Chinese researchers have advanced hydrovoltaic cell science by creating a device that generates electricity with less water and no sunlight.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences team touted their invention as one that works in virtually any climate, according to a report published by Tech Xplore.
The cells "generate electricity by capturing the energy from interactions between water and other surfaces," Bob Yirka wrote for the publication.
Part of the breakthrough is building the device in a hermetically sealed container, creating a hermetic hydrovoltaic cell, or HHC. Inside, there's a "wicking agent" made of tissue paper and carbon black. The latter substance is made of partially burnt heavy petroleum products, as described by ScienceDirect.
A small amount of water is added to the setup, which circulates throughout it. Energy is created as water evaporates or moves across the surfaces. The cell doesn't need a steady supply of water, as do other iterations of the tech, per Tech Xplore and ScienceDirect.
There is also a quartz layer and some other parts needed to make the chemistry work. The tight, hermetic seal is crucial. As a result, the cell could operate in conditions ranging from a desert to a rainforest or even deep underground, as described in an in-depth lab summary by Nature.
Fascinatingly, ambient heat is the "instigating" factor that triggers power generation from the reaction between water and the materials inside the cell. Testing showed the cell can produce power for 160 hours. The experts noted that it would work well in areas with a low water supply, all according to the Tech Xplore report.
The combination of cheap materials, low water use, and leveraging abundant ambient heat make it an appealing device, the report continued.
The HHC findings are among the latest advancements in fascinating power generation from unlikely places. In Paris, a team of students created turnstiles at a metro station that powered TV screens using routine human movement. An Australian research team is figuring out how to recycle Styrofoam into a material that can generate power with help from the wind.
🗣️ Do you think all new homes should use heat pump technology?
🔘 Definitely 💯
🔘 Let each state decide 🇺🇸
🔘 Let homeowners decide 🏘️
🔘 No way 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
It's all part of the way we can produce energy with less heat-trapping air pollution, utilizing abundant, renewable resources. Cleaner energy can help limit and reduce risks associated with our warming world, including extreme weather, which NASA has linked to our planet overheating.
Adding modern appliances at home, such as heat pumps, can more efficiently use the electricity, saving you loads of money.
Heat pump water heaters are up to three times more efficient than traditional models, for example. That's why those units can chip away at a leading home energy expense. About 20% of a dwelling's power goes to heating water, as described by the U.S. Energy Department. There are tax breaks available to help offset the purchase, as well.
As for the HHC, while sunlight isn't a requirement, testing showed that exposure to solar rays increased electricity output "due to energy from the sunlight increasing the rate of absorption by the black carbon, which in turn led to an increased moisture gradient," according to Tech Xplore.
The important part is this: If commercialized, the tech could produce power for "as long as desired," the report continued.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
