Nanostructured half-Heuslers for thermoelectric waste heat recovery

用于热电废热回收的纳米结构半赫斯勒

基本信息

批准号：
EP/N01717X/1
负责人：
Jan-Willem Bos
金额：
$ 46.52万
依托单位：
Heriot-Watt University
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2016
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2016 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FN01717X%2F1
关键词：
Nanostructured half Heuslers thermoelectric waste

项目摘要

Thermoelectric materials convert waste heat into useful electric power. Even inefficient thermoelectric power generation recovery can have a substantial impact on UK and global energy consumption because more than half of primary energy is ultimately wasted as heat. So far, thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have been restricted to niche applications, such as powering the Voyager space probes, where durable, reliable and low-maintenance power generation is essential. However, the market for thermoelectric energy harvesters is projected to approach $1bn within a decade.* Potential applications for TEGs include scavenging heat from car exhausts, producing combined heat and power units for use in remote, off-grid locations, and replacing batteries in wearable microelectronic devices. A major limitation has been to develop cheap, efficient TEGs that do not rely on toxic or scarce resources. For example, the most efficient thermoelectric material for automobile heat recovery is currently a compound of toxic lead and scarce tellurium. In this project, we aim to develop a viable, non-toxic alternative to lead telluride TEGs, using 'Heusler alloys', which combine abundant elements such as titanium, nickel and tin. They also meet the majority of industrial requirements for thermoelectric power generation, having good thermal and mechanical stability, mechanical strength and ease of processing. However, a TEG's thermal conductivity is also critical and optimising the thermal conductivity of Heusler alloys has been problematic. We aim to capitalise on our recent advances in Heusler alloy synthesis and nanostructuring, which currently represents the only UK efforts in this fast-growing field.The ultimate aim of this proposal is to develop new means of controlling the thermal conductivity of Heusler alloys in order to build a TEG prototype of comparable performance to existing lead telluride devices. Our insight is that there are a variety of alloy phases and intentional defects that can be used to introduce structural texture on the nanoscale, thereby reducing the thermal conductivity. What is exciting is that many of these structures have not previously been studied. A critical aspect is the size and distribution of the texturing, which should be long enough to avoid reducing the material's electrical conductivity but short enough to impede the flow of heat. We will investigate the optimum length-scales for texturing by performing a systematic study of the impact of processing conditions on the HA nanoscale structure. We will use world-leading electron microscopy, neutron scattering facilities and theoretical modelling to probe the atomic-scale structure and dynamics of the new materials in order to optimise the synthesis parameters. We will then use this technical know-how in collaboration with our industrial partner European Thermodynamics Ltd. to build prototype TEG modules. This collaborative project, involving three academic institutions, national facilities and a UK small business, has substantial potential for impact, with notable prospects for making a contribution to lowering the UK's carbon footprint. It also provides excellent opportunities for knowledge transfer to a vibrant new industry and for high-quality training.* H. Zervos, "Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting 2014-2024: Devices, Applications, Opportunities," 2014

热电材料将废热转化为有用的电力。即使效率低下的热电发电回收率也可能对英国和全球能源消耗产生重大影响，因为最终将一半以上的原能浪费在热量中。到目前为止，热电发生器（TEGS）仅限于利基应用，例如为Voyager空间探针提供动力，在这种情况下，耐用，可靠和低维护的发电是必不可少的。但是，预计热电学收割机的市场将在十年内接近10亿美元。* TEG的潜在应用包括清除汽车排气的热量，生产组合的热量和功率单元，用于在远程，离网位置使用，并在可穿戴的微电子式钢铁中替换电池。一个主要限制是开发不依赖有毒或稀缺资源的廉价，高效的TEG。例如，用于汽车热恢复的最有效的热电材料目前是有毒铅和稀缺的易热材料。在这个项目中，我们旨在使用“ heusler Alloys”来开发可行的，无毒的替代方案，以结合钛，镍和锡等丰富的元素。它们还满足了热电发电的大多数工业需求，具有良好的热和机械稳定性，机械强度和易于处理。但是，TEG的热导率也很重要，并且优化了赫斯勒合金的导热率是有问题的。我们的目标是利用我们在赫斯勒合金合成和纳米结构方面的最新进展，目前代表了这一快速增长的领域中唯一的英国努力。该提案的最终目的是开发新的手段，以控制Heusler Alloys的导热率，以便建立与现有滴滴液介尿层铅尿层的可比较性能的TEG原型。我们的见解是，有多种合金相和有意的缺陷可用于在纳米级上引入结构性纹理，从而降低导热率。令人兴奋的是，许多这些结构以前没有被研究过。一个关键的方面是纹理的尺寸和分布，应足够长的时间，以避免降低材料的电导率，但足够短以阻止热量。我们将通过对处理条件对HA纳米级结构的影响进行系统研究来研究最佳的长度尺度，以进行纹理。我们将使用世界领先的电子显微镜，中子散射设施和理论建模来探测新材料的原子尺度结构和动力学，以优化合成参数。然后，我们将与我们的工业合作伙伴欧洲热力学有限公司合作使用此技术知识，以构建原型TEG模块。这个合作项目涉及三个学术机构，国家设施和一家英国小型企业，具有巨大的影响力，并有很大的前景为降低英国的碳足迹做出了贡献。它还为知识转移到充满活力的新产业和高质量培训提供了极好的机会。