3 ms·
I think you need a temperature gradient to generate electricity from heat
by heeen2 10y ago
I think you need a temperature gradient to generate electricity from heat
- siculars 10y agoThe space station is in, uh, space. I'm fairly certain a temperature gradient could be arranged.
- seer 10y agoIt's actually the complete opposite - space is not "infinitely cold" it's more like "infinitely isolating" - like the perfect giant thermos. Space suits for example have a whole layer of water tubes just to cool down the astronaught, otherwise they will pass out from their own body's temperature.
- naasking 10y agoIndeed, black body radiation isn't very effective at dissipating heat!
- creshal 10y agoThe ISS has an 28 tons active cooling system that barely radiates away as much heat as a one ton HVAC unit on Earth (70kW). It's hard to generate a temperature gradient when you're blasted from the unfiltered Sun on one side, and reflected IR from Earth.
- deelowe 10y agoAnd surrounded by a near vacuum.
- deelowe 10y agoAnd yet thermos has somehow made billions by assuming the opposite.