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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Can a heat pump system generate electricity from temperatures over 0 Kelvin?
« on: 20/10/2014 22:03:49 »
I am wondering - can a heat pump system be used to generate electricity from T>0K (temperature larger then 0 kelvin)?
That is - if a heat pump system consumes 1 energy unit and gives back 3 units (that includes the input unit), where the excess energy is taken from somewhere, decreasing that places temperature - using a thermoelectric converter with efficiency of 40%, then 1 unit can be pushed back to repeat the process, 1,8 is lost (non-converted) heat and 0.2 can be harnessed as electrical energy. With the mechanical parts and the compression chamber in the same place, surrounded by the thermoelectric converter system not to loose heat energy at mechanical inefficiency. It almost seems as if a system could be built that just keeps on cooling its surroundings and generating electricity as long as there is T>0K in the surroundings. Cant it?
That is - if a heat pump system consumes 1 energy unit and gives back 3 units (that includes the input unit), where the excess energy is taken from somewhere, decreasing that places temperature - using a thermoelectric converter with efficiency of 40%, then 1 unit can be pushed back to repeat the process, 1,8 is lost (non-converted) heat and 0.2 can be harnessed as electrical energy. With the mechanical parts and the compression chamber in the same place, surrounded by the thermoelectric converter system not to loose heat energy at mechanical inefficiency. It almost seems as if a system could be built that just keeps on cooling its surroundings and generating electricity as long as there is T>0K in the surroundings. Cant it?