Related papers: A bimetal and electret-based converter for thermal…
This paper introduces a thermal energy harvester turning thermal gradients into electricity by coupling a bimetallic strip to an electret-based converter: the bimetallic strip behaves as a thermal-to-mechanical power converter turning…
This paper introduces a new semi-flexible device able to turn thermal gradients into electricity by using a curved bimetal coupled to an electret-based converter. In fact, a two-steps conversion is carried out: (i) a curved bimetal turns…
Thermoelectricity is the direct conversion of temperature gradient to electric voltage, and vice-versa. There are several potential applications of thermoelectricity, ranging from clean noiseless cooling, to waste-power harvesting in…
We analyse a device aimed at the conversion of heat into electrical energy, based on a closed cycle in which a distiller generates two solutions at different concentrations, and an electrochemical cell consumes the concentration difference,…
In this work, a new concept for the conversion of heat into electricity is presented. The conversion is based on the combined effects of a thermoacoustic prime mover coupled with a magnetohydrodynamic generator, using different working…
This chapter focuses on vibration energy harvesting using electrostatic converters. It synthesizes the various works carried out on electrostatic devices, from concepts, models and up to prototypes, and covers both standard (electret-free)…
Industrial processes release substantial quantities of waste heat, which can be harvested to generate electricity. At present, the conversion of low grade waste heat to electricity relies solely on thermoelectric materials, but such…
A conversion of thermal energy into electricity is considered in the electrically polarized graphene stripes with zigzag edges where the heavy chiral fermion (HCF) states are formed. The stripes are characterized by a high electric…
Electric power may, in principle, be generated in a highly efficient manner from heat created by focused solar irradiation, chemical combustion, or nuclear decay by means of thermionic energy conversion. As the conversion efficiency of the…
Searching for performant multiferroic materials attracts general research interests in energy science as they have been increasingly exploited as the conversion media among thermal, electric, magnetic and mechanical energies by using their…
Thermoelectric power generators are used to convert heat into electricity. Like any other heat engine, the performance of a thermoelectric generator increases as the temperature difference on the sides increases. It is generally assumed…
A capacitive thermoelectric device can harvest thermal energy and convert it to electrical energy by employing a temperature-dependent dielectric material whose permittivity sharply changes with temperature. Electricity can be generated by…
Integration of structures and functions allowed reducing electric consumptions of sensors, actuators and electronic devices. Therefore, it is now possible to imagine low-consumption devices able to harvest their energy in their surrounding…
We describe and demonstrate a new energy harvesting technology based on a microfluidic realization of a Wimshurst influence machine. The prototype device converts the mechanical energy of a pressure-driven flow into electrical energy, using…
Harvesting energy from ambient vibration is proposed as an alternative to storage based power supplies for autonomous systems. The system presented converts the mechanical energy of a vibration into electrical energy by means of a variable…
Thermoelectric energy harvesters can have a much higher conversion efficiency by implementing quantum dots/wells between the high temperature region and the low temperature region. However they still suffer a limitation of the maximum…
Thermal-electric conversion is crucial for smart energy control and harvesting, such as thermal sensing and waste heat recovering. So far, people are aware of two main ways of direct thermal-electric conversion, Seebeck and pyroelectric…
In the close vicinity of a hot solid, at distances smaller than the thermal wavelength, a strong electromagnetic energy density exists because of the presence of evanescent field. Here we explore the possibility to harvest this energy using…
Energy is a vital resource and hence there is a continuous strive to improve upon existing technologies and to find new ones that address that basic need. The conversion of thermal energy is the primary method of generating electrical…
Thermionic converters generate electricity from thermal energy in a power cycle based on vacuum emission of electrons. While thermodynamically efficient, practical implementations are limited by the extreme temperatures required for…