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[ZTnews] ICT2008 Registration Fees Increase June 1, 2008

Submitted by ZTnews Mail List on Thu, 2008-05-29 01:26.

 

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  RMT Ltd, http://www.rmtltd.ru/tec_modules.htm
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ZTnews is an aperiodic publication on thermoelectrics.
Lately more aperiodic than usual, if that's possible 

Cronin B. Vining, Listmaster

 

ICT2008 Registration Fees Increase June 1, 2008

 

Reminder:  registration fees to attend the 2008 International Conference on Thermoelectrics are US$400 for students and US$700 otherwise before June 1, 2008.  Fees increase by $50 after.  See http://www.its.org/

 

Contents:

Nano-TE Postdoc at Univ. of South Florida

Submitted by gnolas on Thu, 2008-05-29 00:15.

A postdoctoral position in experimental Materials Physics is available
in the Novel Materials Laboratory in the Department of Physics at the
University of South Florida. The position focuses on the synthesis,
structural and chemical characterization and physical properties
measurements of bulk nanocomposites for thermoelectric applications.
Experience with synthesis of nanocrystals, solution-phase and other
techniques, is necessary as well as densification and transport
measurements on bulk materials. Excellent communication skills (oral and
written) are necessary as daily interaction with students and researcher
scientists in a group environment, as well as written reports and oral
presentations, is typical. The ability to set-up and maintain laboratory
equipment is also required.  The position also requires expansion of the
current synthesis techniques and materials at the Novel Materials Lab
for nano-enhanced bulk thermoelectric materials research. A Ph.D. in
Physics, Chemistry or Materials Science is required.

Applicants should include a short statement outlining their match with
the above requirements, and attach research accomplishments, resume,
list of publications, list of conference presentations and at least four
references to an e-mail with the phrase "nano position ITS" in the
subject to gnolas [at] cas [dot] usf [dot] edu.

+- Coming Tellurium Shortage?

A recent blog piece indicates worldwide production of tellurium amounts to about 135 metric tons and that this entire amount would be required to produce a single GW of electricity using current CdTe photovoltaic cells.  They indicate the three main uses for tellurium today are hardening steel, thermoelectric coolers and now CdTe solar cells.  Their point is, of course, is there may not be enough tellurium to do everything we want to do with it.

 


+- BMW: TEG Saves 5% of Fuel

A report about BMW R&D on the Motor Authority website attributes a "real world" gain of 5% in fuel economy to use of a thermoelectric generator to produce electricity from exhaust heat.  As much as 1 kW of electricity could be produced this way.  The US DoE FreedomCar program goal is 10% fuel savings.

The report also indicates a Rankine Cycle project attributed to Honda has produced up to 32 kW, but a weight penalty reduces the fuel efficiency gains to 3.8%.   Assuming the Motor Authority is referring to the same Honda project discussed in this GreenCarCongress.com article, the 3.8% refers to an increase in engine thermal efficiency, which isn't quite the same thing.  The GreenCarCongress.com article also indicated Honda wanted to see higher efficiencies before putting the Rankine into production.

 


+- New Quaternary Iron-based Superconductors

A new family of quaternary iron-based superconductors with superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) up to 52 K are discussed in the latest issue of Physics Today.  The family of compounds, based on LaOFeAs (so called 1:1:1:1 phase), was first synthesized by Jeitschko at Dupont in the mid-1970s and more recent work by HIdeo Hosono at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.  The current record Tc~52 K was reported by Zhongxian Zhao of the Insitute of Physics in Beijing.

These new materials may be of some interest for thermoelectrics.  Conduction is said to be two-dimensional in the FeAs planes.   The low dimension and the transition metal (Fe) may both favor high Seebeck coefficients.  Of particular interest would be Hall effect, Seebeck and thermal conductivity so that the beta value and potential for high ZT might be estimated.  Someone is sure to report ZT values soon (if it has not already happened).

 


+- DoE Thermoelectric HVAC and Waste Heat

Better late than never.   A DoE funding solicitation (applications closed on 20080422) expects to invest US$7.5M through FY2011 in "Solid State Energy Conversion for Vehicular Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and for Waste Heat Recovery". 

This would replace current automobile air conditioners and is thought to provide many advantages including no refrigerant and requiring less power.  A more complete article on the solicitation can be found on the Green Car Congress website.

A presentation by Fairbanks at a review earlier this year illustrates the concept described as "Zonal HVAC System".  The presentation by  Hendricks at the same review also discusses TE HVAC for vehicles.

Zonal TE devices2Ecom [at] mail [dot] cvining [dot] com:143/fetch%3EUID%3E.INBOX.Lists.ZTnews-sent%3E156?part=1.1.1.2" />

"Zonal TE devices located in the dashboard, headliner, A&B pillars and seats / seatbacks" from [Fairbanks, 2008]

We look forward to hearing more about this effort the new program(s) develop.  In mean time, here are links to review presentations on some DoE funded thermoelectric-related R&D efforts:

 

FY 2008 DOE Vehicle Technologies Program Annual Merit Review

(Below are just the thermoelectric-related programs.  Click the link above for the full Vehicle Technologies Program Review agenda.)

February 25-28, 2008
Bethesda, Maryland

Advanced Combustion Engine R&D/Solid State Energy Conversion (John Fairbanks)
Vehicular Thermoelectric Applications John Fairbanks U.S. Department of Energy (PDF 1.5 MB)
Development of Thermoelectric Technology for Automotive Waste Heat Recovery Jihui Yang General Motors (PDF 1.2 MB)
Thermoelectric Conversion of Waste Heat to Electricity in an IC Engine Powered Vehicle Harold Schock Michigan State University (PDF 1.7 MB)
BSST Waste Heat Recovery Program Lon Bell BSST LLC - Amerigon (PDF 1.4 MB)
Thermoelectric Analytical Support Terry Hendricks Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PDF 478 KB)
Development of High-ZT, Bulk Thermoelectric (New Program) Jules Routbort Argonne National Laboratory (PDF 953 KB)

 

 


+- Thermoelectrics in CA and Iceland

A ZTnews reader and world traveler reports twice sighting thermoelectrics in the real world.  A quick Google didn't turn up any photos of the TE devices, but here is the report:

"Last time I visited the Real Goods Solar Living Center in Hopland California they were selling those little TEG kitchen fans as novelties -- put it on your stove and it starts spinning.  I'm sure you've seen them all. That encouraged me, but what really  got me thinking about this was a trip to Iceland's Solheimer Eco-Village (http://www.inhabitat.com/2005/07/27/icelandic-eco-village/), a couple of hours drive from Reykjavik.

They had a demonstration bathroom with a Peltier/Seebeck device that powered a light and a small television. The hot water source was geothermal, the cold water source was the icy streams that flow through the property, so they claimed they always had the right delta-T without investing any energy at all.  If you get a chance and haven't been, I suggest a trip (the local power company also took me on a nice tour of the geothermal stations, one of which had an outdoor steam pool called the blue lagoon as its effluent)."

So, I'm looking for a sponsor to send me to Iceland!  Well, and bring me back too.

 


+- Things I Left Out

Since posting my Solutions Summit paper a few possibilities for thermoelectrics have been brought to my attention which I have either underestimated or neglected entirely.

Distributed Thermoelectric Cooling and Heating (HVAC) in Cars

Conceptually similar to the car seat cooler/heater approach by Amerigon, a distributed TE cooling/heating system delivers climate control directly to the car occupants.  Reportedly, this approach uses less than 25% of the power required for conventional car A/C systems [Fairbanks, ECT2008], thereby improving car fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.   Moreover it eliminates the need for R-134a, the preferred refrigerant today and a powerful greenhouse gas (GWP20=3820 x CO2) already slated by be phased out in Europe.  I did mention the R-134a issue in my oral presentation and that eliminating R-134a means all the alternative A/C technologies move up on the list, including thermoelectrics.  I neglected to mention HVAC for cars in my paper, nor that DoE is sponsoring thermoelectric efforts along these lines.  And I should have.

Third World Applications

I only touched on a woodstove project and I neglected to provide a reference.  Paul van der Sluis is the team leader for the Woodstove project  at Philips Research.  The idea is a simple, inexpensive stove that burns wood for cooling much more efficiently and cleanly than alternatives.  A thermoelectric device powers a fan, crucial to the fuel efficiency improvements.  The efficiency of the thermoelectric device itself is not so crucial.  The woodstove provides a number of qualitative of life improvements (reduced fuel use, fewer particulates, faster startup).  With respect to CO2 emissions reduction, these would have to be distributed in the millions to have a material impact.  But with support from developed countries, that may be possible.  The woodstove is undergoing field tests now.

A second question was raised by T. H. Culhane, a UCLA Urban Planning Ph.D. candidate.  Culhane has been interviewed on NPR and again on NPR here in connection with the Solar Cities project he co-founded with his wife. He suggests using the heat from cooking stoves and a TEG to provide enough electricity (say) to power some highly efficient and inexpensive LED for lighting.  Conceptually identical to the "Partisan Kits" distributed in the 10s of thousands by the Soviets in WWII:  hang the TEG in a kerosene lamp or cooking fire and provide enough electricity to power a radio.

I don't know if these ideas can materially impact climate change or not.  But it is worth running the numbers, particularly because they can improve quality of life right now.  Cost, and a business model for distribution also needs attention.

I'll post other ideas as they come to my attention.

 
 
That's all for today.  Let me know if I forgot anything!

        -- Cronin

 

 

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