Converting Excess Heat to Useful Energy

A lot of heat energy is generated by the world around us. Thermoelectric devices can help us harness this energy.

A lot of excess heat is generated by vehicles, computers, mobile phones and even by the bodies of warm-blooded animals. One of the most significant steps we can take towards sustainability is to find a method to harvest this heat efficiently. This can be done using thermoelectric devices that can convert temperature gradients to electrical energy. The ideal thermoelectric material would have the capacity to convert heat to electricity effectively and also be capable of maintaining that temperature gradient (would be a poor conductor of heat, like plastic). Searching for such materials is one of the many exciting problems in Physics and Materials Science. One promising class of materials is MXenes. Currently, I am working on simulating the properties of different MXenes to identify the best candidate for thermoelectric applications. MXenes can also be used for other applications, such as in solar cells. If a suitable candidate can be successfully identified, it can be used for thermoelectric applications.  

The problem I hope to help solve in a small way is the wastage of energy. This is a problem that plagues societies the world over. Knowingly or unknowingly, people generate a lot of excess heat energy. In fact, a little under three-fourths of all the energy wasted is in the form of heat. The need to keep the global temperatures under

The solution serves everyone. However, those who do not have access to electricity in areas not connected to the power grid will be most helped. The heat produced by different sources, even the body, can be a viable source to power different devices. The solution should make it possible to bring electricity to isolated regions.

This began when I became interested in the idea of sustainability. I looked for ways I could contribute as an aspiring physicist. I and my peer (who is also working in computational physics) decided to attempt this project which has practical implications. We intend to follow through with the application of this material to practical devices once we have determined its composition. Ideally, this should happen within the next six months or so. 

Thermoelectric materials can efficiently convert heat energy into electricity. Efficient thermoelectric devices can therefore use the slightest differences in temperature to produce a reasonable amount of energy. The project is trying to find the best and most compact thermoelectric material and use it to construct a practical device. 

The idea is still being developed. However, within the coming year, the idea is to make the idea viable for a small community of 50-100 people on an experimental basis.

No barriers exist currently.

I am an undergraduate student of BTech Engineering Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. I am working in the area of Condensed Matter Physics. My teammate is also a student of Engineering Physics and is my classmate. He is working in computational physics. We believe we have an opportunity to apply the knowledge we have gained in our four years at university to the betterment of people's lives. We are both Indian students and we know well the limitations of the infrastructure in our nation. We are also aware of the financial constraints faced by a large portion of the population and so, we believe this project can provide effective solutions for their problems.