Thermoroad

Thermoroad – Applied Peltier technology Netherlands - Road asphalt may find another use in the near future. By applying Peltier elements in the road surface and underground, small-scale electricity can be generated. Highway tests in the Netherlands are being conducted to prove the technical concept. In summer, the high temperature in the asphalt layer and the low temperature of the groundwater create a voltage potential, which produces electricity in the Peltier elements. In winter, the system works the other way around. Five U-shape copper prefab elements containing cables, groundwater pipes and other hardware have been installed across the road. The Peltier elements are mounted on the copper elements. A top layer of 6 mm highconductivity, water-resistant asphalt protects the energy system. The system produces 20 kWh of electricity per m2 of road annually, as the result of an expected temperature differential of 2 to 10°C. Source: Techniek 28 June 2002 (in Dutch) Micro CHP emerging Japan - Honda Motor Co. has released information saying that it has entered the final stage of development of a compact, home-use cogeneration unit, scheduled to go on sale from March 2003. The unit’s compact design (640 mm x 380 mm x 940 mm) was achieved using an efficient layout, combining the world’s smallest natural gas engine, developed especially for this use, with a compact, lightweight power generation system employing the company’s sine wave inverter technology to ensure electrical output on a par with commercial power sources. The driver is a 4-stroke, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine. A 3-way catalyst and oxygen feedback control is employed to reduce NOx emissions. The unit has a thermal output of more than 3 kW and an electrical output of 1 kW, achieving an overall efficiency of 85%. Source: Honda Press Information Energy-efficient distillation Netherlands - A Dutch consortium of research institutes, contractors and chemical process industry has been formed to develop highly energy efficient distillation columns within the next 4 years. Traditional distillation column designs are tall and high. By integrating the upper half of the column in the lower part, the size can be reduced substantially and energy savings of 60-90% could be possible compared to traditional designs. When compared to mechanical vapour recompression columns, energy savings of up to 50% can be achieved. The so-called Heat-Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) is also equipped with mechanical vapour recompression technology. Top vapour from the outer section is compressed and fed to the inner high-pressure section of the column; se