On the exploitability of thermo-charged capacitors

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical and practical potential of thermo-charged capacitors to generate electric power from a single thermal reservoir at room temperature, challenging traditional thermodynamic expectations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the conditions under which thermo-charged capacitors can produce non-zero current and power, highlighting their potential as energy sources.

Findings

Non-zero current can theoretically flow in thermo-charged capacitors under certain conditions.

Power output, though tiny, can be generated from a single thermal source at room temperature.

The concept challenges conventional understanding of thermodynamics and energy harvesting.

Abstract

Recently [Physics Letters A, 374, (2010) 1801] the concept of vacuum capacitor spontaneously charged harnessing the heat from a single thermal reservoir at room temperature has been introduced, along with a mathematical description of its functioning and a discussion on the main paradoxical feature that seems to violate the Second Law of Thermodynamics. In the present paper we investigate the theoretical and practical possibility of exploiting a such thermo-charged capacitor as voltage/current generator: we show that if very weak provisos on the physical characteristics of the capacitor are fulfilled, then a non-zero current should flow across the device, allowing the generation of potentially usable voltage, current and electric power out of a single thermal source at room temperature. Preliminary results show that the power output is tiny but non-zero.