Living Off Grid Part 4
Steam power generation is used in nearly all forms of electricity production. The reason is that nearly all energy resources whether it be coal, nuclear, natural gas, solar, hydrothermal, etc produce heat (there are some exceptions like water power). Most of the time this heat is used to raise the temperature of water so that it turns into steam and then the steam is used to drive turbines which drive electric generators. Steam electrical power production has been in existence, quite literally since the introduction of electricity. It is a well established technology that has been improved and made more efficient in the past 120 years.
The difference between most of these forms of energy production is the heat source. Once the water is in steam form it will be treated nearly the same, it doesn't matter if it was heated by coal, nuclear, natural gas, or solar, the technology used to convert steam energy into electrical energy is nearly the same.
This is a great benefit for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), because half of the work is done; the technology to convert steam into electricity, in an efficient manner, already exists and is widely available. Furthermore, this technology has the added benefit that it can be repaired component by component as it ages and it can be reconditioned to perform like new. We don't have to replace the entire CSP plant, rather we simply repair individual components. This is more cost-effective in the long term when compared to semiconductor based solar panels. Another advantage is that most CSPs produce Alternating Current electrical power naturally, without the need for inverters.
There are several methods that may be sufficiently practical and feasible so as to lead to an increase in the efficiency of CSP and Steam Power in General. What is most important is to reduce or eliminate the loss of heat in the system. Vacuum Flask techniques can be used in the boiling chambers of the CSP system to nearly eliminate heat loss to the environment. To avoid exposing the Vacuum Flask chamber to high pressures a high pressure tank composed of highly heat conductive material, could be built inside the chamber which is then exposed to the CSP. Steam lines could be insulated and jacketed with vacuum flask line jackets, as should all connections. These methods could also be used in the Steam Plants, any material that carries heat, could be insulated with vacuum flask technology. The Steam Plants themselves may also see an increase in efficiency maybe breaking the 50% barrier.
If nearly all forms of heat loss are eliminated then the efficiency of the system could be raised, CSP systems could surpass PV systems in efficiency. There are also portable steam Power systems, which raises the possibility of portable CSP systems and residential CSP systems.
PV systems do have several advantages, one advantage is transportation. One could carry several PV panels in a vehicle and then set them up in a remote area, relatively easily, this is not as easy to do with a CSP system. PV panels may be able to provide usable electric power under cloudy conditions more easily than CSP systems. Installing PV panels is easier than installing or constructing a CSP system.
What is most important for living off grid is to build a CSP system that can provide for most energy needs. During the summer, depending on geography, weather, atmospheric conditions, etc much of the sun's heat energy can be used directly, using solar ovens, parabolic grillers, absorption refrigerators, even absorption air conditioners. The problem is what to do during Winter, during cloudy days, and especially at night? Clearly energy storage is key to living off grid successfully.
There are many ways to store energy, the most popular is use deep cycle lead-acid batteries and inverters. There are other ways, for example pumped hydro-electric, water hydrolysis, possibly steam storage using vacuum flask technology, etc. There is another way to store energy and that is rotating cylinders, more about that in my next post. Also the difference between energy and power.
The difference between most of these forms of energy production is the heat source. Once the water is in steam form it will be treated nearly the same, it doesn't matter if it was heated by coal, nuclear, natural gas, or solar, the technology used to convert steam energy into electrical energy is nearly the same.
This is a great benefit for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), because half of the work is done; the technology to convert steam into electricity, in an efficient manner, already exists and is widely available. Furthermore, this technology has the added benefit that it can be repaired component by component as it ages and it can be reconditioned to perform like new. We don't have to replace the entire CSP plant, rather we simply repair individual components. This is more cost-effective in the long term when compared to semiconductor based solar panels. Another advantage is that most CSPs produce Alternating Current electrical power naturally, without the need for inverters.
There are several methods that may be sufficiently practical and feasible so as to lead to an increase in the efficiency of CSP and Steam Power in General. What is most important is to reduce or eliminate the loss of heat in the system. Vacuum Flask techniques can be used in the boiling chambers of the CSP system to nearly eliminate heat loss to the environment. To avoid exposing the Vacuum Flask chamber to high pressures a high pressure tank composed of highly heat conductive material, could be built inside the chamber which is then exposed to the CSP. Steam lines could be insulated and jacketed with vacuum flask line jackets, as should all connections. These methods could also be used in the Steam Plants, any material that carries heat, could be insulated with vacuum flask technology. The Steam Plants themselves may also see an increase in efficiency maybe breaking the 50% barrier.
If nearly all forms of heat loss are eliminated then the efficiency of the system could be raised, CSP systems could surpass PV systems in efficiency. There are also portable steam Power systems, which raises the possibility of portable CSP systems and residential CSP systems.
PV systems do have several advantages, one advantage is transportation. One could carry several PV panels in a vehicle and then set them up in a remote area, relatively easily, this is not as easy to do with a CSP system. PV panels may be able to provide usable electric power under cloudy conditions more easily than CSP systems. Installing PV panels is easier than installing or constructing a CSP system.
What is most important for living off grid is to build a CSP system that can provide for most energy needs. During the summer, depending on geography, weather, atmospheric conditions, etc much of the sun's heat energy can be used directly, using solar ovens, parabolic grillers, absorption refrigerators, even absorption air conditioners. The problem is what to do during Winter, during cloudy days, and especially at night? Clearly energy storage is key to living off grid successfully.
There are many ways to store energy, the most popular is use deep cycle lead-acid batteries and inverters. There are other ways, for example pumped hydro-electric, water hydrolysis, possibly steam storage using vacuum flask technology, etc. There is another way to store energy and that is rotating cylinders, more about that in my next post. Also the difference between energy and power.
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