Advantages of the
Energy Conversion System
G-force is virtually constant all over the planet
Energy Conversion System: What are its advantages?
The Energy Conversion System can help eliminate fossil fuel power
G-force is virtually constant all over the planet, hence Energy Conversion System technology can be applied in any practical location.
The Energy Conversion System operates constantly and consistently, 24/7. This makes it the ideal method of generating base load power, where and when required.
Energy Conversion System offers the golden opportunity to virtually eliminate the use of any fossil fuel for power production. Currently, 64% of the world’s electricity is produced by coal, oil, or gas, creating 42% of CO2 produced. That’s a massive target to aim at!
The move towards electric vehicles is under way, but logically the base power must be from a sustainable energy source. Again, the Energy Conversion System provides the answer.
Hydrogen is an alternative fuel in place of batteries for transport. The hydrogen needed could be produced by hydrolysers using Energy Conversion System base power units, seamlessly switching from grid generation when demand drops.
At this kind of scale ‘green’ hydrogen would become competitive with the present method of production from fossil fuel methane.
The Energy Conversion System is much more competitive than Wind Turbines
The rapid development of large-scale wind turbines has been remarkable, however, the Energy Conversion System's technology offers significant advantages over them. Harsh economics will eventually decide which is best, based on the following facts.
The major advantage is of course that the Energy Conversion System operates 24/7 consistently, compared to the 25% to 30% annually of the average wind turbine. Finance Directors take note, that means 70% to 75% more revenue each year!
The Energy Conversion System is essentially a closed-circuit hydropower station. It uses water which is 784 times heavier than air, moving at a constant 3m.sec or 10.8km/hr. This enables the dimensions of the unit to be significantly smaller than a conventional wind turbine of equivalent MW output.
The Energy Conversion System has no exposed moving parts, hence no danger is presented to birds, bats, or insects.
The Energy Conversion System operates quietly with absolutely no emissions into the environment. It can be fully recycled at the end of a very long life.
The motive power driving the Energy Conversion System is g-force. It is capable of lifting huge volumes of water to great heights, limited only by practical engineering or planning constraints. To increase power output beyond the design limit of a single ECS unit, several units can be connected together, with the pressurised water output from each one manifolded into a single large water turbine.
Multi-connection in this manner gives significant capital benefits in both hardware and foundation costs, together with greater operational flexibility.
Low maintenance cost
Hydropower installations operate economically for generations, compared to the 16 - 20 years useful life of a wind turbine. There are, however, significant costs involved in maintaining their dams and infrastructure.
The water turbines are fed with raw water from the catchment area which contains abrasive detritus, causing inevitable wear to valves, pipes and the turbines themselves over time.
The Energy Conversion System units are closed circuits, continually recirculating the same water. This can be conditioned to maintain its pH and optimum quality.
The dense media, which is mildly abrasive, is continually separated from the turbine feed water by inexpensive ferrite magnets, within rotating stainless-steel drums. Automated control of the primary and secondary drum magnets can virtually eliminate this media from the turbine feed, ensuring ideal operating conditions to give very long intervals between maintenance.
Properly designed, operational lives could be 50+ years, a notable fact for Finance Directors to consider when costing Energy Conversion System MW power!
The Energy Conversion System can be built where it's needed - in the heart of a city.
A major advantage of the Energy Conversion System is the fact it can be built where the power is required, close to cities, industrial complexes, etc, unlike wind turbines or conventional hydropower installations which have to be site-specific.
This gives huge savings in the capital transmission cost of electricity and greatly reduces power losses.
Energy Conversion System power can be generated at Grid frequencies, 50Hz or 60Hz, eliminating the need for the expensive conversion equipment associated with wind turbines.
In certain areas it might be possible to use local hilly contours to gain Energy Conversion System operational height, because the structures do not need to be vertical. This could give capital savings , improve the visual aspects and secure some advantages in gaining planning consent.
While electricity generation will be the main application for Energy Conversion System, it should be remembered that shaft power from the water turbine can also be used for direct mechanical purposes.
Examples would be powering irrigation pumps, deep well pumping and desalination of brackish or seawater amongst others.
The Energy Conversion System can make Nuclear Power redundant!
A recent article in the (UK) Daily Telegraph claims there is already no case for giant nuclear reactors in any country. They cannot meet post-Chernobyl and Fukushima safety demands at viable cost and precipitous falls in renewable energy costs have already rendered this technology obsolete.
The strike price for the Hinkley Point (UK) nuclear power station is £92.50 per MW/hr (2012 prices, inflation-indexed) The latest auctions for offshore wind came in at £40 per MW/hr, down from £117 in 2015. Because the Energy Conversion system operates 24/7 and can therefore generate up to 70% more annual revenue than an average wind turbine it is a fair bet that these prices can be matched or bettered.
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Hinkley Point C nuclear station, now under construction, is designed to produce 3260 MW/hr, or 7% of UK average demand, for the next 60 years. It occupies 250 acres or 101 hectares. This area would easily accommodate 200 ECS units each capable of producing 16 MW of export electricity with all necessary infrastructure.
The units could be manifolded to four General Electric Francis Turbines to have a matching output of 3260mW/hr at circa £45mW/hr cost to the consumer. Designed for a life of 60 years they would be fully recycled at the end in 2 – 3 years leaving no dangerous radio-active residues for future generations to deal with.
In 2024 Hinkley Point C is overbudget at an estimated £35 Billion and years late, it will eventually generate electricity with a capital cost in excess of £10 million per MW.
Large ECS units would cost cost circa £1.5 million per MW. They could be mass produced, on budget and operational within a two to three years time frame.
Final thoughts on nuclear power:-
In France, decommissioning of Brennilis Nuclear Power Plant, a fairly small 70MW unit, has already cost Eu480m, (20 times the estimated cost) and is still pending after 20 years. Despite huge investments in securing the dismantling, radioactive plutonium, caesium-137 and cobalt-60 have leaked out into the surrounding lake.
In the UK, decommissioning the Windscale 32MW prototype reactor has cost £106m. The UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority predicts at least £131 billion to decommission the existing UK sites over 120 years, and this is uncertain. Sellafield contains over 75% of the UK's nuclear waste and is estimated to cost £97 billion to clear up. See the NDA report at Nuclear Provision: explaining the cost of cleaning up Britain's nuclear legacy (www.gov.uk).
These radioactive wastes present a huge disposal problem, lasting millennia, that the UK is still only talking about. For some informed comment on just how big this problem is (and growing!) see: Q&A: Dealing with Britain's nuclear waste? | (The Engineer).
The Energy Conversion System presents none of these horrendous problems. When its long life is over, cut it up for scrap, recycle and rebuild it!
Climate Change
A recent article in the (UK) Daily Telegraph claims there is already no case for giant nuclear reactors in any country. They cannot meet post-Chernobyl and Fukushima safety demands at a viable cost. Existing renewable energy resources, coupled to the huge potential of the Energy Conversion System has already rendered this technology obsolete.
The strike price for Hinkley Point (UK) nuclear power station is £92.50 per MW/hr (2012 prices, inflation-indexed). The latest auctions for offshore wind came in at £40 per MW/hr, down from £117 in 2015. Because the Energy Conversion System operates 24/7 and can therefore generate up to 75% more annual revenue than an average wind turbine it is a fair bet that these prices can be matched or bettered.
One-third of the world’s energy and 36% of CO2 is used & produced by industry. The primary industries such as chemical, petrochemical, iron & steel, cement, paper & pulp account for more than two thirds of these amounts.
The chemical and steel-making industries use large amounts of hydrogen, oxygen and electricity and currently produce significant amounts of greenhouse gases.
The Swedish mining company LKAB, in conjunction with others, will switch from making iron pellets to producing carbon-free sponge iron, using hydrogen technology. This move will cut an estimated 35m tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. For more information see:
IOM3 | Swedish model for carbon-free sponge iron.
Sweden has large amounts of hydropower available to produce ‘green’ hydrogen. With other less fortunate countries, the Energy Conversion System could provide the answer with large-scale electrolysis generating both ‘green’ hydrogen and oxygen as a by-product for use, not only in steelmaking but also in chemical and other industries.
Doubtless, there are many other applications for a closed-circuit hydropower station, to benefit all nations, rich or poor.
National Security
Sabotage to the Nord Stream gas pipeline in September 2022 highlights the fragility of major energy supply lines.
The electricity cables linking the UK offshore windfarms are equally at risk from hostile states and vulnerable to attack.
The Energy Conversion System technology enables sustainable energy to be generated entirely on land, in multiple locations, significantly reducing the risk of a serious attack taking place.