Articles tagged with Thermal Energy
Researchers developed a hybrid solar energy converter that generates both electricity and thermal energy with high efficiency and low cost, enabling zero-net-energy development and greenhouse-gas-free operations. The system demonstrated 85.1% efficiency and is projected to have a system levelized cost of 3 cents per kilowatt hour.
A new study has developed a thermoelectric device that harnesses solar energy to generate power continuously day and night, regardless of weather conditions. The device uses a wavelength-selective emitter to create a temperature difference, resulting in constant voltage generation.
The study demonstrates that solar assisted heating networks can reduce environmental impact by up to 89.3% compared to traditional heat generation methods, while also providing economic benefits through cost reduction of up to 66%. The system is most effective in larger communities, with a return on investment within 13.7 years.
Researchers develop 16-atom motor with high directional stability, powered by thermal and electrical energy. The motor's operation challenges classical physics and quantum principles, revealing new insights into energy transfer and time direction.
Researchers at the University of Michigan developed a system that measures occupants' facial temperature to determine optimal temperatures for comfort. The Human Embodied Autonomous Thermostat (HEAT) aims to reduce energy consumption and enhance indoor comfort.
A team of scientists at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research has detected tiny flashes of radio light from all over the Sun, identified as evidence for small magnetic explosions. These discoveries could explain the long-standing coronal heating problem, with preliminary estimates suggesting that these tiny explosions collectively hav...
A comparative study by researchers from RIFS finds that both Germany and the UK can do more to mitigate climate change in the heating sector. The authors recommend introducing a commitment to phasing out high-carbon heating and embedding it in planned policy interventions.
A new study found that implementing a national household energy strategy in Cameroon to increase adoption of LPG for clean cooking could avert 28,000 premature deaths. The strategy is expected to reduce global temperatures and mitigate climate change.
Scientists at Tokyo University of Science have developed a novel technology to measure thermal energy conversion efficiency. This innovation can shed light on the processes of energy-converting systems like leaves during photosynthesis, improving the understanding of energy transfer in plants and solar cells.
A self-learning heating control system has been developed by Empa researchers, allowing for energy savings of up to 25% in residential buildings. The system uses machine learning and weather forecasts to optimize temperature settings, providing greater comfort while reducing energy consumption.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated a flexible device that harvests body heat energy to monitor health and power wearable technologies, surpassing previous flexible harvesters in efficiency. The device uses a novel elastomer material with high thermal conductivity to improve performance.
Researchers pinpoint critical location of magnetic energy release in corona, enabling precise measurements of dynamic local changes. High-cadence EOVSA microwave spectral observations provide quantitative measurements of evolving magnetic field strength and conversion to kinetic, thermal, and superthermal energy.
A new AI-powered method predicts building energy consumption by analyzing environmental and operational parameters, offering a significant improvement in energy management. The hybrid deep learning model has the potential to be applied in various smart buildings and cities.
Researchers created on-skin electronic devices with passive-cooling capabilities using a multiscale porous elastomer substrate. The devices demonstrated comparable performance to conventional electronics while being breathable, waterproof, and recyclable.
Researchers at UC Berkeley discovered that heat energy can be transferred across a few hundred nanometers of empty space through the Casimir interaction, a quantum mechanical phenomenon. This finding could have profound implications for designing microelectronic components where heat dissipation is key.
Researchers studied Titan's energy budget over 14 years and found significant seasonal variations. The findings suggest the distance between the sun and Earth may play a role in Earth's energy balance.
This study demonstrates a novel self-sustaining liquid-cooling system that partially recovers lost thermal energy through electric power generation. The integration of thermo-electrochemical conversion with forced convection cooling enables the use of wasted heat for pumping coolant, reducing the need for active cooling.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that wind-driven ventilation can increase room ventilation rates by up to 40% compared to temperature-driven ventilation. The study's results suggest that designing buildings with natural ventilation principles can help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a new hybrid device that can capture and store solar energy, offering promise for applications from power generation to distillation and desalination. The device achieves high efficiency harvesting and storage, with up to 90% efficiency and 80% recovered energy at night.
A team of Lehigh researchers will use a $2 million DOE grant to develop a novel thermal energy storage concept, called THERMOSIPHON TECHNOLOGY. The goal is to create a more efficient and cost-effective approach to power plant applications.
The new invention can efficiently convert low-grade heat to electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emission and cutting primary energy wastage. The Direct Thermal Charging Cell (DTCC) boasts a conversion efficiency of over 3.5%, surpassing existing technologies.
Scientists have found a way to harness excess energy from photons that are too energetic for materials to absorb, potentially increasing the efficiency of solar panels. By combining a perovskite with an acceptor material, hot electrons can be readily absorbed, even without slowing down their loss of energy.
Research from Ohio State University reveals differences in how men and women interact around thermostat settings, with women more likely to report conflicts. The study found that thermostat adjustments tend to occur after agreements and compromises, but conflicts are associated with fewer temperature changes.
Eight European cities will receive new district heating networks built with innovative low-temperature technologies, enabling individual customers to produce energy while using it. Researchers will support companies in design, installation, and monitoring, studying new business models.
A new study finds that heat wave sizes could increase substantially by mid-century, with potential impacts on public health and energy demand. The research suggests that considering the spatial size of heat waves is crucial for informing management decisions and planning for the future.
A team of scientists found that heat energy can transfer from a node with lower temperature to another node with higher temperature in certain complex network structures. This phenomenon becomes more evident when the network assortativity decreases. The study may shed new light on the search for good thermoelectric materials.
Researchers at Ohio State University have found a new method for harnessing thermal energy by exploiting paramagnetic particles, which can produce spin and generate electricity. This breakthrough could lead to the development of more efficient thermoelectric materials and energy harvesting technologies.
Researchers at HZDR and TU Darmstadt developed a systematic magnetocaloric material library to assess promising materials for magnetic cooling. The study highlights the need for sustainable access to suitable materials, with iron-rhodium alloys showing potential as alternatives to rare-earth metals like gadolinium.
Quanex IG Systems has licensed a low-cost method to produce insulating material from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, enabling improved thermal insulation performance in building products. The technology reduces energy consumption and generates less waste, making it an attractive solution for the industry.
Scientists at the University of Illinois and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have applied a new x-ray scattering technique to probe high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates. They found that charge-order fluctuations may mediate superconductivity, and that these fluctuations obey a universal scaling law.
Tropical Storm Francisco was transitioning into an extra-tropical cyclone as it passed over the Sea of Japan and approached the Korean Peninsula. The storm's strongest winds were initially near the earth's surface, but later shifted to the tropopause as it transformed.
Researchers warn that a modest warming of the climate could lead to a significant increase in global energy demands, with potential implications for greenhouse gas emissions. The study suggests that understanding this interaction is crucial to developing effective solutions to mitigate climate change.
A new mathematical model describes how highly concentrated antibody solutions separate into different phases, similar to an oil and water mixture. This separation can reduce the stability and shelf-life of some drugs that use monoclonal antibodies.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new type of membrane that can separate chemicals without using heat or energy-intensive distillation processes. The hybrid membrane, infused with metal oxide networks, improves chemical separation capabilities and withstands harsh solvents for several months.
A team of researchers has identified a critical variable that improves the efficiency of polymer-based heat energy harvesting. By exploring this new factor, they hope to design more efficient polymers for thermo-electric devices.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a window film that captures solar energy during the day and releases it as heat at night, helping to regulate indoor temperatures. The film uses a specially designed molecule that changes color when it absorbs sunlight, allowing it to capture energy.
Researchers at CBPF and UFABC used quantum correlations to reverse thermodynamic arrow of time, allowing heat to flow from cold to hot without external energy. The experiment demonstrates a generalized form of the second law of thermodynamics, highlighting the role of quantum correlations in thermal transfer.
Researchers have identified different forces behind variations in near-surface temperature with elevation, time, and space on the Third Pole. This new understanding will provide a more accurate basis for modeling and predicting glacier movement, forestry, and agriculture in the region.
A newly engineered wood-based material successfully reflects heat and cools buildings by deflecting incoming solar radiation. The material, which is more than eight times stronger than natural wood, can reduce energy costs by between 20% and 50% in 16 U.S. cities.
Researchers from NYU introduce a voltage-controlled topological spin switch (vTOPSS) that reduces heat generated and energy used in computing. The new method enables faster and more secure computing by replacing traditional silicon transistors, increasing functionality and circuit design possibilities.
Researchers at the University of Arkansas have discovered a promising new material that can efficiently store information using both magnetic and electric fields. The study suggests this material, bismuth ferrite, could lead to faster and cheaper computer memory.
Researchers developed a new type of transparent wood that absorbs, stores and releases heat, potentially saving energy costs in eco-friendly homes. The material is biodegradable, strong and can bear heavy loads, opening the door for its eventual use in modern architecture.
Researchers at UC Riverside have discovered that magnons exhibit discreet noise levels at low power, but become high and discrete at high power. This could lead to the development of more efficient magnonic devices.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a nonvolatile microcontroller unit utilizing spintronics-based VLSI design technology, achieving ultra-low power consumption of 47.14μW at 200MHz operation. The MCU's high-performance capabilities make it suitable for IoT sensor node applications.
A new MIT study finds that climate change is shifting the energy in the atmosphere, leading to stronger thunderstorms and more stagnant conditions. Rising global temperatures are redistributed, with more energy available for local convective processes like thunderstorms and less for larger, milder extratropical cyclones.
NASA's Aqua satellite provides visible image of Tropical Cyclone Gelena transitioning into a subtropical storm, characterized by asymmetric wind patterns and cloud top warming. The storm is expected to continue moving through the Southern Indian Ocean over the next day until it dissipates.
The Lehigh University Energy Research Center is working to develop innovative solutions for managing traditional power plants and developing cost-effective alternative energy sources. The center, in partnership with the Mexican Institute for Electricity and Clean Energies, is studying the use of solar thermal energy to improve CO2 capt...
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed flexible, durable heating patches that are nearly 70% more efficient than similar patches. These patches use intense pulses of light to fuse silver wires with polyester, reducing energy waste and carbon footprint by selectively heating the human body.
The Wendelstein 7-X experiment achieved record-high plasma densities of up to 2 x 10**20 particles per cubic meter and temperatures of 20 million degrees Celsius. These results are significant milestones in fusion research, demonstrating the potential for stellarators to achieve high-quality confinement.
Researchers at DIII-D National Fusion Facility have developed a revolutionary new technique to cool a fusion reactor, reducing the risk of disruptions and producing runaway electrons. The 'inside-out' cooling approach uses boron dust injected into the plasma to evenly radiate away energy.
A recent study led by Princeton University researchers found that the world's oceans have absorbed 13 zettajoules of heat energy per year between 1991 and 2016, exceeding previous estimates by 60%. This increase in ocean warming suggests that Earth is more sensitive to fossil-fuel emissions than previously thought.
The DOE has funded Argonne's high-efficiency latent heat thermal energy storage system (TESS) for use in building applications and process/manufacturing industries. TESS can store waste heat, reducing costs and increasing energy efficiency, especially during periods of high electricity pricing.
A study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that nearly one-third of Washington Heights residents experienced energy insecurity, leading to breathing problems, mental health issues, and poor sleep. Energy-insecure households were more likely to have children under 18 years of age and lower household income.
A research team at Chalmers University of Technology has developed an emissions-free energy system that can store solar energy in a liquid form for up to 18 years. The system uses a specially designed molecule that captures energy from sunlight and releases it when needed, warming the liquid by 63 degrees Celsius.
Researchers at Osaka University developed a new method to efficiently heat plasma using high magnetic fields and relativistic electron beams. By guiding the beam along magnetic field lines, they achieved higher energy coupling rates than previous methods, making this approach more suitable for controlled nuclear fusion.
Researchers have developed a solar steam generator that approaches 100% efficiency for producing clean water from seawater. Inspired by origami, the device uses a 3D photothermal material to capture sunlight and evaporate water more efficiently than traditional flat devices.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new co-design technique that merges the design of antenna and electronics, resulting in improved modulation and reduced waste heat. The innovation enables longer talk time and higher data rates in millimeter wave wireless communication devices for future 5G applications.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered a new mechanism for heat transfer in solids, supported by Einstein's 1911 theory. This 'heat-hopping' process occurs in thermal insulators and may be present in other crystalline solids.
Graphene's high strength is accompanied by ultra-low bending rigidity, leading to rich morphology control. The scientists review the mechanics of defects in graphene and outline challenges for nanomechanics research.
A team of researchers from the Santa Fe Institute has published a paper on the thermodynamics of computation, which involves elements of statistical physics, computer science, cellular biology, and neurobiology. The study aims to understand how computers process information and reduce energy waste by optimizing computational processes.