Description: NASA is interested in advancing green technology research for achieving sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources for both terrestrial and space applications. It has been reported that thermo-electric power generation (TEPG) can contribute to electrical power generation scavenged from waste heat sources. Significant advantages to TE technology include: no moving parts, low-weight, modularity, covertness, high power density, low amortized cost, and long service life with no required maintenance. TEPG also has the potential of enabling large-scale electric power generation. We propose to continue are on-going research of PbTe single crystals and investigate the FAST technique, developed by Penn State Univ., to produce bulk nano-composites. We will assemble the material into TE devices and optimize the high temperature electrical contacts for minimal resistivity. We expect to standardize the processes to produce device with efficiency up to 10% (we currently have efficiency of 4.4%) by the end of Phase II. The major goal of the proposed work is to establish the feasibility that kilowatt levels of power can be produced in an environmentally clean (pollution free) manner using TEPG.

Benefits: TEPG has rich potential for broad commercial and military. Government agencies like DOD or EPA could benefit from this technology. It can be used to retrieve the waste heat emitted from automobiles, factories or other similar sources; and to promote the practice of green building. Potential military uses include battery recharging making TEPG useful for mounted/ dismounted soldier power. One use for this technology is to power military kitchen appliances without the need for an external generator. TE power sources can also generate power from the small temperature gradients that are available throughout the human body, making it possible to generate power using human body heat

NASA is interested in advancing green technology research for achieving sustainable and environmental friendly energy sources for terrestrial and space applications. Development of TEPG material can be used for both power generation and cooling applications. The proposed power generator material can provide power to run various space-based vehicular sub-systems and static sensor systems on Mars and Lunar environments over long periods of time at reduced size, weight, and cost. Recovery of waste heat is applicable to NASA applications and may be applied to building self-powered water and space heating systems. Devices utilizing thermoelectric (TE) technology are ideally suited to reducing the energy needs leading to the promotion of the practice of green building.