Problems
The use of an ATEG presents new problems to consider:
Since the exhaust has to flow through the ATEG’s heat exchanger, kinetic energy from the gas is lost, causing increased pumping losses. This is referred to as back pressure, which reduces the engine’s performance.
To make the ATEG’s efficiency more consistent, coolant is usually used on the cold-side heat exchanger rather than ambient air so that the temperature difference will be the same on both hot and cold days. This increases the radiator’s size since piping must be extended to the exhaust manifold. It also adds to the radiator’s load because there is more heat being transferred to the coolant.
ATEGs are made primarily of metal and, therefore, contribute a significant weight to the vehicle. An ATEG designed for small cars and trucks weighs about 125 lb (57 kg), while for large trucks and SUVs, it can contribute up to 250 lb (110 kg) to the vehicle. The added weight causes the engine to work harder, resulting in lower gas mileage.
Cost is a prevalent issue in ATEGs. Thermoelectric generators with higher efficiencies require higher quality, more expensive thermoelectric materials. With the thermal cycling and vibration of the vehicle, the generator’s longevity is a concern. Although high quality thermoelectric materials could produce more electricity, the cost of replacing them could outweigh the savings in fuel economy.
Read more about this topic: Automotive Thermoelectric Generator
Famous quotes containing the word problems:
“If we fail to meet our problems here, no one else in the world will do so. If we fail, the heart goes out of progressives throughout the world.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962)
“Those great ideas which come to you in your sleep just before you awake in morning, those solutions to the world’s problems which, in the light of day, turn out to be duds of the puniest order, couldn’t they be put to some use, after all?”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)
“Wittgenstein imagined that the philosopher was like a therapist whose task was to put problems finally to rest, and to cure us of being bewitched by them. So we are told to stop, to shut off lines of inquiry, not to find things puzzling nor to seek explanations. This is intellectual suicide.”
—Simon Blackburn (b. 1944)