Design and Development of a Thermionic Regeneration System for Waste Heat Recovery In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Applying Reverse Engineering

Abstract

newlineThe sustainability of energy generation is primarily based on the effectiveness of the newlinemethods used for minimizing the wastes and optimum utilization of available energy newlineresources. Mobility and its ease is therefore being an essential component of development. newlineAutomotive technology is an area where methods are explored in recent times to provide newlinesustainable solution for reduction of fuel consumption and carbon emission by switching to newlinehybrid technology and electric vehicles where regeneration of energy plays an important newlinerole. At present the research is focused on achieving methods of solid state conversion of newlineheat into electricity but it s limited to thermoelectric which has lower conversion efficiency. newlineA comparative analysis of the direct energy convertors shows that thermionic energy newlineconversion stands better with a higher conversion efficiency. newlineVery close and non-contact type of electrode spacing having electrical insulation provided newlinewith vacuum or inert gas environment is the basic requirement while designing any newlinethermionic energy generator. Identifying these key research challenges, this article newlinediscusses a design, simulation, prototyping and experimentation of thermionic regenerator. newlineThe thesis hence explores a platform for design of a thermionic regenerator applying newlinereverse engineering, development of a thermionic regeneration system (TRS), Integration newlineof the TRS with hybrid electric vehicle for improving fuel economy and drive range i.e. newlinevehicle s overall efficiency. Special HEV control algorithm is developed to simulate the newlinevehicle performance. newlineThe results of design simulation have validated the design for thermionic emission and newlineelectric potential. The conversion efficiency achieved is 14.3 % in experimentation following newlinethe simulation path. Full scale vehicle simulation have shown 23% reduction in fuel newlineconsumption with the installation of TRS. newlineKeywords: thermionic energy generator; thermionic emission; electrode spacing. newline