The energy conversion technologies for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy of prior art use a principle that an electrical capacitance is being created in the electrode under a dielectric material by varying the contact area of a liquid metal which is being contact with a dielectric material in accordance with the flow of time.
A method and a device for converting energy using a fluid of prior art is being disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,096.
FIG. 1 (a) and 1(b) are a block diagram of a device of prior art for converting energy using a fluid. According to FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), in a device of prior art for converting energy using a fluid, an electrode is formed to have a consistent pattern on the wall of a thin and long channel, and a dielectric material layer is formed above the electrode.
Then, a little waterdrop-like conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are being injected into the channel, and by applying a voltage from an external power source to such a waterdrop-like conductive liquid, the conductive liquid is being depolarized.
At this state, when a physical pressure is applied to a predetermined portion (not shown) which is connected to the channel the depolarized waterdrop-like conductive liquid is moved along the channel, and during this process, the contact area of the multiple electrodes, which is formed with a consistent pattern, with the moving multiple conductive liquid drop is continuously changing with time, and as a result, an electrical energy is generated due to the electrical capacitance change.
However, a method and a device of prior art for converting energy using a fluid have various problems for commercialization.
First, since a reversible movement, wherein a drop-like liquid metal, which has been moved inside the narrow and thin channel, is returning back to its original position when the external force is removed, is difficult, there is a limitation in that a separate lubricating layer is required and an inoperable condition happens due to the easy occurrence of the channel blocking phenomenon.
Moreover, since a method and a device of prior art for converting energy using a fluid adopt a narrow and thin channel structure, the two facing electrodes must be patterned with a fixed shape on the channel wall, and the device configuration becomes complicated due to such a structure, and the size of the module producing electrical energy becomes large, and there are many limitation in mass production or cost reduction.
In addition, as for other problems, it is harmful to the human body and the environment by using a liquid metal such as mercury or galinstan, and there is a limitation in that application of an external separate power source is required for depolarizing such a conductive liquid.
Further, a method and a device of prior art for converting energy using a fluid has problems in that the reversible movements in the channel structure must be continuously implemented, and the control is difficult since the two different kinds of immiscible liquids must be used.