BARNAUL, October 17. /TASS/. Scientists at the Polzunov Altai State Technical University developed an emergency portable thermoelectric power source capable of powering communications equipment in extreme conditions of the Arctic, space and underwater when other sources of electricity are unavailable, the invention's patent reads.
"The invention relates to emergency portable power sources based on the thermoelectric effect and it may be used as a source of energy, primarily for communications in emergency situations, extreme environmental conditions (the Arctic, outer space, remote hard-to-reach areas, in mountain climbing, underwater work) in the complete absence or inability to use stationary or other big mobile power sources," the document reads.
The device's operation is based on direct heat conversion into electricity. Several isolated "reaction elements" are inside the source housing. They are filled with a powder mixture, which, like a thermite mixture, is capable of a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) - long and controlled smoldering.
As the trigger button is on, the reaction starts in the first element. Heat from it ignites consistently the neighboring "cartridges" through special holes in the insulation. The key idea is that the reaction is not instant, it flows slowly from one element to another thus increasing significantly the energy generation time from several hours to a day.
The device does not require the sun for solar panels, wind or open oxygen for burning. It independently produces heat inside, which is critically important in the vacuum of space, underwater or in Arctic frosts. Whenever the chemical reaction embedded in the "cartridges" is over, but energy is still needed, the device may be "recharged" in a most primitive way - simply by putting it in a campfire or by heating it on a burner. The reacted mixture inside the device will restart electricity generation due to external heat.