pp. 20120-20126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaniv Gelbstein ◽  
Joseph Davidow
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Efficient Implementation ◽  
Thermoelectric Devices

Methods for enhancement of the direct thermal to electrical energy conversion efficiency, upon development of advanced thermoelectric materials, are constantly investigated mainly for an efficient implementation of thermoelectric devices in automotive vehicles, for utilizing the waste heat generated in such engines into useful electrical power and thereby reduction of the fuel consumption and CO2 emission levels.

Direct Thermoelectric Microgeneration Using Residual Heat of Photovoltaic System

2012 ◽  
Vol 608-609 ◽  
pp. 97-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Rui Camargo ◽  
Jamir Machado da Silva ◽  
Ederaldo Godoy Junior ◽  
Renan Eduardo da Silva ◽  
Luiz Eduardo Nicolini do Patrocínio Nunes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Thermoelectric Module ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Photovoltaic System ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Theoretical Evaluation ◽  
Photovoltaic Panel ◽  
Influence Of Temperature

All photovoltaic panel heats up when exposed to sunlight and this heating reduces the electrical power output of the same. This work presents the use of this unwanted waste heat, converting it into thermal energy directly by means of the Seebeck effect, which is the direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy by means of an arrangement of semiconductor materials that when exposed to temperature gradients generate electric current. In this work emphasis was placed on the influence of temperature on generation processes involved. Thus, the theoretical evaluation, it presents the mathematical models of thermoelectric and photovoltaic systems by raising the curves of voltage, current and electric power generated, and analyses the influence of temperature in each model. To obtain the simulation curves it uses MATLAB ® 5.3, taking into account the parameters of thermoelectric modules and real photovoltaic cells. In practical evaluation, a prototype was assembled containing thermoelectric module attached to the bottom of a photovoltaic panel in order to use the heat energy absorbed by the panel. The data were stored and analyzed, where we observed the influence of temperature in both systems, validating the mathematical modeling. It is the applicability of the mathematical model given the results obtained with the prototype system.

scholarly journals Techno-Economic Assessment of a Hybrid Gas Tank Hot Water Combined Heat and Power System

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13040
Author(s):  
Brent B. Skabelund ◽  
Joseph Elio ◽  
Ryan J. Milcarek
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Combined Heat And Power ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Operating Voltage ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Water Heaters ◽  
Potential System

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems with an integrated solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a promising technology to increase overall efficiency of traditional residential combustion systems. One potential system is gas tank hot water heaters where partial oxidation of the fuel serves as a means of fuel reforming for SOFCs while producing thermal energy for heating water. In this study, a residential hybrid gas tank hot water heater with an integrated SOFC model was developed and a thorough techno-economic analysis was performed. Fuel-rich combustion characterization was performed at equivalence ratios 1.1 to 1.6 to assess synthesis gas production for the SOFC. The effect of fuel utilization and operating voltage of the model SOFC stack were analyzed to provide an in-depth characterization of the potential of the system. CHP and electrical efficiencies over >90% and >16% were achieved, respectively. The techno-economic analysis considers the four major census regions of the United States to evaluate regional savings based on respective utility costs and hot water demand. The results show the hybrid system is economically feasible for replacement of an electrical water heater with the longest payback period being approximately six years.

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