LED's efficiency exceeds 100%

[SagaLore]

Sounds like a potential perpetual energy harnessing device. :whiste:

 

[Ken g6]

The researchers didn’t try to increase this probability, as some previous research has focused on, but instead took advantage of small amounts of excess heat to emit more power than consumed. This heat arises from vibrations in the device’s atomic lattice, which occur due to entropy.
This light-emitting process cools the LED slightly

Wait. Second law of thermodynamics fail! Entropy is decreasing, and energy is being gained!

Then, if I take one of these LEDs, and point it at a 50% efficient solar cell, I get 115% of the net energy input. But some of that's coming from heat around the LED. Now, if I put a heat pipe from the solar cell (which is getting hot) to the LED (which is getting cold), and run a small heat engine (or thermocouple) with it, I should be getting even more energy, right? And now we have First Law of Thermodynamics Fail again!

Edit: The LED probably dims as it gets cold. But there's still the second law of thermodynamics fail to worry/get excited about.

 

[SagaLore]

Wait. Second law of thermodynamics fail! Entropy is decreasing, and energy is being gained!

Then, if I take one of these LEDs, and point it at a 50% efficient solar cell, I get 115% of the net energy input. But some of that's coming from heat around the LED. Now, if I put a heat pipe from the solar cell (which is getting hot) to the LED (which is getting cold), and run a small heat engine (or thermocouple) with it, I should be getting even more energy, right? And now we have First Law of Thermodynamics Fail again!

Yes but maybe 2 wrongs make a right?

 

[DrPizza]

Yeah, if your TV runs in the picowatts.

LOL, I started editing that post earlier this morning with the calculation of how many LEDs I'd need to power my television. 20,000,000,000,000 of them for a 400 watt television, assuming roughly 50% efficiency for my solar cells.

 

[Red Squirrel]

LOL, I started editing that post earlier this morning with the calculation of how many LEDs I'd need to power my television. 20,000,000,000,000 of them for a 400 watt television, assuming roughly 50% efficiency for my solar cells.

That's plausible. Look at how many transistors they can cram into a CPU these days?

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Does anyone else think this sounds so much cooler than the eCat?

 

[halik]

Solution for global warming and efficient power, woot.

 

[MotF Bane]

Physics: "screw you, physics."

 

[Howard]

Misleading title.

 

[darkxshade]

pfft... shit in that case, my flourescent bulb has achieved infinite efficiency since I have it off and lighting my room with a LED lamp.

 

[schlesier]

this "discovery" was patented 2007 in Germany (DE202007010981U1)

 

[rcpratt]

Solution for global warming and efficient power, woot.

lol, came to post this.

 

[masteryoda34]

My interpretation is that the extra power is coming from the thermal energy stored in the silicon. (The silicon is not at 0 K and thus has stored thermal energy.) Therefore, not violating thermodynamics.

Conceptually it seems similar to a thermocouple, in that it is converting ambient heat energy to another form (voltage for thermocouple, photon for LED).

 

[ShawnD1]

Sounds like a potential perpetual energy harnessing device. :whiste:

We've had those for years. They're called solar panels.

Misleading title.

You should see how efficient a gasoline engine is. All you need to do is supply sparks and it outputs hundreds of kilowatts. It's like 979874345% efficient.

 

[tfinch2]

lmao

 

[Joseph F]

We've had those for years. They're called solar panels.



You should see how efficient a gasoline engine is. All you need to do is supply sparks and it outputs hundreds of kilowatts. It's like 979874345% efficient.

Actually, they're only have a thermally efficiency of about 25%.
As in, they waste about 75% of the power generated as heat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_efficiency#Gasoline_.28petrol.29_Engines