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Waste Heat to Electricity?

Posted by michael on from the negative-entropy dept.

Darwin_Frog writes: "Recent advances in thermionics at MIT lets waste heat generate electricity, thus pushing entropy one step further down the chain. These devices work at a temperature around 250 deg. C, instead of around 1000, so cars can augment the alternator by using the waste heat in the exhaust system to produce power for onboard electronics and A/C."

4 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm... by jimhill · · Score: 4, Offtopic

    I couldn't help noticing that within a few paragraphs the writeup mentioned that (1) the research was partly sponsored by DARPA and (2) patents have been applied for with one already issued. Color me bitter, but as one of the taxpayers who funded the research I can't say I'm overjoyed at the prospect of paying licensing fees to MIT through the eventual commercial implementors.

    I'm all in favor of government-sponsored research. They have the resources to investigate stuff with great benefits but staggering R&D costs. I'm all in favor of universities conducting the sponsored research. Grad students are cheap (I know, I was one for many years) and the brainpower is not less than one finds in industry. However, when the government pays a university to do something new, the university's benefits should be the equipment bought for the research and the prestige that comes from doing it first/best/cheapest.

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    Learn to spell: nickel, missile, lose, solely, amendment, speech, kernel, probably, ridiculous, deity, hierarchy, versus
  2. Now what I want....(OFFTOPIC) by Moofie · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Is a device that will change electricity into money. Like Enron does.

    Oh, I mean did. "Power of why" my left buttcheek. Can somebody please explain to me who thought that this energy broker was a good idea?

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    Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
  3. Meteor? by 0000+0111 · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    I know this is way off topic, but I had to post it somewhere. About ten minutes ago (9:16 MSDT) I happened to see something explode over West Texas crossing the sky. Not like anyone really gives a rip, but it was cool! Looks like it was heading a little north of east and I would guess it's near Arkansas by now. Main object flamed yellow and four smaller objects below flaming red. Spooky!

  4. Okay, this pisses me off [offtopic] by Snafoo · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I know y'all gonna mod this one down too, but...

    I made a *very* *similar* post about Matrix-style energy collection for the 'still suit' article. It got modded *down*, as a troll. Why? Why? Check my user history!

    I am walking, talking proof that slashdot's moderators are all on crack.

    My karma-whore mascara is starting to run... *sniff*.

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    - undoware.ca