About
1 Executive Summary
Renewable clean energy a more efficient method of harnessing wind power
We are in the process of developing a revolutionary new method that more efficiently harnesses the power of the wind with less land use, and with more reliability then modern wind turbine farms. Turning a variable renewable energy source in to a constant renewable energy source. We are seeking your help to fund the development process. Any funds will go into the development process, and the building of a test prototype.
How it works: Using a high altitude balloon filled with ammonia gas to provide lift, a wind powered generator is raise a few miles into the upper atmosphere. When a specific height is reached, lift is reduced via a reaction of ammonia gas and water. As the generator begins it's descent, falling back down to earth, air passing through the blades of the wind turbine will cause the generator to spin generating electricity like a conventional wind turbine. As the turbine is falling a wireless microwave directional antenna, transmits the energy back to the ground. A rectenna, a rectifying antenna absorbs the energy similar to how solar cells work. Using a series of these generator that are constantly raising and falling in a given area a continuous stream of energy can be generated and transmitted.
2 The problem with renewable energy
The problem with renewable energy sources like wind is that they produce
variable energy. Winds need to be blowing at a specific rate and in a
specific direction in order for energy to be produce. When the winds are not
blowing strong enough or to strong, no energy is being produced. If you look
at an individual wind turbine you see some that are moving and some that are
not, for this reason, wind turbine span many miles and cover such a large area. This allows them to effectively produce an average energy output.
3 The solution
The solution would be in making this renewable energy source more reliable by
getting a constant energy output at the individual level. Being able to supply
energy when energy demands are high and turn down the power output when
energy demands are low like conventional power plant is what is needed for
renewable energy sources to be successful. We believe our concept solves this problem by turning a variable renewable energy source, wind into a constant renewable energy source.
4 Objective & supporting research
Detailed Testing of Concept:
Our objective is to prove the concept on a smaller scale. Specific calculations will need to be made in the design of the body, blade span, and weight to fully maximize the generator. When these calculations are taken into consideration in the design the next step will be in building and launching as well as recording the energy generated. The last step takes place back on the ground and involves regenerating the gas used to reduce lift and taking measurement. This will be done by using a compressor to reduce vapor pressure in the storage tank mixture of ammonia gas and water (ammonium hydroxide) to draw out the ammonia gas from water and compress it in a separate storage tank. The goal is to generate more energy than it takes to regenerate the gas that was used to lift the generator.
Device Components:
The Lifting Unit:
High Altitude Balloon
Ammonia Gas
The Generator Unit:
Generator
Microwave Transmitter
Generator General Components:
Body
CPU
Guidance System
Storage Tank of Water
Gas Regeneration System:
Compressor
Gas Storage Tank
Example of possible design
Formulas used to determine feasibility:
Power generated from wind turbines = 0.5 * Swept Area * Air Density * Wind Velocity ^3 is used to figure out the potential energy output of any wind turbine at 100% efficiency. You can see that as the wind speed is increased the energy output is cubed. Which means you get the same or more energy output from a wind turbine with smaller blades span as you increase the wind speeds. Increasing weight and or reducing surface area can increase the terminal velocity. In the following example, we calculate the potential energy output of a 350 lbs. test prototype design.
length of wind blades = 8.5344 meter (28 foot).
Terminal velocity = 26.822 meters per second (60 miles per hour).
Swept area = PI * (diameter/2) squared
Swept area = 3.14* (8.5344/2) ^2 =57.17 meter squared
Power = 0.5 * 57.17 * 1.25 * (26.822) ^3 = 689,480 Watts
Ever second at 100% or approximately 689.48 kilowatts, but because of the Betz Limit you can only really use about half of that at most or about 344.74 kilowatts. This calculation is just as an example of a starting point, but with increased in blade length and or over all weight to increase terminal velocity you can support a more powerful generator.
Cost to compress air:
Take a 15 kw air compressor, this is equal to 20 HP (15,000 watts / 746 = 20.1 HP). 15 kw * $ .10 kwh = $ 1.50 dollars an hour to operate a 15 kW (20 HP) compressor.
A 20 HP compressor of industrial grade will produce 80 SCFM at 150 psi. It takes 12.5 minutes for an 80 SCFM compressor to produce 1000 SCF of air at 150 psi.
12.5 minutes / 60 minutes = .208 of an hour to produce 1000 SCF of air. .208 of an hour * $ 1.50 an hour = $ .312 (31.2 cents) to compress 1000 SCF of air at 150 psi.
How many cubic feet of ammonia gas can you get out of ammonium hydroxide?
The density of ammonium hydroxide is 0.89 g/ml at room temperatures.
The maximum concentration of ammonia gas that you can get in water with room temperatures is 28% by weight of ammonium hydroxide.
1 liter = 1000 ml.
0.89 g/ml * 1000ml = 890g of NH3 a liter.
28% X 890g = 249.2g of ammonia gas.
249.2 / 17 g/moles = 14.65 moles.
PV=nRT.
1 atm * V = 291k * 0.082 * 14.65 = 349 liter of ammonia gas.
349 liters of NH3 gas = 12.32 cubic feet of ammonia gas (theoretical if you isolated the entire amount) in every liter of ammonium hydroxide.
Important to note that you get more gas volume than what you started out with in liquid volume because gases expand.
The weight of water needed per 1000 SCF of ammonia gas to reduce lift?
There are 3.78 liters in a gallon.
The weight of a gallon of ammonium hydroxide = 7.5 lbs.
So 3.78 * 12.32 = 46.56 cubic feet of ammonia gas coming out a gallon of ammonium hydroxide.
7.5 X 28% = 2.1 lbs. of ammonia gas out of a gallon of ammonium hydroxide. So 5.4 lbs. which is the weight of the water that is left that can absorb 46.56 SCF of ammonia gas.
1000 SCF / 46.56 = 21.47
21.47 X 5.4 = 116 lbs. the total weight of water needed to absorb 1000 SCF of ammonia gas.
Transmission of power:
This formula is used to figure at what distance might be reasonable to start emitting the energy using parabolic antenna of 2 feet. First we need to figure out the beam width. We have the antenna diameter that we want at 2 feet. At 10 Gigahertz the wavelength is .03 meters long. The beam width of this would be 1.05 degrees using this with the length of an arc formula you can find the area needed to capture the energy of the microwaves. N = 1.05 we begin transmitting energy 10 miles away or 52800 feet away. This gives us (2 x 52800 feet) * 3.14 * (1.05°/360°) = 967.12 feet outward from a central point. This is using a 2 feet antenna which can be increased in diameter to decrease coverage area on the ground. These calculations are just to be presented as an example that this is within reason.
Putting it all together:
The test design prototype is to be used as a starting point to test concept feasibility.
Total weight: 350 lbs.
Total lift: 10,000 SCF of ammonia gas equals 420 lbs. of total lift.
Net lift: 70 lbs. or 20% of total weight.
To reduce lift we will be combining 2,000 SCF of ammonia gas with 232 lbs. of water.
The net lift of the remaining 8,000 SCF = 336 lbs. Subtract from that 45 lbs. of ammonia gas going back into the water per 1000 SCF = 90 net downward force. 336 90 = 246 lbs. net lift.
Total weight 350 246 = 104 downward force.
232 water weight 350 total weight leaves 118 lbs. for all other components.
Cost of extracting ammonia gas was estimated at .31 cents per 1000 SCF or .62 cents total.
Doing research, we have found a 10 kw / kg generator.
A 300 kw generator would weigh 30 kg or about 66 lbs. leaving 52 lbs. for all other components.
300 kw / 60 minutes = 5 kwh every minute
10 minutes of operation = 50 kwh
.10 cents a kwh * 50 kwh = $ 5 X 60% efficiency rate = $ 3
$ 3 - .62 cents = $ 2.38 potential net profit after operation expense.
The generator will be raised to a height of 11 miles above the earth's surface. When fully finished the generator will begin to transmit energy 10 miles above the earth's surface. We want to design the generator to fall at a rate of 60 miles per hour, but this can be changed with different design specifications. The generator will start transmitting energy 10 miles above the earth's surface and is traveling at a rate of 60 miles per hour with bigger and heavier generators you get more energy output. Horizontal drift also shouldn't be a factor with heavier generators. The benefits of this design is that you get a continuous stream of steady energy in a compact area, with modern wind turbine farms you get energy output only when the wind is blowing and only when its blowing in the direction that is needed.
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