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Article: A sound way to generate electricity. (heat energy transformed first into sound energy and then electric power)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- May 31, 1986
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1986 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A sound way to generate electricity
Converting heat energy into electricity is nothing new. That's what happens in a coal-fired power plant, for instance. But transforming heat energy first into sound energy and then into electrical power is somewhat unconventional. This latter process is the basis for a liquid-metal acoustic heat engine now being developed at the Los Alamos (N.M.) National Laboratory (LANL).
Although the acoustic engine isn't as efficient as other heat engines, such as steam turbines, it has the advantage of having no moving mechanical parts and hence a high reliability, says LANL's Greg Swift. Such engines could be used to provide ...