Thermodynamic panels - anyone?

[kaz911]

Have any of you tried Thermodynamic panels? (So Fridge in reverse - cold gas sent out in panels and heated by environment - heat is absorbed when re-compressing the gas)

There is a big supplier from Portugal called Energie (www.energie.pt) - who seems to be one of the market leaders.

I know a lot of bad things have been said - but I also hear great things. But usually there are 10 daff installers for each 1 who does it right.

[fusionchip]

I built a solar water heater into a solar panel. Its just coils of copper tubing inside a framed solar panel .I often wondered if I should have patent for it because I have yet to see a hybrid electric/heating panel..

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[Red Squirrel]

Peltiers might be what you're after, I don't think they're that efficient though, but still a neat idea.  I always thought it would be neat to setup a wood stove and power any electronic/electricals (fans etc) with a bunch of peltiers.  That way the entire setup is self contained but can still be high tech.  Ex: have water pumps, solonoid valves, etc...  Basically it would just charge a battery and everything runs off the battery.

Another tech is the sterling engine.  I don't know why this is not used more, I think it's based on the same concept as steam except it's a gas so it does not need as much pressure to work. I recall seeing this cool setup where it was basically solar collector dishes that power a sterling engine.  They were maybe like twice  the same size as one of those old style TV dishes and tracked the sun and generated several KW. These things come out, generated real power and shown on TV, then we never heard of them again. Not to be into conspiracies... but it does make me wonder if these new inventors get given tons of money to shut up or something.

[CatalinaWOW]

I would think that these are like any heat pump setup, they work fine in an appropriate environment.  The solar heat component extends the environments in which heat pumps will work well.  The problem with heat pumps is that when there isn't enough heat on the input end they become a very expensive and complex resistance heater.  Their web page doesn't make it easy to find if your situation is suitable, and perhaps they don't feel it is a good business decision to do so.

Stirling engines have been suppressed by their characteristics, not by some conspiracy.  They cost lots of dollars per watt.  There are some niche circumstances where they might make technical sense, but that doesn't provide a large enough market to get volume cost reductions so they continue getting left at the gate.