Home powerpack, no more electric bills....want one?

Ben84

There has been serious research in to nuclear batteries for devices like laptops. As I understand it, they contain a chip of some relatively low level radioactive isotope and as it decays the energy emitted is turned in to electricity. The prototypes suggest it could power a laptop for 30 years.

There would be a lot of technical and consumer matters to figure out before these could be mass produced and sold, but at some point in the future portable technology like laptop computers and mobile phones may never need charging again. However, it's not that radioactive and some devices based on this technology such as pacemakers are already being used.

Big versions of this type of technology may also be used to power off-grid houses. With installing an electrical connection to some areas costing thousands, relatively expensive alternatives can become more attractive.

rogerblack

Ben84 wrote: »

There has been serious research in to nuclear batteries for devices like laptops. As I understand it, they contain a chip of some relatively low level radioactive isotope and as it decays the energy emitted is turned in to electricity. The prototypes suggest it could power a laptop for 30 years.

This is true.
But - it's quite different from the above.
A Strontium-90 radioisotope generator would have a half-life of about 30 years, and be quite safe.
But - if the laptop is damaged, and the radioactive material released into the environment - say by being involved in a fire - it's extremely dangerous and carcinogenic.

All sorts of 'nuclear batteries' of this sort that run off decay heat are inherently very dangerous if containment is lost, and the radioactive material is dispersed.

There are other issues - for example if your laptop uses 20W, then the nuclear battery will be producing 40W of heat all the time.
If you cover it with a cushion - it will simply continue to get hotter and hotter until it melts or goes on fire. You can't turn the heat off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator#238Pu.2C_90Sr

zeupater

whasup wrote: »

.... If it is a scam I've not yet found a credible expanation as to how it works - the scam that is?

Hi

If you need serious inward investment then you'll be in a better position if you have a full order book, even if there's no intent to fulfill the orders .... so it's a pretty standard approach to a scam to me if it is one .... offer a 'guaranteed' return to the investors backed by a full order book then take the invested money and run ....

HTH
Z

albyota

Ze, its not a scam......its a hypothetical situation......just seeing what could happen, the likelyhood of the "Big two" or the government putting the brakes on it.......


Now where did I put that gallium nitride.....

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

I think I would rather be in a position to afford a wood burning or duel fuel burning Boiler, Stove, Heaters myself and take advantage of the tonnes of wood that needs using up.

zeupater

albyota wrote: »

Ze, its not a scam......its a hypothetical situation......just seeing what could happen, the likelyhood of the "Big two" or the government putting the brakes on it.......


Now where did I put that gallium nitride.....

Hi

I follow that .... my reply was directly to whasup's LENR reactor post (#10) to explain how it would work as a scam, if it is one (:D) ....

HTH
Z

whasup

Ahh, Wikipedia. That settles it then.

zeupater

whasup wrote: »

Ahh, Wikipedia. That settles it then.

Not necessary, it's just that we've debated this before ... the last time you asked the same question I gave the same answer, you may have missed it ..... :D

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

Okay, in simple terms, if it is a scam it would be to pull investor money into the coffers .... how, well just look at the sites which have been referenced .... effectively they're offering the ability to place an order and join a waiting list with no need to place a deposit. What does this do ? ... well it builds an auditible order book worth £millions, which you then 'sell' to investors on the grounds that the order book can only be satisfied through substantial investment in plant & machinery with the offer of massive returns due to this being the 'greatest invention ever' ... the money rolls in and ..... well fill in the rest of the story as you like due to there being multiple possibilities .... but read carefully the 'get-out' clauses which protect the operators ....

Disclaimer .... http://ecat.com/ecat-business , note the context of 'future strategic'.

Terms & Conditions .... http://ecat.com/terms-conditions , in particular take note of the accuracy, product and disclaimer sections ....

HTH
Z

.... now, how does that particular scam work ?? .. :D

HTH
Z

whasup

zeupater wrote: »

Not necessary, it's just that we've debated this before ... the last time you asked the same question I gave the same answer, you may have missed it ..... :D



.... now, how does that particular scam work ?? .. :D

HTH
Z

I'm sceptical myself but if/when Rossi does sell a unit it's not going to be in a box marked 'nuclear reactor - this way up' delivered by Parcel Post. It's going to be a big one to somebody who knows what they are getting into. The U.S. Navy has acknowledged it met with Rossi. The US Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center has published research on LEN reactions and confirmed it detected neutrons. NASA has publicly acknowledged its interest in LENR. Whoever it is, If it's a crock of doo-doo's we'll all know well before we get our cheque books out and if Rossi tries to run off with the dosh he won't get far before a hellfire missile catches up with him.

albyota

I’ve just dropped a Neodymium magnet into the Hydrogen Fuel Cell, where’s me goggles?:eek:

This bit is quite a challenge, 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O reaction is highly exothermic, so a large quantity of heat is being generated within the fuel cell….Hmmm…. if I can modify my heat pump to use this unwanted heat……:D