jpod
08-03-2008, 03:42 PM
Periodically I check out the Engineering News section of the science news website "Science Daily". Recently they reported on two interesting developments.
Thermoelectric materials produce electricity when heated. Its an old concept but recently people in white coats and propeller beanies have developed new materials and combinations of materials that greatly increase the efficiency of the process. This technology could be used to convert some of the heat produced by automobile engines (ie exhaust heat) directly into electricity. I assume it could replace generators and alternators and also augment generators in hybrid cars. Honda has supported some of the research on thermoelectric materials.
More exciting is the development of a low tech method of using sunlight to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. This may be a cheap and easy way to produce the hydrogen and oxygen needed to operate hydrogen fuel cells. And hydrogen fuel cells are probably the best candidate for replacing the internal combustion engine.
Of course this technology has the potential to effect much more than car motors. Let's hope it is not the same sort of dramatic discovery that "Cold Fusion" was.
JPO
Thermoelectric materials produce electricity when heated. Its an old concept but recently people in white coats and propeller beanies have developed new materials and combinations of materials that greatly increase the efficiency of the process. This technology could be used to convert some of the heat produced by automobile engines (ie exhaust heat) directly into electricity. I assume it could replace generators and alternators and also augment generators in hybrid cars. Honda has supported some of the research on thermoelectric materials.
More exciting is the development of a low tech method of using sunlight to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. This may be a cheap and easy way to produce the hydrogen and oxygen needed to operate hydrogen fuel cells. And hydrogen fuel cells are probably the best candidate for replacing the internal combustion engine.
Of course this technology has the potential to effect much more than car motors. Let's hope it is not the same sort of dramatic discovery that "Cold Fusion" was.
JPO