In future, the Great Salt Lake can be converted to a. 10 GW osmotic powerplant! The system structure is open and flexible for different foci: pure storage + ...
Osmotic-hydraulic energy storage & recovery system with large landscape solar evaporation pond of saturated salt water Lead organization: Kiwaho laboratory of energy & ecology Inc. Principal investigator: Yanming Wei Primary technical category: Grid Scale (Non-Battery) Storage Additional technical area: Solar - Non-PV + Osmotic energy Project cost: $3 million Duration: 36 months
Table of Contents 1. Executive summary ......................................................................................................................... 2 2. Innovation and impact .................................................................................................................... 3 3. Methodology & trial data calculation & engineering analysis ..................................................... 8 4. Team organization & capabilities ................................................................................................. 14 5. Technology to market ................................................................................................................... 15 6. Budget............................................................................................................................................ 15 7. Schedule ........................................................................................................................................ 16 8. Personal qualification summaries ................................................................................................ 17
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***** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY *****
We learned lesson from the failed Norway riverwater-seawater blue energy project, and reinvented a disruptive cleantech!
This promising project will shoot the toughest double summits: economic gridscale energy storage + economic solar energy harvest; and the former can easily challenge nowaday prevailing practice – the Pumped Storage Hydro, as well as the latter can be more competent than photovoltaic. We say NO to the hopeless riverwater–seawater system, but YES to the (freshwater | seawater) – SaturatedSaltWater (SSW) + solar evaporation + hydraulic oil system, so as to reach 20x osmotic pressure increase + 400x membranes saving! Our pending patent creatively convert the retarded osmotic pressure to hydraulic oil pressure inside the conjugate cylinder block, then oil current is rectified, subsequently a market-available hydraulic motor is driven for power generation. In fact, it is the FO (Forward Osmosis) that output energy. As to the RO (Reverse Osmosis), there are double ways: 1st use cheap off-peak hydropower to drive a similar oil-aquasolution conjugate cylinder block, so as to re-concentrate the storage SSW; 2nd let the sunshine evaporate the SSW pool. These two ways can even work simultaneously, and in fact, the latter does indirectly harvest solar energy even in night & cloudy day, b/c forever evaporation. Although the power density of solar evaporation pond is humbly 3 (regular climate) ~10 (desert) w/m2, its dirty cheap does make it the “Rolls-Royce of the poor”. In future, the Great Salt Lake can be converted to a 10 GW osmotic powerplant! The system structure is open and flexible for different foci: pure storage + recovery, solar harvest + storage + recovery, change desert to oasis by intake of seawater + production of salt & freshwater & hydro, etc. For more details, please read our patent fulltext and blog articles: Our published patent application can be download from USPTO or our website US15/902651 Blog 1: Osmosis energy era is looming ... Blog 2: Thank Trump for the art of tech trade-off deal - osmotic to hydraulic oil pressure transformer
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1. INNOVATION AND IMPACT Long long time ago, humankind found the osmotic pressure is formidable, even the commercial hydraulic pressure sadly feels inferior, for example, it is about 500 atmosphere pressure for water oozing into the saturated salt solution! About half century ago, American Israeli professor Sidney Loeb invented the PRO (Pressure Retarded Method) method to harvest osmotic energy. Unfortunately his invention has never been commercialized until today. Osmosis application is greatly dependent on the maturity degree of membranes. Nowadays, the price and quality of water semi-permeable membranes loom rosy. Especially, the water purification demand is advancing steadily membrane technology development. With the readiness of the no-longer-expensive membranes market, the long-time-expected PRObased blue energy industry should supposedly grow mature. But why still be a dream? Our answer: wow, it is frustrated by certain technical taboos! The fatal taboo: commercial hydraulic equipment must only use those engineered mineral oils, of course, aqueous solution is strictly prohibited. Engineers know exactly why this taboo must exist. This world is never perfect, even ugly in some corners. Therefore, due trade-off has to be applied to the due time and due space for due performance, and perfectionists may often confront failure. Anyway, all our inventions just follow this philosophy. Our deep research proves that: provided technical trade-off acceptable, the dead PRO technology can surely revived. Veni vidi vici, our attempt led to eventual successful design of such Pressure Transformer (PT): Don’t mind the minor water leakage
Red layers = Teflon liner for anti-corrosion
Some ugly leakage? No problem, provided it is minor enough, e.g. 0.1% of inflow, then engineeringly acceptable. Just be contentment & don't be fastidious, because viscosity performance of water is inferior than the engineered hydraulic oil. Erosion in the aqueous end? No big deal. If all water-contacting metal surfaces are lined with Teflon coating/socks, or if using special stainless steel, then, anti-corrosion may be effective. However, only servicing that aqua-end is cheap enough and as convenient as changing motor oil.
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The other challenge is how to automatically enable the energy conversion cycling. In previous figure, the water supply is drawn switchable to the conjugate osmosis chambers. A smart central logic controller shall take care of the endless periodic switching, so as to get AC (Alternating Current) oil flux, i.e. generate a virtual AC oil pump. To conveniently get mechanic power, then an oil AC-DC bridge rectifier converts the AC fluidic power to DC (Direct Current), so as to drive a market-procurable common hydraulic motor. The oil rectifier is simply consisted of 4 check-valves, like as diodes (0.7V saturated voltage), so its efficiency is almost 100%. The analogy is showed in the left of following figures. Oil current AC-DC rectifier & the equivalence
0.7V
Oil current DC-AC inverter & the equivalence
0.7V
By reverse use of the afore-mentioned PT, the RO can be done with the help of an oil DC-AC inverter that comprises 4 electromagnetic valves and oscillatory electric trigger (refer to above right figure). The off-peak cheap hydro powered electric motor drives a hydraulic motor, then the virtual oil AC pump is generated as the output of the inverter, so to reciprocate the PT axle for squeezing freshwater out and concentrating the storage SSW. See these figures for details:
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Why the pioneer Statkraft still failed even dodging all taboos? Yes, taboos can be evaded if everything just follows technical conventions, but unfortunately you may get little even no gain. The said Norway company tried to harvest energy from riverwater mixing seawater. However osmotic pressure is merely 27 atms, i.e. about 20 times less than the saturated salt water. Of course, a regular hydro turbine can satisfy the pressure, but the low power density turbine is far more expensive and cumbersome than a hydraulic motor with same power rating. Statkraft used a Pelton spoons turbine as shown below.
The length of above hydraulic motor is equivalent to the pencil, but its power even larger than the left monster-scale: Pelton hydro turbine 4kw
Above monster turbine can only output 4 kw, in contrast, for same power hydraulic motor, its size is equivalent to a car starter motor. Not only that, but also 400 times more membranes have to be used, than our compact design with osmotic-hydraulic trade-off at same power. Why? Because power is proportional to the square of pressure, analogous to the electric formula: Volt^2/Resistance. With those tremendous cost & volume & weight amplification, but little power, how can the Statkraft osmotic power station profitable and sustainable?! Trial calculation for conserving hydraulic cylinder According to fluidic mechanics, the Power = FluxRate * Pressure, or FluxRate/Power= 1/Pressure. Given osmotic pressure of SSW solution is 54 MPa, then the input freshwater = 1000/54000000 = 1.8*10-5 m3/s/kw = 18 cc/s/kw = 18 ml/s/kw (milliliter/second/kilowatt), obviously, such a flow rate does not need too much membrane area. As another taboo, a commercial hydraulic cylinder cannot stretch or retract its ram too fast, the MaxRamSpeed must be under 25 cm/s. The thumb rule: the lesser the ram speed, the lower wearing as well as longer life expectation a cylinder will be. But this taboo does never mean this aqua-oil hybrid system hopeless to output as powerful as the order of kilowatts even megawatts! The ram linear velocity can be determined from the volumetric flux rate, provided the piston area is ready; or the piston area can be calculated as long as the linear velocity is given. Obviously, there is equation: PistonArea = FluxRate/RamSpeed. Page 5 of 18
The lemma: the larger the piston area, then the smaller the ram speed, assuming power constant. Thus, the minimal piston area must be larger than 0.74 cm2/kw, and for higher Service Factor (SF), it is recommended for SF = 10, i.e. ram speed = 2.5 cm/s, then 7.4 cm2/kw. Apparently it is easy to enable piston motion as slow as 1 mm/s, like as syringe injecting medicine, yet still with thousands watts powerful output, provided piston diameter > 18 cm. Thanks to the high pressure! Conclusion & the vista of future great impact Indeed, trade-off is a kind of art! With this lovely trade-off, a huge market is emerging for the untapped osmotic blue energy storage and recovery. Conventional hydraulic system is based on the over-mature technology, and many parts or components are standardized for decades and decades. Supposedly, as long as the market drives deep to the aqua-oil hybrid hydraulic demand, the great stakeholders such as Eaton, Parker etc. can be capable of producing whatever matchable huge amount supply. By the way, thanks to the guidance of president Trump book "the art of deal", without the inspiration of trade-off thereof, we would have not invented the revolutionary osmotic energy storage & recovery system! ⋆ Homestead application
Following figure and picture illustrate a masterplan to use the osmosis-hydraulic system as a huge capacity battery for vehicles and storage device for other renewable energy sources. Water tank Wind turbine
Salt water tank
PV panel
Buy off-peak
Osmosis engine
cheap hydro Sold
RO dry unit Hydraulic power unit Salt water tank Water tank
RO wet unit
PRO wet unit
It no longer allocates land lot for evaporation pool, but for the photovoltaic panel array, so as to take advantage that the PV panels can output more power than the “salt panel” per unit land usage, despite the cost will increase significant percentage. Instead of a large surface pool, large volume tanks are used, and tank’s surface area can be minimized if wish by proper geometry design, because of no longer natural evaporation. During shiny days, the PV panels can power electric motor for reverse osmosis. The conventional expensive DC-AC inverter can be eliminated for cost saving, because a DC motor is more convenient to drive the hydraulic pump for RO. During windy days, a wind turbine can also output electricity, and in a joint RO effort, it behaves
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similar to the PV panels in next series of actions. During those times that are cloudy or night or windless, the hydro grid can be a RO helper, as long as the cheap off-peak price is enabled. As to the consumer side, the energy in the non-electrochemical “osmotic battery” tank can either be used online by its owner, or sold to the hydro grid during peak demand time for good profit. There are 2 ways for using the energy in situ, one is send into house for appliances, the other is used as transferable special “fuel” to accommodate the demand of mobile machines with osmosis engines, such as the pictured tractor, forklifts, etc. ⋆ Change desert to oasis by massively seawater intake
Following intuitive & informative figures and pictures can easily speak for themselves. The SSW osmotic pressure is ~54MPa, equivalent to 5400m waterhead, thus, for those ~1000m elevation deserts, the generated value of salt product + electricity + freshwater > pump cost!
Forward looking, its success will strengthen the national energy security, and induce chainbooming of relevant industries, e.g. the hydraulic production industry. Now we are seeking partners from those prime manufacturers of hydraulic parts, e.g. Parker Hannifin, and landowners of west dry states, e.g. the Intrepid Potash.
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2. METHODOLOGY & TRIAL DATA CALCULATION & ENGINEERING ANALYSIS 2.1 Approach This R&D project is intended to seek systematical integration methods for renewable energy development contractors or equipment manufacturers or even those enthusiastic DIYers, to facilitate their projects and products of indirect & indirect solar energy harvest by taking advantage of natural water circulation with both energy absorption and release, as showed by the first figure in previous page. Of which, the key is how to utilize the released energy from the osmosis process, as well as the other 2 processes of the full loop are well managed by the Great Nature’s atmosphere “heat engine”: evaporation and precipitation, so as NOT to use water as a consuming material in the sustainable energy system. In this innovative cycle, not only such evaporation is a process of solely evaporation, but also process of reverse osmosis as the second effect, and precipitation looks like feedback process. In prior arts, the role of here innovation is played by solar chimney i.e. solar updraft tower or thermodynamic process that may involve low grade heat source oriented application, such as waste heat driven Rankine heat engine. Unfortunately both the traditional solar chimney and heat engine are so low efficient for low grade heat source and very expensive for waste heat recovery. For example, a solar updraft tower built in Spain since 1982 occupies 110 acres land with 50 kw max power, it means the energy density only tiny 0.11 w/m2 and efficiency 0.01%. Further, if a special heat engine is used, matching the low temperature phase change between liquid & gas, has to use some ecounfriendly refrigerants as working media. The osmosis phenomenon is caused by the potentiality of concentration differentiate across semipermeable membrane, and converting the potentiality into useful energy needs neither phase change nor high temperature, yet with decent efficiency and great energy density, because it is a quasi chemical energy that is not capped by the humble Carnot cycle efficiency. By retarding osmosis, energy can be harvested. With mature theory, a varying load of energy consumer can retard osmosis process at an even predictable pattern, but if over-retarded to the max limit, osmosis will stop immediately until the load attenuates under limit. Disappointed with the technology & commercialization progress, though the Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) method has been invented for almost half of a century, now we am motivated by the great maturity of membrane technology and the omnipresent hydraulic power application, it is the high time to apply new methodology on inventing new feasible methods for resurgence of antique PRO technology with popular hydraulic elements. In our humble opinion, the failed commercialization of the prior PRO method shall not be imputed only to expensive membrane or easy clog or whatever else, but also the infeasible regular hydrodynamic turbine, because osmotic pressure is far greater than regular water head pressure in common hydropower stations, but the max affordable flow rate of any membrane assembly is so humbly far less than the theorized limit. In fact, the max feasible osmotic pressure can be as high as 500 atmosphere pressure, and that means it reasonably falls in the pressure range of any commercial hydraulic power system, such
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as excavators, cranes, forklifts, etc. According to hydraulic power equation: Power = Pressure x FlowRate, it shows that: for same power, the higher the pressure, the lower the flow rate, thus the flow rate or flux in hydraulic system is far less by many orders of magnitude than regular hydrodynamic water flux. By taking advantage of high osmotic pressure, the expensive membrane area demand will be greatly reduced, this will save big capital investment, and make osmosis energy generation more compact & competitive than other renewable energy. 2.2 Preliminary Data Analogy is a powerful approach to quickly characterize a new object by applying knowledge of ready familiar object in other field. Osmosis flow rate is analogous with electric current I, membrane with resistor R, and pressure with voltage V, thus even electronic equation can inspire the same: the power cable in vehicle 12V system is always thicker & heavier & expensive by an order of magnitude than indoor 120V system! That is why the long distance hydro-pole transmission always uses extreme high voltage; and power = I*V = I2*R = V2/R, that is why osmosis power will be quadrupled if pressure doubled. Such an exponential increase will bring huge increase on the average areal power density of membranes: e.g. the ready recognized max 10 W/m2 for seawater versus freshwater PRO membrane will be increased to circa 4000 watts per square meter membranes if it is used in a saturated salt solution versus freshwater PRO system, because the osmotic pressure is increased by 20 times. In economics, such high pressure application can save about 400 times on membranes cost! The seawater’s osmotic pressure is about 27 atm, such a mediocre pressure is embarrassing for the hydraulic application, though amplifying to proper pressure by lever mechanism is not difficult, and hence, using subject invention to scavenge osmosis energy may not be economic enough, unless someday in future membranes cost could become dirty cheap. The key inspiration is that: why not boldly to devise a conversion interface between aqueous solution power and hydraulic oil power? With this interface, the expensive hydraulic motor can be protected and work in best performance and there is no worry of expensive oil leakage because of mature technology & workmanship of seal material for hydraulic oil with proper viscosity & rheological characteristics; in aqueous side, despite corrosion and leakage both are unavoidable, but anyway there are no expensive parts and periodic change of consuming parts is just easy job or small deal, even minor leakage is tolerant though ugly, because water and solute are both quite cheap even free. Anyway, salt is so cheap that everyone is affordable to stock a decent pile of tons bulk and to concoct large volume saturated salt solution that is 10 times salinity than seawater on own backyard, therefore, nobody has to live seaside for hydraulically harvesting energy from natural osmosis process, as long as the salt in the energy system is conservative, unlike the consuming salt in a regular water softener. Luckily, in this innovative system, the salt usage is just conservative (just like the conservation of working medium in other thermodynamic system), because evaporation can only bring away water, not salt molecules, even icing can only act on water, that is why an iceberg floating on
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salty ocean is simply pure freshwater. To get self-sufficient energy from the natural water circulation, users have to offer large enough area land, because the harvestable energy is proportional to land size. Following calculation can guide users to plan osmosis energy project: Meteorology statistic data assert that the global average precipitation is about 1000 millimeters per year, i.e. the average precipitating rate = 1000/365/24/3600 = 3.17*10-8 m/s = 32 nm/s. In equilibrium, the evaporation should be the same with precipitation every year, i.e. the global average evaporating rate is also about 32 nanometer per second, and it is equivalent to average energy absorption 77 W/m2 (watts per square meter), as per thermology derivation. On project site, a large size solution pool can enable evaporation fast, for convenience, just reasonably assume 50 nm/s. As per thermology, given water density 1000 kg/m3, evaporation enthalpy at room temperature = 2400 kj/kg, the absorbed power for average evaporation rate is 120 W/m2. Note: this energy density is not provided only by solar energy which ground density at noon is circa 1000 W/m2, but also by random wind energy. Because most solar energy is reflected back to sky and consumed to increase water body temperature, that is why only circa (77 ~ 120)/1000 = 8% ~ 12% is consumed on evaporation. For sustainability & good practice, the drawn water flux from underground water table to dilute saturated salt solution via osmosis, should theoretically equal evaporation rate in situ. Assuming users energy demand is 1000 kwh per month, i.e. 1000/30 = 33 kwh/day, then the power should be 33/24 = 1.4 kw, it is also the desired power from osmosis engine. As per previous result 18 ml/s/kw, the yearly average flux rate should be 26 ml/s, and not only this data can be regarded as the flux rate of freshwater osmosing to SSW cylinder, but also the flux rate of water escaping solar pond in form of vapor. Nowadays membrane performance is improved year by year. For example, the market available forward osmosis membrane can easily reach 0.33 μm/s/atm. Even if its capped flow rate is a soso 50 μm/s, then for the demanded 26 ml/s, the minimal membrane area is: 26/0.005 = 5200 cm2 = 0.52 m2, and the areal power density of membranes is 1400/.52 = 2692 W/m2, and this result is reasonably under the max 4000 W/m2 that is estimated in previous analogy analysis. A regular cartridge of RO membrane has 0.5 m2 in wound spiral form, just equivalent to the above calculated value. Of course, it cannot be used in this PRO invention, because it can only withstand a dozen of atmosphere pressure, unless a reinforced structure design is implemented. The required evaporation area is: FlowRate/EvaporationRate = 2.6*10-5/5*10-8 = 520 m2. Obviously, this land size is not affordable for all families unless living in rural district or suburban or willing to sacrifice some gardening area. Subtotal evaporation from pool is 24*3600*(5*10-8*520) = 2.25 m3/day = freshwater or quasi freshwater usage per day, and the volumetric energy density = 33/2.25 = 14.7 kwh/m3 = 14.7 kwh/m3 or about 15 wh/kg, here either volume or weight is in regard to freshwater. As to the total backlog water and salt, it depends on depth of pool, the deeper, the more water & salt. If depth = 10 cm (centimeters), then total saturated salt solution volume is 520 * 0.1 = 52 m3; given density 1.2, then detail data can be figured: total weight = 62.4 tons, salt = 26.4% * 62.4 = 16.5 tons, and water = 46 tons.
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Reducing backlog water & salt can save lots of initial investment, but for minimal impact on performance, a good practice should set the minimal depth of pool equivalent to about 10 days average evaporation, i.e. 3.17 * 10 = 3.2 cm, thus the aforementioned backlog calculation can be still reduced by 3 times more. If not too care about unstable weather, even one days buffering is also considerable, then the shallowest depth can be 3.17 * 1 < 5 mm, and the bulk weight of salt can be greatly reduced to as low as 16.5/30 = 0.55 ton = 550 kg, the solution weight = 62.4/30 = 2.08 ton = 2080 kg in pool. However for such 5 mm shallow pool, its levelness or floor grading should be very small, so as not to expose pond bottom then waste evaporation area at some bulge zones. In assumption of only one day buffering for the pool depth, there are two possible extreme conditions: If the weather is best and the osmosis engine is shut down for maintenance, then in the second day, the pool will dry out and the white salt grains will be seen, hence, in order to restart the system in next day, it is a prerequisite to remake full qualified solution by pouring water into the dried pool; else if the weather is too bad and the osmosis engine works in full capacity, then in second day, the solution concentration will be cut half to 50% of first day, because zero evaporation will result in doubled water, and in turn, the real power in next day will be only 25% of the rated full power, because the osmotic pressure only 50% left, then only 25% power left, according to the analogous formula in electrics domain: Power = V2/R, here the osmotic pressure is analogous to the voltage. Price comparison with photovoltaic (PV) system: currently PV panels cost about $3 USD per watt at end users, considering Earth surface area = 4 times of the projection circular area under sunshine, thus 1 solar watt without sun-tracker is equivalent to 0.25 osmosis watt, then adjusted value: $12 USD/W for fair comparison, and 12*1400 = $16800 for same capacity of osmosis power, before counting PV system integration cost. The PV reality even more grim: the nameplated wattage and efficiency are just the max possible, and experiments show that efficiency decreases at a rate of -0.5% per Celsius degree. Using highway deicing salt can save big, because of its current price as cheap as $100/ton. For the 10 days buffering design, 16.5/3= 5.5 tons salt costs only $550. Of course, it is bad idea to use table salt, because of cost soaring too much, though preparing solution is easier and faster. The key unit of osmotic-hydraulic energy conversion may be equivalent to the PV system integration cost, such as Sun tracking, inverter, etc. Therefore, the total cost is far less than PV. Salts may not always be the king for this application, for example, a farming family can use own produce – the raw cane sugar as the working solute, and get equivalent osmosis energy in a cheaper way, without having to buy salt and pay logistic cost, because of too heavy. Another 2 facts are also interesting. One is the low energy areal density: 1400/520 = 2.7 watts per square meter of evaporation pond, and the solar mean energy density on the rotating earth surface is 1360/4 = 340 W/m2 on 24 hours, here number 1360 is the standard value measured by NASA space instruments, because daily sweep sphere surface area = 4x projection circular area, thus, only 2.7/340 = 0.8% of solar energy is scavenged; another is the ratio of osmosis to evaporation energy 2.7/120 = 2.25%, it reflects efficiency of energy conversion. In case of bad weather, users may use accessible free waste heat for evaporation of the diluted exhaust solution in pond, and then the efficiency has to be considered. The yearly average value 2.7 w/m2 seems contemptible, but it does deserve a warmhearted
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appreciation after following trial calculation proves that even such a humble energy density will create 7 more times profit than cash crops: As per the latest agriculture statistics report, one acre soybean can generate $653 USD per year, but if the same area land is used for the reliable and low capital cost osmosis power generation, it will output energy: 4047*2.7*24*365/1000 = 95720 kwh, given 1 acre = 4047 m2, and assuming electricity fair price $0.05/kwh, then total value = 95720*0.05 = $4786 = 7.3x soybean income! In fact, even the energy density as low as 2.7/7.3 = 0.37 w/m2, it is still as profitable as plantation of cash crops. By the way, salute to all farmers all over the world for their generosity of feeding cities with so cheap foods, because as high as 45 w/m2 is used by photosynthesis, but foods consumers only pay for 0.37 w/m2 exploitively. As to the efficiency, why it is so low? The reason is that: to evaporate aqueous solution always spends more energy than to evaporate freshwater, and the afore-calculated 2.25% energy differentiate is just used for splitting water molecules from solute molecules that is equivalent to RO. In a sense, during such evaporation, RO process looks like a bridesmaid. Therefore, it is a bad idea to buy quality fossil fuel to heat the salt solution pool for evaporation unless it is for salt production. The conventional RO is still the highest efficient method to overcome bad weather condition, as its efficiency is close to the ideal 100%. Most hydro companies set about 50% of regular price at nights and holidays, so as to balance loads between peak and valley time, of course, it is a good idea to use hydro grid power to do RO during offpeak time and bad weather. Note: the said humble 2.7 w/m2 has nothing to do with the rated power of osmotic engine, even 0 w/m2, i.e. no use of solar pond, but underground storage tank, the osmotic engine can still run at whatever high power, e.g. megawatt level, provided that is the designer’s intention & well built. Despite the latent heat in low temperature water vapor is far greater than the concomitant or smuggled osmosis energy, but at current tech level, it seems that its reclamation is only privilege of natural climate system, thus scavenging osmosis energy is still appreciable by the “hijacked” water circulation, yet more economic, higher efficiency & less land-use than a solar chimney. Theoretically the water evaporation rate is proportional to (saturated pressure - real vapor pressure), and temperature. In real word, lots of factors in effect, even include wind velocity, so it is complicated very much to deduce an official formula. However there exist a few of empirical formulas. For example, the EngineeringToolbox website proposes an empirical equation: Gs = (25 + 19ν )A(Xs – X)/3600 Where ν is the wind speed, A is the water surface area, Xs is the theoretical mass proportion of water in saturated air; X is the real respective value. Take an example to estimate evaporation rate from a pool: Given temperature 25°C, the saturation humidity ratio is 0.02 kg/kg. If relative humidity is 50%, then the ratio of water to air is 0.01 kg/kg. For a 25m x 20m salt pool and a breeze of 0.5 m/s velocity above the surface, the evaporation amount can be calculated as:
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Gs = (25 + 19 (0.5 m/s)) ((25 m) (20 m)) ((0.02 kg/kg) - (0.01kg/kg)) / 3600 = 0.049 kg/s. The evaporation rate in thickness change is about 0.049/((25*20)*1000) = 10-7 m/s = 100 nm/s. If the air is totally dry, i.e. the relative humidity 0%, the calculated 100 nm/s will be doubled. Wind speed affects evaporation rate greatly, far utmost than temperature: e.g. if salt pool located at vacant land with 10 m/s wind velocity, evaporation rate could soar up to 623 nm/s. Such a great benefit exists naturally, even needless of expensive wind turbine. In winter season, direct evaporation by solar irradiation becomes slow, but indirect “escape” by strong wind scrapping effect can take domination. As the freezing point of the saturated salt water is -21.1°C, therefore the osmosis power generation system can be utilized almost yearround in all continents except the Arctic and Antarctic zones. Even in extreme cold zone, maintaining a convenient schedule to break ice-cover and clear ice on pool can also facilitate the “cold energy” utilization in the osmosis energy system. The accumulated ice can pile up nearby pool, and when temperature goes up above freezing point, melted ice will gradually return it to aquifer in a delayed long time that is determined by pool buffering volume. Even during those days that the Great Nature cannot take away water timely by evaporation, the energy generation can still continue for a couple of days until too much water has osmosed into pool, so that concentration decreases too much then osmotic pressure plummets to half even down to as dilute as sea water. The gradual weakening course can be sensed easily if the bad weather goes on day by day, as concentration roughly reduces 10% per day, and will be cut half after 5 days if zero evaporation keeps on. Generally, when osmotic pressure is lower than a rated threshold, hydraulic motor will not rotate, unless there could be an intricate hydraulic circuit to stabilize pressure (just like a switching electric DC power supply suitable for wide voltage range from 90V to 240V). To cope with bad weather, tolerate it or try other heat source. Another extreme situation is that: weather is good for quick evaporation, but the system is shut down for some reasons, such as maintenance or repair. In this case, water no longer osmosed into pool but the natural evaporation continues, so that salt crystallization will trend to deteriorate the flowability of working medium then will stall whole system after restart. To cope with shutdown, just cover the pool or use the opted cistern to store all solution of the pool during repair job for a couple of days. If household energy consumption is intermittently low, the transient surplus energy can be sold for profit to local hydro grid during peak time, but just pause during off-peak time. When the evaporation capacity of pool suits well the osmosis power generation, the output hydraulic pressure should be quite stable, even while the load is changing drastically under allowed range, the pressure fluctuation can be still just insignificant ripple wave, so as to supply AC electricity with stable voltage and constant frequency. Salt impact on ecology can be easily avoid, provided pool liner is intact, so as to protect from leakage to adjacent soil, despite great bulk salt is dissolved. Making & maintaining artificial saturated salt pool need massive backlog salt and water, and limit the osmosis energy capacity. However, there are some good places on the Earth where needless to worry about above demerit and the osmosis energy can become future energy star, such as those districts with high concentrated salt lake or abundant rock salt mineral resource. Page 13 of 18
The famous 605 km2 Dead Sea fed by Jordan River is just a superior place to explore great osmosis energy, because it is a natural saturated salt sea, and with this excellent nature resource & subject inventions, scaling up to megawatts size will be economic & viable, as per the calculated power density 2.7 W/m2, its theoretic power is about 1.6 GW at full time average, and if fully using such a huge power to energize RO desalination plants for potable water, the daily freshwater production capacity could be up to 20 times of the Dead Sea total evaporation: 20*3 = 60 million tons per day, then this world thirstiest district will be well quenched as well as the diminishing Dead Sea is replenished, and perhaps this great invention may bring perpetual peace to over there war-torn vast rim -- the Middle East. As to vast oceans, as long as one day the membrane technology is further developed, so as to enable it cheap enough, then seaside, especially estuaries where mouths of rivers join, will be good locations to massively harvest the inexhaustible osmosis energy in an economic way. The Great Nature always works hard to keep ocean salinity constant and river freshwater never dry. 3. TEAM ORGANIZATION AND CAPABILITIES 3.1 Organization. Kiwaho laboratory of energy and ecology Inc. We are aiming to power world with clean energy originated from the sun-cooking-earth! As a private hi-tech R&D laboratory, our scientists are working more harder than those peers in government laboratories who are highly paid by taxpayers, because we have to fight for shortage of funds or resources, and be prodded by risk awareness of venture for surviving in free market. Therefore, please patronize our services and intelligence properties, and help us prosper with your enthusiastic support. In return, we will try our best to promote job opportunities & economic growth in the patron’s community or country by applying our technologies. 3.2 Capabilities, Facilities, Equipment, and Information. Our business scope: * Proprietary intelligent properties: creating, transferring, licensing, supporting, improving, consulting, … * Front-End Engineering Design, FEED studies for clients planning state-of-art clean-tech energy projects; * Think-tanking for governments on science & technology envisioned energy & ecology tactics & strategy. From the day one, we have committed to be non-exhaustible headspring of innovations, fast pacing on and on! Kiwaho is a Canada nationwide company headquartered temporarily in suburban of capital city Ottawa, but we are actively trying to re-root or re-headquarter to the Great Again USA, provided a smart strategic individual/company/government investor sincerely & warmheartedly invites us. Corporation number: 852516-1
Business number: 809297047RC0001
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DUNS: 203411665 • • • • •
NATO CAGE code (NCAGE): L0E80
we research the related technology for long time, lots of know-hows accumulated. we have high credit score. we have most laboratory instruments to conduct further study and improvement. we have enough tools, heavy duty machines, even tooling new tools with existing tools. we have already filed the patent from USPTO, and will apply for PCT within 1 year for global IP protection.
4. TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET 4.1 Techno-economic analysis. The indirect solar energy cost: < $0.02/kwh, in consideration of land use, operation cost, such as filters frequent change, membranes replacement, maintenance, etc. System equipment and land engineering: Capital cost per kw (equipment) < $300/kw, spent in membranes + pressure transformers. Capital cost per kwh (pond engineering + salt): As pond depth is very shallow, e.g. 10 cm, and liner plastic not worthy much, just ignore the construction cost, only set interest point on the salt cost. If the concentration of exhaust salt water is set about 70% of SSW, then the approx energy density 5 kwh/ton. Given the salt mass 35% in SSW and $100 per ton salt, then there is 0.35/5= 0.07 ton salt in stock per kwh, i.e. $7/kwh. In comparison with the $300/kwh of gridscale electrochemical storage, this $7/kwh is far advantageous, even negligible. If luckily there is a natural salt lake, then $0/kwh. 4.2 Technology to Market Strategy. Peer-viewed scientific papers Youtube video making Education courseware making Advertising Pilot project exhibiting Turn-key project promotion Licensing discount for important customer 5. BUDGET Total: $3,000,000 Manpower cost: 5 scientists + senior engineers in 3 years, = 3 x 5 x $100,000 = $1,500,000 Therefore, with the deduction of 50% budget in manpower, the left over 50% is reserved for engineering and manufacturing, and the cost breakdown is planned in following table: Page 15 of 18
Task or stage
budget
Share
Outsource basic materials & tools
$300,000
10%
Indoor assemble & prototyping osmotic engine
$300,000
10%
Outdoor engineering & installation
$300,000
10%
Collaboration with other entities
$450,000
15%
Technology-to-Market agenda
$150,000
5%
Total
$1,500,000 50%
Comment
+ manpower 50% =100%
6. SCHEDULE We start from seeking funds and partners for financial support and collaboration. These potential sources of funds are focused: government, venture capitalists; and these potential partners are focused: national laboratories, membranes manufacturers, hydraulic parts manufacturers, large size landowners, potash miners. In the first phase, the key task is to prototype a model of 1kw osmotic engine, hookup a 1 kw electricity generator with test loads. In the next phase, a sub-project may involve civil engineering: preparing a 100 m2 SSW solar pond, depth 15 cm. As to the two cubic-scale meter tanks, just get from market, one for SSW, another for freshwater. Phase 3: deploying the osmotic engine beside the pond, and test solar energy storage. Phase 4: prototyping another model of reverse osmosis, hydro input → electric motor → DC -AC fluidic inverter → oil to SSW pressure transmission → osmosed water divert to freshwater tank. Phase 5: system tuning up & debugging & optimization Time frame allocation Partners seeking: 1~2 months Outsourcing parts and materials: 1 month Designing the central logic controller module: 3 months Hydraulic partner customize the aquasolution to oil pressure transformer cylinder block: 3 months. Teflon coating in aquasolution side may be needed. Assembling the osmotic engine: 1 month Testing & debugging & re-engineering cycle: 3 month Benchmarking: 1 month Preparing SSW solar pond: 1 month Integrating the pond and osmotic engine: 2 months Customizing the reverse osmosis oil to aquasolution pressure transformer cylinder block:
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3 months. Same partner with the forward osmosis cylinder Integrating above RO with osmotic engine and tank: 2 months Feeding interface with grid hydro: 3 months, need negotiation with local hydro company System testing energy storage by grid hydro input, peak-time output: 2 months Tuning & debugging entire system: 3 months Logging & collecting experiment data: 1 month Writing scientific paper: 1 month Writing new born patent application: 2 months Some stage may overlay in time axis, and the total 36 months is preset. 7. PERSONAL QUALIFICATION SUMMARIES Yanming Wei • • • • •
engineering master degree in industrial automation, as well as almost diversified 30 years work experiences. already filed the patent from USPTO, and will apply for PCT within 1 year for global IP protection. maverick polymath in many domains of science and technology with great insight and wisdom vision. Strong curiosity in science,especially physics, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, optics, mechanics. Strong entrepreneur ambition and good health.
Pending or grant Patents: • US 16/021,000, filed on June 28, 2018
Solid-liquid phase change driven heat engine via hydraulic oil power generation • US 15/902,651, filed on Feb 22, 2018 Osmosis energy storage & recovery system and indirect solar powerplant • US 15/848,097, filed on Dec 20, 2017 Osmosis battery & high magnetic field generator & superconducting ionic current loop • US 15/486,412, file on Apr 13, 2017 Room temperature alternative superconductor, beta nuclear reactor and more
Publications: Main depository: http://vixra.org/author/yanming_wei •
viXra:1705.0030 submitted on 2017-05-02 Shutter-Like Fluid Driven Motor and Tide Power Harvest System
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viXra:1704.0386 submitted on 2017-04-28 Dielectrodynamics and Applications viXra:1704.0385 submitted on 2017-04-28 Room Temperature Alternative Superconductor System Based on Classic Dielectrodynamics viXra:1704.0375 submitted on 2017-04-27 Converged Solar Neutrinos Heat Outer Core of Earth to Liquid viXra:1704.0374 submitted on 2017-04-27 New Discoveries in Parkhomov’s 60co Astro-Catalyzed Beta Decay viXra:1704.0373 submitted on 2017-04-27 Energy Density Calculation Formula and More for Decay Based Nuclear Fuel or Battery
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