Concept

Energy transformation

Energy transformation, also known as energy conversion, is the process of changing energy from one form to another. In physics, energy is a quantity that provides the capacity to perform work or moving (e.g. lifting an object) or provides heat. In addition to being converted, according to the law of conservation of energy, energy is transferable to a different location or object, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The energy in many of its forms may be used in natural processes, or to provide some service to society such as heating, refrigeration, lighting or performing mechanical work to operate machines. For example, to heat a home, the furnace burns fuel, whose chemical potential energy is converted into thermal energy, which is then transferred to the home's air to raise its temperature. Conversions to thermal energy from other forms of energy may occur with 100% efficiency. Conversion among non-thermal forms of energy may occur with fairly high efficiency, though there is always some energy dissipated thermally due to friction and similar processes. Sometimes the efficiency is close to 100%, such as when potential energy is converted to kinetic energy as an object falls in a vacuum. This also applies to the opposite case; for example, an object in an elliptical orbit around another body converts its kinetic energy (speed) into gravitational potential energy (distance from the other object) as it moves away from its parent body. When it reaches the furthest point, it will reverse the process, accelerating and converting potential energy into kinetic. Since space is a near-vacuum, this process has close to 100% efficiency. Thermal energy is unique because it in most cases (willow) cannot be converted to other forms of energy. Only a difference in the density of thermal/heat energy (temperature) can be used to perform work, and the efficiency of this conversion will be (much) less than 100%.

Official source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_transformation

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related courses (18)

ME-452: Industrial process and energy systems engineering

PHYS-101(a): General physics : mechanics

Le but du cours de physique générale est de donner à l'étudiant les notions de base nécessaires à la compréhension des phénomènes physiques. L'objectif est atteint lorsque l'étudiant est capable de prévoir quantitativement les conséquences de ces phénomène ...

PHYS-201(a): General physics : electromagnetism

Le cours traite des concepts de l'électromagnétisme et des ondes électromagnétiques. ...

Related units (17)

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces

ISIC - Divers

SCI STI FM Group

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Official source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_transformation

About this result

Related courses (18)

ME-452: Industrial process and energy systems engineering

PHYS-101(a): General physics : mechanics

PHYS-201(a): General physics : electromagnetism

Le cours traite des concepts de l'électromagnétisme et des ondes électromagnétiques. ...

Related lectures (32)

Human and Energy: Global Issues and Actions

Explores global issues related to human energy consumption and the diverse forms of energy required for daily activities.

Potential Energy: Brachistochrone Curve and Power in Physics

Explores potential energy with the brachistochrone curve problem and introduces power in physics.

Conservation of Energy

Discusses the conservation of energy and different forms of energy in various systems.

Related publications (32)

Sequential hybrid self-assembled monolayers enabling uniform coverage and efficient hole extraction in perovskite photoelectronics

This study demonstrates a sequential hybrid self-assembled monolayer (SH-SAM) strategy that enables stepwise regulation of interfacial coverage and energetic alignment to optimize the buried interface in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). While self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are essential for hole-selective contacts, achieving simultaneous uniform molecular coverage and precise energy-level alignment remains a significant challenge. To address this issue, we construct a hybrid self-assembled monolaye

Elsevier2027

Dynamic Modelling of Renewable-driven CO2 Methanation using Recurrent Neural Networks

A recurrent neural network (RNN) model for a CO2 methanation reactor was developed based on synthetic data generated from a validated mechanistic model of the same unit. The model was used to predict the main properties of the reactor – methane productivity and hotspot temperature – during a dynamic operation of the unit. The dynamic profile of feedstock availability was simulated taking into account the H2 flow that can be produced from PV-powered water electrolysis using solar irradiation profiles over a

PSE Press2026

Nanoengineering and Fundamental Insights into Solid-Liquid Interfaces toward Sustainable Energy Applications

Evaporation-driven hydrovoltaics (EDHV) harness the flow of water and interfacial electrokinetic phenomena to convert heat and light into electrical energy, offering a sustainable route to decentralized power generation. Despite promising device demonstrations, progress has been constrained by an incomplete understanding of nanoscale interfacial phenomena and by the lack of predictive design tools. Here, we present a unified experimental, spectroscopic, and theoretical framework that elucidates the coupled

EPFL2026

Related people (32)

Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin

Dr. Md. K. Nazeeruddin received M.Sc. and Ph. D. in inorganic chemistry from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. He joined as a Lecturer in Deccan College of Engineering and Technology, Osmania University in 1986, and subsequently, moved to Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, as a Research Associate. He was awarded the Government of Indias fellowship in 1987 for study abroad. In 2014, EPFL awarded him the title of Professor. His current research at EPFL focuses on Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, Perovskite Solar Cells, CO2 reduction, Hydrogen production, and Light-emitting diodes. He has published more than 509 peer-reviewed papers, ten book chapters, and he is inventor/co-inventor of over 50 patents. The high impact of his work has been recognized by invitations to speak at over 130 international conferences, and has been nominated to the OLLA International Scientific Advisory Board. He appeared in the ISI listing of most cited chemists, and has more than 49'000 citations with an h-index of 105. He is teaching "Functional Materials" course at EPFL, and Korea University; directing, and managing several industrial, national, and European Union projects. He was awarded EPFL Excellence prize in 1998 and 2006, Brazilian FAPESP Fellowship in 1999, Japanese Government Science & Technology Agency Fellowship, in 1998, Government of India National Fellowship in 1987-1988. Recently he has been appointed as World Class University (WCU) professor by the Korea University, Jochiwon, Korea (http://dses.korea.ac.kr/eng/sub01_06_2.htm), Adjunct Professor by the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Eminent Professor in Brunei.

André Hodder

Teaching & PhD PhD Students Lucien André Félicien Pierrejean Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Simone Rametti Courses Actuators and Electromagnetic systems II MICRO-314 The students will be able to model, simulate and measure actuators and electrical motors Advanced lab in electrical energy systems EE-588 Pre-requisites required. The number of places is limited. Please register only after having obtained the teacher's agreement. The purpose of this teaching lab is to put

Jun Ho Yum

Teaching & PhD Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Barbara Alexandra Primera Darwich, Simon Nussbaum Courses Energy conversion by semiconductor devices CH-429 This course aims to present an introduction to the fundamentals of semiconductor physics, photophysics,photoelectrochemistry,and the practical applications.

Andreas Züttel

Teaching & PhD PhD Students Boyu Ouyang, Wai Kwan Liu, Guillaume Bérenger Rod, Aleksandar Mihaylov Mikov, Rui Li, Akhil Varma Penmathsa Past EPFL PhD Students Robin Tobias Andreas Mutschler, Kun Zhao, Loris Giovanni Lombardo, Mo Li, Jie Zhang, Youngdon Ko, Cedric David Koolen, Thi Ha My Pham, Zohreh Akbari, Yasemen Kuddusi Courses Thermodynamics of energy conversion and storage ChE-414 The course is an introduction to the energy conversion. It focusseson the thermodynamics of the engines a

Arianna Marchioro

Education PhD Thesis | Interfacial Charge Transfer Dynamics in Solid-State Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Solar Cells 2010 – 2014 EPFL Directed by Prof. J.-E. Moser and Prof. M. Grätzel MSc in Molecular and Biological Chemistry | 2008 – 2010 EPFL and Imperial College London (exchange program) BSc in Chemistry | 2005 – 2008 EPFL Professionals experiences Postdoctoral Research Associate 2014–2016 University of Washington, Seatt

Daniel Alexander Florez Orrego

Expertise • Exergy and Energy Integration of Chemical and Industrial Processes• Cogeneration and Polygeneration, Refrigeration and Heat Pumping Systems• Technical, Economic and Environmental Analyses• Refineries, Biorefineries, Fertilizers Complexes, Hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels (SNG, DME, MeOH, FT, H2, Power-to-X)• Second law of Thermodynamics and Irreversible Thermodynamics• Combustion, Heat Transfer, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Reaction design• Modeling and Optimization of Energy Conversion Systems• Ma

Kevin Sivula

See webpage for more info limno.epfl.ch Teaching & PhD PhD Students Odile Louise Andres, Arthur Eliot Bouchez, Benjamin Goldman, Nicolas Johannes Diercks, Aurélie Fanny Marie Célérien, Jiajun Li, Louise Marie Foltzer-De Cian, Melanie Victoria Johanning, Nils William Laurent Golay Past EPFL PhD Students Andrea Gasperini, Pauline Bornoz, Xavier Adrian Jeanbourquin, Xiaoyun Yu, Mathieu Steven Prévot, Muhammad Aiman Bin Rahmanudin Hamdan, Nhât-Tân Vuong, Yongpeng Liu, Arvindh Sekar, Barbara Alexandra Primera

Sylvain Robert

Teaching & PhD Courses Advanced lab in electrical energy systems EE-588 Pre-requisites required. The number of places is limited. Please register only after having obtained the teacher's agreement. The purpose of this teaching lab is to put together all the concepts learned during the course into electrical energy by the implementation of an islanded production unit. Lab in energy conversion EE-390(b) This teaching lab provides the experimental experiences associated to cours

Christian Köchli

Teaching & PhD PhD Students Maël Dagon Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Sebastiano Merzaghi, Chafic Abu Antoun, Florian Louis Copt, Sofia Lydia Ntella Courses Actuators and Electromagnetic systems I MICRO-313 The course covers the main methods for the analysis of electromechanical systems. A study of magnetic physical quantities is followed by the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy. The permanent magnet is studied macroscopically. The dynamic aspect of the system is

Paolo Germano

FORMATION Mars 1990 : Engagement au Laboratoire d'électromécanique et de machines électriques (LEME), devenu entre temps le laboratoire d'actionneurs intégrés (LAI), comme assistant puis comme fonctionnaire scientifique. Janvier 1990 : Diplôme d'ingénieur EPF en microtechnique. Juillet 1985 : Maturité de type scientifique.

- - EXPERIENCES ET DOMAINES DE COMPETENCES
Modélisation et simulation de l'alimentation des moteurs de l'avion Solar Impulse sur la base des résultats de la modélisation par éléments finis (FEM) de la structure magnétique Développement du banc de mesure (mécanique et software) du moteur Solar Impulse (dès mars 2004);
Dans le cadre d'un Projet CTI en collaboration avec l'entreprise Medtronic (Projet ColoStim), développement d'un appareil de traitement de la constipation consistant en des électrodes implantées le long du colon et alimentées par induction, à haute fréquence, à l'aide d'une bobine primaire placée autour du thorax du patient (janvier 2006 - mars 2007);
Développement du modèle équivalent d'une montre à glace tactile et analyse de l'effet des décharges électrostatiques sur cette montre. Projet CTI en collaboration avec l'entreprise ETA-Swatch Group (avril 2003 à octobre 2004);
Développement d'un système de transfert d'énergie pour navettes automotrices de machines d'assemblage. Projet CTI en collaboration avec l'entreprise Montech AG (octobre 2001 à octobre 2002);
Développement d'une installation de transfert d'énergie pour des wagonnets de transport de rouleaux pour l'industrie du papier avec l'entreprise Valmet AG (Groupe Metso Paper) (2001);
Développement d'un banc de mesure pour actionneurs linéaires dans le cadre d'un mandat avec l'entreprise Sonceboz SA (mars 1998 - juillet 2000);
Développement d'une installation de transfert d'énergie pour un convoyeur d'outils dans le cadre d'un mandat avec l'entreprise MCM SpA (Italie) (juillet 1998 avril 1999 et déc. 1999 avril 2000);
Développement d'un banc de test pour vibreur électromécanique dans le cadre d'un mandat avec l'entreprise ASULAB SA à Marin (octobre décembre 1999);
Développement et responsabilité d'une installation de démonstration d'un Système de transport automatique à transmission d'énergie par induction - Projet Serpentine 2 PSEL (déc. 1996 juin 1999);
Développement d'un banc de mesure et d'analyse pour moteurs à courant continu dans le cadre d'un projet d'impulsion RAVEL (sept. 1995 - mars 1997);
Développement d'un convertisseur de fréquence à résonance de 2,4 kW pour l'alimentation d'un transformateur sans fer dans le cadre du transfert d'énergie sans contacts Projet Serpentine PSEL (février 94 déc. 1995);
Développement d'un banc de mesure pour moteurs pas à pas dans le cadre d'un mandat avec l'entreprise Sonceboz SA (mars 1992 nov. 1995);
Développement d'un convertisseur direct de fréquence AC/AC de basse puissance dans le cadre du projet du cur artificiel Suisse (mars 1990 - mars 1992);
Suivi d'une vingtaine de projets de semestre et de master EPFL;
Divers projets de moindre envergure (alimentations, démonstrateurs, acquisitions de données, micro-informatique, circuits imprimés).

PUBLICATIONS DOMAINE DU TRANSFERT D'ENERGIE PAR INDUCTION M. Jufer, L. Cardoletti, B. Arnet, P. Germano, Ch. Koechli, N. Macabray, M. Perrottet, "Dispositif de transmission d'énergie électrique à un véhicule, sans contact, par induction - Projet PSEL N° 16 - Magnéto-glisseur", Rapport de synthèse 1995, EPFL-DE-LEME, Lausanne - Suisse, 18 octobre 1995; M. Jufer, L. Cardoletti, P. Germano, B. Arnet, M. Perrottet, N. Macabrey, "Induction Contactless Energy Transmission System for an Electric Vehicle", ICEM96, International Conference on Electrical Machines, Vigo, Sept. 10-12, 1996, Vol II, pp. 343-347; P. Germano, M. Jufer, "Contactless power transmission: Frequency tuning by a maximum power tracking method", EPE '97, 7th European Conference on power electronics and applications, Trondheim, Sept. 8-10, 1997, Vol IV, pp. 693-697; M. Jufer, L. Cardoletti, P. Germano, B. Arnet, M. Perrottet, Swiss Federal Institute of Techno-logy, DE-LEME, 1015 Lausanne, Switzer-land, "Inductively powered automatic vehicles - Ser-pen-tine", EVS-15 '98, 15th International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition, Brussel, Belgium, Sept. 29 - Oct. 3, 1998, pp. 403-404; P. Germano, Nicolas Macabrey, M. Jufer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, DE-LEME, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, "Contactless Power Transmission: Linear Positioning of the Moving Element", EPE '99, 8th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, Lausanne, 7-9 September, 1999, Art Nb 685; P. Germano, M. Jufer, L. Cardoletti, B. Arnet, Ch. Koechli, N. Macabray, M. Perrottet, "Système de transport automatique à transmission d'énergie par induction. - Projet PSEL N° 115", Rapport final 1999, EPFL-DE-LEME, Lausanne - Suisse, 31 août 1999; P. Germano, I. Stefanini, W. Montella, L. Cardoletti, Y. Perriard, "Système de transfert d'énergie pour navette de machines d'assemblage Projet CTI n° 5780.1 KTS", Rapport final, EPF Lausanne-LAI, Suisse, mars 2004; I. Stefanini, P. Germano, L. Cardoletti, W. Montella, Y. Perriard, "Inductive Charge System for Assembly Plant Shuttles", CD-ROM, EPE 2003, Toulouse, (France), 2-4 Septembre 2003; P. Germano, I. Stefanini, Y. Perrirad, "Stimulation colique pour le traitement des troubles de la motilité Projet ColoStim Projet CTI n° 7362.2 LSPP-LS", Rapport final, EPF Lausanne-LAI, Suisse, mai 2007. DOMAINES DES BANCS DE MESURE - MESURES P. Germano, "Système automatique de mesure", Rapport technique vol. I & II, EPF-Lausanne, 1995; P. Germano, Ch. Kuert, "Banc de mesures automatisé pour entraînements électriques", Présentation et mode d'emploi, EPF-Lausanne, 1997; P. Germano, Ch. Kuert, M. Jufer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, DE-LEME, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, "Automated test bench for electric drives: Modular layout of soft- and hardware", EPE '99, 8th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, Lausanne, 7-9 September, 1999, Art Nb 683; Y. Perriard, P. Germano, I. Verettaz, "Banc de test pour vibreur électromécanique", Rapport technique, EPF-Lausanne, janvier 2000; P. Germano, Ch. Kuert, M. Jufer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, DE-LEME, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland, "DSP controlled automated Test Bench for linear Actuators Design and Choices", EPE 2001, 9th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, Graz, 27-29 August, 2001, Art Nb 709; P. Germano, M. Crivii, D. Demarco, Y. Perriard, Swiss Federal Instutute of Technology, LAI, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland & L. Paratte, R. Marquis, Service Unit RD, ETA SA (Swatch Group), 2540 Granges, Switzerland, "Analysis and Modeling of Electrostatic Discharge in a Tactile Glass Featured Watch", IAS 2004, 39th Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA, October 3-7, 2004; P. Germano, M. Crivii, D. Demarco, Y. Perriard, Swiss Federal Instutute of Technology, LAI, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland & L. Paratte, R. Marquis, Service Unit RD, ETA SA (Swatch Group), 2540 Granges, Switzerland, "Analysis and Modeling of Electrostatic Discharge in a Tactile Glass Featured Watch", IEEE Transaction on Industry Applications, Volume 43, Issue 4, July-aug. 2007, Page(s): 1091-1098;

Related units (17)

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces

ISIC - Divers

SCI STI FM Group

Related concepts (4)

Thermal efficiency

In thermodynamics, the thermal efficiency () is a dimensionless performance measure of a device that uses thermal energy, such as an internal combustion engine, steam turbine, steam engine, boiler, furnace, refrigerator, ACs etc. For a heat engine, thermal efficiency is the ratio of the net work output to the heat input; in the case of a heat pump, thermal efficiency (known as the coefficient of performance) is the ratio of net heat output (for heating), or the net heat removed (for cooling) to the energy input (external work).

Waste heat

Waste heat is heat that is produced by a machine, or other process that uses energy, as a byproduct of doing work. All such processes give off some waste heat as a fundamental result of the laws of thermodynamics. Waste heat has lower utility (or in thermodynamics lexicon a lower exergy or higher entropy) than the original energy source. Sources of waste heat include all manner of human activities, natural systems, and all organisms, for example, incandescent light bulbs get hot, a refrigerator warms the room air, a building gets hot during peak hours, an internal combustion engine generates high-temperature exhaust gases, and electronic components get warm when in operation.

Biology

Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary information encoded in genes, which can be transmitted to future generations. Another major theme is evolution, which explains the unity and diversity of life. Energy processing is also important to life as it allows organisms to move, grow, and reproduce.

Related exercises (13)

Asymmetrical pendulum

A pendulum is made up of a marble of mass m connected to a fixed point O with a massless string of constant length. A nail is placed at a distance d from point O, vertically below, such that the pendulum as lengthxa0L when it goes right and lengthxa0du2005+u2005L when it goes left (see diagram). The marble is placed such that the string makes an anglexa0α (α

Bungee jumping

A student with mass m, attached to an elastic cord with spring constant k, jumps without any initial speed from a bridge at height h above the river. The elastic cord barely stops the student from touching the river. We neglect friction. We suggest defining a y-axis pointing upwards and with its origin at river height.

Using the conservation of total mechanical energy, show that the cord’s rest length l₀ is $l_0=h-\sqrt{\frac{2mgh}{k}}$ .
Show that, while jumping, the student reached maximal sp

Spring Oscillator

A block of mass m is connected to the floor and the ceiling of a room of height h by two springs. The springs have elastic constants k₁ and k₂ and null rest lengths, as indicated on the diagram. Gravity acts on the block. We only consider the block’s vertical motion, along an x-axis pointing downwards with its origin on the ceiling. We neglect the block’s shape, as well as any friction.

Draw, on a diagram, all the forces acting on the block and give their expressions.
Find the differential equ

Related notebooks (3)

Phase Contrast Transfer Function

::: {role="main"} ::: {.jp-Cell .jp-MarkdownCell .jp-Notebook-cell} ::: {.jp-Cell-inputWrapper tabindex="0"} ::: {.jp-Collapser .jp-InputCollapser .jp-Cell-inputCollapser} ::: ::: {.jp-InputArea .jp-Cell-inputArea} ::: {.jp-InputPrompt .jp-InputArea-prompt} ::: ::: {.jp-RenderedHTMLCommon .jp-RenderedMarkdown .jp-MarkdownOutput mime-type="text/markdown"}

Phase Contras Transfer Function¶{.anchor-link} {#Phase-Contras-Transfer-Function}

This relatively simple notebook

Illustrating Band Structures in Solids: Free Electrons and Atomic Orbitals

In [1]: import numpy as np from numpy import linalg as LA import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

from future import print_function

from ipywidgets import interact, interactive, fixed, interact_manual import ipywidgets as widgets %matplotlib widget The emergence of band structures[1]¶ If you have questions about this notebook, e-mail Oleg Malanyuk (oleg.malanyuk@epfl.ch) This jupyter notebook is intended to provide a illustration of the band structures in solides, starting from the points of v

Digital Simulation of Guitar Feedback in I Feel Fine by The Beatles

I Feel Fine, Digitally[1]¶ This notebook is a little musing inspired by the "internal mechanics" of a very famous audio snippet, namely the guitar sound at the beginning of the song "I Feel Fine", written and recorded by the Beatles in 1964. The historical significance of the record lies in the following claim by John Lennon:

 "I defy anybody to find a record... unless it is some old blues
 record from 1922... that uses feedback that way. So I claim it for
 the Beatles. Before H