SubscribeThe future of power? It's only a matter of time.
Suspended in a bubble block of Baccarat crystal and powered by temperature change, Jaeger LeCoultre’s Atmos 561 mechanical clock is the work of Australian designer Marc Newson.
Using small temperature changes in the encapsulated environment for power, Atmos clocks can run for years without human intervention. Their power source is a hermetically sealed capsule containing a mixture of gas and liquid ethyl chloride, which expands into a chamber as the temperature rises, compressing a spiral spring; with a fall in temperature the gas condenses and the spring slackens. This motion constantly winds the mainspring. A variation in temperature of only one degree in the range between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius is sufficient for two days of operation.
Is this a small glimpse into the future of power generation? The principle seems blindingly simple.
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 23rd of July 2008 at 11:31am