Power Generated from New Heat-Resistant Ceramic Material

The Research Institute for Ubiquitous Energy Devices (RIUED) (Ikeda City, Osaka) reported on May 31, 2005 that it has successfully developed a ceramic thermoelectric conversion module (TECM) that does not suffer from performance degradation resulting from oxidation. The RIUED is one of the research units of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), an independent administrative institution. When this new TECM is used in waste incinerators, industrial furnaces and automobiles, electrical power can be recovered from a substantial source of heretofore untapped waste energy, which constitutes around 70 percent of total energy consumed. This new technology could be a promising way to conserve energy and reduce CO2 emissions.

Heat is directly converted to electric power by a thermoelectric method that achieves an efficient conversion rate no matter how small the amounts involved. With a high power density, it could be applied as a power source for emergency use or for mobile devices at disaster sites where only heat sources are available. Also, it is maintenance-free and has a long service life because it has no moving parts.

The newly developed module is operable when the air is heated up to 800 degrees Celsius, and is made from a ceramic compound of cobalt hydroxide and nickel hydroxide. It is a small-sized, lightweight unit and can generate around 10 W of power. Previous thermoelectric materials have been made from metal and not suited for use in consumer applications because of performance degradation due to melting or oxidation at higher temperatures, and the inclusion of lead or other toxic elements such as zinc.

To further promote the recovery of waste heat, the RIUED-AIST hopes to join with automobile and industrial furnace manufacturers to develop various shapes for the TECM to fit heat-producing machines such as automobiles.

http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_e/latest_research/2005/20050617/20050617.html

Posted: 2005/11/07 08:48:12 AM
Japanese version