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24/7 electric power using only ambient heat (Read 4476 times)
minarchist
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24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Feb 18th, 2019 at 11:29am
 
I recently came across the following video after trying to find videos on Zenneck Wave Power Transmitters. The presentation in question starts at the 23:40 mark, but if you have the time I'd recommend watching the video from the start:



The product in question is a thermionic converter made by Birmingham Technologies. A thermionic converter functions by heating a metal to a temperature where it emits charged particles, which are collected by an collector plate. The technology is not new and has been known since Edison was working on incandescent light bulbs. Research into the devices became popular between the 1950's and 1970's as a means to provide electric power for spaceships and satellites.

Once the Space Race was over, so to did research into thermionic converters. Research picked up again in the 1990's as a means to make fusion reactors more efficient. Developments in nanotechnology processes and materials in the last 10 - 15 years have seen a resurgence in research after it became apparent that it was possible to use such technology to make thermionic converters that utilise ambient heat.

Testing of the Nano-Boxx, the standard device being about the size of a postage stamp, by a Third Party confirmed that the device was able to provide electric power for 3.7 years. Several of the devices can be connected together for a desired application, including industrial levels of power. The device has an energy density approximately ten times greater than current lithium ion batteries, about the same energy density as an equivalent mass of petrochemical fuel when efficiencies are factored in.

Birmingham Technologies received part of their funding from the US Department of Defense for the Nano-Boxx as the DoD were interested in finding more reliable alternatives to conventional batteries. Further testing of the Nano-Boxx by the DoD will be conducted over the next two years. Birmingham Technologies hope to make the Nano-Boxx available for sale to the public within the next 4 years.
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« Last Edit: Feb 18th, 2019 at 1:18pm by minarchist »  

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lee
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Re: Nano-Boxx - 24/7 electric power without any input
Reply #1 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 12:36pm
 
Quote:
Nano-Boxx - 24/7 electric power without any input


minarchist wrote on Feb 18th, 2019 at 11:29am:
A thermionic converter functions by heating a metal to a temperature where it emits charged particles, which are collected by an collector plate.


What provides the heat? Ambient temperature? Isn't ambient temperature an input?

Sorry don't watch youtubes.
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minarchist
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Re: Nano-Boxx - 24/7 electric power without any input
Reply #2 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 1:22pm
 
lee wrote on Feb 18th, 2019 at 12:36pm:
Quote:
Nano-Boxx - 24/7 electric power without any input


minarchist wrote on Feb 18th, 2019 at 11:29am:
A thermionic converter functions by heating a metal to a temperature where it emits charged particles, which are collected by an collector plate.


What provides the heat? Ambient temperature? Isn't ambient temperature an input?

Sorry don't watch youtubes.


You're right Lee. I've changed the title of the thread to make it more accurate.

I've yet to locate a paper by the inventor specifically for the device.
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #3 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 1:46pm
 
Ok. Then the next question would be what is the minimum ambient temperature at which it operates?

I doubt if it would work sub-zero.
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #4 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 1:55pm
 
Found this -

"This wireless power system will employ a “transmitter probe,” located near a power generation plant, to launch a Zenneck carrier wave.  Receiver antennae will be positioned appropriately around the world to receive the signal and download the power into a local microgrid or conventional grid architecture."

http://vizivtechnologies.com/technology/

"Now Texzon Technologies (Viziv Technologies inc.) has erected a full-size pilot plant in Milford Texas. They’re licensed for transmissions as low as 80KHz, and apparently they intend to light up a bulb on the other side of the planet."

https://www.quora.com/Can-Zenneck-Surface-Waves-transmit-large-amounts-of-electr...
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minarchist
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #5 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 2:13pm
 
lee wrote on Feb 18th, 2019 at 1:46pm:
Ok. Then the next question would be what is the minimum ambient temperature at which it operates?

I doubt if it would work sub-zero.


They claim that the device can operate in space, so I'm assuming anywhere above Absolute Zero. However, I'd imagine that in cooler environments you'd need to stick more devices together to get the same output.
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #6 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 2:43pm
 
minarchist wrote on Feb 18th, 2019 at 2:13pm:
lee wrote on Feb 18th, 2019 at 1:46pm:
Ok. Then the next question would be what is the minimum ambient temperature at which it operates?

I doubt if it would work sub-zero.


They claim that the device can operate in space, so I'm assuming anywhere above Absolute Zero. However, I'd imagine that in cooler environments you'd need to stick more devices together to get the same output.


is that in space or in spacecraft in space? I wouldn't expect too many semiconductors devices would run too well at Absolute Zero.
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #7 - Feb 18th, 2019 at 2:45pm
 
Tesla was planning this years ago but he died.


...
Tesla's transmitter

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a8778/skimming-the-su...


http://www.tfcbooks.com/articles/tws4.htm



...
Viziv Technologies experimental “Zenneck Wave” transmission plant, Milford Texas.

https://www.quora.com/How-does-the-Tesla-tower-of-Viziv-Technologies-work
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« Last Edit: Feb 18th, 2019 at 3:03pm by juliar »  
 
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #8 - Feb 19th, 2019 at 5:55am
 
This nano-boxx sounds too good to be true.

If it is better than Li Ion batteries then Musky will no doubt fit them to his unsafe Teslas.

...


https://geospatial.blogs.com/.a/6a00d83476d35153ef022ad3c0d118200b-popup



Cell phones not requiring recharging
Frank Prautzsch of Velocity Technology Partners described what is potentially a disruptive technology that could affect everyone carrying a cell phone.

Thermionic energy conversion (TEC) provides a way of generating power from ambient thermal energy using nano technology.

Developed by Birmingham Technologies the Nano-Boxx consists of two metal plates composed of different metals that are placed less than 10 nanometers apart with a nanofluid in between.

An electric current is generated when electrons from one plate vaporize and collect on the other plate.

The device that was shown was the size of a postage stamp. By stacking them the device can scale from milliwatts to megawatts. 8 to 9 of these will power a cell phone, 800-900 a satellite.

It can produce power for about eleven years without charging. To date it has been tested by using it to power an LG Nexus cell phone for the past few years.

It is cheaper to produce than a lithium ion battery, has 40% more energy density, and has no emissions.

https://geospatial.blogs.com/geospatial/2018/11/innovative-electric-power-source...
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« Last Edit: Feb 19th, 2019 at 6:07am by juliar »  
 
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #9 - Feb 19th, 2019 at 6:12am
 
A Hybrid Nano-Energy Harvester. The device harnesses both sunlight and mechanical energy.
by Katherine Bourzac  April 9, 2009

Nanoscale generators can turn ambient mechanical energy–vibrations, fluid flow, and even biological movement–into a power source. Now researchers have combined a nanogenerator with a solar cell to create an integrated mechanical- and solar-energy-harvesting device. This hybrid generator is the first of its kind and might be used, for instance, to power airplane sensors by capturing sunlight as well as engine vibrations.

...

Nano hybrid: A dye-sensitized solar cell (top) and a nanogenerator (bottom) sit on the same substrate in the new device.
Nanogenerators typically use piezoelectric nanowires–hairlike zinc oxide structures that generate an electrical potential when mechanically stressed–to produce small amounts of power. The first such devices were made by Zhong Lin Wang, a professor at Georgia Tech and director of the institute’s Center for Nanostructure Characterization. Wang hopes that nanogenerators will one day eliminate the need for batteries in implantable medical sensors, and will eventually generate enough power to charge up larger personal electronics.

Compared with solar cells, nanogenerators are still a relatively inefficient way of harvesting energy, says Wang, but “sometimes solar energy isn’t available.” So he collaborated with Xudong Wang, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to make the new hybrid device.

It combines two previously developed technologies, both of which rely on zinc oxide nanowires, in a layered silicon substrate. The top layer consists of a thin-film solar cell embedded with dye-coated zinc oxide nanowires. The large surface area of the nanowires boosts the device’s light absorption, a design based on work by Peidong Yang, a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. The bottom layer contains Wang’s nanogenerator. On the underside of the silicon is a jagged array of polymer-coated zinc oxide nanowires in a toothlike arrangement. When the device is exposed to vibrations, these “teeth” scrape against an underlying array of vertically aligned zinc oxide nanowires, creating an electrical potential.

The solar cell and the nanogenerator are electrically connected by the silicon substrate itself, which acts as both the anode of the solar cell and the cathode of the nanogenerator. It is possible to string together large groups of solar cells and nanogenerators, but having them integrated in a single system takes up less space and is also more energy efficient. The prototype device can generate 0.6 volts of solar power and 10 millivolts of piezoelectric power. While the prototype device had only one nanogenerator, Wang expects to increase the power output by creating devices with multiple layers of nanogenerators. He says that a likely first application of these devices might be in sensor-laden military aircraft. The U.S. Air Force recently issued a call for research funding proposals related to hybrid energy-scavenging devices.

Charles Lieber, a professor of chemistry at Harvard University, says that Wang’s device is “creative” and is, to his knowledge, the first hybrid nanoscale device capable of harvesting two types of energy. “That is particularly important, given that one is light active, while the other can work in the dark,” says Lieber. He expects Wang’s work to inspire other researchers to focus on hybrid nanogenerator devices, as well as on devices that combine nanogenerators with “complementary nano-enabled power storage.”

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/412941/a-hybrid-nano-energy-harvester/


And NASA is very interested:-  https://www.nasaitech.com/blog/nasa-itech-selects-top-25-semifinalists-in-energy...
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #10 - Feb 19th, 2019 at 6:42am
 
I think we are the edge of some very interesting technology.... once the need becomes great enough.
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #11 - Feb 19th, 2019 at 10:47am
 
juliar wrote on Feb 19th, 2019 at 5:55am:
This nano-boxx sounds too good to be true.

If it is better than Li Ion batteries then Musky will no doubt fit them to his unsafe Teslas.


While functioning prototypes exists, the company are still wanting to perform experiments relating the structure of the converter. The US DoD are wanting to perform their own tests for the next 2+ years.

I also get the impression that while they have tested and confirmed the functionality of the converter when several are connected together, they have yet to confirm what will happen when they connect several hundred or thousand of the devices together. As for transportation, there isn't any indication how large a converter you would need to run the electric motor of a vehicle in relation to its kW rating. Theoretically, if I have an electric vehicle with a motor with a maximum constant output of 50 kW, then I should only need a Nano-Boxx that will provide an output of 50 kJ/S if its constantly harvesting energy from the surrounding environment. Given that 1 kWH is equal to 3.6 MJ, the converter would only need to weigh 9 grams to provide the energy I need to run the motor at its maximum constant output. Obviously, its not going to weigh that much if it takes 9 devices to power a phone. Even if the converter to run an electric vehicle with a 50 kW motor will need to be 50 kWh, the converter will still weigh only 32 kg, which would be like running a Commodore with a fuel tank two-thirds the size of a Barina fuel tank!
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #12 - Feb 23rd, 2019 at 9:25am
 
minarchist wrote on Feb 19th, 2019 at 10:47am:
juliar wrote on Feb 19th, 2019 at 5:55am:
This nano-boxx sounds too good to be true.

If it is better than Li Ion batteries then Musky will no doubt fit them to his unsafe Teslas.


While functioning prototypes exists, the company are still wanting to perform experiments relating the structure of the converter. The US DoD are wanting to perform their own tests for the next 2+ years.

I also get the impression that while they have tested and confirmed the functionality of the converter when several are connected together, they have yet to confirm what will happen when they connect several hundred or thousand of the devices together. As for transportation, there isn't any indication how large a converter you would need to run the electric motor of a vehicle in relation to its kW rating. Theoretically, if I have an electric vehicle with a motor with a maximum constant output of 50 kW, then I should only need a Nano-Boxx that will provide an output of 50 kJ/S if its constantly harvesting energy from the surrounding environment. Given that 1 kWH is equal to 3.6 MJ, the converter would only need to weigh 9 grams to provide the energy I need to run the motor at its maximum constant output. Obviously, its not going to weigh that much if it takes 9 devices to power a phone. Even if the converter to run an electric vehicle with a 50 kW motor will need to be 50 kWh, the converter will still weigh only 32 kg, which would be like running a Commodore with a fuel tank two-thirds the size of a Barina fuel tank!

ok a nexus phone battery is 3.8 volts and has a 2300mah  they say it can go 15 hours in "stand by "so 160mah for a hour, so volt x amp = watts would be 3.4v x.160mah = .544 watts
so they us 9 units that .06 watts per each one.
a kilowatt is 1000 watts so they would need 16,600 units ,
for a 50 kw motor they would need 830,000 units...... most cars now are around 120 kw, so they would need about 2 million of the nanos to power a usual family vehicle.....
not sure the weight but it wont be 30 kg's Smiley Wink
The software and hardware to control 2million separate power sources would be quite interesting to say the least. Smiley
If its a constraint power supply i think the picture about amp hours is the confusing thing.... no need for storage just max continuous supply needed....A tesla is about 600kilowatts of power and the voltage is about 500 volts so would need 1200 amps, until they release the voltage and amp of these things we can only go off of Watts Smiley.No mention of weight either but a interest development.
Wink
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #13 - Feb 23rd, 2019 at 9:31am
 
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/dodgy-technology/bullshit-texzon-wireless-power/
Do we need a whole forum section for dodgy products?

The bullshit tech of the day award goes to Texzon Wireless Power
And I didn't even make it past the home page.

forum discussing the pro's and cons Smiley

For dodgy forms of power my favourite is Nanoflowcell
https://www.nanoflowcell.com/


I wish I could believe this company is legit, but as the saying goes ,if it sounds to good to be true

it usually is Wink
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Re: 24/7 electric power using only ambient heat
Reply #14 - Feb 24th, 2019 at 4:39pm
 
Waste of space and time Tweedledee is expressing her gross ignorance of just about everything to bore all as usual. What a creep.
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