Harness Heat Energy for Drone Power - How To?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of harnessing heat energy to power drones, particularly in the context of providing backup energy solutions for drones intended for use in African villages. Participants explore various methods of energy harnessing, including solar energy and heat engines.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the possibility of harnessing heat energy in drones, seeking methods to achieve this.
  • Another participant suggests using solar energy as a source of heat energy for the drone.
  • A participant explains that a heat engine requires a temperature difference and discusses the challenges of using surrounding air as a cold reservoir due to high thermal resistance.
  • One participant expresses the intention to build a drone for African villages, emphasizing the need for a backup energy source and considering heat energy as a viable option alongside solar energy.
  • A later reply mentions the maximum attainable temperature with solar flux and discusses Carnot's efficiency, suggesting that practical efficiency would be lower and that heat engines may not be lightweight enough for drone applications.
  • Another participant agrees that solar cells would be a better option, noting the challenge of collecting sufficient energy to sustain drone flight and suggesting the idea of using solar power to recharge batteries instead.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the viability of using heat energy for drones, with some advocating for solar energy and others highlighting the limitations of heat engines. There is no consensus on the best approach, as multiple competing views remain.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the limitations of heat engines, including weight and efficiency concerns, and the potential of solar energy, but do not resolve the practical implications of these factors.

FeyStein
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Is there a way I could harness heat energy in a drone, if so, how?
 
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Hi there
Welcome to PF :smile:
FeyStein said:
Is there a way I could harness heat energy in a drone, if so, how?

energy from where and to use it for what ?Dave
 
@davenn Heat energy from the sun to power the said drone
 
In order for a heat engine to work, you need a temperature difference. In a drone, you can easily pick up heat, giving you a "warm reservoir". You could try to use the surrounding air as a "cold reservoir", but the thermal resistance between a "heat sink" and air is fairly high (that is why CPU's use a fan).
 
I am trying to build a drone which could be used in African villages and am looking to find a backup energy, in case the battery fails. Solar seems like the predominant choice, but I feel like heat could work really well too, so I need a way of harnessing it.
 
Couple of points. The maximum attainable temperature with Solar flux is 120C. If you consider your cold reservoir at 0C, Carnot's efficiency is 30 percent. Practically it would be much lower. Also heat engines are generally not that light weight. You could better consider Photovoltaic panel instead.
 
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FeyStein said:
I am trying to build a drone which could be used in African villages and am looking to find a backup energy, in case the battery fails. Solar seems like the predominant choice, but I feel like heat could work really well too, so I need a way of harnessing it.

OK

Anand Sivaram said:
Couple of points. The maximum attainable temperature with Solar flux is 120C. If you consider your cold reservoir at 0C, Carnot's efficiency is 30 percent. Practically it would be much lower. Also heat engines are generally not that light weight. You could better consider Photovoltaic panel instead.

Agreed
You would never get enough useful energy
Solar cells would be much better, but you will still have a problem of collecting enough energy to keep a drone flying
The best you could do would be to use solar power to recharge batteries whilst they are not in use and then swap
them with the discharged ones from the droneDave
 

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