Is a steam genrator or a thermoelectric more effiefient + how to build thermoelectric for waste furnace?

Question

I would like to build one for use with furnace

Answer 1

Whats a "waste" furnace? A "steam generator"?, I'm assuming, a "steam producing" device. As opposed to a steam driven generator for producing electricity.

Now, we know how expensive electricity is.What are you using to power the steam generator? If its cheaper than electricity,go with it.

Thermoelectric ........................................... what? generator? A device that converts heat directly to electricity? that's a good trick. The other way around is easy, electricity to heat, but heat to electricity is hard. The best  "science" has to offer are thermocouples, dissimilar metals that when joined and the joint is heated, produce a voltage, yeah, millivoltage, more like. that's where a thermopile comes in, but in order to get any decent power you need a boatload of thermocouples, besides, they need a lot of heat to put out even, just a few hundred millivolts. The best way to get electricity from heat is to use the heat to make steam, to power a steam generator.

And this furnace, you have one?that you want to use this on?, or you need to build one?, for the thermoelectric to operate from? Google.

good luck

Answer 2

i take it you are thinking of generating some electricity, while you burn the trash? Good idea - I think the challenge is to do it cheap enough to be worthwhile. here's a link , with a cool steam engine

http://www.greensteamengine.com/

   this one has a variety of steam engines

http://www.redrok.com/engine.htm

    electric power plants use steam turbines- more efficient.  cost & size ? dunno

here's a guy with some interesting experiments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm5umkWvt...

   I've heard that microturbo generators are popular in europe. If you burn your fuel during the winter, you could make electricity, and the leftover heat  would be useful for heating your house