What energy harvesting devices can you name and describe

The title almost says it all.
I would like to see how many energy harvesting devices we can name and describe
It is a thread with a goal but not a formal research project yet. Meaning if we get hung up an interesting device.So be it.
Don't limit our subject to present day technology . Old tech was pretty cool too
Like the ragged chute air compressor
Which used water to compress air on a very large scale. I am sure some one will hit on that one if not I will later.
Have fun

reply to post by Thadeous


plants
slave
horse
donkey
mule
oxen
llama
camel
dog

John Deere.

reply to post by Thadeous


Passive Crystal Radio Set

Black Stone

Photovoltaic cell
And the easy discription
Converts light into direct current electricity

reply to post by will2learn


Black Stone
Would that be to harvest solar?

Those devices are usually called generators.

Hint: A closed-system field coupled with a generator won't work. (You find those by mixing some magnets in a rotating thingie if you were looking for "free energy" on the net.. Those are attempts to dispart you of your money.)

reply to post by ManFromEurope

Not looking for a perpetual motion machine or a zero point energy device not in this thread any way
I guess I will have to reveal the endgame of this tread early and maybe more will participate
First step is to compile a list of all known energy harvesting devices
Second step compile list of all known energy storage devices
Third compile list of energy conversation devices
Last but not least see if all of us here at ATS can configure these devices into a useful and efficiant system

wind mill
water mill
pendulum (to some extent, harvesting the energy from gravity)
nuclear reactor
water power plant
stove (harvesting the energy stored in coal, wood etc.)
steam engines (similar as stove, but transforming the energy into steam and then into motion --> engine)
lens (sort of harvesting the sun's energy and concentrate it to a point)
solar cells (converting sun's energy in electricity or into heat)

Peltier cell
Converts thermal energy into direct current electricity
Piezoelectric disk
Converts pressure into electricity
Vortex tube
Coverts compressed air into thermal energy

Thadeous
reply to post by will2learn

 

Black Stone
Would that be to harvest solar?

Indeed, the simplest ideas are always the best

Passive Crystal radio set harvests the energy of the vacuum in the simplest way. I didn't realize explanations of what the devices harvest was needed.

Some of you are listing energy users or transducers. I believe the OP wants devises/concepts that HARVEST energy.

Solor Panel-not the photovoltic kind, but to capture light and harvest as heat energy

Radio Antenna-someone already said crystal radio, but there are remote sensors that get their energy from radio waves

Ocean Wave gadgets- that take energy from the waves

Geothermal-I guess the harvester would be pipes and water

Oil Well

Coal Mine

Sail-like on a ship. I guess a stationary sail would be a wind mill

reply to post by Galileo400

Transducers are fine too
When we get further along we will need them
And I'm glad you said transducer because it made me think of another harvester
Audio speaker-converts sound into electricity

reply to post by Thadeous


The Stirling Engine is one of the coolest energy devices. It's a true heat engine. No internal combustion. It will run off of any heat source, including external combustion. But also, heat from solar power or from anywhere. It just needs a heat source and a heat sink and it will run on much less temperature difference than any internal combustion engine. Then, you can use the mechanical power to run a generator.

reply to post by Galileo400

Would love to build or buy a sterling engine just to watch it run on top of cup of coffee

I recently acquired some old plans on a sterling engine when the name for it was "mystery engine" my friend found them when going through a box of his grandpa's stuff

reply to post by Galileo400


youtu.be...
Here is a link to video about a heat engine made from a metal call nitinol
Looks fun

Wham ! Wave Glider !
en.wikipedia.org...
It's my favorite. Apparently Big Oil and DARPA
like it too.
Now what did your thread say?
I guess I better read it.

Ok Cool, just what I had hoped you were doing with this thread.

The Wave Glider uses a top side wave and sunlight capture surfboard
to convert power down below a ways to a beautiful moving fish/aero plane
propulsion thingy.
Can be loaded with whatever sensors you like and stay on any course
for a year or more.
Very cool.

reply to post by Thadeous


Solar Energy + CO2 + H2O ===>Plants ===> Animals ===> treadmill

OR

Solar Energy + CO2 + H2O ===>Plants ===>coal/oil/nat'l gas ===> turbines

reply to post by sealing

Love the enthusiasm
That is really cool
And you nailed one I have never heard of and I have been researching this subject for around 11 years
If this was contest you would have just got a point

And I remember something about a road that gently moved under the weight of
auto traffic and harnessed a good amount of energy from it.