Would it be light enough?
200 Watt is not a lot. A 9 kg 1kWh LiFePO4 battery pack can provide 2,000 W for half an hour, like my commute. I'd need to charge it of course, but it would have much more of an impact than this.
And would it be cheap enough?
The thermoelectric conversion elements I've seen were all expensive, ineffective and heavy. What you'd gain you'd lose on having to haul the extra weight, never mind earning anything back.
If they'd work on cars they certainly would work in fixed applications that run 24/7. So, where are they?
For just 200W it needs to be very light and quite cheap. If so, why not.
I have yet to find the first system that does effectively harvest thermal heat from exhaust systems that is of any use for cars.
Green turbine states it:
Quote:
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can also be used to extend the range of current hybrid automobiles by 20%.
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I have got a hybrid so I mailed them.
The answer I got was (iirc) that it was still experimental and not ready to fit to a car at all. It would not take the exhaust gas directly; that should be used to heat a medium gas to drive the turbine and be cooled by an extra radiator. Thanks for your interest, keep reading the news letter...
They may be on to something, but I doubt it would ever be practical for a car. 20% total FC reduction from just exhaust gas heat seems very unlikely to me.
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2011 Honda Insight + HID, LEDs, tiny PV panel, extra brake pad return springs, neutral wheel alignment, 44/42 PSI (air), PHEV light (inop), tightened wheel nut.
lifetime FE over 0.2 Gmeter or 0.13 Mmile.
For confirmation go to people just like you.
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