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Posted on 08/04/2006 10:57:45 AM PDT by LibWhacker
A system that provides electricity, refrigeration and water - the three vital elements of emergency situations such as hurricanes and war - has been created by two University of Florida professors.
William Lear, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and S.A. Sherif, a mechanical engineering professor, combined a gas turbine power plant with a heat-operated refrigeration system. The cool air from the refrigerator makes the turbine more efficient and powerful, Lear said, while waste heat from the turbine then powers the refrigeration.
The engine, which runs on conventional fossil fuels, biomass-produced fuels or hydrogen, also forms about one gallon of water for every burned gallon of fuel.
"When you burn a fuel, some of the atoms combine to form good old H2O," Lear said, citing condensation on exhaust pipes as an example. "We do this in our engine, which purposely condenses and extracts molecules to make water."
Currently, the military and the Federal Emergency Management Agency both use generators to produce electricity in hazard zones, and they truck in ice or refrigerators for cooling. Fresh water can be difficult and expensive to obtain.
Lear and Sherif, who began working on gas turbines in 1992, wanted to find a more efficient way to collect water for emergency use.
With funding from the U.S. Army, they spent the past three years on their project, which is being patented by UF. Their system is designed for emergencies like hurricanes and war zones and, with additional research, will be small enough to fit inside a military jet or large truck.
It's more efficient than current electricity systems "by a few percentage points, which is a lot," Lear said. The seemingly small numbers make a big difference during emergencies, especially when refrigeration and water are also provided.
The system discharges low amounts of pollutants since it reuses gas. Water produced by the system must be treated to be suitable for drinking, but could still be used for purposes like cleaning if left untreated.
"I hope it will be part of the power grid of the future, whether just in Florida or elsewhere," Lear said. "It, along with other changes to the design grid, make for a much more robust system, especially with hurricanes and other emergencies. Florida is the initial focus, but it could have applications worldwide."
BTTT
Great to hear news about college professors doing something productive and capitalist! About time! Whenever I see the words 'university professor' in a story, I fear the worst.
What an amazing time we live in.
a'la Churchill.
Hey don't forget, this is the same institution that brought us "Gatorade".
Please Freep Mail me if you'd like on/off
I think this is the first time I've ever read about college professors doing anything positive on FR. What a nice rarity!
Aren't these the same bunch who developed Gatorade?
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