Thermal diode
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A thermal diode is a heat engine which converts a heat difference directly into electric power.
There are two types. One uses semiconductor thermocouples, working on the principles of the Peltier-Seebeck effect. The other relies on vacuum tubes and the principles of thermionic emission.
External links
- A news article on the increases in semiconductor thermal diode efficiency (http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2001/121901/Chips_turn_more_heat_to_power_121901.html)
- Thermoelectric Power Generation: Converting Low-Grade Heat into Electricity (Equations for semiconductor thermal diodes) (http://doc.tms.org/ezMerchant/prodtms.nsf/ProductLookupItemID/JOM-9812-49/)