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Microgenerators Coming Soon to Electronics Near You

Posted by michael on from the kickstart-your-cellphone dept.

fygment writes "A new microgenerator developed at Georgia Tech can now produce enough power to run a small electronic device, like a cell phone, and may soon be able to power a laptop. The microgenerator is about 10 millimeters wide, or about the size of a dime. When coupled with a similarly sized gas-fueled microturbine (or jet) engine, the system, called a microengine, has the potential to deliver more energy and last 10 times longer than a conventional battery. This is still just a quarter of the problem. A turbine is still being developed to turn the generator and that will require fuel and storage of some kind."

7 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Already slashdotted. by amigoro · · Score: 3, Informative
    Already slashdotted.
    The Cache of the magazine

    The cache of the gatech site

    --


    Nothing to see here
  2. Related Article by DosBubba · · Score: 4, Informative

    Jet Engine on a Chip

  3. Virtually everything is "steam" powered! by laetus · · Score: 4, Informative

    Shows how much you know about modern power. Almost all of our electrical power sans wind generated, dammed or solar, are "steam" powered as you say.

    A nuclear plant is nothing but a fancy way of boiling water to turn, you guessed it, steam turbines to generate electricity. Same with gas and oil-fired power plants.

    --

    "We're sorry, but the website you're trying to reach has been disconnected."
  4. More Links to Slashdot by otuz · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here are links to more articles:

    Space Daily
    GaTech
    A Student's description

  5. Re:Size by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, that is not a joke. The unit size here is specifying the precision.

    mm = + or - 0.5 mm
    cm = + or - 0.5 cm

    The other way to do it is with significant figures.
    10.0 cm would be (ostensibly) the same thing as
    10mm.

  6. Tiny Engines by pvg · · Score: 4, Informative

    While genetically engineered microscopic hamsters may be some years away, research into tiny internal combustion engines that could drive such a generator is definitely being done. The work of the Berkeley Combustion Processes Lab was in the news a couple of years ago when they showed some prototypes. The stuff can be seen in some detail at http://www.me.berkeley.edu/mrcl/

  7. Re:No thanks. by Murphy+Murph · · Score: 5, Informative
    And the hot exhaust from the turbine would feel absolutely lovely against one's leg while being carried in a pocket


    On your fears of hot exhaust:

    My cell phone = 3.6v battery @ 850 mah.
    That is 3.06 watt hours.
    If I talk non-stop on my phone it takes two hours to kill the battery.
    That's 1.53 watts consumed at FULL usage.
    1.53 watt hours = 1,316 calories.
    That's enough heat to raise 1.3 Liters of water one stinkin' degree - over the course of one hour.
    I'm willing to be your thigh contains more than 1.3 Liters of water.

    Assume 33% efficiency and you still don't have much to fear.

    --
    I dub thee... Sir Phobos, Knight of Mars, Beater of Ass.