A group of U doctorate students have developed small devices capable of converting heat into sound and then electricity. The devices, on a large scale, could potentially generate billions of dollars’ worth of energy.
The process would extend the battery life and efficiency of electronics by recapturing waste heat from the devices and using it to generate power.
For example, the acoustic devices could be used to cool laptop computers by taking waste heat produced from laptops and turning it into sound waves and then electricity, which would then power a small fan to cool the computer.
In addition to making electronic devices more efficient, the technology also has the potential to power homes. Nick Webb, a student who worked on the project, said in an e-mail that engines could be installed on the roofs of houses to convert solar heat into power, “instead of using unsightly and (extremely) expensive solar panels.”
“I can see this technology soaring into numerous applications, from utilizing waste heat from nuclear and fossil fuel power plants to cooling computer chips,” said Bonnie McLaughlin, who also developed the devices.
Physics professor Orest Symko, who developed the technology, plans to test the devices on a larger scale within a year. Symko said he also hopes the devices can be used within two years as an alternative to solar panels for converting sunlight into electricity.
The research is being funded by the U.S. Army, which Symko said took interest in the project because of the possibility that the technology would be effective in powering electronic devices during combat.
“Because the devices have no moving parts, other than the oscillating gas, they are simple,” Symko said. “They do not require high tolerances in fabrication, so they do not pollute the environment, and they can be quite efficient.”