What are thermocells?

At the simplest level, thermocells transform heat into electricity. There are many ways to convert heat into electricity currently used, such as the one that is observed in nuclear power plants. Thermocells can be distinguished from a device that is currently being used depending on how the transformation is completed from one form of energy to another. Thermocell consists of an anode and a cathode that are both electrodes. Electrodes are materials that are able to perform electricity. He noted that circuits composed of two different metal wires would perform electricity when there are corresponding areas where the conductors touch at different temperatures. When the heat is applied to one of the two wires, the heated electrons flow towards the cooler. This producer small but measurable amount of tension. Although Seebeck mistakenly assumed that the effect he observed was magnetic, scientists later determined that it was electric.

The type of reaction that takes place inside the thermocell is also called redox, or oxidizing and reduction reactions. This type of chemical reaction is characterized by the loss or gain of one or more electrons by an atom or a molecule. In the case of thermocells, it is the flow of electrons from the heated conductor to the cooling conductor that produces an electric current, or the heated conductor loses the electrons to the cooler.

Common cell batteries also produce electricity with redox reactions. Sulphates from two different metals, such as copper and zinc, are brought into contact, so the created chemical reaction causes electrons to flow from one point contact to another. Electric current that is generated by flows in the opposite direction to electrons. Currently, this reaction produces electricity more efficiently than thermocell.

Despite the current inefficiency, a large amount of research is carried out in the possible use of thermocells. The reason is the fact thatE Many other forms of energy production still produce a large amount of waste heat. Thermocell is one of the few devices that produce heat electricity, so one of the goals is that thermocells can be used to restore waste heat and transfer to a usable amount of electricity.