News Release2024/08/30
To whomsoever it may concern.
E-ThermoGentek Co.,Ltd.

We have Successfully Developed and Prototyped Air-Cooled Stand-alone
Power Supply System (S1-P3) Using Thermoelectric Generation!
E-ThermoGentek Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kyoto City, CEO: Michio Okajima) has
successfully developed and prototyped the S1-P3 air-cooled stand-alone power supplysystem. This innovative system, created in collaboration with ENEOS Holdings, Inc.
(President: Tomohide Miyata), is designed for easy installation on large-diameter waste
heat pipes, such as those discharging steam or hot drain water below 150°C from various
industrial processes. The system can generate thermoelectric power at 20-40W/m with atemperature differential of 60-80°C and wind speeds of 2 m/sec, marking a “world’s first”
in its class. A demonstration unit of this system is now available for viewing at our R&D
facility at Osaka University.
BackgroundAs global efforts towards decarbonization intensify, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions has become a critical challenge. A significant portion of waste heat is below
300°C, prompting increased interest in harnessing this low-temperature waste heat. EThermoGentek, with support from the New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO), successfully developed and commercialized theflexible thermoelectric generation module "Flexiina®" in 2021 (Basic Patent: No.
5228160). This module offers a practical cost-performance ratio for converting lowtemperature waste heat into electrical energy and has attracted substantial interest,with over 500 customer inquiries.

Figure 1."Flexiina®" module

News Release

While thermoelectric generation has long been studied, traditional modules typicallyuse ceramic substrates, which are hard and hence are inefficient at transferring heatfrom round shaped waste sources, especially for low-temperature waste. In contrast, theflexible "Flexiina®" module can conform to heat source pipes, enhancing heat recovery
efficiency. Since semiconductor technology is utilized, cost-effective mass production andhigh reliability are achieved.
Contents of this News Release
This announcement focuses on the utilization of low-temperature waste heat sources
below 300°C, specifically targeting steam and hot drain water from various factories, suchas chemical and steel manufacturers, which are discharged at temperatures below 150°C.
These types of waste are commonly released in large volumes through piping withdiameters ranging from 20 to 30 cm.
As shown in Fig.2, we have developed the air-cooled stand-alone power supply system(S1-P3), which incorporates our proprietary flexible thermoelectric generation module,"Flexiina®," with integrated heat-dissipating fins. This innovative power generation unit
can be easily wrapped around and attached to large-diameter pipes, allowing for simple,compact, and cost-effective generation of power at a W-class level.

Figure 2: External view of the air-cooled independent power supply system (S1-P3)

News ReleaseWe installed this stand-alone power supply system on the thermal drain water pipes atthe Nakajo Oil Works of JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, a related company ofENEOS, as shown in Figure 3. Over the course of one year, we conducted a Proof of Concept(PoC) to validate the system's performance. During this period, the thermoelectric power
generated was used to operate surveillance cameras, LED lighting, and various IoTsensors. The system was configured to transmit data from these devices via
communication equipment to our R&D facility at Osaka University for monitoring.
The results confirmed that the system could achieve an output of 20-40W/m with atemperature difference of 60-80°C and a wind speed of 2 m/sec.

Fig.3

Demonstration experiment at JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation

Following the PoC, we addressed various challenges identified during the validation
phase and developed a prototype of the air-cooled stand-alone power supply system (S1P3), as shown in Figure 4. This prototype has been installed as a demonstration systemat our R&D facility at Osaka University.

News Release

Fig.4

Demo system at our R&D base in Osaka UniversityFeatures
The air-cooled stand-alone power supply system (S1-P3) presented offers several notablefeatures:Easy Installation: Can be easily mounted on pipes carrying steam or thermal drainwater below 150°C, enabling power recovery in locations where laying cables ischallenging.

Flexible Usage: Suitable for powering surveillance cameras, lighting, and otherequipment. It also supports the installation of numerous wireless sensors for datacollection, facilitating predictive maintenance, safety, and stable operations infactories.

Cost Efficiency: Compared to conventional binary power generation systems for
low-temperature waste heat, this system requires significantly smaller investment
and maintenance costs, providing a substantial advantage.

Key Features of the Air-Cooled stand-alone Power Supply System (S1-P3):
Easy Mounting: Easily attaches to pipes carrying waste steam or thermal drain

News Releasewater, allowing for efficient power recovery.
No Expensive Cables: Eliminates the need for costly power cable installation,
enabling power generation even outdoors.

Natural Air Cooling: Operates without the need for water-cooling pipes.

Scalable: Easily adjustable in number (expandable or reducible), offering excellent
scalability.

Low Investment and Maintenance Costs: Requires minimal setup and ongoing
maintenance expenses.

Product Specifications
The specifications for the air-cooled stand-alone power supply system (S1-P3) at anindoor evaluation level are detailed in Table 1. Additionally, the power circuit
configuration is illustrated in Figure 5, and the configuration of power generation system
is shown in Figure 6.
Table１: Specifications for Air-Cooled Standalone Power Supply System S1-P3
Air-Cooled Wrap to pipe stand-alone Power Supply System S1-P3
・12V, 10〜20W/m (Temperature difference between heat source andOutput

ambient: 60〜80°C) (Pipe diameter: 267.3mmφ (250A), not grounded, nowind, ambient temperature: 25°C)

Applications・LED illumination、Camera、Communication module、Various sensors

Compatible

・Steam, hot water discharge pipes, etc.: 250A (267.3mφ)(Otherpiping

diameters are available upon request)

Surrounding・Ambient temperature: -5〜40℃

Environment

・Can be used indoors/outdoors

Attachment
methodComposition
Circuitconfigurationof piping
ExternalDimensions

・Wrapped around heat source piping.
・"FlexiinaⓇ" with built-in heat dissipation fin
・Power circuit (12V output) (battery included)
・DCDC power conversion circuit/control circuit
・Secondary battery (standard capacity: 12Ah/20hr)
・Heat dissipation fin: Height 60mm, width 60mm (1 unit)
・Power supply circuit section: W135mm x L230mm x H40mm (tentative)*Outer diameter may subject to change.

News Release

Fig. 5 Power supply circuit configuration

Fig.6

Configuration of Power generation system

Impact of Outdoor Environment
When used outdoors, the system can enhance its cooling effect by grounding the heatdissipating fins, which increases cooling efficiency and, consequently, the output.
Additionally, with typical wind speeds of around 2 m/s, the output is further improved.
Fig.7 presents the results of an indoor laboratory investigation into the impact ofwind speed. At a temperature difference of 60°C between the heat source pipe and thesurrounding environment, and with a wind speed of 2 m/sec, the output wasapproximately 1.7 times higher compared to a no-wind condition.

News Release(Heat source pipe temperature - Ambient temperature difference: 60°C;
Output under no wind condition is considered as 1)

Figure 7: Investigation of Wind Effects in an Indoor Laboratory
Future Prospects
E-ThermoGentek plans to actively market the air-cooled stand-alone power supply
system (S1-P3) to customers interested in harnessing the vast amounts of steam and hotdrain water below 150°C discharged from various manufacturing plants. The focus will
be on using this system to power surveillance cameras, lighting, and IoT devices. We willpropose Proof of Concept (PoC) trials tailored to meet customer needs.
The S1-P3 system also has promising applications for thermoelectric power generation
using thermal steam and thermal drain water from hot springs and geothermal power
plants. In remote areas such as mountainous regions with hot springs, where electricity
grid installation is costly and hazardous, there is a growing demand for stand-alone
power systems powered by environmental energy. This system is expected to be highly
effective in providing power in such areas where conventional power supply ischallenging.
However, power generation systems operating in remote locations require highNews Release

reliability and maintainability. To address this, we are currently developing a secondary
battery system equipped with a Battery Management System (BMS) designed to improve
corrosion resistance and enhance maintainability, with support from NEDO.
Once a reliable secondary battery system with a BMS is established, as illustrated in
Figure 8, it is expected to play a crucial role as a power unit at the community level. By
combining it with other environmental power generation systems like solar energy andsecondary battery systems for electric vehicles (EVs), this system could significantly
contribute to the advancement of decentralized power systems such as virtual power
plants (VPP), which are anticipated to gain popularity in the coming years.

Fig.8 Energy management system for local production & consumption using waste heat
In this development, we focused on creating a stand-alone power supply capable ofgenerating W-class power for applications such as surveillance cameras, lighting, andIoT devices. However, by optimizing the configuration of the power generation unit torecover even more waste heat, it is possible to scale up the system for energy-saving
applications that require larger power outputs. Through future marketing activities, weintend to identify and address various customer needs.
As demonstrated, the air-cooled stand-alone power supply system (S1-P3) offers theadvantage of low initial investment and maintenance costs, making it a viable option not
only for industrial waste heat recovery but also as a power generation system that canNews Release

contribute to local economies. In the context of growing demand for sustainable solutionsaligned with the SDGs, the S1-P3 system is expected to play a significant role in realizing
a low-carbon, circular economy by effectively utilizing previously untapped heat sources.
[Contact for inquiries regarding this matter]
E-ThermoGentek Co., R&D Osaka University base
TEL：06-6170-5535
E-MAIL：inq@e-thermo.co.jp