i doubt most people know this. so it is worth posting.
i have a $13 peltier heat pump. the kind they use to cool computer processors.
with my fingers, i pressed it against the ice in my back yard.
i tested voltage, and my multimeter read 0.5 volts !
i tested amperage, and my multimeter read about 450 uA !
the peltier acts as a temperature diode.
turning "temperature", into electricity!
i read that certain hydrolysis machines, heat the water in them.
maybe i could convert the waters heat, into electricity.
Haleluja .We are saved.
The real trick here would be to build something like it, larger, with home made materials and it still remain affordable. ..would it compare to a solar cell.
Electricity from snow is interesting - but it's still a temperature gradient that's being used.
The peltier device is essentially a thermocouple using sophisticated materials and [what not]TM.
Quote from: jadaro2600 on January 07, 2009, 07:39:14 PM
The real trick here would be to build something like it, larger, with home made materials and it still remain affordable. ..would it compare to a solar cell.
Electricity from snow is interesting - but it's still a temperature gradient that's being used.
The peltier device is essentially a thermocouple using sophisticated materials and [what not]TM.
This is an very old invention.
Peltier have this invented as he find out
the 2 different metals give of an voltage.
so cou can build an temeratur probe (meter)
aswell power sources.
GRUNDIG have build them in End of 50's.
to drive (Grundig)-Television sets.
It was selled only in Export (i heared, to Saudi..)
This sources, was an Petroleum lamp (kerosin)
and some hundred peltier contacts was surround
the light-flame.
Do not wonder. I tried that with and Solar reflector
one side hotted of . othe must be monted an alumin-heat-think.
(if possibel)with airfan.
It is one one solution, that can used to have "free or unpaid"
energy , it taken from ambient
GP
Quotethe peltier acts as a temperature diode.
turning "temperature", into electricity!
Only if you have a temperature differential. That's the problem the solar cells don't have.
Take care,
Michel
my intuition says,
to use the peltier heat pump,
to turn heat from ANOTHER device, into electricity.
such as from a friction heater.
or from a polarized air heater.
or even to stockpile temperature from some natural force.
like stockpiling water in a huge dam.
on top of that, you could harvest electricity from many small devices,
with many small peltiers.
which would likely be much more efficient,
than using one large device and one large peltier.
yes all really good ideas but try this one make your home heating baseboard heaters electric producers they will still heat your home but you can get your electric at the same time augment the cost of running that furnace .
Convert it back to heat with IR leds, or using a sterling cycle engine to produce motion.