Project description
A better waste heat energy recovery process
A significant amount of energy can be recovered from waste heat, which is generated byenergy-intensive processes such as transport based on combustion. Current methods to recover low-grade waste heat are expensive and limited in terms of conversion efficiency and power density. The EU-funded TPX-Power project will test a new approach that could nearly double the efficiency of combustion engines and provide a pollution-free and generic energy conversion process. This new approach harnesses the thermodynamics of electroluminescence, near-field photon transport and photovoltaic energy production to convert the very recent advances in intracavity thermophotonic cooling into a new heat engine technology. The project ultimately aims to improve the efficiency of any waste heat producing process by reconverting some of the waste heat energy to electricity.
Objective
Waste heat generated by industry, transport, data processing and other energy intensive processes form enormous energy streams that is typically hard to exploit despite their abundancy. In most cases the low-to-medium exhaust temperaturess of the processes make energy re-harvesting challenging with presently available technologies using expensive and bulky mechanical turbines or the emerging solid state thermophotovoltaic (TPV) or thermoelectric (TE) systems. In WASTE-NET we aim to demonstrate a new disruptive approach to thermal energy recovery, ideally allowing a large power density and a competitive energy harvesting efficiency even for low temperature energy streams. The approach harnesses the thermodynamics of electroluminescence (EL), near field (NF) photon transport and photovoltaic (PV) energy production to convert the very recent advances in intracavity thermophotonic (TPX) cooling into a new heat engine technology. The NF TPX heat engines use the superthermal emission from an electrically excited light emitting diode (LED) heated by waste heat, to illuminate a PV cell kept at ambient temperature. This configuration can enable a substantial performance boost compared to existing technologies. To access this potential we build a multidisciplinary consortium providing access to the complementary expertise needed to combine the necessary elements from LEDs, solar cells and NF physics. If successful, WASTE-NOT can demonstrate and set on motion the development of a cost- and power-efficient heat energy harvesting technology with unprecedented possibilities throughout the sectors where waste heat is produced. At best the technology could nearly double the efficiency of combustion engines and provide a pollution free energy source substantially improving the process efficiency of any waste heat producing process, effectively providing a negative-emission energy source.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences thermodynamics
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences pollution
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.2.2. - FET Proactive
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
RIA - Research and Innovation action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-FETPROACT-2019-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
02150 Espoo
Finland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.