System and method for energy recovery

A locomotive comprising:

• a plurality of heat sources generating waste heat, the plurality of heat sources including an engine exhaust and an aftercooler, the aftercooler using a first cooling fluid to extract heat from an intake air;
• at least one thermoelectric module associated with each of the plurality of heat sources, wherein the waste heat provides a high temperature heat source for each of the thermoelectric modules, the at least one thermoelectric module including a first thermoelectric module and a second thermoelectric module, the engine exhaust interfaced with the first thermoelectric module, the first cooling fluid interfaced with the second thermoelectric module after the aftercooler, the first cooling fluid providing a high temperature heat source for the second thermoelectric module;
• a low temperature heat source interfaced with each of the thermoelectric modules, wherein a temperature difference between the high temperature heat source and low temperature heat source produces a thermoelectric power;
• and
• a controller configured to monitor the thermoelectric power generated by each of the thermoelectric modules, wherein the controller is configured to selectively utilize the thermoelectric power generated by each of the thermoelectric modules to power locomotive electrical equipment.

A method of energy recovery in a vehicle having a plurality of heat sources generating waste heat, the plurality of heat sources including an engine exhaust and an aftercooler, the aftercooler using a first cooling fluid to extract heat from an intake air, the method comprising:

• interfacing at least one thermoelectric module with each of the plurality of heat sources, wherein the waste heat provides a high temperature heat source for each of the thermoelectric modules, the at least one thermoelectric module including a first thermoelectric module and a second thermoelectric module, the engine exhaust interfaced with the first thermoelectric module, the first cooling fluid interfaced with the second thermoelectric module after the aftercooler, the first cooling fluid providing a high temperature heat source for the second thermoelectric module;
• interfacing a low temperature heat source with each of the thermoelectric modules, wherein a temperature difference between the high temperature heat source and low temperature heat source produces a thermoelectric power;
• and
• monitoring the thermoelectric power generated by each of the thermoelectric modules to optimize a utilization of the thermoelectric power generated by each of the thermoelectric modules.