Feasibility Study for Energy Recovery from Internal Combustion Engine’s Waste Heat

Abstract

To mitigate the world’s energy problems and global warming, researchers are focusing on renewable energy, regenerate energy, efficient energy usage and finding alternative energy. In an automobile, Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) also produces heat which is released as waste heat which have a potential to generate energy. Power distribution of an automotive is showing that only about 20% of the power from engine combustion is convert to wheel or driving power and more than 60% of the power will be wasted. One way to convert heat to useful work is by using Rankine cycle. Research study to described the effects of thermal properties of an organic working fluid on the turbine power had also been reported. This research is to investigate the actual potential energy and power from the waste heat released by the an actual passenger car’s ICE through radiator. Feasibility study is conducted, to investigate the capability of the system and to help developing a system that can be used in an actual automobile. With the collected data, an efficient waste heat recovery system for the passenger car’s engine will be develop in the future. From the experiment result, the power output up to 800 W from heat released in the radiator as the temperature difference about 35 (C (heat in and out difference). From this study, it is found out there is a significant problem when the radiator cooling fan operates. The power from the waste heat intended to reduce and also becoming unstable. A power storage system and the radiator cooling fan control will be vital to obtain high usable energy from ICE heat.