Oregon State University makes break through in Thermal activated cooling/power system.

Thermal activated cooling system. This prototype of a "thermal activated cooling system" has been developed by engineers at Oregon State University, and promises important new advances in energy efficiency by using wasted heat. (Credit: Photo courtesy of Oregon State University)

ScienceDaily (June 12, 2011) — With the completion of a successful prototype, engineers at Oregon State University have made a major step toward addressing one of the leading problems in energy use around the world today -- the waste of half or more of the energy produced by cars, factories and power plants. New technology is being developed at OSU to capture and use the low-to-medium grade waste heat that's now going out the exhaust pipe of millions of automobiles, diesel generators, or being wasted by factories and electrical utilities.The potential cost savings, improved energy efficiency and broad application of such technology is enormous, experts say. The new systems now being perfected at OSU should be able to use much of that waste heat either in cooling or the production of electricity.

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This is an awesome break through for energy efficiency. If any of you have ever worked in a factory before, especially a weld or fabrication company, I'm sure you can understand how much heat is generated and being wasted.
Think about how much excess heat is generated from the motor in your vehicle.
According to the article power plants are only 40% efficient in generating electricity,The rest is wasted heat/energy loss. With the aide of this new technology it could now be possible to produce electricity more efficiently. In the case of hybrid cars the technology could be used to capture the heat from the gasoline motor to power the batteries of the electic motor. There's probably a whole host of possibilities for a technology like this that haven't even been considered yet.


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Go Beavers!

Really cool innovation for sure.....and right in back yard! Go Beavers!

Heat is such a waste in so many applications, and if this can be advanced, imagine what kind of effect this would have.

would be nice to know more on how this works. but if it realy can yeild 80% efficency get it into the system. i also wonder what somthing like this would cost? nice find ill s+f

Now hopefully they'll sell these as retrofit kits ! imagine every 2000 watt generator becoming a 4000 watt generator instantly!

But ten to one this technology will go to utilities and big users and not filter down to us for another 20 years.

Edit to add: Oh and they're going to RAISE your rates to pay for their new doodad! so they'll generate twice as much power and charge twice as much for each kilowatt hour.... good deal for them BOHICA for you and me.

Poly-generation plants can exceed 80% efficiency (oft more than 90%).
So where does the 40% efficiency number come from?

The U of O has football, and OSU has academics. Go Ducks! And Beavers!

This information is fantastic; I thought it deserved a bump.