Input Stories

Much of the energy produced by combustion-engine vehicles is lost to heat, but now there may be a way to claw some of it back (The Wall Street Journal, subscription). 
 
What’s going on: “In a recent study, researchers created a prototype of a device, called a thermoelectric generator, designed to do just that. When inserted into an exhaust pipe, the device can turn waste heat into a continuous source of electricity for vehicles such as cars, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, making them more efficient, the researchers say.”  

• Converting even some of the waste heat made by these vehicles into electricity “could reduce fuel consumption and battery usage, they say.”  
• Researchers involved in the study—which was funded in part by the U.S. Army with the intent of learning more about UAVs—believe the applications of the device could work on other vehicles, too. 

Findings: They found that with a temperature change of 190 degrees, their thermoelectric generator produced 40 watts of power—enough to charge a cell phone or a couple of LED lights. 
 
What’s new: Thermoelectric generators have been around for years, but previous versions were heavy and often required coolant or water, so they weren’t ideal for use in cars. This latest version uses “the temperature difference within the exhaust pipe and the outside air” instead.  
 
What’s next: The Army will test the prototype in its own lab.