WO2018031795A4 - Energy conversion system including a ballistic rectifier assembly and uses thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Nanomechanical, nanoelectromechanical, and other molecular-scale pump assemblies are described. In certain embodiments, the pump assembly includes a cavity. The cavity includes a plurality of nanofilaments, a surface proximate at least one of the nanofilaments, a fluid flow path, and an opening. Molecules of a fluid that flows from the opening through the cavity along the fluid flow path collide with the surface or one or more of the nanofilaments such that the molecules are accelerated along the fluid flow path. A molecular-scale pump assembly includes a plate defining a plurality of openings, and a plurality of cantilevered molecular-scale beams positioned over each opening. In certain embodiments, molecules of a fluid are accelerated through the opening by asymmetric oscillation and in other embodiments charges are guided along a conductive channel by asymmetric collisions.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 12 February 2018 (12.02.2018)

claimed is:

An energy conversion system comprising an energy conversion device that comprises:

(a) a first graphene vane;

(b) a second graphene vane;

(c) a graphene channel; and

(d) a resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein

(i) the first graphene vane is electrically connected to the graphene channel at a first angle,

(ii) the second graphene vane is electrically connected to the graphene channel at a second angle,

(iii) the first terminal is electrically connected to the first graphene vane, and

(iv) the second terminal is electrically connected to the second graphene vane. energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein

the first angle is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees relative to the graphene channel, and

the second angle is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees relative to the graphene channel.

3. The energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein

(a) the first angle is between 20 degrees and 40 degrees relative to the graphene channel, and

(b) the second angle is between 20 degrees and 40 degrees relative to the graphene channel.

4. The energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein the energy conversion system comprises an array of a plurality of the energy conversion devices in series.

5. The energy conversion system of Claim 4, wherein average series voltage is approximately at most 4 volts.

6. The energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein the energy conversion system comprises an array of a plurality of the energy conversion devices in parallel.

7. The energy conversion system of Claim 6, wherein average parallel voltage is approximately at most 4 volts.

8. The energy conversion system of Claim 6, wherein the array is comprised of a plurality of layers, and wherein each of the layers comprise an energy conversion device of the energy conversion devices.

9. The energy conversion system of Claim 1 further comprising a substrate adjacent to the graphene channel.

10. The energy conversion system of Claim 9, wherein the substrate comprises hexagonal boron nitrate.

11. The energy conversion system of Claim 10, wherein the energy conversion system comprises an array of a plurality of energy conversion devices in parallel.

12. The energy conversion system of Claim 10, wherein the array is comprised of a plurality of layers.

13. The energy conversion system of Claim 12 wherein the layers of the plurality of layers comprise a graphene layer and hexagonal boron nitrate layer for the energy conversion device in the plurality of energy conversion devices.

14. The energy conversion system of Claim 12 wherein

(a) the layers in the energy conversion device in the plurality of energy conversion devices comprise a bottom layer of hexagonal boron nitrate, a middle layer of graphene, and an upper layer of hexagonal boron nitrate, and

(b) for at least some adjacent energy conversion devices in the plurality of energy conversion devices, the bottom layer of hexagonal boron nitrate of an upper adjacent energy conversion device is the upper layer of hexagonal boron nitrate for a bottom adjacent energy conversion device.

15. The energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein mean free path of an electrical charge within the graphene is between 0.1 and 10 times of length of the first graphene vane.

16. The energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein mean free path of an electrical charge within the graphene is equal to length of the first graphene vane.

17. The energy conversion system of Claim 1, wherein the energy conversion system comprises an array of a plurality of the energy conversion devices in series and parallel.

18. A device comprising the energy conversion system of Claim 17, wherein the device is a smart-phone or a smart-watch.

19. An energy conversion system comprising:

(a) a vane having a length;

(b) a channel;

(c) a hole in the vane; and

(d) a plurality of gas molecules wherein,

(i) the vane is mechanically connected to the channel at an angle, and

(ϋ) mean free path of the gas molecules is between 0.1 and 10 times the length of the vane.

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20. The energy conversion system of Claim 19, wherein the mean free path of the gas molecules is equal to the length of the vane.

21. The energy conversion system of Claim 19, wherein the angle is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees.

The energy conversion system of Claim 19, wherein the angle is between 20 ; and 40 degrees.

23. An energy conversion system comprising:

(a) a sheet of graphene;

(b) a channel;

(c) a mean free path having a path length of around 1000 nm;

(d) a vane; and

(e) a charge, wherein

(i) the charge is operable to travel a distance down the vane toward the channel, and

(ii) the distance is approximately equal to the mean free path.

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