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Comment on If the first solar entrepreneur hadn't been kidnapped, would fossil fuels have dominated the 20th century?

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HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

No such thing as too curious… unless you are a cat. Little dangerous there.

If im reading this correctly, and translated to english:

non conductive block
two different alloys - zinc and opposite to zinc (antinomy) v copper and nickle/copper/zinc.
assuming light hits, produces difference between metal and opposite metal, results in current flow through wire to equalize. Not sure how rare earth Nickle and zinc are, but suppose its not cobalt.

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CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
So it’s a Seebeck Effect generator and really isn’t what we’d call a solar device today.

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- luthis@lemmy.nz ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  
  Seebeck Effect
  
  This is how fridges work in reverse right? Apply current and make one side really cold?
  
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  - belathus@bookwormstory.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    The device you’re thinking of might be a peltier or thermoelectric cooler (TEC). But yes. They’re way less efficient than a vapor compression refrigerator, though.
    
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    luthis@lemmy.nz ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Ohhhh… Thanks!
    
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  - HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Fridges work on gas pressure - compress a gas it heats up, decompress a gas it cools…
    
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    luthis@lemmy.nz ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Wait… then what am I thinking of? I’m sure this effect is used somewhere
    
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  - CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Like the very small fridges that work for a single soda can? Refrigerators use the liquid/gas transition to move heat around. It’s much more efficient.
    
    The only real advantage of Peltiers are simplicity and size.
    
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- HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Sorry - above my pay grade knowing what that is. Got a bit of education to get through.
  
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  - CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Basically when there’s a temperature difference been two different metals that are touching a small current is produced. You can also go backwards and use electricity to create a temperature difference (Peltier Effect).
    
    They have niche applications because the effect is pretty small. Hardly a realistic substitute for solar panels that use the photovoltaic effect.
    
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    HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Does this mean - in theory - I can put one metal plate out in sun, one in shade, connect with a wire? Or is it a contact surface area thing?
    
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luthis@lemmy.nz ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Nickel and zinc are very common to my knowledge. And much easier to mine than lithium

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