Combined Heat and Power
This Combined Heat and Power idea has been discussed in some degree of detail HERE.
It could save some time. I'm not sure why The fascination with car A/C compressors for hacking? Really well designed, efficient, working piston compressors are widely available. Maybe it's because folks just happen to have a car compressor laying around and want to do something with it. |
Use The Google
By the way, if you "Use The Google" regarding the question originally asked in this thread, you will find a really significant amount of information.
Give it a try... -AC |
The First and Second Law of Thermodynamics say that when converting one form of energy to another, there will always be losses. Converting chemical energy (burning any kind of fuel) to mechanical energy has a lot of lost energy (put your hand next to any running engine ... that is heat energy you are feeling).
We have used these lossey devices ("engines") for hundreds of years because the fuel was cheap and plentiful. Relative speaking, these fuels still are. Electric to mechanical energy (a motor) is actually pretty efficient compared to an "engine". |
Quote:
-AC |
Quote:
Power companies buy their "chemical energy" (or nuclear energy) at wholesale and the economies of scale minimize the losses in converting it to electrical energy. Even though there are losses in the electric transmission line and some in the electric motor inside the compressor, it is not likely that a natural gas "powered" heat pump (compressor) will EVER be cost effective ! When fuel cells (which convert NG to electricity directly) become cheap, the above statements probably will go out the window ! BTW, the Japanese have developed small fuel cells because in certain parts of that country electricity is hard to come by (especially when all the nuclear plants were shut down). NG is expensive in Japan, but it those areas it was available. |
We used a number of KWHs of electricity running machines and a few years ago we were burning furnace oil to heat.
Hey, why don't we get a diesel genset and with the oil we were burning and sending up the chimney. Why don't we power the machines at the same time. It actually made economic sense. The diesel would power the generator providing us with electricity and heat the shop as well with its waste heat. It can make a lot of sense. Two rationalities came to mind: 1/ The cost of diesel fuel was rising rapidly. 2/ We didn't care for another machine to maintain. Randen |
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
|
York Triathlon
Triathlon (heat pump) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
York made one like this in the late 90's, never caught on. |
My question is this: do you have an abundant supply of free natural gas?
If so, it is economical at any efficiency. At some low temperature, you would not move enough BTU's with the heat pump to keep up with the thermal losses of the home. You could then rev up your engine and harvest the additional heat generated. If not, most individuals in the field switch from air-source heat pumps to straight gas furnaces at a balance point somewhere around 20 degF due to the shortcomings of the heat pump system. It is just not wise to run the heat pump constantly at low COP when you can cycle a gas boiler or furnace to provide the same heat. Above this balance point (most of the time in the USA), a heat pump makes sense, regardless of how you power it. |
Quote:
Quote:
I actually worked alongside some guys trying to develop a Wankel engine to run the A/C compressor in the late 1980s. The engine would run on natural gas. It was aimed at small businesses (convenience stores, fast food restaurants, etc). The system worked fine, but there were durability issues. When run continuously, the oil and spark plugs had to be changed every 2-4 weeks ! Also wear on the seals (Wankel equivalent to piston rings) was high. The motivation was a predicted shortfall of electric power in the SE (check the population growth in GA from 1980 through 2010). |
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:30 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger