Energy harvesting IC...

[ScaleRobotics]

Hey Robert,

That's pretty much it. The short description of a peltier is :A Peltier cooler/heater or thermoelectric heat pump is a solid-state active heat pump which transfers heat from one side of the device to the other.

Some cars with heated/cooled drink holders use them, and some mini cooled coolers use them. Reverse the polarity, and you reverse the side that is hot. In astronomy cameras, they stack them to get the camera imager really, really cold. That way they can take 20 minute exposures without very much noise.

Maybe a device that was made to generate thermo electric power would be able to generate more power. I used a cold pack on one side, and the hottest tap water I could get on the other, but I was only able to generate about a volt. Not very efficient for about a 100 degree difference. I had hoped it would have been another volt or two out of it at that temp difference.

Here is a picture of what I used, and then the actual device:


And just a peltier normal device without heatsinks:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/Dk...me=102-1668-ND

This explains a little more about them, and their inefficiencies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_cooling

[Demon]

Did you check the datasheet for your model?

It's talking about 3A 15.4V max at delta Tmax 66c @ 27c.

Ok, so I'm not sure how to interpret all that, but is it possible that you went over specs by going up to a 100c difference?

[ScaleRobotics]

Did you check the datasheet for your model?

It's talking about 3A 15.4V max at delta Tmax 66c @ 27c.

Ok, so I'm not sure how to interpret all that, but is it possible that you went over specs by going up to a 100c difference?

Thanks Robert,

I was working in the 100 degrees F range.
I don't really know which model mine has inside it. I probably would get more voltage at 150 degrees F difference. But in a real world scenario, it would be hard to produce this naturally I would think. Other than placing one side of it on my muffler or something .... and then I could just use the alternator.

Mine is better suited for building a 12 to 15 volt dc refrigerated cooler. I think that is what mine was originally built for. I bought mine at a surplus electronics store.

Walter