Posted on 03/09/2021 1:40:19 PM PST by DUMBGRUNT
A major national supermarket chain, one of the Fortune 500 customers in Mainspring’s pilot program, has signed an agreement to expand deployment of Mainspring Linear Generators to power up to 30 grocery stores. Mainspring began shipping pilot units to multiple Fortune 500 customers in June 2020 and expects to begin commercial product shipments in mid-2021.
...Mainspring’s breakthrough technology, based on research originally conducted by the company’s co-founders in a thermodynamics laboratory at Stanford University, is designed to meet these demands by delivering dispatchable, fuel-flexible power that substantially reduces cost and carbon today, while accelerating the transition to the net-zero carbon grid.
Mainspring’s generators are designed to produce electricity with utility-scale performance in the size of a parking space, while meeting the strictest emissions standards in the world.
The design of Mainspring’s Linear Generator uses a low-temperature reaction of air and fuel to drive magnets through copper coils to efficiently produce electricity. This innovcative design, combined with the company’s proprietary adaptive control software, enables high efficiency, near-zero NOx emissions, full dispatchability, and seamless switching between fuels.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
I associate low combustion temperatures with low efficiencies in heat engines. What is new here?
—”Magnets are made with rare earths,”
Rare earths are not actually rare!
But the green nuts have shut down most US mines.
Yes, the Chinese do most of the processing, again because of the greens; and because they wanted to learn the business.
And they learned a lot!
See:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/rare-truths-about-chinas-rare-earths-11614814070
—”What is new here?”
The process when used with a gas turbine”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/catalytic-combustion
Are they talking about farting in a jar?
“Low temperature” is a term of art. “Low Voltage” is often defined as up to 1000 VAC or 1500 VDC, with voltgaes about that being used for power transmission.
From webpage ... uniform reaction that maintains peak temperatures below the levels in which NOx forms (1500ADEGC). ... This is in contrast to the burning of a fuel with a flame.
https://www.mainspringenergy.com/technology/
Hmmm. Low pressure air and fuel mixture. Golly. How revolutionary.
The generator is set up inside the grocery store meat freezer?
Rare earths are not actually rare!
They are just not common.
The US mines were principally shutdown by ex-President Bill Clinton as a favor to his Chinese bankers and backers in the PLA while he was in office.
And your link is behind a pay wall.
—”Low temperature” is a term of art. “
Reading around, ~500 C is mentioned (~932 F) for this process.
I scanned quickly the paper posted, It seems that lower NOx emission is a key point. However, the turbine engine and the reciporcating engine mentioned in the new generation innovation are heat engines.
I welcome the use of new catalytic processes and such innovation, but I fail to understand how low temperature combustion leads to greater thermodynamic efficiency.
I get that gas bearings are better than sliding bearings, and so on, but again where is the magic? I hope that this is a disruptive technology, but I am not seeing it yet.
Best Regards.
A low temperature thermodynamic cycle is an inefficient one.
Anything we can do to lessen the grid and make smaller, safe, localized, private power available should be welcome.
It doesn't. See Carnot. The greater the temp differential, the higher the thermal efficiency.
Unless "efficiency" is relative to the best theoretical efficiency under a given temperature differential. Even then, it's easier to get high efficiency with high temperature.
This technology is sold as low emissions.
This isn't disruptive technology on the prime mover side. Maybe some on the power generating side, with the linear magnet the voltage woul dhave the same periodic regularity inherent to rotating machinery.
Interesting!
Issues:
1. Air springs are very inefficient, though. Absorb energy.
2. Must be a catalyst in there somewhere for the fuel.
3. I don’t think linear generators are as efficient as rotary, also.
But cool tuff!
—”A low-temperature thermodynamic cycle is an inefficient one.”
True for the ones I’m familiar with.
Years back, some were experimenting with running gasoline IC engines at extreme temps, insulating the block to retain heat. Massive power increase for a short duration.
Guessing, with this process, less fuel economy but near-zero pollution?
Also if they running how I suspect it is still relatively warm at 500 C, combustion temp, not block.
—”1. Air springs are very inefficient, though. Absorb energy.”
Not my line of work, just asking.
If the air spring is not leaking and adding pumping losses, where is the efficiency lost?
“If the air spring is not leaking and adding pumping losses, where is the efficiency lost?”
Heat. Compressing air raises its temperature, the heat flows out and is lost energy. During expansion, it absorbs heat. Flowing heat is energy transfer. So where does the energy come from to heat the expanded air. Etc. It’s why running an engine via compressed air is not cost effective. Compressing it loses energy, expansion is inefficient, too.
ButI want to see what my bud says. I’m not a thermo expert.
I email pinged a buddy of mine, a thermo guy, to get his comments.
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