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Capturing Waste Heat with Quantum Mechanics

Posted by michael on from the grease-monkeys-replaced-with-electron-monkeys dept.

TheMatt writes: "There is a summary of a Phys.Rev.Lett. article up at Nature Science Update that describes a design for a 'quantum afterburner' that would improve the efficiency of an Otto engine. It improves the efficiency by using a laser and maser to extract energy from the hot exhaust of the engine. In fact, the process could enhance performance beyond that of the "ideal" Otto engine."

3 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Big deal... by nurightshu · · Score: 5, Funny

    I used a laser and a maser to extract energy from the waste heat generated by my Athlon. I've been running everything in my house but my computer off that exhaust tap!

    --
    They that would sacrifice their .sig space for that cliched Franklin quote deserve neither.
  2. Re:But what do you do with the light? by mrpotato · · Score: 4, Funny

    You put them on the head of those friggin sharks.

    --

    cheers
  3. Quantum Mechanics by Jarvo · · Score: 5, Funny

    If this makes it into your average car, would you have to take it to a normal mechanic AND a quantum mechanic? The price of the devices used in research had better come down before it happens.

    I can see it now...

    QM: (Wipes hands on oily rag) Well, if you lookee here, yer muffler wall is causing the maser beam to create destructive interference.

    Car owner: uhuh.

    QM: That, combined with the alignment of the quantum magnetic dipole is causing yer car to stall.

    Car owner: But how much will it cost?

    QM: Yer salary fer the next two years.