I've already got one.
Posted on 04/18/2023 12:02:46 PM PDT by Twotone
Scientists at Stanford University's Advanced Energy Systems Laboratory have developed what appears to be a miracle generator that can run on pretty much any fuel source. Called a linear generator, this ultimate flexi-fuel generator might be the "holy grail" of generators for many industries.
The product of 14 years of development, this generator is a genuine breakthrough as it can handle and switch between different fuel sources on the fly without losing power. While that might sound like science fiction, it is, in fact, very much a reality. It also has few moving parts, doesn't require lubrication, and produces very few, if any, emissions.
“The linear generator can quickly switch between different types of green—and no-so-green, if need be—fuel, including biogas, ammonia, and hydrogen,” explained Matt Svrcek, Mainspring Energy co-founder, in an IEEE Spectrum article. “It has the potential to make the decarbonized power system available, reliable, and resilient against the vagaries of weather and fuel supplies,” he added.
So, how does this fantastic generator work? While a Stanford student, Svrcek worked on a project to transform chemical-bond energy into a more macro-scale, usable form. The earliest concepts used air and fuel in a confined chamber with movable walls. These walls compressed the fuel-air mixture as they traveled in opposite directions, causing the molecules to clash quickly and violently until they broke apart and reformed into other molecules. According to Svrcek, this method releases energy in chemical bonds without a spark or ignition source.
(Excerpt) Read more at interestingengineering.com ...
So could steam engines.
so they invented the Mr Fusion home energy reactor from back to the future?
hehe
I've already got one.
Diesel engine was invented 130 years ago.
Nuttin new
I knew I was saving all those old beer cans and banana peels for something.
Seems like same concept as a diesel except instead of turning a crankshaft they move magnets next to coils to generate an alternating current.
Maybe there’s also something about the fuel-air combustion that I didn’t understand. Perhaps someone can give information on that.
Clever idea — one I haven’t heard of before.
Steam engine requires heat and usually flame.
This is interesting but I would probably use magnetic bearings not air.
They did not say, but I assume you feed power into coils to ge t initial compression so it starts.
Still not sure how the low temp flameless reaction works
> The linear generator can quickly switch between different types of green—and no-so-green, if need be—fuel, including biogas, ammonia, and hydrogen,” <
I don’t know about biogas. But neither ammonia nor hydrogen occur naturally in nature. They have to be produced. And that takes energy. I suspect windmills alone won’t be able to do the job.
BINDUN
WOW, that is pretty nifty. But I’m sure it’s racist in some way.
This uses flame too; just in a contained system. Flames are merely energy released as light and heat into the atmosphere.
“Seems like same concept as a diesel except instead of turning a crankshaft they move magnets next to coils to generate an alternating current.
Maybe there’s also something about the fuel-air combustion that I didn’t understand. Perhaps someone can give information on that.
Clever idea — one I haven’t heard of before.”
They used to make a type of air compressor this way. One application was diesel locomotives, they were LOUD. It ran on diesel which of course self ignites when squashed at the right compression ratio. Sounds like it is designed on the STELZER-MOTOR principle with linear generator coils/magnets.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stelzer_engine
“...on the fly without losing power.”
I don’t buy it for the simple reason that different fuel sources have different quantities of energy. This is why we do not have alcohol based car engines. Alcohol has a LOT less energy than does gasoline or diesel.
Cool BFL
For example, about 15 years ago I was at a lab demo of a corvette engine that would run gasolines, kerosene,diesels, jet fuels, etc. it was all in the fancy spark plug, sensors and ECU programming. This R&D work was funded by the feds.
I can see this generator having reduced parasitic energy losses compared to other generating mechanisms using conventional combustion. My opinions…
“I don’t buy it for the simple reason that different fuel sources have different quantities of energy.”
Mixture ratio and timing takes care of this issue.
” These walls compressed the fuel-air mixture as they traveled in opposite directions, causing the molecules to clash quickly and violently until they broke apart and reformed into other molecules. “
Just like a diesel, no?
“I can see this generator having reduced parasitic energy losses compared to other generating mechanisms using conventional combustion. My opinions… “
And I think you are right on the money...
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