Articles tagged with "energy-harvesting"
Screw It or Pump It? BYD Patents Two Paths to Suspension Energy Recovery - CleanTechnica
The article discusses two innovative suspension energy recovery systems recently patented by BYD, highlighting the company's exploration of different methods to capture and reuse energy typically lost in vehicle suspension damping. Traditional shock absorbers convert suspension motion energy into heat through hydraulic fluid resistance, which cannot be reused. BYD’s patents aim to actively recover this energy, potentially improving overall vehicle efficiency or offsetting the energy consumption of advanced suspension control systems. The article explains the basics of suspension function and existing damper technologies, including passive, adaptive, and active suspensions, setting the context for BYD’s new approaches. The first patented design involves a ball screw mechanism where an intermediate fitting with permanent magnets acts as a rotor between the inner shaft and outer housing. This rotor spins as the suspension moves, inducing electricity in a coil to generate power. This design could offer a more compact vertical profile, beneficial for vehicle packaging constraints, though it may be wider than traditional dampers. Mechanically, it integrates the motor/generator within the damper
energysuspension-energy-recoveryBYD-patentsactive-suspensionvehicle-efficiencymagnetorheological-fluidenergy-harvestingHow Energy-Generating Sidewalks Work
The article explores the concept and mechanics behind energy-generating sidewalks, which capture the energy produced by human footsteps and convert it into usable electricity. This technology has been implemented in various countries and has potential applications ranging from powering city infrastructure to energizing entertainment venues like discotheques or playgrounds. The fundamental principle relies on the physics of energy conservation, illustrated through the analogy of a bouncing ball that exchanges kinetic, gravitational potential, and spring potential energy, with some energy lost as heat or sound during each impact. Humans maintain a constant height while walking by replenishing lost energy through muscular effort fueled by food, meaning the system is not closed but continuously energized internally. Energy-harvesting sidewalks capitalize on the otherwise "wasted" kinetic energy from footsteps using two main technologies: piezoelectric generators, which produce electricity when mechanical stress is applied to certain materials, and electromagnetic generators, which convert mechanical motion into electrical energy. Both methods have long-standing scientific foundations, but their novel application in pedestrian pathways presents an
energyrenewable-energyenergy-harvestingkinetic-energysustainable-technologyenergy-generating-sidewalksgreen-technologyNew solar desalination device makes 3.4 liters of drinking water hourly
Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology (UNIST) have developed an innovative solar desalination device that produces clean drinking water by harnessing sunlight to evaporate seawater without relying on external electricity. Central to this technology is the use of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, an oxide perovskite material that efficiently converts solar energy into heat through intra-band trap states, facilitating non-radiative recombination of photoexcited electrons and holes. This material, combined with a novel inverse-L-shaped device design that enables one-directional fluid flow, effectively prevents salt accumulation by pushing salt to the edges of the photothermal surface, thereby reducing fouling and light blockage. The system achieves a remarkable solar evaporation rate of 3.40 kg/m²/h (approximately 3.4 liters per hour), significantly outperforming typical rates of 0.3–0.4 kg/m²/h under natural sunlight. Durability tests confirmed stable operation over two weeks
solar-desalinationenergy-harvestingphotothermal-materialsoxide-perovskiterenewable-energywater-purificationadvanced-energy-materialsChina develops transparent coating to turn windows into solar panels
Researchers at Nanjing University in China have developed a transparent, colorless solar concentrator coating that can be applied directly to standard window glass, enabling windows to generate solar power without altering their appearance. This innovation uses multilayer cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) films to selectively diffract circularly polarized sunlight, guiding it toward photovoltaic (PV) cells installed at the window edges. Unlike conventional solar concentrators, this system maintains high visual clarity with an average visible transmittance of 64.2% and a color rendering index of 91.3%, allowing up to 38.1% of incident sunlight to be harvested while keeping the glass visually indistinguishable from ordinary windows. The technology offers significant scalability and efficiency advantages. Simulations indicate that a two-meter-wide coated window can concentrate sunlight up to 50 times its normal intensity, potentially reducing the required PV cell area by 75%, lowering material costs, and enabling new energy-efficient building designs. A prototype demonstrated the ability to power
energysolar-powertransparent-coatingphotovoltaic-cellsliquid-crystal-filmsenergy-harvestinggreen-buildingsChina’s nanogenerators achieve 117% power conversion from ocean waves
Chinese researchers from the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems and Guangxi University have developed advanced triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) capable of converting low-frequency mechanical energy from ocean waves into electricity with an unprecedented 117% power conversion efficiency. Their work, published in Nano-Micro Letters, reviews six innovative TENG structural designs optimized for marine environments, including spherical, bionic, and hybrid configurations. These designs enhance internal device output, durability, and adaptability to harsh ocean conditions, enabling self-sustaining power solutions for marine grids, distributed IoT, and even hydrogen production from seawater. The study emphasizes advancements in TENG architectures, particularly solid-solid contact designs, which show strong commercial potential for marine power generation. The researchers highlight the importance of structural optimization and hybrid systems that integrate TENGs with electromagnetic generators (EMGs), piezoelectric generators (PENGs), and solar cells to capture a broader energy spectrum. Such hybrid systems achieve frequency-complementary
energynanogeneratorsocean-wave-energytriboelectric-nanogeneratorsblue-energymarine-power-generationenergy-harvestingCoin-sized generator harvests energy from waste walnut shells
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a coin-sized water-induced electric generator (WEG) that produces electricity by harnessing the evaporation of water from walnut shells, an abundant agricultural waste. This device leverages hydrovoltaic energy harvesting, where evaporating water moves charged ions through the porous walnut shell structure, creating an electrical current without complex processing. The WEG can generate enough power to operate small electronics like calculators, demonstrating a simple, low-cost, and sustainable approach to energy generation from natural waste materials. Among various nut shells tested, walnut shells showed the highest efficiency, especially after cleaning, polishing, and precise shaping. The WEG units consist of treated walnut shells combined with electrodes, wires, and a 3D-printed casing. By connecting multiple units, the researchers successfully powered an LCD calculator, highlighting potential applications in remote or off-grid settings. Future research aims to develop wearable versions that harvest energy from sweat or raindrops and explore practical uses such as water-leak sensors.
energyrenewable-energyhydrovoltaic-energyenergy-harvestingsustainable-poweragricultural-wasteclean-electricitySelf-powered microneedle patch monitors biomarkers without blood
Researchers have developed a self-powered microneedle patch that enables painless, blood-free collection of health biomarker samples from dermal interstitial fluid (ISF) just below the skin’s surface. Unlike traditional blood tests, which require needles and complex processing to isolate relevant fluids, this patch uses microneedles that swell upon contact with ISF, drawing the fluid into a paper layer where it is stored. The patch can collect and store biomarkers for up to 24 hours, allowing for easier and faster health monitoring without the need for batteries or external devices. In proof-of-concept tests on synthetic skin, the patch successfully measured cortisol, a stress biomarker, within 15 minutes, demonstrating potential for frequent, noninvasive monitoring of various health indicators. Made from inexpensive materials, the patch eliminates the need for phlebotomists and blood collection supplies, potentially transforming home and clinical diagnostics. The research team is advancing human trials and developing electronic readers to analyze the collected samples, seeking industry
materialsenergy-harvestingwearable-technologybiosensorshealth-monitoringmicroneedlesself-powered-devicesMelting ice races faster than Death Valley rocks on new lab surface
Researchers at Virginia Tech, led by Professor Jonathan Boreyko, have engineered a specially designed aluminum surface that causes melting ice discs to self-propel rapidly across it. The surface features asymmetric, arrowhead-shaped grooves with a herringbone pattern that direct the flow of meltwater, effectively carrying the ice disc forward without external forces like wind. This phenomenon was inspired by the natural mystery of "sailing stones" in Death Valley's Racetrack Playa, where rocks move across flat ground due to ice rafts propelled by wind and melting water. A surprising discovery emerged when the team applied a water-repellent coating to the grooved plates. Instead of facilitating faster movement, the ice disc initially stuck to the surface, creating a "slingshot effect." Meltwater pooling on one side of the ice disc generates a surface tension imbalance that suddenly dislodges and propels the ice at high speed, making it move much faster than the Death Valley rocks. This breakthrough has potential applications in rapid defrost
energymaterialsenergy-harvestingice-propulsionsurface-engineeringdefrosting-technologybiomimicryTiny turbines crack wind’s secret ‘twist’ for a giant 37% power boost
Researchers led by Shuo Zhang have discovered that pairing two tiny, counter-rotating wind turbines in tandem can increase power output by 37% compared to a single turbine. These micro wind turbines, less than 200 millimeters in diameter, are crucial for powering remote and decentralized technologies such as environmental sensors and IoT devices. Using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry, a 3D airflow visualization technique, the team analyzed the wake—turbulent airflow—behind the first turbine and found it retains significant rotational energy typically lost. By positioning a second turbine counter-rotating behind the first at a specific distance (12 radii), this residual rotational energy can be harnessed, boosting overall efficiency. The enhanced performance stems from the unique physics of small turbines, which operate at lower speeds and higher torque, imparting a “twist” to the wind that the downstream turbine can exploit. This tandem design mimics multi-stage turbines in jet engines by capturing both the wind’s push and twist
energywind-turbinesmicro-wind-turbinesrenewable-energyenergy-harvestingIoT-devicessustainable-powerUS scientists shatter 165-year-old physics rule for energy breakthroughs
A research team at Penn State has reported a groundbreaking violation of Kirchhoff’s law of thermal radiation, a fundamental physics principle established 165 years ago. Kirchhoff’s law states that a material’s ability to absorb energy at a specific wavelength and angle must equal its ability to emit energy under the same conditions. However, the Penn State scientists demonstrated a significant non-reciprocity contrast of 0.43—indicating a notable difference between absorptivity and emissivity—using a specially designed five-layer thin film semiconductor structure. This effect was observed over a broad 10-micrometer wavelength range, marking the strongest recorded deviation from the law’s reciprocity principle. This breakthrough has important implications for energy harvesting and thermal management technologies. For example, conventional solar cells must emit some absorbed energy back to the sun, which limits their efficiency. The new non-reciprocal material can direct emitted energy away from the sun, potentially allowing that energy to be captured by additional solar cells and thus improving overall
energythermal-radiationKirchhoff's-lawnon-reciprocitythin-film-materialsenergy-harvestingsemiconductor-materialsPhysicists create world’s smallest violin that’s thinner than hair
materialsnanotechnologynanolithographyelectronicsenergy-harvestingprecision-engineeringmicrofabricationUS scientists harvest electrical energy from human movement
energytriboelectric-generatorenergy-harvestingwearable-biosensorsmechanical-energypower-generationsensors