As much as we would like to switch to renewable energy sources, each has its own drawbacks. Solar panels, for instance, only work during daylight. At night, they are inactive, relying on energy stored in batteries charged during the day. This limitation can be addressed with thermoradiative panels devised by scientists.
As indicated by the internet resource , researchers from the University of California Davis have proposed the concept of 'anti-solar' panels, which can generate electricity by emitting heat that the panels themselves have absorbed (infrared radiation). Since infrared radiation has less energy than visible light, 'anti-solar' panels will produce about 25% of the electricity compared to conventional solar panels of the same size. But isn't this better than nothing?
Thermoradiative panels generate electricity differently than solar panels. In standard panels, visible light in the form of photons penetrates the semiconductor of the solar cell and interacts with the material . The thermoradiative elements proposed by scientists operate on a similar principle, but they use energy from infrared radiation. The physics is the same, but the materials in the elements must differ, as stated by the researchers in the relevant article in the journal .
The question of how the thermoradiative element works during the day remains open, although conditions for its operation can also be created during the day. At night, the thermoradiative element, heated during the day, actively emits the accumulated heat into the colder open space. During the process of infrared radiation, the energy of the emitted particles is converted into electrical energy. Essentially, such a converter can begin to work as soon as the ambient temperature drops below its heating point.
Currently, scientists are not ready to show a prototype of the thermoradiation element and are only approaching its creation. There is also no data on which material would be preferred for manufacturing thermoradiation elements. The article discusses the possible use of mercury alloys, which raises concerns about safety. At the same time, it would be appealing to create elements that could generate electricity not only during the day but also at night.
Source: 3dnews.ru
