Energy Harvesting and Advanced Technologies for Enhanced Life (1.11)

A solar energy harvesting system was examined to heat water using a proto-type asphalt pavement in the lab, but it was not efficient. Thus, a second approach was continued to create an efficient asphalt pavement solar collector using thermoelectric generators (TEGs). Thorough testing was needed to evaluate the implementation of the energy harvesting device into the roadway. The temperature difference between opposing TEG surfaces will generate the required voltage to operate the roadway sensors. Now that the solar harvester has been installed into the shoulder of a roadway, the ability of heat transfer to generate electrical energy needs to be tested in this real-world application. To bring heat to the TEGs from the asphalt surface layer, the harvester included an insulated copper plate that reached 25mm (1 in.) below the top layer. This allows temperature difference readings as well as maximum power output voltage. This copper plate will be heated from the sun heating the asphalt surface layer and transfer the energy into the harvester system. Calculations show that this heat transfer is reasonable if heat flow along the plate into deeper asphalt layers can be neglected.

• Record URL:
  https://tidc.umaine.edu/tidc_project/1-11-uri/

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Terminated
• Funding: $257509
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551847101

• Sponsor Organizations:

  University of Rhode Island, Kingston

  College of Engineering
  Kingston, RI  United States  02881

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

  University of Maine
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

  University of Maine
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  University of Rhode Island, Kingston

  College of Engineering
  Kingston, RI  United States  02881
• Principal Investigators:

  Lee, K

  Yang, Sze

• Start Date: 20180701
• Expected Completion Date: 20200630
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefits; Cooling systems; Dissipation; Perpetual pavements; Solar collectors; Solar energy; Technological innovations; Thermal analysis; Thermodynamics
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01698683
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551847101
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Mar 8 2019 12:41PM