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Step 5Implementations
Motorcycle
A seebeck mounted on a motorcycle. In this case, the heat sink is much larger than it needs to be. Three seebeck units can actually be mounted under that heat sink.
Cars
Since exhaust pipes are generally round and seebeck elements are rigid, it would be a good idea to attach them to the largest diameter part of the exhaust pipe and use smaller seebeck units. This would provide a greater surface area and result in higher efficiency. Hose clamps secure it to the pipe.
Heaters/Fireplaces
Another area we can attach these would be heaters or a fireplace in a house. These get pretty hot in the winter while the air temp would be cold enough to generate power. A very large super capacitor with an efficient boost regulator can be charged to store energy for a quick boost to your phone or mp3 player when needed.
Air conditioners
In the summer the seebeck unit could be placed in the central air conditioner heat exhaust. Air conditioners actually expel heat as well, that's why they need something on the outside. Perhaps someone could install this into the central air conditioner to power a LED porch light in the summer. The circuitry would be similar to a solar charger.
Exhaust vents from your stove
Just an idea, we never looked into this one.
Charging Super Capacitors or batteries
If you connect this up to a super capacitor or batteries you could collect the power you generate and bring it with you.
Joule Thief
Kryptonite recommended we attach this to a Joule Thief. With it we were able to power an LED easily. The boost circuit we designed on Page 7 can do it just as well, but the Joule Thief circuit is nearly free since you can make it from spare parts. The temperature difference required was so low we could put a piece of ice on one side and our hand on the other to generate enough power to light a white LED (60F difference). It gets cold though, so body heat can't power it indefinitely. You can instead leave the hot side down on a radiator and its a free night light whenever the heat is on.
A seebeck mounted on a motorcycle. In this case, the heat sink is much larger than it needs to be. Three seebeck units can actually be mounted under that heat sink.
Cars
Since exhaust pipes are generally round and seebeck elements are rigid, it would be a good idea to attach them to the largest diameter part of the exhaust pipe and use smaller seebeck units. This would provide a greater surface area and result in higher efficiency. Hose clamps secure it to the pipe.
Heaters/Fireplaces
Another area we can attach these would be heaters or a fireplace in a house. These get pretty hot in the winter while the air temp would be cold enough to generate power. A very large super capacitor with an efficient boost regulator can be charged to store energy for a quick boost to your phone or mp3 player when needed.
Air conditioners
In the summer the seebeck unit could be placed in the central air conditioner heat exhaust. Air conditioners actually expel heat as well, that's why they need something on the outside. Perhaps someone could install this into the central air conditioner to power a LED porch light in the summer. The circuitry would be similar to a solar charger.
Exhaust vents from your stove
Just an idea, we never looked into this one.
Charging Super Capacitors or batteries
If you connect this up to a super capacitor or batteries you could collect the power you generate and bring it with you.
Joule Thief
Kryptonite recommended we attach this to a Joule Thief. With it we were able to power an LED easily. The boost circuit we designed on Page 7 can do it just as well, but the Joule Thief circuit is nearly free since you can make it from spare parts. The temperature difference required was so low we could put a piece of ice on one side and our hand on the other to generate enough power to light a white LED (60F difference). It gets cold though, so body heat can't power it indefinitely. You can instead leave the hot side down on a radiator and its a free night light whenever the heat is on.
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Jun 28, 2009. 2:01 AMmolusco
says:
I have a router at home wich produces loads of heat (enough to run a Stirling engine i bought). I've always wanted to do something to refrigerate it. Maybe this is a good solution to get "free" energy and cool it down. Do you think it will work?
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Jun 29, 2009. 6:08 PMsplitreaction (author)
says:
Well ya won't get free energy. if you hook one of these up. Hot side to the router, cool side to a heat sink, you could generate some electricity, probably only enough to charge a small battery. Probably not enough to power another peltier cool. However if you build the joule thief from step 10 perhaps you can make it power a LED. I mean hey, it would help cool your router and perhaps add light. But man that must be a hot router.
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1
Apr 20, 2009. 8:17 PMleemck
says:
Really heat. I tried using a pettier cooler from Halted Electronics Surplus and stopped after seeing less than a volt generated. These seebeck type generators appear to have the specs and ruggedness to make thermo electric generation practical.
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