NANO POWER CELL AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20080128842A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solera Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solera Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Kenany, Saad Al
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/30 Thermophotovoltaic systems photovoltaic cells specially adapted for conversion or sensing of infrared [IR] radiation H01L31/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A nano power cell and method of use are described wherein the nano power cell absorbs electromagnetic energy is nano particles in an optical fluid that flow in microchannels of the nano power cell.

Claims

1. A nano power cell, comprising:

a substrate;

one or more microchannels formed in the substrate;

a pump that circulates a fluid through the microchannels;

the fluid containing a plurality of electromagnetically sensitive particles that receive a charge from an electromagnetic radiation source; and

an electrode within the substrate that receives the charge from the electromagnetically sensitive particles and outputs a current.

2. The cell of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises a multilayer substrate having a first layer and a second layer underneath the first layer and wherein the one or more microchannels further comprises an upper microchannel in the first layer and a lower microchannel in the second layer.

3. The cell of claim 2, wherein the electrode is adjacent the lower microchannel so that charged electromagnetically sensitive particles in the lower microchannel release their charge to the electrode.

4. The cell of claim 1 further comprises one or more start-up power cells that provide power to the micromechanical pump during an initial operation period of the cell.

5. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetically sensitive particles further comprises infrared sensitive particles or visible electromagnetically sensitive particles.

6. The cell of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetically sensitive particles further comprises infrared sensitive particles and visible electromagnetically sensitive particles.

7. The cell of claim 1 further comprising a fluid input/output port through which the fluid may be removed from the cell.

8. The cell of claim 1 further comprising a contact, on an exterior surface of the substrate, connected to the electrode.

9. The cell of claim 1, wherein the substrate is silicon.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a device powered by electrical energy; and

a nano power cell that provides the electrical energy to the device, the nano power cell further comprising a substrate, one or more microchannels formed in the substrate, a pump that circulates a fluid through the microchannels, the fluid containing a plurality of electromagnetically sensitive particles that receive a charge from an electromagnetic radiation source, and an electrode within the substrate that receives the charge from the electromagnetically sensitive particles and outputs a current.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the device further comprises a mobile phone, a medical device, a portable music device or night vision goggles.

12. A method to generate energy with nano particles in fluid, comprising:

charging a plurality of electromagnetically sensitive nano particles that are suspending in a fluid that is circulating in a microchannel wherein the electromagnetically sensitive nano particles are exposed to an electromagnetic radiation source while in the microchannel; and

discharging the charged electromagnetically sensitive nano particles so that an electric current is generated as the electromagnetically sensitive nano particles circulate in the microchannels.

13. An nano power cell, comprising:

a structure having at least one fiber having an interior channel;

a pump that circulates a fluid through the interior area of the fiber;

the fluid containing a plurality of electromagnetically sensitive particles that receive a charge from an electromagnetic radiation source; and

an electrode within the internal area of the fiber that receives the charge from the electromagnetically sensitive particles and outputs a current.

14. The cell of claim 13 further comprises one or more start-up power cells that provide power to the micromechanical pump during an initial operation period of the cell.

15. The cell of claim 13, wherein the electromagnetically sensitive particles further comprises infrared sensitive particles or visible electromagnetically sensitive particles.

16. The cell of claim 13, wherein the electromagnetically sensitive particles further comprises infrared sensitive particles and visible electromagnetically sensitive particles.

17. The cell of claim 13 further comprising a fluid input/output port through which the fluid may be removed from the cell.

18. The cell of claim 13, wherein the structure is a fabric woven using the at least one fiber.