Electron-Jump Chemical Energy Converter
AssigneeNeoKismet, L.L.C.
InventorsAnthony Zuppero, Jawahar Gidwani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a device for converting energy uses chemical reactions in close proximity to or on a surface to convert a substantial fraction of the available chemical energy of the shorter lived energized products, such as vibrationally excited chemicals and hot electrons, directly into a useful form, such as longer lived charge carriers in a semiconductor. The carriers store the excitation energy in a form that may be converted into other useful forms, such as electricity, nearly monochromatic electromagnetic radiation or carriers for stimulating other surface reactions.
Claims21
A method for converting chemical energy into a useful form comprising:
- using reactants and catalyst to create highly vibrationally excited molecules, the highly vibrationally excited molecules being created in a catalytic reaction where at least some of products of the catalytic reaction desorb and leave a surface of the catalytic reaction;
- coupling the highly vibrationally excited molecules with electrons by placing the highly vibrationally excited molecules near a conducting surface for electron-jump effect to occur;
- causing at least some of vibrational energy of the highly vibrationally excited molecules to transfer to the electrons of the conducting surface, resulting in excited carriers being created;
- collecting the excited carriers;
- and
- converting energy of the excited carriers into electrical energy.
A method for generating a useful form of energy, comprising:
- using one or more reactants on one or more catalyst surfaces to create highly
- vibrationally excited molecules, the highly vibrationally excited molecules being created in a catalytic reaction where at least some of products of the catalytic reaction desorb and leave a surface of the catalytic reaction;
- coupling the highly vibrationally excited molecules with electrons by placing the highly vibrationally excited molecules near a conducting surface for electron-jump effect to occur;
- causing at least some of vibrational energy of the highly vibrationally excited molecules to transfer to the electrons of the conducting surface, resulting in excited carriers being created;
- collecting the excited carriers;
- and
- converting an energy of the excited carriers into electricity.
A method for an electric generator that converts chemical energy into electricity, comprising:
- using reactants and catalyst to create highly vibrationally excited molecules, the highly vibrationally excited molecules being created in a catalytic reaction where at least some of products of the catalytic reaction desorb and leave a surface of the catalytic reaction;
- coupling the highly vibrationally excited molecules with electrons by placing the highly vibrationally excited molecules near a conducting surface for electron-jump effect to occur;
- causing at least some of vibrational energy of the highly vibrationally excited molecules to transfer to the electrons of the conducting surface, resulting in excited carriers being created:
- collecting the excited carriers;
- and
- converting energy of the excited carriers into electrical energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.