Waste heat to produce electricity in cars

This feasibility study investigates a use of waste heat for automotive applications.

Waste heat (from exhaust gas and motor cooling water) used for combined electricity conversion is a promising technology for increasing prime mover efficiency and thus decrease CO2 emissions. The proposed feasibility study addresses the system design of a combined small-scale compressor-turbine unit for providing electric power while receiving waste heat from the internal combustion engine. Recent research and experimental investigations at the Laboratory for Applied Mechanical Design on a thermally driven heat pump system suggest the use of small-scale, high-speed turbomachinery for improving performance while decreasing weight and volume.

This project will last six months and will be conducted by the Laboratory for Applied Mechanical Design (LAMD) of Prof. Jürg Schiffmann. It is sponsored by Groupe PSA.

Principal investigator Prof. Jürg Schiffmann
Project manager Kévin Rosset
Sponsor Groupe PSA
Period 2014
Laboratory LAMD
Collaboration TRACE