We were lucky enough to have a special presentation by electrical engineer, Tom Vale, this past week in class. He started off with discussing how alternative fuels and energy are going to have to be the end to a means in the future because we are just wasting it now and burning it all up. Alternative energy methods date back hundreds of years ago and Tom started showing us some simplistic devices that can power engines without burning up fuel.
The first device he showed us was the Peltier device. He was an 1834 physicist who used 2 dissimiliar metals togethr to create electrical energy into junction. One side of the device would be in hot water, and the other in cool which would generate electricity and cause the bars on top of the device to turn. This became known as the Peltier effect. In scientific terms, a current is made to flow through a junction made of materials, A and B, heat is generated in the upper junction, and absorbed at the lower junction. Thermoelectric heat pumps showcase this effect as well as thermoelectric cooling devices.
He then discussed the Stirling Engine, developed by Robert Stirling in 1816 where he created this to eliminate steam engines.Steam engines were extremely dangerous and many explosions of them caused death and serious injury among maritime workers. The Stirling engine is a heat engine that is operated by a cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas. At different temperature levels all heat is transferred to and from the gas (working fluid) through the engine wall to produce energy. It runs at a 60% efficiency rate and is an extremely quiet hot air engine.
Tom then showed us a simple barbecue lighter but explained in simplistic terms how it worked which is really something I had never thought of before. It has small rectangular cortz crystals that when squeezed to produce the flame, gets high voltage, also known as the Peizo-electric-effect. This same effect happens in lawnmowers and radio transmitters. We also looked at a solar powered engine where the solar cells convert light into electricity through traction and the repulsion of magnets.
The most interesting display to me was the wireless transfer of energy that he showed us. By turning on an electric generator, the tessler coils at the top showed visible purple sparks. Tom took a long wand filled with neon and mercury vapor that lit up half blue and half pink when the electricity was transferred through the air. Old school medical devices from the 1800s were also shown to us which really did not help anyone at all, and other fun devices like electric fly swatters with a high voltage osculation was also displayed.
Overall, Tom Vale used very interesting visual aids and one of a kind humor in his presentation that drew in the audience and helped me learn about the different kinds of engines and energy generators we can use to promote alternative energy for our future generations.
