"All the World's a Stage We Pass Through" R. Ayana

Saturday 14 May 2016

Desktop Turbine Can Power a Town


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¿
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
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.

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Waste heat produced from other power generation methods could be used to heat carbon dioxide, which may be much quicker than heating water for steam The heat from nuclear or solar could be used to generate molten salt to heat carbon dioxide gas to a supercriticial liquid for the new turbines


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 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.




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