Professor Mike Rowe’s long term research interest at the Cardiff School of Engineering has been in thermoelectric generation - employing thermocouples to convert heat into electricity. The conversion technology is used in everyday applications such as controlling the central heating system or refrigerator temperature.
Now Professor Rowe aims to use this technology to generate electricity from the waste heat in vehicles.
Professor Mike Rowe, OBE School of Engineering said: “The main interest in cars is to decrease the petrol consumption and reduce CO2 emissions. If you can utilise the exhaust heat you could replace the alternator. This would provide a 5 per cent saving in fuel straightaway.”
Vehicle manufacturers in the United States are already investing in exploring this technology, however Professor Rowe has found the UK’s interest in the technology to be slower.
He said: “Thermoelectric generation is a green solution. It can in many instances cost less than solar energy. It has huge future potential yet it has been neglected to date in the UK.”
Mike Rowe | Source: EurekAlert!
Further information: www.Cardiff.ac.uk
More articles from Automotive Engineering:
Plugging into an electric vehicle revolution
28.10.2009 | CSIRO Australia
Home-grown electric vehicle mycar makes its first journey in Hong Kong
26.10.2009 | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Airborne nitrogen shifts aquatic nutrient limitation in pristine lakes
06.11.2009 | Studies and Analyses
Genome sequence for the domestic horse to be unveiled
06.11.2009 | Life Sciences
06.11.2009 | Earth Sciences
Texas Tech University Hosts Major Textile Conference in India
06.11.2009 | Event News
Brief Highlights of the Fluid Dynamics Conference, Minneapolis
30.10.2009 | Event News
EUROSAFE Forum 2009 Brussels: "Safety Implications of an Increased Demand for Nuclear Energy"
29.10.2009 | Event News