New thermocell could harvest 'waste heat'

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://monash.edu/news/show/new-thermocell-could-harvest-waste-heat

[font face=Serif][font size=5]New thermocell could harvest 'waste heat'[/font]

16 July 2013

[font size=3]Harvesting waste heat from power stations and even vehicle exhaust pipes could soon provide a valuable supply of electricity.

A small team of Monash University researchers working under the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) has developed an ionic liquid-based thermocell. Thermocell technology is based on harnessing the thermal energy from the difference in temperature between two surfaces and converting that energy into electricity.

Led by Monash University researcher and Australian Laureate Fellow Professor Doug MacFarlane and Monash University PhD student Theodore Abraham, the collaborative project developed the thermocell device with the highest power outputs yet reported and no carbon emissions.

The new thermocell could be used to generate electricity from low grade steam in coal fired power stations at temperatures around 130°C. This would be implemented by having the steam pass over the outer surface of the hot electrode to keep it hot while the other electrode is air or water cooled.

…[/font][/font]

http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C3EE41608A

[DetlefK]

1. Neither idea nor technology are new. This particular design is.

Just google "Peltier" and "exhaust".

Or try this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_Thermoelectric_Generators

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. From the OP

…developed the thermocell device with the highest power outputs yet reported…

Continuing on:

…

“The advance we made with this system was that we are generating more electrical energy than any previous power cell in this temperature range,” Dr Pringle said.

…

[Iterate]

3. Possible application for geothermal?

One of the recent papers posted here (I think it was your post) showed a correlation with earthquakes and high liquid flow rates in geothermal wells. Since the first geothermal wells were drilled near faults and used high flow rates (neither of which was ever a good idea), there was a detectable increase in low magnitude earthquakes.

Possible well sites drilled into dry rock and using low flow rates don't have that problem and are ubiquitous, but don't produce the energy density favored by the fans of supercritical steam and "the market".

The device mentioned here doesn't look to be expensive to produce and might be efficient enough (at 0.5 W m^?2), though the 3-methoxypropionitrile used is moderately toxic and would require some care.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. Right

(Here’s the earthquake item: http://www.democraticunderground.com/112748934 )

A relatively inexpensive/efficient way to convert heat to electricity is potentially useful in numerous applications.

I haven’t heard anything new about the “JTEC” for a while…