In this modern world electricity is generated from water, sun, wind, lightning, and many other natural sources. Previous year, UCLA research scientists Richard Kaner and his crew designed a new device for generating electricity from falling snow.
The device is planned to design with affordable price and flexible to the changing weather conditions. Researchers built a device using Silicone sheets. This sheets are like plastic material bends easily.
After did so many experiments using many materials such as teflon and aluminium foils they preferred silicone. Compared to other materials silicone produces a power about 0.8 W/m2 and an open circuit of voltage upto 8V. They developed this device with 3D printing sheets. They named the device as Snow-based Triboelectric Nanogenerators.
Concept of Triboelectric Generator
⚡ This generator works under the principle of static energy(The exchange of electrons when interaction of two oppositively charged materials).
⚡ Silicone is a negatively charged material which is ready to capture electrons from snow-fall.
⚡ Snow-fall is positively charged that gives up the electrons when contact with the silicone.
⚡ The charging of snow-fall depends on the temperature. If temp is the range 5°c to 10°c, then it is charged as positive. If temp is 15°c to 20°c, then it is charged as negative.
Multifunctions of Triboelectric Generator
⚡ This device acts as a self-powered sensor because it is battery-free device, monitoring the amount of snowfall, direction of wind.
⚡ This compact device also used as wearable sensor which helps to detect the movements and supports sports activities.
⚡ The researches also planned to integrated it with the solar panels because during winter seasons solar panels failed to genarate electricity.
Around 30% of earth surface is covered with snow during winter season. Inorder to balancing the failures of solar panels this nanogenarators was designed purposely. Unfortunately we are not experiancing any falling snow during winters but in the future might have the chance of changing climate conditions so inadvance we have to be in preparation for generating electricity.
References
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