The latest technology by the giant Panasonic, a “thermoelectric tube,” is being tested at their Northeastern Clean Center in Kyoto City for its power generating capabilities.
The tube can produce electricity from hot water by creating temperature differences between the different thermoelectric materials with low and high thermal conductivity.
The company claims that a termoelectric unit with a fitted tube can produce an electric current from sources with temperatures lower that 200 degrees Celsius.
The Clean Center is a waste disposal plant, which provides the perfect setting for the tests. The incinerated waste is used to generate hot water at a temperature of 90 degrees. The hot water is flown inside the tube, while the cooling water from the plant is flown on the outside of the tube.
By generating electricity from the temperature difference between the inner and outer parts of the tube, Panasonic expects to achieve capacity of more than 400W/m3.
