Aerospace and Aircraft Thermoelectric Applications · PDF fileDesirable Cold Sinks: (1) ... Provides electrical power from waste heat ... An overview of the benefits of thermoelectric

BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.Copyright © 2009 Boeing. All rights reserved.

Aerospace and Aircraft Thermoelectric Applications

James Huang, Ph.DProgram ManagerBoeing Research & TechnologyHuntington Beach, [email protected]

1 October, 2009

Engineering, Operations & Technology | Boeing Research & Technology

Copyright © 2009 Boeing. All rights reserved.

Agenda

• What is “Aerospace”?

• How can thermoelectric contribute?

• Limitations & Suggested Improvement

• Aircraft Application

• Comparison of aircraft power generation means

• Potential benefit assessment



What is “Aerospace” ?

• Anything that flies

• Associated infrastructures

• DefenseBoeing 787

V-22 Osprey

Delta-IV Space Shuttle Space Station 702 Satellite Lunar Lander

F-18A Hornet C-17 Globemaster

Radar Station

B-1B Lancer FCS Vehicle Network Centric Operation

Air Traffic Management

Communication Center

Flight Training Logistics Maintenance

http://assets.thalesgroup.co.uk/fms/Image Library/Press Images/Boeing787_high.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2005/q3/nr_050919m.html

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/delta/delta4/images/d4family.jpg

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ed.arizona.edu/ward/Sonic/shuttle.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ed.arizona.edu/ward/Shuttle/shuttle.html&h=480&w=602&sz=84&tbnid=gKf1BXPRz4_K_M:&tbnh=106&tbnw=133&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3DShuttle%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

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http://skyhelicopters.com/Training/flyit/Simm1.jpg

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Characterizing Aerospace Applications

• Application Environment – Severe, e.g., vibration andthermal swing

• Life Cycle – Long, e.g., 30 years for airplane

• Complexity – High, e.g., chip-board-box-subsystem-systemintegrated systems

• Volumetric – Limited, e.g., cockpit & launch vehicle payload profile

• Cost – High, e.g., FAA certified

• Safety – High to extremely high, e.g., human life



How can Thermoelectric Contribute?

• Reduce Weight, e.g., high-efficiency cooling eliminatingliquid cooling and associated thermal management weight

• Improve Performance, e.g., communication RF front endcooling reduces noise

• Improve System Efficiency, e.g., paired with solar cell toproduce more power

• Reduce Cost, e.g., reduce fuel consumption through aircraftengine waste heat harvesting

• New Capabilities



Limitations & Suggested Improvement

Thermoelectric Device

- Efficiency Limitation: Available thermoelectric devices on the market have relatively low efficiencies and generally can’t compete with alternative approaches

- Costs Limitation: For large scale and broad applications, the cost must be reduced.

- Suggested improvement: Develop high-efficiency devices that can be manufactured in volume with cost-effective techniques.

Aerospace Platform

- Space and Weight Limitations: Highly weight sensitive with limited space - ΔT Environment Limitation: Sustainable operating environment must be provided to match candidate device performance profile, e.g., operating temperature range vs. achievable energy conversion efficiency

- Suggested improvements: Choose high payoff applications capable of circumventing above limitations to a maximum degree



Aircraft Engine Waste Heat Harvesting has Large Potential Payoffs

Turbofan: High BypassTurbofan: Low Bypass

Turboprop Turboshaft



Solution is Desirable to be a Totally Passive Design With no Moving Parts

Thermoelectric Devices

Hea

t Flo

w

Desirable Heat Sources:(1) Hot Air Flow(2) Hot Surfaces

Desirable Cold Sinks:(1) Ambient Air(2) Cool Fan Stream Flow

ΔT

ΔVHot Side

Cold Side



Knowledge in Engine Profile is Essential

100 – 200

200 – 325

325 – 375

350 – 500

450 – 800

550 – 1,100

600 – 1,200

Surface Temperature Ranges (oF)

Representative High By-Pass Engine Temperature Profile



• Provides electrical power from waste heat – no fuel burn and no moving parts

• Operates over the entire aircraft flight envelope

• Operates independent of engines and does not affect engine operations

Comparison of Aircraft Power Generation

Engine Generator (IDG)Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Generator

Fuel Cell APU/Generator

• Proven technology• Operates over the entire aircraft flight

envelope

• Power output may be limited by flight conditions

• Proven technology• Provides aircraft power on the ground when

engines are not operating• Provides power to start main engine• Operates independent of engines and does

not affect engine operations

• Some installation may not allow in-flight operation; non-operating APU is deadweight

• Ownership costs are higher than those for aircraft engines

• New technology; currently heavy and reliability is uncertain

• Requires a second fuel source, either a hydrogen fuel system or a jet fuel to hydrogen reformer system

• Very efficient and no moving parts• Replaces both APU and IDG with a single

system• Operates independent of engines and does

not affect engine operations• Operates over the entire flight envelope

Advantages Disadvantages

Thermoelectric • New technology and unproven• Cost & efficiency; further development is

needed• Power output limited by available waste

heat, space, device efficiency, and sustainable ΔT



Integration and Application Challenges are Non-Trivial

• Thermal, e.g., temperature swing

• Vibration and shock

• Material compatibility, e.g., CTE mismatch creates thermal stress

• Noise

• Parasitic thermal paths

• ΔT maintenance, e.g., provide sustainable operating environment

• Maintenance and upgrade, e.g., incorporating the latest technology

• Reliability



Potential Benefit Assessment

Fuel Reduction

• Preliminary analysis showed that 0.5% or more fuel reduction is achievable

Operating Cost Reduction

• Average monthly fuel costs for U.S. commercial planes is $2.415B for the first 4 months of 2009 (Source: EIA)

• A 0.5% fuel reduction translates into $12.075M monthly operating cost reduction

Carbon Emission Reduction

• Aircraft contributes ~2% of global carbon emission (Source: EPA)• Passenger airlines accounts for ~85% of fuel consumed by U.S. airlines, which account for an estimated 35% of global airline fuel consumption (Source: EIA)

• A 0.5% fuel reduction on U.S. passenger aircraft alone contributes to ~0.03 global carbon emission reduction


Aerospace and Aircraft Thermoelectric Applications · PDF fileDesirable Cold Sinks: (1) ... Provides electrical power from waste heat ... An overview of the benefits of thermoelectric

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