Exhaust-powered alternator by ThinGap Automotive

[ai_vin]

ThinGap isn't the only company with a product like this.
Controlled Power Technologies... Delivering CO2 Reduction Technologies

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by dcb

"Power recovery turbines" been used since the days of radial engines.

Yes & no. If you read up on their history, you find that they were a fairly short-lived phenomenon. The engineers diddled around trying to find the optimum size for the turbo recovery, and discovered that the most efficient solution was to eliminate the IC engine part - and thus the turboprop was born :-)

[cfg83]

jamesqf -

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Maybe what people were thinking of was this: Green Car Congress: TIGERS: Exhaust Gas to Electricity for Reductions in Fuel Consumption

Shouldn't be any need to mess with complicated mechanical linkages, just use electronics to control the alternator field current, and thus the amount of generation. At idle, no current, thus no load other than a bit of bearing friction.

Would be neat if it could be made dual-purpose, to function as alternator and turbocharger. Instead of a waste gate, you'd control boost by varying alternator load... So where's the aftermarket kit for my Insight?

Thanks for finding that, that's what I was thinking of.

CarloSW2

[bgd73]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Tango Charlie -

I remember other threads talking about this, but I don't remember a specific manufacturer. Looks like a company to watch.

CarloSW2

I remember the other one too, worth yet another repeat. Unlike most of my repeated internet.
between that and a belt driven supercharger where the original alternator went...nice.