At 03:31 PM 5/25/2011, you wrote:
In reply to Alan J Fletcher's message of Wed, 25 May 2011 13:59:30 -0700:
Hi,
[snip]
>At 01:24 PM 5/25/2011, you wrote:
>HARD CURRENCY ENERGY- how the thermal energy of the active core
can be converted in electric energy in an economical way?
>I'm probably too conservative there. 40% ? 60% ?
>(Way out of my expertise, anyway.)
The Carnot efficiency at 500 C is 52% (assuming the steam is
condensed at 100 C,
61% if at room temperature). 50% of 6 = 3, which implies that 1/3 of the
electrical power is used to run the device, and 2/3 is available for external
use. However no device ever actually achieves Carnot efficiency, so
this may be
a bit less. OTOH, if this is real then the factor of 6 is likely to grow with
time as better methods of control are developed.
Robin van Spaandonk
I googled an interesting one :
http://www.langsonenergy.com/
http://www.langsonenergy.com/faqs-2
White paper :
http://www.langsonenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/LEI-White-Paper-2011-01.pdf
He claims 60% efficiency from a variety of sources:
> Power production efficiencies approximate those produced by steam
turbines (Isentropic efficiencies exceeding 60%) without the strict
requirements of high-pressure, dry steam required by these devices.
Capable of directly utilizing the pressure in natural gas, wet steam,
dry steam, geothermal fluids, water and many other waste streams, the
Gas Letdown Generator provides significant economic and performance
advantages over traditional and non-traditional waste energy capture devices.
It looks like a pair of intertwined archimedes screws. He's primarily
marketing it as a device which reaps otherwise wasted energy from
"Gas Letdown" -- the device which reduces a high pressure gas
pipeline to lower-pressure local distribution lines.
60% * 6x Cat = 3.6 total for electric
> Langson Energy currently offers 100, 250 and 450 kW units as well
as 1 and 5 MW units. Lower capital investment and GLG's modular and
compact design allow for the ability to create parallel, expandable
and redundant power generation capabilities on a distributed basis.
On those sites with sufficient flows and pressures to warrant it,
multiple units can be deployed in parallel for power outputs to 50 MW
and beyond.
