• Energy Research
• 11. Sustainability close
• 12. Responsible consumption close

This paper suggests a type of quantitative research method with the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and EcoTect tools for a sustainable urban design project. This paper is part of a funded research study and was completed in 2010. This study is part of the larger project for planning and development of Cao Fei Dian eco-city development in North-Eastern China; one of the first eco-city development projects in the first batch of pilot eco-cities in China. The research programme addresses the main aspects of good practice in terms of eco-design and sustainability. These aspects include wind flow analysis around buildings, insolation analysis of open spaces, pollutant dispersion in water systems and noise control on urban highways. This study aims to explore a range of research methods in order to enhance the performance of integrated design with a comprehensive planning stage. The integration in evaluation across professions and subject boundaries is emphasised to identify the key gaps between sustainability and design. The main method of this study is the application of CFD and EcoTect tools for environmental performance of a larger urban area than the common use for architectural interventions or immediate outdoor spaces of a project. This study suggests an integrated urban design model with the application of computational tools (i.e. CFD and EcoTect in here) and how these could inform, from a technical dimension, a more comprehensive approach to executing best practice in design and planning. The paper concludes by suggesting an integrated model of urban design to achieve urban sustainability.

Transport represents over a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions and is the leading cause of air pollution in cities. It has not seen the same gradual decline in emissions as other sectors. Recently, the thermoelectric power generation (TEG) technology emerges as an alternative solution to the emission reduction challenge in this area. In this paper, we present an innovative pathway to an improved heat supply into the concentric shape-adapted TEG modules, integrating the heat pipe technologies. It relies on a phase changing approach which enhances the heat flux through the TEG surface. In order to improve the heat transfer for higher efficiency, in our work, the heat pipes are configured in the radial direction of the exhaust streams. The analysis shows that the power output is adequate for the limited space under the chassis of the passenger car. Much effort can also be applied to obtain enhanced convective heat transfer by adjusting the heat pipes at the dual sides of the concentric TEG modules. Heat enhancement at the hot side of the TEG has an effective impact on the total power out of the TEG modules. However, such improvements can be offset by the adjustment made from the coolant side. Predictably, the whole temperature profile of TEG system is subject to the durability and operational limitations of each component. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of heat transfer versus the TEG power generation under two possible configurations in the passenger car. The highest power output per repeat unit is achieved at 29.8 W per 0.45 L with a ZT value 0.87 for a Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric material in our studies. The study provides an insight into a structurally achievable heat exchanger system for other high-temperature thermoelectric materials.

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) system as a burgeoning method for light-duty automotive waste heat recovery has drawn the researcher’s attention for the last decade with the advantages of no moving parts and high reliability [1]. However, the low heat to electricity conversion efficiency is the key drawback that prevents the TEG from wildly using in practice. Furthermore, the efficiency of heat to electricity conversion for thermoelectric (TE) material is in the sharp of parabola, which means TE materials have a peak point of conversion efficiency and a best range for working temperatures. As a result, during most of the time in vehicle driving, the TEMs will not perform at their best range for working temperature and affect the efficiency of TEG system subsequently. Although there are plenty of researches focusing on the improvement of efficiency for the (TE) material, there are rare researches regarding the heat transfer enhancement on the system level, especially for the transient performance improvement for TEG.