Raindrop-Powered Generator Using Carbon Fiber Composites

31 pointsposted a month ago
by giuliomagnifico

3 Comments

MarkusQ

a month ago

The innovation here isn't the generation of ridiculously small micro-currents from raindrops (we've seen that before) but the use of expensive carbon fiber materials (that don't rust) to do it.

giuliomagnifico

a month ago

> In experiments, a single 92-microliter raindrop generated up to 60 volts and several microamperes of current. When four generators were connected in series, 144 LED bulbs lit up instantaneously.

MarkusQ

a month ago

"Instantaneously" in this instance meaning "for a fraction of a second" -- specifically, the time between the drop hitting and it bouncing/reforming into a bead. Probably (back of the envelope) for on the order of 0.1 seconds.