Energy Technology Expert

Hydrogen Energy

The file (91 KB) will cover the following topics:

HYDROGEN ENERGY

Hydrogen – 3rd most abundant element on earth’s surface; found primarily in water [H2O] and organic compounds and generally produced from hydrocarbons thru reforming and water thru electrolysis.

When burned as fuel or converted to electricity, it joins with oxygen [O2] again to form water.

Price: 20 USD

Hydro Power

The file (633 KB) will cover the following topics:

Hydro Power

Flowing water creates energy that can be stored, captured and turned into electricity. Hydropower is the world’s most important renewable energy source. It provides 7.2% of world’s primary energy and 18.5% of electric power generation.

Price: 26 USD

History of Power Generation

The file (549 KB) will cover the following topics:

HISTORY OF POWER GENERATION

• 1878 - Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison independently invented the carbon filament that produced light from electricity – incandescent lamp.
• 1879 – Thomas Edison founded the electric company, his greatest achievement – “Edison Electric Light Station”.
• 1882 – Carl de Laval invented steam turbine that drove electric generators more efficiently than earlier reciprocating steam engines. Coal then oil was used.
• 1884 – Charles Parsons constructs the first practical steam turbine electric generator to be driven by fuel-burning power plants in the electric power industry.
• 1895 – Niagara Falls – world’s first large-scale central generating station transmitts power 20 miles away to Buffalo and it employed 2-phase AC techniques of Nikola Tesla.
• 1905 - Albert Einstein publishes his “Theory of Relativity” and the equation E = m c2, foundation of nuclear power.
• 1907 – a new material called tungsten was used to replace carbon strips of bamboo as filament in the incandescent lamps

Other inventions that used electricity – electric trams and railways for urban transport, telephone and telegraph, phonograph, radio and television, incandescent and fluorescent lighting, electric motors and electric heating, refrigeration and air conditioning, computers and electronics – accelerated the need for larger and reliable generating plants.

Price: 11 USD

Geothermal Energy

The file (689 KB) will cover the following topics:

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

• heat (thermal) from the earth (geo)
• thermal energy in the rock and fluid that fills fractures and pores within the rock in the earth’s crust.

The earth’s initial energy from its molten state is sustained thru energy input from the sun and radioactive decay deep within the earth.

Price: 28 USD

Generation of Electricity

The file (3.22 MB) will cover the following topics:

Electricity

Electricity – most sophisticated form of energy in use in the world today
Primary way to meet growing demand – build power plants or repower old plants to raise capacity

Electricity is the flow of electrons (current) when an energy potential (voltage) is applied.

Generation of Electricity

• How is electricity generated?
• Three types of materials
• How does an electric field look?
• Electric energy potential
• Electric potential & current
• Right hand rule
• Electromotive force emf
• Electric motors
• Principle of electric generator
• How is mechanical energy produced?

Price: 64 USD

Fuel Properties

The file (220 KB) will cover the following topics:

FUEL PROPERTIES

• Gross/Higher and Net/Lower Heating Value
• Ultimate Analysis
• Proximate Analysis
• Fly Ash Analysis
• Hardgrove Grindability Index
• Density
• Viscosity
• Flash Point and Pour Point
• Metal Content

Price: 40 USD

Fuel Cells

The file (566 KB) will cover the following topics:

FUEL CELLS

Fuel Cell: an electrochemical device, closely related to the battery, that can generate electricity from hydrogen, which in turn can be extracted from natural gas or other hydrocarbon gases through a chemical process called reforming.

Topics – Fuel Cells

• Fuel Cells, Its Uses and History
• Fuel Cell Principle, Characteristics, Operating Conditions
• Fuel Cell Concept for Power, Heat & Water
• Balance of Plant Equipment
• Fuel Cell Process Diagram, Hydrogen Gas Reformation
• Types of Fuel Cells (AFC, PAFC, PEM, MCFC, SOFC)
• Advanced Fuel Cell Technologies (CHP, Hybrid FC-GT-IGCC)
• Cost of Fuel Cells
• Fuel Cell Applications, Advantages
• Environmental Impact & Risks

History of Fuel Cel

• Hydrolysis – if an electrical voltage is applied to water by placing two electrodes into the liquid and attaching a battery to them, the voltage induces a chemical reaction: hydrogen is produced at one electrode and oxygen at the other
• 1839 – Sir William Grove observed that the process known as “hydrolysis” can also go backwards – hydrogen will react at one electrode and oxygen at the other producing water and an electrical voltage between the electrodes. It was only a century later that Francis Bacon began to develop practical fuel cells.
• 1950s – Pratt and Whitney (now United Technologies) licensed Bacon’s technology and developed it for the US space program. The Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle program all used fuel cells to generate electricity and produce drinking water on-board by just bringing hydrogen fuel and oxygen with them.

Fuel Cell Principle

• If an electrical voltage is applied on water, by placing two electrodes into the liquid and attaching a DC battery to them, the voltage induces a chemical reaction; hydrogen and oxygen is produced at each electrode:
  

H2O + DC voltage è H2 + O2

• In 1839, Sir William Grove observed this process, known as hydrolysis, can also go backwards – reversible. Hydrogen will react at one electrode and oxygen at the other, producing water and DC electrical voltage between the electrodes.
• During reverse hydrolysis, hydrogen would act at one electrode and oxygen at the other, producing water, heat and electrical voltage (DC) between the electrodes.
  

Fuel (H2) + O2 + platinum catalyst è H20 + DC voltage

Fuel Cell Characteristics

• Operates as a continuous battery – continuous fueling
• Never needs recharging
• Based on reverse hydrolysis – converts hydrogen and oxygen into water and electricity
• Current depends on electrode area
• Voltage depends on materials of construction, typically less than 1 volt.

Balance of Plant Equipment

• Power-conditioning equipment needed are expensive
• Fuel processing comprises a large part of cost and project development.
• The front-end processing and fuel cell technology is affected by the fuel and application: Hydrogen, Natural gas, Methanol, Gasoline, Biomass, Coal

Price: 30 USD

Cost of Power Generation Technologies

The file (129 KB) will cover the following topics:

Type of power plant, Commercial Capacity, Overnight Capital Cost, Fixed O&M ($/kW/yr), Variable O&M (cents/kWh), Thermal Efficiency or Plant Heat Rate, Availability Factor, Load Factor, Construction Lead Time, Economic Life, Fuel Cost ($/GJ), Levelized Cost of Electricity ($/kWh).

Power Generation Technologies:

• Oil – Gas Thermal
• Reciprocating / Piston Engine
• Small or High-Speed
• Medium Speed
• Large or Slow Speed
• Combined Cycle – Waste Heat Boiler
• Natural Gas – Simple GT
• Aero-Derivative GT
• With Recuperation
• Humid Air Turbine (HAT)
• Cascaded Humid Air Turbine (CHAT)
• Heavy Frame GT
• Natural Gas – Combined Cycle GT
• Coal – Pulverized
• Atmospheric CFB
• Pressurized FBC
• IGCC
• IGHAT
• Direct Coal-Fired Combined Cycle (DCCC)
• Super critical & Ultra-Super critical Coal Comb.
• Geothermal
• Dry Steam (Vapor)
• Flashed Steam (Single, Double)
• Binary Cycle
• Petrothermal (Hot Dry Rock)
• Geothermal Preheat
• Fossil Superheat
• Nuclear Fission
• Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), advanced
• Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
• Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)
• Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR)
• Candu Reactor
• High Temp. Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR)
• Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR)
• Breeder Reactors
• Nuclear Fusion
• Hydro
• Large
• Pelton Turbine – 50-6,000 ft head
• Francis Turbine – 10-2,000 ft head
• Propeller Turbine – 10 – 300 ft head
• Kaplan Turbine
• Small / Mini
• Micro
• Pumped Hydro
• Wind
• Solar PV
• Crystalline silicon
• Thin film – Amorphous Silicon
• Thin film – Indium Diselenide
• Flat Plate
• High Efficiency Multi Junction – IHCPV
• Solar Thermal
• Trough
• Tower
• Dish
• Salt Pond (power + water)
• Biomass
• Direct Combustion
• Co-firing with Coal
• Biomass Gasification (BIGCC)
• Municipal Waste
• Pyrolysis
• Landfill Gas (40 – 60% CH4)
• Anaerobic Digestion (65% CH4)
• Sewage Digestion
• Fuel Cells
• Alkaline (AFC)
• Phosphoric Acid (PAFC)
• Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM)
• Direct Methanol
• Molten Carbonate (MCFC)
• Solid Oxide-GT (SOFC)
• Solid Oxide-GT (SOFC-GT)
• Energy Storage:
• Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) – Huntorf
• Large CAES
• Small CAES
• Above Ground CAES
• Flywheel Systems
• Utility Scale Batteries (USB)
• Lead acid
• Advanced
• Stored Hydrogen
• Superconduction Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
• Ultracapacitors
• Ocean Thermal
• Claude (open cycle)
• Controlled Flash Evaporation (open)
• Anderson (closed cycle)
• Ocean Wave
• Oscillating Water Column (OWC)
• Hydraulic Accumulator
• High Level Reservoir
• Float or Pitching Devices
• Wave Surge or Focusing (“tapchan”)
• Pendulor
• Tidal Power
• Single Pool
• Modulated Single Pool w/ Pumped Hydro
• Two Pool

Price: 30 USD

Commercially Available Fuel Cycle Technologies

The file (139 KB) will cover the following topics:

Commercially Available Fuel Cycle Technologies

FS – Fully satisfies all conditions:

• Conventional Crude Oil Extraction
• Conventional Natural Gas
• Conventional Coal

MC – Most Conditions satisfied:

• Enhanced Crude Oil Extraction – Thermal
• Nuclear Fission – Fuel Processing
• Petroleum Coke
• Municipal Solid Wastes
• Wind (Farms)

LC – Least Conditions satisfied:

• Enhanced Crude Oil Extraction – Chemical
• Enhanced Crude Oil Extraction – Gas Displacement
• Nuclear Fission – Decommissioning
• Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)
• Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)
• Tar Sands
• Coal Gasification
• Ethanol
• Methanol (from Natural Gas)
• Hydrothermal – Vapor & Liquid Dominated
• Biomass Fuel
• Solar Resource (PV, Thermal Electric)
  

Price: 30 USD

Combined Heat & Power (Cogeneration)

The file (313 KB) will cover the following topics:

Combined Heat & Power (Cogeneration)

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of electricity and steam (or heat) in a single power plant. It has been long used by industries and municipalities that need process steam or heat as well as electricity. CHP or cogeneration is not usually used by large utilities which tend to produce electricity only. It is advisable only for industries and municipalities if they can produce electricity cheaper or more conveniently; otherwise, buy from the utility instead.

In theory, CHP provides the most efficient use of energy resources, often utilizing up to 90% of the heat energy of the fossil fuel. In practice, while the efficiency of entire process is recognized, its application has been limited.

Topics – Combined Heat & Power

• Combined Heat & Power, Its Uses and History
• Basic Principle of Combined Heat & Power (CHP)
• CHP or Cogeneration Plant Efficiency
• Efficiency of Separate Generation
• Types of Cogeneration Cycles
• Other CHP Technologies
• Opportunities for CHP
• Cost of CHP (Capital, O&M, Levelized)
• Applicability, Advantages, Disadvantages
• Environmental Impact & Risks

Price: 6 USD

Combined Cycle Gas Turbine

The file (4.26 MB) will cover the following topics:

Combined Cycle GT (CCGT)

GTs have at best efficiencies from 35% to 42%. Almost 60% of the fuel energy is wasted in the turbine exhaust of a GT. Capturing this waste heat in a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) is the basis of the combined cycle (Brayton + Rankine). The HRSG produces steam that drives a turbo-generator to produce additional power.

Topics – Combined Cycle GT

• Operating Principle of a Combined Cycle GT
• Combined Brayton + Rankine Cycles
• Comparison of Various CCGT Configurations
• CCGT (Gas vs Liquid Firing)
• CCGT Energy Balance
• Examples of Gas Turbine Technologies
• Cost of GT Technologies
• GT and CCGT Plants in the Philippines
• Advantages, Disadvantages of CCGT
• Environmental Impact, Risks of CCGT

Price: 80 USD

Biomass Energy

The file (322 KB) will cover the following topics:

“Biomass” means any plant-derived organic matter available on a renewable basis, including dedicated energy crops and trees, agricultural food and feed crops, agricultural crop wastes and residues, wood wastes and residues, aquatic plants, animal wastes and municipal wastes. Biomass is stored solar energy.

Topics – Biomass Energy

• What is Biomass?
• Biomass Resources
• Biomass Technologies (Bio-Power, Bio-Fuels)
• Examples of Bio-Fuels & Biomass Technologies
• Global Carbon Cycle
• Bio-Power Technologies (Direct Combustion, Co-firing, Pyrolysis, Anaerobic Digestion, CHP)
• Cost of Biomass Fuel, Liquid Bio-Fuels & Power
• Benefits from Biomass & Wastes
• Environmental Impact & Risks

Price: 60 USD

Advanced Energy Storage

The file (1.48 MB) will cover the following topics:

Advanced Storage Technologies

ELECTRICAL-MECHANICAL ENERGY STORAGE:

• POTENTIAL – Pumped Storage Hydropower
• POTENTIAL – Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES): Reservoirs, Salt/Rock Caverns, Aquifers, Adiabatic, Hybrid
• POTENTIAL – Springs, Torsion Bars, Mass Elevation
• KINETIC – Flywheel storage

DIRECT ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE:

• Utility Battery Storage (UBS) – Lead acid, Sodium-sulfur, Lithium- chlorine, Lithium-telluride, Zinc-chlorine
• Super-conducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
• Hybrid SMES-UBS
• Super Capacitors

THERMAL STORAGE:

• Sensible Heat Energy Storage – Pressurized water, Organic liquid, Packed/Fluidized solid beds
• Latent Heat Energy Storage – High temp. gas-cooled reactor (HTGR)
• Chemical Reaction Storage – Regenerative fuel cells (RFC)

Price: 60 USD

Advanced Coal-Burning Power Plant Technology

This file (1.03 MB) will cover the following topics:

ADVANCED COAL-BURNING POWER PLANT TECHNOLOGY

Traditional coal-fired power plant suffers from two primary drawbacks:

• overall thermal efficiency limited
• major source of pollution

There are strategies to reduce levels of pollution immediately in traditional plants.

However, very little can be done to raise its efficiency, being limited by thermodynamic constraints.

Efficiency of 49-50% feasible within 20 years.
Price: 42 USD

Fuel & Energy Technology Expert is Here

Fuel & Energy Technology Expert is Here

Marcial Ocampo, your favorite energy technology expert, is here to provide you latest information on:

1) energy and oil prices (international and domestic pump price calculation)

2) renewable energy and non-renewable energy and electricity

3) cost of power generation – capital and O&M cost

4) levelized cost of energy and electricity

5) Philippine energy and electricity demand and supply

6) project finance and financial modeling

7) power plant efficiency and performance

8) project feasibility studies for biofuels and power plant (market, technical, economic and financial)

Examples of Power Generation Technologies in commercial use are as follows:

Oil – Gas Thermal

Reciprocating / Piston Engine:

Small or High-Speed
Medium Speed
Large or Slow Speed
Combined Cycle – Waste Heat Boiler

Natural Gas – Simple GT:

Aero-Derivative GT
With Recuperation
Humid Air Turbine (HAT)
Cascaded Humid Air Turbine (CHAT)
Heavy Frame GT

Natural Gas – Combined Cycle GT

Coal:

Pulverized Coal PC
Atmospheric CFB
Pressurized FBC
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle IGCC
Integrated Gasification Humid Air Turbine IGHAT
Direct Coal-Fired Combined Cycle DCCC
Supercritical & Ultra-Supercritical Coal Comb.

Nuclear Fission:

Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), advanced
Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)
Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR):
- Candu Reactor
High Temp. Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR)
Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR)
Breeder Reactors

Nuclear Fusion

Hydro:

Large:
- Pelton Turbine – 50-6,000 ft head
- Francis Turbine – 10-2,000 ft head
- Propeller Turbine – 10 – 300 ft head:
- Kaplan Turbine
Small / Mini
Micro

Energy Storage:

Pumped Hydro
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) – Huntorf:
- Large CAES
- Small CAES
- Above Ground CAES
Flywheel Systems
Utility Scale Batteries (USB):
- Lead acid
- Advanced
Stored Hydrogen
Superconduction Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
Ultracapacitors

Geothermal:

Dry Steam (Vapor)
Flashed Steam (Single, Double)
Binary Cycle
Petrothermal (Hot Dry Rock)
Geothermal Preheat
Fossil Superheat

Wind

Solar PV:

Crystalline silicon
Thin film – Amorphous Silicon
Thin film – Indium Diselenide
Flat Plate
High Efficiency Multi Junction (IHCPV)

Solar Thermal:
Trough
Tower
Dish
Salt Pond (power + water)

Fuel Cells:

Alkaline (AFC)
Phosphoric Acid (PAFC)
Proton Exchange Membrane  (PEM)
Direct Methanol (DMFC)
Molten Carbonate (MCFC)
Solid Oxide-GT  (SOFC-GT)

Biomass:

Direct Combustion
Co-firing with Coal
Biomass Gasification (BIGCC)
Municipal Waste Treatment
Pyrolysis

Fermentation
Landfill Gas (40 – 60% CH4)
Anaerobic Digestion Biogas (65% CH4)
Sewage Treatment

Ocean Thermal:

Claude (open cycle)
Controlled Flash Evaporation (open)
Anderson (closed cycle)

Ocean Wave:

Oscillating Water Column (OWC)
Hydraulic Accumulator
High Level Reservoir
Float or Pitching Devices
Wave Surge or Focusing (“tapchan”)
Pendulor

Tidal Power:

Single Pool
Modulated Single Pool w/ Pumped Hydro
Two Pool

Additional technologies provided by readers of this blog:

Waste Heat Recovery: (from Alan Belcher’s comments)

Steam Rankine Cycle (Recycled Energy Development, Inc.)

Organic Rankine Cycle (Ormat Technologies, Inc.)*

Low Temperature Brayton Cycle (Pegasus Energy Project, Inc.)