Articles tagged with Heat
Physicists at the University of Houston have discovered a non-toxic material that can convert waste heat from vehicle tailpipes, industrial smokestacks, and power plants into electricity. The new compound, tin telluride with indium, shows promise in boosting vehicle mileage by up to 5% and power plant efficiency by as much as 10%.
E. coli bacteria produce at most six times more heat than needed to meet thermodynamic constraints, suggesting they could grow faster and still obey the second law of thermodynamics. This finding has implications for synthetic biology applications and may support the hypothesis that RNA evolved before DNA.
Researchers at MU found that volcanic ash can be re-heated by viscous heating, turning it into lava tens of miles away from the original eruption. This phenomenon was observed in an ancient lava flow near Yellowstone National Park.
Researchers have successfully simulated pressure conditions in the deep lower mantle, measuring thermal conductivity and finding heat transfer to be lower than expected. The study estimates a total heat flow of 10.4 terawatts across the Earth, about 60% of human civilization's power usage.
Researchers at University of California, Riverside, have received a $360,000 NSF grant to study graphene's thermal properties and develop new approaches for removing heat from electronic devices. The team will investigate the effect of rotation angle on twisted bilayer graphene's thermal conductivity.
Researchers at Rice University developed a solar-powered sterilization system using nanomaterials to kill microbes and viruses in human waste. The 'solar steam' technology has an overall energy efficiency of 24 percent, making it suitable for off-grid use and sanitation for billions of people.
Researchers at Monash University have developed an ionic liquid-based thermocell that can harness waste heat from power stations and vehicle exhaust pipes to generate electricity.
Researchers from Boston College and Naval Research Laboratory discovered boron arsenide's unexpectedly high thermal conductivity, rivaling that of diamond. The material's unique vibrational properties allow for efficient heat conduction at specific frequencies.
Researchers found that urban heat island effect combined with global warming could increase Sydney's temperatures by up to 3.7°C by 2050. Green spaces and bodies of water can help reduce the impact, with studies showing a marked effect on reducing the urban heat island effect.
Research shows that king penguin chicks' mitochondria adjust to minimize energy cost during fasting in the cold, conserving energy for vital functions. This adaptation enables them to produce heat without depleting their energy stores, increasing their survival chances.
Researchers from University College London and the University of Gdansk found new laws governing microscopic systems, leading to fundamental limitations on extracting energy. Microscopic heat engines cannot be as efficient as their larger counterparts, with irreversibility playing a key role.
A team of researchers has successfully measured heat transfer at the atomic scale, enabling insights into the relationship between heat dissipation and electronic structure in devices. This breakthrough could help overcome technological hurdles in creating smaller and more powerful electronics.
Arizona State University computer scientist Carole-Jean Wu has been awarded the Bisgrove Scholar Award to fund her research on reducing energy consumption in computing systems. Her goal is to locate and convert heat into electrical energy to power devices, enabling more efficient energy management solutions.
New York University physicists have found that energy is released and dispersed in magnetic materials through a process akin to forest fires. By manipulating magnetic fields, they were able to control the speed of this process and understand how energy is sustained and spreads.
Scientists at KIT successfully demonstrated a method to influence the propagation of heat around objects by using specially arranged materials. By creating an annular structure with copper and silicon, they can control how heat flows around hidden areas, making it ideal for applications such as microchips and machines.
The new HPC data center at NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) is the first of its kind, boasting an annualized average power usage effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.06 or better. It achieves this by using warm-water liquid cooling and capturing and reusing waste heat to reduce energy consumption.
Scientists have developed a new heat-storing material by encapsulating paraffin wax in silicon dioxide spheres, which shows high thermal stability and large surface area. The microencapsulated paraffin demonstrates improved safety and efficiency compared to existing phase-change materials.
PNNL researchers are developing a range of innovative clean energy technologies, including thermal energy storage that can store solar heat for up to 10 times longer than traditional molten salts. Additionally, the lab has created lightweight fuel tanks for compressed natural gas vehicles and rare earth-free magnets for electric motors.
Researchers discover that urban heat generated by metropolitan areas can cause continental-scale surface warming in high latitudes, leading to remote temperature changes. The study suggests that the influence of energy consumption should be considered in computer models to predict future climate change.
A new study reveals that human activities in cities alter atmospheric circulation patterns, leading to significant warming in northern Asia and North America. The study found that the 'waste heat' generated by urban areas can widen the jet stream and increase temperatures across large distances.
The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will receive $2.8 million to develop a next-generation adsorption chiller that is smaller, lighter, and operates under extreme temperatures. The system could reduce diesel fuel use by up to 50% and save lives by reducing attacks on American soldiers.
Heat damage in DDGS compromises nutritional value, but researchers predict digestibility using lysine estimates. The study found that analyzing lysine or furosine concentrations improves prediction accuracy.
Researchers at MIT have developed a novel method to manipulate heat by employing engineered materials with nanostructured semiconductor alloy crystals. This approach enables the concentration of heat phonons within a specific frequency range, allowing for control over heat flow similar to light waves.
Researchers developed a DESICCANT-ENHANCED EVAPORATIVE (DEVAP) system that works in any climate and achieves comfortable cooling while saving 40% to 80% of the energy use of conventional air conditioning systems. The system uses micro-porous membranes to separate desiccant from air, enabling efficient dehydration and cooling.
A team of researchers developed a new method to significantly increase heat transfer rate across different materials by sandwiching an ultrathin layer of 'nanoglue' between copper and silica. The approach demonstrated a four-fold increase in thermal conductance, promising new innovations in cooling and energy applications.
Researchers developed a new thermoelectric material using common materials found in dirt, improving efficiency and reducing production costs. The material has potential applications in waste heat recovery from industrial power plants and conversion of vehicle exhaust gas heat into electricity.
A new study reveals that heat can travel like waves, not particles, through superlattices, allowing for precise control over heat flow. This discovery opens the possibility of creating materials with tailored thermal properties for thermoelectric devices and improved cooling of electronic chips.
Researchers have developed self-powered sensors that can harness heat from nuclear reactors to transmit data, addressing a critical monitoring issue. The sensors use thermoacoustic technology, exploiting the interaction between heat and sound waves to operate without electronic power or moving parts.
Northwestern University scientists have developed a thermoelectric material that can convert 15-20% of waste heat to useful electricity. The material exhibits a ZT of 2.2, the highest reported to date, and has the potential to recover high-temperature waste heat and turn it into usable energy.
A new model developed by Robert Goldston predicts the size of a key barrier to fusion that could serve as a starting point for overcoming it. The agreement appears too close to have happened by chance, suggesting that the model's results are eerily close to data.
Researchers at Bangor University discovered a switch in cells that helps kill tumors with heat, which combines with an anti-cancer drug to treat localized cancers. The novel protein produced by heat modulates survival systems, and its discovery may improve heat-treatment of cancer for patients.
NASA successfully tested a hypersonic inflatable heat shield, surviving re-entry at 7,600 mph. The Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE-3) demonstrated the technology's potential for planetary entry and descent or cargo return from the International Space Station.
IRVE-3 is the third in a series of suborbital flight tests for an innovative heat shield technology. The experiment aims to create an aeroshell using high-tech inner tubes and a thermal blanket, protecting a payload with camera gear, telemetry equipment, and steering mechanisms.
Scientists use thermal imaging to analyze brown fat reserves, which produce heat and aid in burning calories. The technique may help predict food labels' thermogenic index, aiding the fight against obesity.
Researchers have developed a 'pyroelectric nanogenerator' that converts waste heat into electricity using the ancient pyroelectric effect. The device has the potential to power applications such as wireless sensors, temperature imaging, and medical diagnostics, offering a new source of energy from environmental waste.
Researchers used diamond anvil cells to apply extreme pressure to argon, heating it with microsecond laser bursts to 2,500 degrees K. The results confirmed kinetic theory as a better model for argon's thermal conductivity than Green-Kubo formalism.
A new compound has been discovered that can significantly reduce heat absorption on building roofs and walls, making it a promising candidate for 'cool roofing' applications. The material has an infrared heat reflectivity of around 40%, outperforming most blue pigments currently used.
Chinese researchers develop a method to solve the specific heat-phonon spectrum inversion problem, enabling the calculation of thermodynamic functions from heat capacity data. They successfully apply this approach to the negative thermal expansion material ZrW2O8, obtaining consistent results with laws of thermodynamics.
Researchers in Sheffield have mapped a possible expansion of the city's district heating network, which could reduce CO2 emissions by 80,000 tonnes annually. The system, powered by waste and steel plant heat, provides low-cost heating to over 140 public buildings and 3,000 homes.
A group of researchers at the University of California, Riverside developed a technique to lower hot spots in GaN transistors by introducing graphene multilayers, increasing device lifetime by a factor of 10. The new approach represents a transformative change in thermal management.
A study by McGill University researchers calculates that each kilometer of a deep underground mine could produce 150 kW of heat, enough to warm 5-10 Canadian households. The team develops a general model for predicting geothermal energy potential in other mines.
Researchers at Boston College and MIT have developed a novel nanotech design that enhances the thermoelectric performance of Silicon Germanium alloy semiconductors. The breakthrough boosts electrical conductivity while reducing thermal conductivity, resulting in improved figure of merit values up to 1.3 at 900°C.
The researchers demonstrated that a single layer of atoms can disrupt or enhance heat flow across an interface between two materials. By adjusting the composition of molecules in contact with the gold layer, they observed a change in heat transfer depending on how strongly the molecule bonded to the gold.
A recent report from PNNL estimates that US commercial building owners could save an average of 38% on their heating and cooling bills by installing a handful of energy efficiency controls. The estimated savings range from 28% to 67% depending on local climate and energy prices.
A North Carolina State University researcher has created a more efficient cooling method for electronic devices using a copper-graphene composite. The new material cools devices up to 25% faster than current materials and reduces costs by replacing expensive copper with graphene.
Researchers have developed a 'thermal' approach to invisibility cloaking that isolates or cloaks objects from sources of heat. The method uses transformation optics to control thermal diffusion, allowing for the shielding of areas from heat and the concentration of heat in small volumes.
Scientists have discovered a liquid-like compound that could lead to more efficient thermoelectric devices, which convert heat into electricity and vice versa. The copper-selenium material exhibits liquid-like behavior due to the flow of copper atoms through the selenium's crystal lattice.
A team of researchers at Case Western Reserve University has developed a novel technique called fine-grained power gating, which can eliminate wasted energy in computer processors. This method reduces power consumption by up to 40% and also minimizes heat production, resulting in significant cost savings.
A study found that white rooftops, like those being installed in New York City, can reduce peak temperatures by 43 degrees Fahrenheit compared to traditional black roofs. The low-cost, DIY-friendly option also improves urban albedo and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Researcher Xinwei Wang found that spider silk conducts heat better than most materials, including silicon and aluminum, with a rate of 416 watts per meter Kelvin. Spider silk also exhibits an abnormal increase in thermal conductivity when stretched.
A new model, published by Anne Hofmeister and Robert Criss, presents a three-dimensional gas cloud scenario for planetary accretion. The model explains planetary orbits and spins without relying on heat production, conserving angular momentum in a cold environment.
Researchers at Wake Forest University developed Power Felt, a thermoelectric device that converts body heat into an electrical current. The technology has potential uses in various applications, including powering mobile devices during emergencies or boosting battery power in vehicles.
Georgios Vatistas's Swirl Flow-Type Heat Exchanger reduces energy demands and environmental resource usage by 40 times, offering broad industrial applications.
Researchers have found that brown fat in healthy adult men burns energy to generate body heat during cold exposure, but not at warm temperatures. This discovery has significant implications for combating the human obesity epidemic and suggests that increasing brown fat may not lead to weight loss.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have discovered a new material called graphene that conducts heat 20 times faster than silicon, leading to more-efficient cooling of electronics and potentially longer-lasting computers and cellphones.
Researchers at UC Riverside have made a significant discovery in graphene's thermal conductivity, showing that isotopically engineered graphene can conduct heat more efficiently than natural graphene. This finding has the potential to impact various applications, including electronics, photovoltaic solar cells and radars.
Researchers have developed a technology that reduces air pollutant emissions from chicken and swine barns by up to 79% while recovering heat. The system uses biofiltration and heat exchangers to temper fresh air and generate heat, reducing energy consumption.
Researchers discovered that bundling boron nanoribbons can significantly increase their thermal conductivity. The flat surface structure of the nanoribbons allows for tighter contact between individual structures through van der Waals interactions, enabling efficient phonon transmission and enhanced heat transfer.
Duke University engineers developed a way to produce thermal diodes that can transfer heat in both directions, overcoming existing limitations. The method uses self-propelled water droplets to transport heat, enabling applications in energy-efficient solar panels and compact electronics.
Researchers develop tiny Stirling engine with a plastic bead that performs work and runs with the same efficiency as a macroscopic heat engine under full load. Microscopic processes cause the machine to run rough due to collisions with surrounding water molecules.