Desktop Turbine Can Power a Town
Tiny turbine that fits on your
DESK runs on carbon dioxide - and it can produce enough energy to power a small
town
Doug Hofer, lead engineer on the project for GE Global
Research, is pictured holding the 3D-printed prototype of the turbine. The
engineer said: 'This compact machine will allow us to do amazing things'
- Turbine runs on carbon dioxide under high pressure and heated to 700˚C
- This supercritical liquid state allows for super-efficient energy production
- Prototype will produce enough power for around 10,000 homes
- But it could be scaled up to power a city, and could help energy firms repurpose waste gas and heat for efficient and clean energy production
Engineers
have developed a turbine which has the potential to power a small town all the while being
no bigger than your office desk.
Designed
by GE Global Research, the turbine could power 10,000 homes and according to
researchers, could help to solve some of the world's growing energy challenges.
But
rather than steam, which is typically used to set turbines in motion, the new
turbine uses carbon dioxide.
Engineers have developed a small turbine which runs on
superheated carbon dioxide and could generate enough power for 10,000 homes.
Pictured is a 3D-printed prototype of the turbine, which GE Global Research
says could help to solve some of the world's growing energy challenges
'This compact machine will allow us to do amazing
things,' said Doug Hofer, lead engineer on the project, in Albany, New York.
'The
world is seeking cleaner and more efficient ways to generate power. The
concepts we are exploring with this machine are helping us address both.'
According
to MIT Tech Review, the turbine is driven by
'supercritical carbon dioxide', which is kept under high pressure at
temperatures of 700˚C.
Under
these conditions, the carbon dioxide enters a physical state between a gas and
a liquid, enabling the turbine to harness its energy for super-efficient power
generation - with the turbines transferring 50 per cent of the heat into
electricity.
.
Waste heat produced from other power generation methods,
such as nuclear power stations or solar (pictured left and right) could be used
to generate molten salt to heat carbon dioxide gas to a supercriticial liquid
for the new turbines - which may be much quicker than heating water for steam
THE CO2 TURBINE DESIGN
The
turbine is driven by 'supercritical carbon dioxide', which is kept under high
pressure and temperatures.
Carbon
dioxide enters a physical state between a gas and a liquid, enabling the
turbine to harness its energy for super-efficient power generation.
It
could help energy firms take waste gas and repurpose it for efficient and
cleaner energy production.
Waste
heat from solar or nuclear stations, could be used to melt salts, which then
heat carbon dioxide gas to a super-critical liquid - which may be much quicker
than heating water for steam.
Currently,
the design of the turbine would enable up to 10 MW of energy to be produced,
but it could be scaled up to generate 500 MW, enough to power a city.
It
could help energy firms take waste gas and repurpose it for efficient and
cleaner energy production.
Waste
heat produced from other power generation methods, such as solar or nuclear,
could be used to melt salts, with the molten salts used to the carbon dioxide
gas to a super-critical liquid - which may be much quicker than heating water
for steam.
GE
confirmed the power cycle is a closed loop which circulates the CO2
continuously around the cycle, and that there are no waste products from the
system when used with solar energy.
The
team is reportedly working with US government agencies to
test the turbines, working on projects with the Advanced Research Projects
Agency-Energy and the US Department of Energy.
Furthermore,
the turbine's design would enable it to be powered up and shut down easily
could make it useful for grid storage - an issue with renewable sources such as
wind and solar.
Currently,
the design of the turbine would enable up to 10,000 kilowatts of energy to be
produced, but the turbines could be scaled up to generate 500 megawatts, enough
to power a city.
The
technology is still in its early phase, but researchers hope to put the turbine
through its paces later this year. Industrial scale testing will also make
commercial pricing clearer.
'With
energy demand expected to rise by 50 percent over the next two decades, we
can't afford to wait for new, cleaner energy solutions to power the planet,'
explained Hofer.
'We
have to innovate now and make energy generation as efficient as possible.
Programs like those we are working on with the US Department of Energy are
helping us get there.'
A 3D-printed model of the turbine has been
made to demonstrate the principle, but a final version of the current prototype
would be expected to weigh just 150 lbs (68 kg).
The
approach of repurposing heat to generate molten salts is the basis of certain
types of solar power generation.
Concentrated
Solar Power (CPV) is a technology which uses mirrors and lenses to reflect
sunlight onto a narrow area.
The
resulting heat melts a salt, with the molten salt the used to boil water to
steam, driving a turbine. Unlike photovoltaic technologies - used in the
typical solar cells of panels seen on houses - CPV can work for hours after the
sun goes down.
WHAT ROLE DOES WATER PLAY IN ENERGY PRODUCTION?
Water is used in power plants to produce steam to turn turbines. It is also required to cool the steam
Water
use is at the heart of most of our energy
production.
In
thermoelectric plants, which include nuclear and fossil fuel plants, fuel is
used to boil water.
The
resulting steam is used to turn turbines, which generate electricity.
But
more water is required to cool the steam, to change it back to its liquid state
so it can be used again.
Colder
water is a better coolant and leads to more effective generation of
electricity.
While
many plants use fresh water as a coolant, waste water and sea water can be
used.
However,
these have implications for local ecosystems.
Hydroelectric
power plants use water in a more direct way than thermoelectric plants.
Instead
of generating steam, they route fast flowing water from a river or reservoir to
turn turbines and generate electricity.
In
a recent study, scientists warn that a rise in
droughts and heatwaves, linked to climate change, could threaten access to
water resources for power plants around the world.
But
changes to the way plants operate, including improving the efficiency of
hydropower plants by 10%, could address this looming problem, the authors
explain.
From Mail Online
@ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3535461/Tiny-turbine-fits-DESK-runs-carbon-dioxide-produce-energy-power-small-town.html
For more information about alternative energy sources see http://nexusilluminati.blogspot.com/search/label/alternative%20energy
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