This project involves researchers at the Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems at Virginia Tech and their industrial partner, Romny Scientific. The investigators seek to develop and use novel fabrication techniques to enable high volume production of thermoelectric materials. In addition, the project will advance novel heat sink and interface designs with the goal to maximize the efficiency of conversion of waste heat to electric power in vehicle applications.
Intellectual Merit: New automated aerosol deposition techniques to rapidly synthesize skutterudites and silicides will be developed. In addition, nanocomposites of these, and other, compositions will be formulated, based on isostatic pressing technology. Thermal management and heat sink design will involve augmentation methods such as use of minichannels and swirling flow jet impingement to maximize temperature differences across the thermoelectric material and, in turn, maximize the conversion efficiency. Interface resistances will be minimized through analysis and measurement of the effective properties with attention focused on the relationship between the interface behavior and the processing and fabrication techniques. Advanced metrology including, but not limited to, diffraction and spectroscopic techniques, temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction, in-situ environmental high resolution scanning electron microscopy, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy will be used to both (i) determine thermoelectric material properties and (ii) measure the performance of thermoelectric modules in full scale experiments.
Broader Impact: The project seeks to develop new thermoelectric materials and module designs to ultimately improve fuel economy and reduce emissions in vehicle applications. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in the research and will be given opportunities for internships with the industrial partner, Romny Scientific, and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. The research will be integrated into coursework including an existing graduate course with a specific focus on energy harvesting. The prototype modules will be demonstrated in full scale vehicle applications for outreach purposes. Outreach to middle- and high school students and teachers, local industry and small businesses, and several local HBCUs will also be conducted as will incorporation of the research in an annual energy harvesting workshop.
