New Device Turns Waste Heat into Electricity

[Wobs]

Originally Posted by LMagic007

Regardless of that, I retain my view that I hold absolutely no doubt that researchers and developers will succeed in utilising waste internal combustion engine heat effectively, to such an extent as to help significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of motor vehicle. No doubt whatsoever and that remains my view. I do not doubt that success will be achieved.

Other than cost, there is course another important limiting factor in utilising waste heat from vehicle engines.

[LMagic007]

Originally Posted by Wobs

Other than cost, there is course another important limiting factor in utilising waste heat from vehicle engines.

There are many limiting factors all of which I believe will be overcome. By all means feel free to elaborate further if you so desire. At this stage however I retain my view that I hold absolutely no doubt that researchers and developers will succeed in utilising waste internal combustion engine heat effectively, to such an extent as to help significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of motor vehicle. No doubt whatsoever and that remains my view.

[Wobs]

Originally Posted by LMagic007

[font=Arial][size=2][left]There are many limiting factors all of which I believe will be overcome.

Weight.
Not an issue for a device that stays put, but an important issue if the energy you are saving is less than the energy that you use to move the additional equipment with said device.

Modern cars are becoming heavier with the addition of luxury, safety, and environmental devices. This adds to the overall consumption. There comes a point where the energy wasted isn't worth using, as to do so would add too much weight.

This, combined with cost will be an important limiting factor.

[LMagic007]

Originally Posted by Wobs

Weight.
Not an issue for a device that stays put, but an important issue if the energy you are saving is less than the energy that you use to move the additional equipment with said device.

Modern cars are becoming heavier with the addition of luxury, safety, and environmental devices. This adds to the overall consumption. There comes a point where the energy wasted isn't worth using, as to do so would add too much weight.

This, combined with cost will be an important limiting factor.

Of course weight among many other technical and operational in maintenance aspects, all impacting on overall cost and hence affordability. Sacrifices can be made in other less important areas if required, as at the end of the day, cost models are largely driven by consumer affordability and consumer preferences and priorities. If cost is the highest consumer priority, then this will predominantly dictate the priority of implemented features. Obviously in evaluating any vehicle energy saving technology, the weight is a natural consideration in terms of net return. I mean really that goes without saying, it's a given.

Where cost is not an issue, obviously cost won't have the same impact on features. Obviously for most, cost is a key factor. Where cost is a high priority, so long as any such device returns a worth while net cost saving over it's operational life, other factors considered, then such device can be viewed as contributing to reducing overall vehicle operating costs in a meaningful and hence significant way. Generally speaking, this would tend to imply the vehicle is operating more efficiently, if it's costing less to operate due to the addition of such energy saving technologies.

There are many limiting factors all of which I believe will be overcome. At this stage however I retain my view that I hold absolutely no doubt that researchers and developers will succeed in utilising waste internal combustion engine heat effectively, to such an extent as to help significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of motor vehicles No doubt whatsoever and that remains my view until I find sufficiently compelling reason to believe otherwise.

[Besoeker]

Originally Posted by Wobs

Other than cost, there is course another important limiting factor in utilising waste heat from vehicle engines.

I think the greatest limiting factor is how to utilise recovered waste heat.

[LMagic007]

Originally Posted by Besoeker

I think the greatest limiting factor is how to utilise recovered waste heat.

It's well established that waste heat can be converted to mechanical and or electrical energy. Ultimately though, it comes down to cost. The know how to apply various technologies exists, but the cost of applying the knowledge has to be seen to be within the realms of affordability at some point in time. Many factors influence cost, so it's a question of for the net benefit of such factors, what cost must be paid and is that cost competitive with alternatives options. If cost projections show that in 5 years time such technologies will be ripe for application, then that can be planned for and costed as appropriate. If for example oil rises in cost at an average of 10% per year over the next 5 years, then this will likely be taken into consideration in determining the cost viability of the various energy saving options that exist, that might be expected to approach commercial viability at some future point in time.

[Besoeker]

Originally Posted by LMagic007

It's well established that waste heat can be converted to mechanical and or electrical energy.

Of course it can, waste or otherwise.
In the context of a motor vehicle, sourcing it is't an issue. Sinking it is.

[LMagic007]

Originally Posted by Besoeker

Of course it can, waste or otherwise.
In the context of a motor vehicle, sourcing it is't an issue. Sinking it is.

There are many issues of various approaches which on the whole, I believe will be overcome. I'm not convinced there are any show stoppers, far from it in fact. Cost / performance will be the ultimate deciding factor. It's clearly evident research and developers believe in the potential of these technologies. At this stage I retain my view that I hold absolutely no doubt that researchers and developers will succeed in utilising waste internal combustion engine heat effectively, to such an extent as to help significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of motor vehicles. No doubt whatsoever and that remains my view until I find sufficiently compelling reason to believe otherwise.

[Besoeker]

Originally Posted by LMagic007

There are many issues of various approaches which on the whole, I believe will be overcome. I'm not convinced there are any show stoppers, far from it in fact. Cost / performance will be the ultimate deciding factor. It's clearly evident research and developers believe in the potential of these technologies. At this stage I retain my view that I hold absolutely no doubt that researchers and developers will succeed in utilising waste internal combustion engine heat effectively, to such an extent as to help significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of motor vehicles. No doubt whatsoever and that remains my view until I find sufficiently compelling reason to believe otherwise.

And I'm convinced that you are either in politics or sales. Or should be.

[LMagic007]

Originally Posted by Besoeker

And I'm convinced that you are either in politics or sales. Or should be.

I'm not convinced of either being the case. It's just my firm belief, nothing more, others no doubt will have differing views and that's their prerogative and regardless of what may seem to be achievable, to actually achieve you at the very least have to believe. There are plenty of good ideas going around on all sorts of matters that are technically feasible, but if nobody believes in them, they may never be developed further nor see the light of day. I remember some reference to an article someone posted that mentioned something along the lines of politicians don't get things done in comparison to engineers regarding sustainable transport. The reality is that we are all politicians and technicians to varying degrees in varying ways and nobody or no classification of persons has a mortgage on good ideas. I don't subscribe to the type of institutional elitism that says if one is not of this or that ilk, then ones ideas have no merit. The art of appeal, can be seen in some ways as part of the art of politics. There have been great minds in history that have made great discoveries and contributions to this world, who have not been recognised by formality of institution prior to their greatness. I thus declare, perhaps it's sometimes the institutionalised boundaries that govern thinking beyond acknowledgement of technical realities, that are sometimes limited and not necessarily the notion of thought itself. Fortunately I suspect there are sufficient persons of many cloths, working together to help solve the worlds new challenges as they emerge.

With all that said and done, In the context of waste heat recovery and application, proven or otherwise, my view, yes my view, being a view not necessarily reflective of others, remains the same. i.e. I hold absolutely no doubt that researchers and developers will succeed in utilising waste internal combustion engine heat effectively, to such an extent as to help significantly improve the overall energy efficiency of motor vehicles. No doubt whatsoever and that remains my view until I find sufficiently compelling reason to believe otherwise.