Heat conversion by using piezzo effect

[andreas_varesi]

I found a German patent from Michael Jennsen DE 199 42 739 A1. He uses piezzo ceramic rings with a diameter less than 0,1mm and a membrane out of noble metal. Driven by ambient temperature the gas pressure is quickly changing at the small membrane. A rectifier is used to transform the chaotic alternating current into usable direct current. At this point I fear that the voltage of the small piezzo elements is to low to overcome the threshold voltage of a normal rectifier. Has any one experience with this invention?

Thanks in advance

Andreas

[betajim]

As long the voltage generated by the piezo-electric element is greater than 0.6 volts the
rectifier will conduct current. Here is a neat trick that I use to demonstrate the piezo-electric
effect: take a piezo-electric buzzer element (the kind that are round brass disks) and connect
a LED to the two leads of the element. When the piezo disk is tapped (I use the eraser end
of a pencil) the LED will flash.

Take care.

[Charlie Brown ARN]

I imagined using nanometer scale speaker coils and magnetic slugs or pizeoelectric elements feeding bridge rectifiers to make a strong challenge to? 2LT, the widely accepted law leading to the Grey Death of the Universe, then I pared down the design to the rectifiers. To continue the persuasion, we need to optimize the geometry of the conceptual piezoelectric device to deliver a high voltage under Brownian impacts. One approach, imaginary parts costing nothing, is to use transformers. The pizeoelectric device / transformer (Brownian, mrechanical) can be replaced by a high value resistor (Johnson, electronic).? ?

Aloha, Charlie

[Charlie Brown ARN]

Another transducer is the elctret microphone. Electrets are permenently electrostatically polarized materials.

Going in a new direction, imagine nanoscale pillars of polarized electret material inside a diode bridging the junction. Perhaps that would bias a diode for small signal work. This has been in my idea closet for years. Thanks for letting me be comfortable enough to share it.

Aloha, Charlie

[andreas_varesi]

Hi Charlie,

the idea using an electret for bridging the threshold voltage of a diode is great. May I take the liberty of awarding you my private Nobel prize 
But there is already the next question, do you have any idea whether it is possible to miniaturize an electret down to some nanometers by retaining a voltage of about 0,5V? 

Regards
Andreas