Senior Capstone Design Project - Project Lead

The senior capstone project challenged our group to implement thermoelectric generators (TEGs) into the preheater section of cement cyclones for the purpose of utilizing the high temperatures to produce electricity that could be used elsewhere in the manufacturing facility. As the project lead, I was the driving force behind the design and implementation of the TEG system. To protect the components and wires from the harsh waste heat, the TEGs were placed on the steel exterior of the cyclones and wired in series so the electricity could be easily extracted. Our design takes advantage of the massive surface area of each cyclone's exterior while still providing a significant temperature differential for energy generation. Thousands of TEGs could be set up in this manner to produce electricity on the scale of megawatts. Materials for TEGs, heat sinks, and thermal adhesives were carefully chosen based on the temperatures and conditions of the preheater environment.