Thanks for the clarification.
I see that you were considering using Schottky diodes (SMS7621's) --
seems like a good idea for this; if it works at all, it'll surely be
with diodes with a low forward drop.
Do you know what the forward drop for the photocells in the array is?
My immediate feeling was that ordinary silicon diodes, at least, have
such a high forward drop that you'd never get anywhere with them. In
the excursions you're likely to see in the noise signal, they're acting
almost linearly -- I = r_1 * V + r_2 * V^2 + ..., and sufficiently close
to zero volts you can ignore the square and higher terms, and what
you're left with is (essentially) a resistor. A lower forward drop
would presumably make the value of "sufficiently close to zero volts"
get smaller.
Charles M. Brown wrote:
Vortexians,
Replies:
First, The diode array cools off when operating. Part of thermal energy
is Johnson noise, diodes should rectify Johnson noise and export it as
net DC. The reduced Johnson noise leads to reduced thermal energy which
means cooling equal to the export of DC electricity. Conservation of
Energy holds.
Second, I do not expect LEDs as the spherical diodes in the compound
photocell. I am treating then as small diodes that will have a high
resistance near zero volts so the Johnson noise can act to move the
resistance up or down depending on polarity and be sorted into a net
forward flow that can be aggregated.
I did suggest as a separate device that resistors on LEDs would produce
a high enough Johnson noise voltage to create light. The idea should be
tried.
My main interest is using an array of diodes to extract energy from zero
grade ambient heat. This would be absorbing heat and rleasing DC
electrical power.
For a diode, a load resistor, and a capacitor in a loop, if the
saturation current, Is, of the diode is very low the Johnson noise power
will have higher voltage, If the voltage is higher, the diode output
will be asymmetrical so the capacitor will charge and the load resistor
will dissipate net rectified Johnson noise. The capacitor shorts out
counter Johnson noise, which would be low harm AC anyway, from the load
resistor. The Johnson noise in the diode only sees the junction
capacitance.
The Japanese photocell array is a ready made diode array when used in
the dark, though not optimized, so it may replace the tedious assembly
of SMS7621 small discrete diodes.
"Tedious" surely is the word to describe hand assembly of surface mount
parts. And don't drink coffee while you're doing it, either --
"surgeon's hands", that's what you need!
Aloha,
Charlie
