Generating Power from Changes in Humidity

Jan-29-14 Water evaporation could be the largest power source in nature, as has been demonstrated by a prototype electrical generator that moves in response to changes in humidity.

Developed by Ozgur Sahin, Ph.D, the generator features flexible planks covered with spores of the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. This bacteria will become tough and wrinkled when dried, but return to its original form almost immediately after being exposed to water. Coating a tiny, flexible plank with a solution containing the spores caused the plank to flex in response to the humidity in his breath—a response Sahin was able to observe with the naked eye.

The plank was able to generate 1000 times the force of a human muscle when the humidity was increased from that of a dry, sunny day to a humid, misty one—10 times the force produced by current materials used to build actuators.

More Info about this Invention:

[INHABITAT.COM]
[WYSS INSTITUTE]

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