Converting Heat Into Electricity

Humankind wastes a lot of energy, but thanks to new technologies, it is increasingly affordable to harvest and use it. At a recent energy summit in Washington, one of the participating commercial firms exhibited photovoltaic cells that turn waste heat into electricity. VOA's George Putic reports.
Originally published at - www.voanews.com...

[@DaveWasInJeddah]

This was 7 yrs ago. I wonder how far this tech has gone

[@sampleoffers1978]

Shelves might need mandatory gps now

[@blackspy4976]

Working on this.. Thermophotovoltaic cells.

[@thedankpoptart6279]

I would love to learn in depth how this actually works

[@shikataiku4447]

Do it

[@plugmanjohnson9982]

@@shikataiku4447 I am but not this stupid way 😶

[@kaerajpetera]

Yeah I was literally thinking this, a compact appliance that generates its own source. Need to minimize each component which would be difficult but not impossible. Well I look forward to your designs.

[@elmars302]

It could be used to transfer heat from braking to electricity - super needed for electric cars

[@TheVoiceOfReason]

Electric cars already generate electricity from the braking system. It's very basic physics in fact.

[@CUBETechie]

It's called recuperating

[@startup1224]

So would it be possible to capture the heat from exhaust pipes for furnaces to create electricity? Like enough to charge a battery

[@aparnamane1164]

Yes ,it's possible.

[@midgetman4206]

Using this method? Not very much. There are other methods that could though, each with differing levels of effectiveness, efficiency, and complexity. That's as much as I know.

[@shawn2789]

No5 using this method. This is solar but instead of the sun they are using a glowing hot peice of metal. It's a different tech that converts just heat to energy.

[@JanBenes-vg3bp]

I think that if we can store energy in heat. Why charge unefficient battery. We already have new type battery which is better.

[@lxdimension]

So why isn't this being used on things like air con units then to avoid the need to have to vent any heat?!

[@AbdulRehman-rf2cc]

**need some investment**

[@Harry-qh5rt]

Nice work!

[@pinklady7184]

I am here for ideas of converting heatwaves into electricity and cold air. I hope somebody takes up with that invention.

[@yahkar]

Same here, I'm starting to think they are keeping a peice of technology away from us. As if they don't want cheaper electricity to be made on a wider scale. If your looking into the subject then I bet you've noticed it too.

[@donalddurham7999]

Essentially an AC unit or refrigerator or CPU cooling system or any other cooling system that creates electricity as a biproduct.

[@reggienhappiness8851]

Use this technology to put back the glacier at the north and south polls. You can also use this technology to combat forest fires. Take away heat or oxygen and fires go out. Also use this technology to remove heat from homes. Reducing carbon footprint

[@floatinsun]

So in Tropical countries we should make use of solar beam and prism to run furnace continuously in day time and use the electricity generated to power solar cars etc

[@Mr.Stevens-xh1zm]

So why don't they use that giant hole they dug in the 80's to tap into the Earth core energy. It was reported to be 180 C at even 7 miles down. Plenty of constant heat.

[@sumerbc7409]

What about a "Archimedes Death Ray" type focusing dish(s) to amplify the suns rays and direct them onto well made solar panels... It's 100% passive. their output would thus also be amplified. These could be for all residential service homes.

[@masterlinktm]

there exists solar panel setups with this idea, it kills massive amounts of wildlife (like cartoon bursts into flames and become charcoal black) and melts the panels.

[@ameyapatil2424]

Can Fresnel lens of Sun focal rays be transferred to electrical energy ?

[@SudhirDudeja]

@@Aaaa1234ash same here lol

[@mpatholembede1949]

Where can I find full detailed information about this technology?

[@Noxish]

Probably their patents

[@Z0mb13ta11ahase]

So could you then start using this on anything with a heat sink once they get it down to 100* Celsius? Be a good way to stretch the efficiency of hybrid vehicles further by storing the heat energy that's wasted by the engine.

[@sampleoffers1978]

I saw demonstration of a friction engine. If those things get hot enough, seems like car could recharge a secondar battery while driving. Or some hydrogen internally to recharge. Seems like lots of options.

[@angelise3188]

What is the temperature of electricity? Is there only one temperature that it is or does the temperature of it vary depending on what colour it is - for example sometimes it is blue and sometimes it’s purple such as with lightening. How can we measure the temperature of electricity/ find out?

[@h7opolo]

temperature is a movement of atomic nuclei. electricity is a movement of electrons. thus, electricity doesn't have a temperature as you suggest. the colors emitted by plasma depend on the size of the atomic nuclei that constitute the gas of the plasma. Heavier molecules result in redder tones whereas lighter elements radiate bluer tones.

[@roe2012]

How's the progress for this research

[@crafter89]

We could use this to replace Air conditioners! Just convert the heat into electricity and therefore cooling the room!

[@midgetman4206]

It wouldn't be a very efficient way to do that for more reasons than 1. For 1, this most certainly works exponentially better the hotter something is. If your living areas aren't literally glowing from the heat then this would be next to useless. That's not to say that there isn't ways to generate electricity from waste heat, what I will say is that for most this right here isn't the right solution.

[@jordanmack4899]

It's bs that you guys get that much energy out of that and still haven't figured out cold fusion yet since you are short by a couple degrees of heat. Seeing as the neutrons, protons and neutrinos of the electrons would fall away and leave that heavy ass electricity no where else to go except to ground and fuse with where ever(heat and mass by themselves) that light was coming from

[@elmars302]

YES!! FINALLY!

[@sunilkumar-lm7sr]

I work on same thing but different way... but I have no lab and money to test it

[@mirkinv]

whats is it? have page? or something to see

[@williamgijsbers9620]

So, you can mine Bitcoins and make electricity at the same time? Interesting...

[@KF-qj2rn]

ten years into this thermionic/thermoelectric/seebeck effect, but no real breakthroughs or offerings.

[@oprophetisfake9482]

Sounds like we've been wasting energy for a long time.

[@DaleSteel]

Why don't they fit smaller versions in car engines

[@matttrafton2725]

How about converting desert heat?

[@greencats10]

Ok hear me out… using this technology with nature such as volcanoes 🤷🏼‍♂️ like could that work???

[@Dushyantgiri]

Photo voltic is not really efficient.. Sterling is much better and efficient..

[@lilnavy7999]

Good

[@shawn2789]

This is solar power though. It's not exactly using heat it's using the light.

[@sampleoffers1978]

could you just magnifying glass llens or augment light brightness somehow and get more power...

[@walkersunited332]

@@sampleoffers1978 magnifying glass only concentrates existing light into a smaller area basically like a funnel. So it's cheaper to just use a larger solar panel that using a magnifying glass to give light to a small solar panel.

[@sampleoffers1978]

@@walkersunited332 Cheaper is not only consideration when space or shape contours might factor. Goal is really to get light reaction doing its thing and even in ancient pyramids they were apparently using mirrors/relays to get more coverage, so there's historical precedent but also refinement must be possible.

[@dark6.6E-34]

Wtf how does this vid have 1 comment... 2 now

[@Praecantetia]

Usefull

[@jebbersbraun7476]

if its the best way, then it should be used. but, it all has to do with money, instead of using reality.

[@h7opolo]

interesting

[@shinobi6497]

Me after powering my ac with this

[@tysk5729]

so basicly you cant change bitcoin miner heat into electricity ?

[@primodernious]

steam tubines do not convert forms of energy.

[@theblackhole05]

TAKE THAT GLOBAL WARMING!!!

[@abdulrahmanabuarqoub4163]

Denzel Dickenson I wanted to say that 😑😑

[@theblackhole05]

@@abdulrahmanabuarqoub4163 lolololol!😝

[@kaanoktem9724]

well, does it mean that once that works, we will never need to charge our phones again?

[@ketogenic5368]

Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ forever. For God so loved the world that he gave is one and only begotten Son that whosoever believeth him shall not perish but have everlasting Life, For God did not send his S on into the world to condemn it but that the world might be save through him.

[@antionettekeys5004]

Fully electrical steam powered engine hybrids

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@jontherevelator9663]

This is what the pyramids did.

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@bhakti9183]

HARIOM RAAMAHANUMAANAHA RAAMAHANUMAANAHA RAAMAHANUMAANAHA.

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@antionettekeys5004]

Hydrogen transportation steam powered.

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@k.ganesanganesan6825]

Russia has cheap technology.

[@jordanmack4899]

Cold fusion solved, above comment

[@alan7w751]

What is the difference between photons from direct sunlight and a red hot material?? i mean in power output from a solar cell. TY

[@perjalananmasihjauh]

the temperature of the blackbody and distance travelled will affect the PV efficiency. But I'm more concered about how much power being used to cool down the PV cell vs its output. To make the PV cell to produce power at the cost of $0.02/kW, you need to reach the 60-70% efficiency and the highest theoretical efficiency is at 85% at that's when the temperature of the cell is at 2500-3000K.

[@CUBETechie]

Aren't peltier elements a better choice to convert heat directly into electricity?