SMU's Electricity Generator Gets Its Power from Waste Heat

[MrMustang1965]

Dallas' Southern Methodist University is now recycling energy with one of the first commercial electricity generators that use thermoelectricityâ€"the act of drawing power from waste heat. The machine operates by using heat given off by other processes (such as manufacturing) to boil liquids, which then turn into steam, which then turns an electricity-generating turbine.

ElectraTherm's Waste Heat Generators recover heat from various sources without any specialized electronics or hard-to-maintain components. By boiling water up to 200°F, the generator can produce from 25kW to 1MW of fuel-free, emission-free electricity.

About 50% of all fuel burned by industrial sources becomes "waste heat." Though businesses can try to use fuel as efficiently as possible, nearly seven quadrillion Btu of waste heat still escapes to do nothing but warm the atmosphere. But ElectraTherm says that its products, if used widely, could recover the equivalent electric output of 92 500MW gas-fired power plants.

The company says that the university will recoup its purchase cost in three to four years, with electricity costing about three to four cents per kwH during that time. After the payback period, the cost per kWH will drop to less than a penny. If only ElectraTherm's machines could be hooked up to the hot air our politicians will spew come election day, then all our nation's energy problems would be solved.

http://gizmodo.com/394433/electricity-g ... waste-heat

[FroggieFever]

[PK]

By boiling water up to 200°F, the generator can produce from 25kW to 1MW of fuel-free, emission-free electricity.

Very interesting in that I do believe that water has to reach 212°F to boil and produce steam. Hmmmmm.

[MrMustang1965]

By boiling water up to 200°F, the generator can produce from 25kW to 1MW of fuel-free, emission-free electricity.

Very interesting in that I do believe that water has to reach 212°F to boil and produce steam. Hmmmmm.

from www.wikipedia.org.

The boiling point of water is 100 °C (212 °F) at standard pressure.

For purists, the normal boiling point of water is 99.97 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 1 atm (i.e., 101.325 kPa). Until 1982 this was also the standard boiling point of water, but the IUPAC now recommends a standard pressure of 1 bar (100 kPa). At this slightly reduced pressure, the standard boiling point of water is 99.61 degrees Celsius.

[White Helmet]

Not to mention that is for pure water, which I doubt they are using, Even DI Water has some particulates in it.

[smu diamond m]

As the atmospheric (or system) vapor pressure of water decreases, so does the temperature are which water boils. i.e. If the water is being boiled under a vacuum, it will do so at a lower temperature.


Watching it boil at room temperature was one of the "Miracles of Science" displayed at the Scoence Place quite some time ago.

[expony18]

nerds

[MrMustang1965]

nerds

MISFITS OF SCIENCE


Yes, that's Courtney Cox of 'Friends' fame ^ in the lower right.

[PK]

Without any additional information in the original article to justify the statement, boiling water at 200°F ain't going to happen.

Yes, we nerds enjoy a good conversation pertaining to science...or some semblance thereof from time to time.

[smu diamond m]

My guess is that they meant to say "heating"... Just thought I'd throw in a science lesson for those that didn't take thermo against their will.

[03Mustang]

http://www.informationweek.com/news/man ... =208400325

[PK]

My guess is that they meant to say "heating"... Just thought I'd throw in a science lesson for those that didn't take thermo against their will.

Heating water to 200°F isn't going to produce any steam for the generator either.

[smupony94]

It must be the off-season

[PK]

MM65 at his best. (said the kettle to the pot)

[RednBlue11]

a study should be done to determine the value of wasted heat energy that is given off from "Frating Hard"