[extropy-chat] microgenerator

[scerir]

http://www.aip.org/mgr/png/2003/204.htm

"An electrical micro-generator might provide electric power for
portable microscale devices.  At a modern power station, high
pressure fluids (water, steam, or gas) are dashed against turbine
blades, thus turning a shaft which cranks out electricity.  At an
MIT lab, all of this is done on a centimeter-size scale.   At an
upcoming meeting of the AVS Science and Technology Society in
Baltimore, Carol Livermore will describe a micromotor with a 4-mm
rotor which puts out 20 milliwatts of power, far more power than any
other existing rotating micromotor.  The motor may be incorporated
into a microscale gas turbine generator.  This is, in effect, a tiny
jet engine: air and gas mix in a small combustion chamber and the
resultant explosion powers the turbine.  The MIT researchers
expect that soon the output will be at the level of 300 volts, and 
1 watt of mechanical power or 0.5 watt of electrical power.  
The device might not yet be as compact as the best micro-batteries
currently available, but it will be able to do what batteries
cannot, namely supply power over long periods."  

paper MM-TuA3, by Carol Livermore, livermor at mit.edu 
meeting will be held November 2-7  
website at http://www.avs.org/symposium/baltimore/default.asp  
general art. at http://www.aip.org/tip/INPHFA/vol-7/iss-6/p20.pdf