Bacterial spore based energy system

Abstract

A method and system for providing an engine for producing mechanical energy through the absorption and evaporation of moisture uses a hygroscopic material in one or more configurations to do mechanical work. The hygroscopic material can include microbial spores, plant cells and cell materials, silk and hydrogel materials that absorb moisture and expand or swell when exposed to high relative humidity environments and shrink or return to nearly their original size or shape when exposed to low relative humidity environments wherein the moisture evaporates and is released. By exposing the hygroscopic material to a cycle of high relative humidity environments and low relative humidity environments, useful work can be done. One or more transmission elements can be used to couple the hygroscopic material to a generator that converts the mechanical energy to, for example, electrical energy. The hygroscopic material can be applied to flexible sheet materials that flex as the hygroscopic material absorbs or evaporates moisture. The hygroscopic material can also be applied to elastic conductive materials, such that the plates of a capacitor mechanically change the capacitance of the device.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for generating energy comprising:
 a hygroscopic material;   a generator;   a transmission coupled to the hygroscopic material and coupled to the generator to transfer energy from the hygroscopic material to the generator;   whereby an environment comprising a cycle of high relative humidity and low relative humidity is selectively applied to the hygroscopic material and results in an expansion and contraction of the hygroscopic material and energy being transferred to the generator; and,   wherein the cycle of high relative humidity and low relative humidity is caused by controlling a relative humidity of the environment.   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the hygroscopic material includes microbial spores. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the hygroscopic material includes bacterial spores. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the hygroscopic material is adhered to a surface of flexible material layer. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the hygroscopic material is contained within an expandable container. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the hygroscopic material is part of a dielectric material in a capacitor. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the generator includes an electromagnetic generator that produces electricity in response to the expansion and contraction of the hygroscopic material. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein controlling the relative humidity of the environment comprises selectively heating the environment to produce the relatively low humidity and causes the hygroscopic material to contract. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein controlling the relative humidity of the environment comprises removal of water or water vapor by lowering the vapor pressure to produce the low relative humidity environment. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein controlling the relative humidity of the environment comprises selectively exposing the hydroscopic material to a body of water to produce the high relatively humidity and blocking said exposure to the body of water to produce the low relatively humidity. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein controlling the relative humidity of the environment comprises selectively exposing the hydroscopic material to dry air to produce the low relative humidity. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein controlling the relative humidity of the environment comprises selectively exposing the hydroscopic material to humid air to produce the high relative humidity. 
     
     
         33 . An engine for producing mechanical energy comprising:
 a hygroscopic material coupled to a rotating surface and configured to be rotated through a cycle of high relative humidity environment and low relative humidity environment resulting in an expansion and contraction of the hygroscopic material,   wherein when the hygroscopic material is rotated through a high humidity environment the hygroscopic material expands and when the hygroscopic material is rotated through a low relative humidity environment the hygroscopic material contracts.   
     
     
         34 . The engine as in  claim 33 , further comprising a transmission coupling the rotating surface to a generator to convert the mechanical energy to electric energy. 
     
     
         35 . The engine according to  claim 33 , wherein the hygroscopic material includes microbial spores. 
     
     
         36 . The engine according to  claim 33 , wherein the hygroscopic material includes bacterial spores. 
     
     
         37 . The engine according to  claim 33 , wherein the relatively high humidity environment is provided by rotating the surface to expose the hygroscopic material to a body of water to produce the high relatively humidity environment and rotating the surface to block said exposure to the body of water to produce the low relatively humidity environment. 
     
     
         38 . A method of generating energy comprising:
 providing a hygroscopic material;   providing a transmission coupling the hygroscopic material to a generator;   providing an environment comprising a cycle of high relative humidity and low relative humidity to the hygroscopic material resulting in an expansion and contraction of the hygroscopic material,   whereby the transmission transfers energy associated with the expansion and contraction of the hygroscopic material to the generator and the generator produces energy; and,   wherein the cycle of high relative humidity and low relative humidity is caused by controlling the relative humidity of the environment.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein the hygroscopic material includes spores. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein the hygroscopic material is adhered to a surface of flexible material layer. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein the generator includes an electromagnetic generator that produces electricity in response to the expansion and contraction of the hygroscopic material. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein controlling the relative humidity of the environment comprises selectively exposing the hydroscopic material to a body of water to produce the high relatively humidity and blocking said exposure to the body of water to produce the low relatively humidity. 
     
     
         43 . A capacitor comprising:
 a first elastic conductive plate separated from a second elastic conductive plate by a dielectric material; and   one or more layers of a hygroscopic material coupled to at least one of the first elastic conductive plate and the second elastic conductive plate;   whereby an application of a high relative humidity environment causes the hygroscopic material to expand changing the capacitance of the capacitor and an application of a low relative humidity environment causes the hygroscopic material to contract changing the capacitance of the capacitor.   
     
     
         44 . An electric generator comprising:
 a capacitor according to  claim 43 ;   an electrical energy source for biasing one of the conductive plates of the capacitor; and   a moisture source coupled to the hygroscopic material and adapted to produce a range of relative humidity levels;   whereby an application of a high relative humidity environment causes the dielectric material to expand changing the capacitance of the capacitor and an application of a low relative humidity environment causes the dielectric material to contract changing the capacitance of the capacitor.   
     
     
         45 . The capacitor according to  claim 43  wherein the hygroscopic material includes microbial spores. 
     
     
         46 . The capacitor according to  claim 43  wherein the hygroscopic material includes bacterial spores.