New Tech Converts Heat into Electricity, Saves You Gas

New Tech Converts Heat into Electricity, Saves You Gas

Furukawa, a Tokyo-based tech company, has developed a thermoelectric conversion material that's said to be able to boost the fuel efficiency of cars by 2% by converting about 7% of exhaust heat into electricity. Unlike conventional thermoelectric conversion materials, which warm up as a whole when one side is exposed to heat, this new material generates energy via the difference in temperature between its two sides. Apparently, that makes it much more efficient. They're currently working to improve the system, but they hope to have it ready for mass production by 2011, at which point that 2% will solve the gas crisis single-handedly. Just hang in there for a few more years!  CrunchGear]

Conventional thermoelectric conversion material warms up as a whole, when one side is exposed to heat. This method is said to be rather inefficient and proves to be too impractical to use in many potential applications.

Furukawa’s skutterudite-based material consists of antimony, gallium, indium, titanium and other substances. The company claims that with their invention heat is kept in one place and doesn’t spread to other sections.