Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Performance Analysis Of An Exhaust Heat Recovery System Utilizing Heat Pipes, Metal Foam, And Thermoelectric Generators, Michael Resciniti

Scholar Week 2016 - present

This paper highlights a new type of modified heat pipe assisted thermoelectric generator system for automobile exhaust waste heat recovery. This system employs the use of metal foam as a heat transfer aid to increase the thermal energy transferred through the system. In this system, heat pipes are inserted into a metal foam block that is exposed to the exhaust gas stream. The metal foam increases heat transfer in a similar way that fins increase heat transfer. To confirm that this system provides a greater conversion of thermal energy, an experimental prototype was built and tested. Tests were conducted with …