Articles tagged with Thermal Energy
Engineers at UC Berkeley developed a thin-film system that can convert low-quality waste heat into electricity, achieving unprecedented energy density and power density. The technology has potential applications in various industries, including electronics and manufacturing.
Researchers found that the efficiency of information processing cannot be increased indefinitely, with thermodynamic and information theory combining to identify key factors. Better understanding and tailored software can influence the limit.
Baby birds can regulate their body temperature despite hot nest box temperatures, but this comes at a cost: reduced growth. Researchers recommend placing nest boxes in shaded areas to minimize the impact of heat on nestlings.
Scientists have created a new way to measure the temperature of materials at the nanoscale using electron energy gain spectroscopy. This technique promises to advance microelectronic devices and semiconducting materials by mapping atomic-scale vibrations due to heat.
Researchers at UBC developed a simple technique to create smart windows with dynamic tinting, reducing energy losses by switching between clear and tinted states. The new method reduces production costs compared to conventional glass windows, making it more feasible for commercial use.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered the electron transfer mechanism underlying contact electrification, a process that generates electricity through friction between surfaces. The study's findings suggest temperature plays a crucial role in the phenomenon, with performance degrading above 300°C.
A mathematical theory explains how temperature increases in granular gases despite a decrease in total energy. The 'heating by cooling' effect has been observed in various natural systems, including interstellar dust and planetary rings.
The project aims to convert waste heat into cooled water, offering potential cost and energy savings to U.S. manufacturers. The innovative turbo-compression cooling system has numerous large-scale practical applications, including dairy producers transforming waste heat into chilled milk.
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have developed a new kind of thermoelectric system that can harness small energy differences at low temperatures, producing an electrical energy of 2.3 meV per cycle. The device has shown promising prospects for large-scale heat energy recovery and could help industries become more efficient.
The study proposes three methods for consistent power among all sectors in 20 world regions, matching supply and demand in 30-second increments. It suggests solutions with no added hydropower turbines and no storage in water, ice or rocks, avoiding blackouts at low cost.
A new study found that geese reduce their metabolic rate to cope with winter by lowering their heart rate and body temperature. By doing so, they can conserve energy in the harsh cold conditions.
Particle receiver CSP technology can nearly double molten salt temperatures, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Researchers have tested a red sand approach that achieves high temperatures while minimizing energy loss.
Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University are developing a technology to burn weapons-grade plutonium in high-temperature gas-cool low-power reactors, converting it into power and thermal energy. The process also enables the desalination of water, making it suitable for areas without large water bodies.
Researchers from Ural Federal University and Karaganda State Technical University developed a mathematical model to optimize the operation of an autonomous heat supply unit. The study found that adjusting parameters such as blade size in the Cavitator increased cavitation intensity and temperature, improving efficiency.
Researchers at Tokyo Tech have developed a new Langevin model that predicts low-energy fission more accurately by accounting for the deformation of nuclear fragments. The four-dimensional model fits empirical data better than previous models and has potential applications in radioactive waste containment and nuclear power generation.
Researchers at UMass Amherst developed a polymer-based system storing more than two times higher energy density than previous systems. The new technology has potential applications in solar-powered heating and could provide sustainable energy storage for areas without access to power grids.
Researchers develop low-cost, privacy-preserving sensor technology for counting, locating, and tracking occupants in commercial spaces. The technology uses high-efficiency infrared LEDs and photodiodes to reduce energy costs of heating and cooling by up to 30%.
Researchers at University of New South Wales claim laser-driven hydrogen-boron fusion is within reach, producing high energy output without radioactivity. The breakthrough could make it possible to harness fusion energy in the next decade.
The University of Illinois Chicago has received a $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate and install highly efficient combined heat and power technologies. This technology produces both thermal energy and electricity, achieving typical efficiencies of 65-75% compared to conventional systems.
Chinese physicists manipulate heat transfer to reduce waste and create invisible thermal cloaks. Their experimental results confirm equations predicting thermal conductivity of periodic materials.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new chemical composite that can store thermal energy during the day and release it when needed. The hybrid material uses molecular switches to change shape in response to light, allowing for controlled thermal energy storage.
A ceramic-based mechanical pump has been developed that can operate at record temperatures of over 1,400 degrees Celsius, allowing for efficient thermal storage and renewable energy conversion. The pump could facilitate high-efficiency, low-cost storage of renewable energy generated by wind and solar power.
A new report found that if commercial buildings fully used controls nationwide, the US could slash its energy consumption by an average of 29%. This would result in significant national energy savings, with some building types potentially saving up to 49% and 41%.
Researchers have designed a flexible thermoelectric energy harvester that rivals rigid devices, using liquid metal interconnects for low resistance and self-healing capabilities. The technology has the potential to power wearable electronics without batteries.
Researchers at Aalto University found that solar energy can produce over 80% of domestic heating requirements in Finnish households. The study used various storage methods and found that prices need to be competitive for it to become a viable alternative. This could significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Europe.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered that quasimeasurements, a new type of measurement interaction, cause the quantum Zeno effect and anti-Zeno effect. The disturbance from these measurements shifts the energy levels of the atom, leading to faster or slower decay rates.
Scientists at NREL developed a proof-of-principle photoelectrochemical cell capable of capturing excess photon energy. The cell achieved peak external quantum efficiency for hydrogen generation of 114 percent, significantly improving the production of hydrogen from sunlight.
Nebraska engineers have created a nano-thermal-mechanical device that allows computing at temperatures up to 630 degrees Fahrenheit. This technology has the potential to revolutionize industries such as space exploration, oil drilling, and geology by harnessing heat instead of combating it.
Researchers have developed a new reconfigurable device that can emit thermal infrared light in a fully controlled manner, enabling efficient energy harvesting from waste heat. The technology has potential applications in thermophotovoltaics and could be used to convert heat into energy for various purposes.
A new Yale-led study reveals significant market potential for renewable thermals in Connecticut, with the technology able to competitively serve 19% of thermal demand. To realize this potential, public policy and financing tools are needed to spur consumer demand.
A recent NASA study using ARTEMIS observations reveals that most energy from magnetic reconnection is converted to heat in the nighttime magnetosphere, affecting exhaust flow stability. This finding provides crucial information about how magnetic reconnection can send particles towards Earth, initiating auroras and space weather.
Researchers at Scripps Florida have identified a protein that promotes fat accumulation in animal models by slowing down energy breakdown. Deleting this protein's gene, IP6K1, has been shown to protect animals from both obesity and diabetes, regardless of diet or body temperature.
A study by universities of Bonn and Bamberg found that real-time shower feedback can reduce energy and water consumption by 22%. The feedback system showed current energy and water usage, leading to lasting behavioral changes among participants.
Researchers at Waseda University have developed a new method for producing hydrogen, achieving temperatures as low as 150~200°C. This innovation reduces energy input and extends catalyst life, making it suitable for widespread use in fuel cell systems.
Researchers at PPPL found that mean flow energy is never more than 1% of turbulent energy in H-mode, ruling out the predator-prey model. This result deepens the mystery of H-mode, but may refocus efforts on other contenders for understanding its physics.
Researchers at UCLA's DIII-D National Fusion Facility discovered that plasma turbulence weakens inside large magnetic islands, allowing small islands to grow instead. This finding could lead to improved control of harmful magnetic islands and more efficient operation of fusion devices like ITER.
Researchers aim to improve thermoelectric performance in polymeric materials with $900,000 US Department of Energy funding. This study could yield new materials for efficient energy harvesting and waste heat recovery.
A team of scientists from the University of Vermont and Dartmouth College have discovered a new way that some molecules can make a luminescent glow, breaking Kasha's Rule. The newly discovered pathway to creating light may prove useful in industrial materials, LEDs, and biomedical imaging.
A joint NASA-JAXA mission observed two persistent hot towers south and east of Hermine's center, influencing its strengthening. Repeated cloud-top height measurements suggested these towers, lasting 9-12 hours, could eject energy into the atmosphere.
Researchers developed a unique method to measure lightning strike energy by analyzing 'fossilized' sand cylinders created by thousands of years-old lightning strikes. The team found that the energy released in a single bolt of lightning peaks at over 20 megajoules per meter.
The ORNL-led study develops a new method to pinpoint electrical service areas most vulnerable to climate change and predicted population growth, identifying substations at the neighborhood level. The analysis helps decision makers prepare resources needed for population movement in response to extreme weather events.
Researchers from Boston University found that Jupiter's Great Red Spot is responsible for heating the planet's upper atmosphere to unusually high temperatures. The team used infrared observations to map temperature anomalies across the planet, revealing that the Great Red Spot's heat distribution matches the observed values.
New computer modeling suggests that solid-state thermophotovoltaics (TPV) could rival combined-cycle turbine systems when combined with thermal storage using liquid metal. TPV operates on the same principle as solar cells but converts infrared radiation to electricity.
A new battery concept, called nanolithia cathode battery, promises similar theoretical performance as lithium-air batteries while reducing heat waste and improving charging speed. The new design could overcome issues with volume changes and auxiliary components, enabling faster charging and longer lifetimes.
Researchers at Hokkaido University have discovered a key to understanding molecular evolution in space by revealing the temperature-dependent energy-state conversion of molecular hydrogen on ice surfaces. This finding challenges existing theories and opens new horizons for studying molecular formation and evolution.
Researchers at Jülich have found a way to produce nanomagnets with low zero-point energy, leading to higher stability. They investigated the connection between atomic properties and magnetic fluctuations caused by zero-point energy.
Researchers at Aarhus University found that using 10% more energy for heating can save 10% on the bill while reducing carbon dioxide emission. They developed an intelligent management system to optimize building operations, predicting energy prices and environmental impact.
University of Minnesota researchers record first-ever videos of heat moving through materials at the nanoscale, traveling at the speed of sound. This breakthrough could aid in designing better, more efficient materials for a wide range of applications, including personal electronics and alternative-energy technologies.
Steroid medications like prednisolone suppress brown fat's activity, leading to weight gain and obesity. Researchers found that steroid use increases energy storage from food instead of burning it through brown fat.
A new study found that exceptionally warm weather episodes, rather than radiant energy, cause significant melting of the Greenland ice sheet. The research revealed that climate models tend to underestimate the impact of these events, which are expected to occur more frequently in the future due to climate change.
A new study by Wuhan University of Technology reveals the most efficient ways to conserve energy in homes, including opening windows during heating and using window shades in warm temperatures. The researchers recommend adjusting thermostat settings, adding solar panels, and turning off lights to reduce energy consumption.
New findings suggest that turbulent plasma could improve inertial confinement fusion experiments by storing energy. The compression of fluid turbulence was modeled to show a positive impact on ICF experiments, suggesting a new design for compression-based fusion research. However, caveats and challenges remain in the field.
Scientists have solved a key puzzle in fusion energy by understanding the behavior of plasma waves. By applying fluid flow theory, they explained an unstable wave mode that had been observed in fusion experiments, making it possible to harness clean and endless energy.
A team of international researchers has discovered a way to convert waste heat into electrical energy using magnetic spin waves. By exploiting the spin Seebeck effect, they were able to demonstrate that thermal energy can be converted into electrical energy in an adjacent metallic layer.
Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that phosphine's superconductivity likely results from the compound decomposing into other products containing phosphorus and hydrogen. This understanding could aid in creating new superconducting materials, which would revolutionize electric power infrastructure by reducing energy waste.
Researchers find that even gases without thermalization can be cooled by removing high-energy particles through electromagnetic fields, and this effect is made possible by quantum mechanical waves.
A study by Duke University and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory finds that global temperature remains stable in the long run due to the Planck Response and other mechanisms. Natural climate cycles alone are insufficient to explain large, sustained changes in global temperature.
A new Berkeley Lab study found that cool roofs in Guangzhou, China, can lower average urban midday temperatures by 1.2 degrees Celsius during heat waves, a 50% increase over typical summer conditions. This reduction in temperature also decreases the intensity of the urban heat island effect.
MIT mathematicians have developed a formula to calculate the maximum amount of heat exchanged between two objects separated by distances shorter than the width of a single hair. The formula uses material properties and separation distance as parameters, allowing for optimization of devices such as thermophotovoltaics.
A University of Texas at Arlington engineer is co-leading a team to develop tools that can convert temperature changes into electrical energy. The goal is to create energy-harvesting microdevices for sensing systems and other applications, which could have a widespread impact on meeting the global energy challenge.