Energy Sidestreams
An Energy Sidestream is typically defined as any form of harvestable energy associated with the operation of the
Recovery 2.0 process or from its immediate surroundings.
A sidestream commonly refers to any ancillary activity that is not the primary pathway of the recovery process.
This may include energy in the form of heat, light, pressure, kinetic motion and more...
An ideal sidestream is an energy that may be passively collected in a solid state method with automated controls for the
accumulation, storage and distribution.
Optional Sidestreams may allow the direct or ambient harvesting of symbiotic
energy
sidestreams and tributary flows from within a recovery operation
adding to the overall energy output efficiency.
While individual streams may be small, the consolidation of these coexisting power sources magnifies the
total sustainable goals of clean energy.
We classify sound waves and kinetic vibration as types of pressure energy.
Harnessing pressure energy may be achieved with a
Piezoelectric
device or by Electromagnetic
Field Induction
Perishable Energy Storage
An abundance of energy constantly surrounds us but much of this energy may be classified as short duration or perishable
and is commonly regarded as minuit or insignificant.
The ideal goal would be to accumulate or
consolidate
this perishable energy into a stable form of longer duration storage.
Any number of approaches may be used to achieve the harvesting and storage of perishable energy
although some methods may be more desirable than others.
One example to accumulate and store energy in a stable, longer duration method
is in the form of a pressurized working fluid such as hydraulic oil or other fluids.
Harvesting energy from any number of
sources,
in various scopes or
scales,
that all may be converted into hydraulic pressure.
The hydraulic pressure energy may be accumulated or consolidated into meaningful quantities and stored at ambient temperature
for an indefinite period of time.
In order to discharge the stored energy, the hydraulic pressure may be release through a generator or pump on an on demand basis.
Energy Scavenging
The concept of Energy Scavenging encompasses a non-traditional approach towards the valorization and conservation of energy
which involves an innovative implementation in the efforts to identify and harvest any and all available energy.
The collection and consolidation of various sources and types of energy into a meaningful quantity
and the conversion of that energy into a common denominator form such as electricity.
Developing a robust strategy to manage the storage and distribution of the accumulated electricity.
There exists an opportunity to scavenge energy by strategically locating a harvesting circuit in close proximity to an actively generating source circuit. Induction across a proximity gap or Transformer Link may allow for the development of previously unexplored resources.
Energy Harvesting Methods
Once a recurring energy source has been identified the next step is to devise an apparatus to extract a measurable current
from that source. The harvested current may be accumulated and retained in a capacitor configuration.
With multiple extraction points, harvesting energy from a variety of sources may be
located throughout the Recovery 2.0 facility that feed a network of capacitors.
The capacitor banks may be automatedly discharged, as required, into the internal storage and distribution grid network.
Harvesting Modules
A wide number of variations of energy collection devices may be used in an attempt to harness or scavenge perishable energy.
Typical energy harvesting modules are comprised of a few basic common components required to complete a harvesting circuit
and include a Collector, Rectifier, Capacitor & Output Connection.
The Collector unit - is typically chosen to fit the specific needs of the type & scope of energy it is deployed to harvest.
The Rectifier - aids in filtering the inconsistent generation flow between the collector and capacitor.
The Capacitor - acts as a temporary accumulator of any energy harvested by the collector unit.
The Output Connection - may be hard wired or a wireless transceiver that accommodates connection and discharge of the
collected energy to the array node.
The harvesting cycle may repeat on a frequency of several times per second or intermittently over a span of days.
The collected charge is uploaded into the accumulator
array node.
Harvesting Arrays
The Harvesting Array Nodes act as an intermediate buffer between the harvesting modules and the central
Capacitor Banks.
Each Harvesting Node Array is designed to manage a network of Harvesting modules,
accumulating the combine energy from its network.
This network may be hard wired or may be wireless. The network acts as a consolidating relay that has the potential to accept a blend of
incoming current flows from a combination of harvesters,
which may be harvesting energy from different
types of sources.
The accumulated charge received at each array node may then be discharged into the central Capacitor Banks.
This output connection also has the option to be hard wired or wireless
Consolidating Harvested Energy
The
Capacitor Banks
act as a consolidation stage for the accumulation of energy from the
Harvesting Arrays.
That accumulated energy stored in the Capacitor Banks stands available for rapid staging or dispatch
into the Recovery 2.0 Energy Management
Control System.
One of the great challenges presented by energy harvesting is the accumulation or
consolidation of meaningful quantities of power
from a wide number of sporadic sources of varying scopes and
scales.
Light Energy Harvesting
A wide range of light energy may be harvested and converted to electricity or heat, from traditional
Photovoltaics
from direct sunlight, including Indirect/Outdoor Ambient light harvest to various forms of
Concentrated Solar.
Developing technologies are expanding usable bandwidth to harness a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum that include
Dye Sensitive Luminescence, Indoor Ambient Light Harvesting and Artificial Light Source harvesting.
More extreme sources such as
Thermal Luminescence,
Arc Luminescence and Photo Sensitive Fuel Cells are all being explored.
Classification of Light Sources
| Light Harvesting Source |
LUX Range
Lumens / square meter |
|
Concentrated Solar
Amplified Reflection & Magnification |
500,000 + |
| Direct Sunlight | 30,000 - 100,000 |
| Bifacial Solar Panels | 25,000 - 50,000 |
| Ambient Outdoor Light | 10,000 - 25,000 |
| Transparent Window Films | 10,000 + |
| Dye Sensitized Light | 10,000 + |
| Fiber Redirected Light | 7,500 |
| Ambient Indoor Light | 200 - 5,000 |
|
Thermal Luminescence
& Incandescence |
750,000 + |
| Arc Luminescence | 1 million plus |
| - other | -- |
Thermal Energy Harvesting
Evolving traditional heat engines such as
steam
turbines to incorporate the Organic Rankine Cycle
(ORC)
systems and turbo machines,
has extended the reach of power generation.
The Energy Harvesting Modules may be stacked into various configurations to harness thermal
Temperature Gradients.
Mechanisms and systems may be geared specifically to operate
Sterling Engines, Thermo Electric Generators (TEG) and Seebeck Effect Devices.
Since heat is a cornerstone in the
Thermal Waste Recovery
process, recovering even
small amounts
of thermal energy is important to the overall efficiency of the system.
The collection,
accumulation
and
storage
of harvested thermal energy is a key factor in the Recovery 2.0 process.
Thermal Energy Harvesting plays a key role in the
Heat Ladder
strategy.
Sound/Pressure & Vibration Energy Harvesting
The harvesting of Sound/
Pressure
& Vibration as Piezoelectric Energy includes kinetic impact and friction
motion.
In addition to the traditional use of crystalline Piezoelectric material,
dielectric elastomer generators & dielectric fluids generators have found functional uses.
The use of innovative Energy Harvesting Modules that utilize linear Actuators and
Flexible Pneumatic Actuators
are relatively unexplored or exploited.
An example of a cantilever style vibration harvester may be with the use of either a Piezoelectric harvester or a
Electromagnetic Induction
harvester or a combination of both.
Electromagnetic Induction
The use of various configurations of magnets and coils to produce Electromagnetic Field Induction has traditionally been used
in generators, alternators and electric motors.
New approaches to Energy Harvesting are rapidly expanding to include micro, milli and nano harvesting for
IOT (the Internet of things) to power a wide range of sensors and switches.
As innovation blossoms in the energy harvesting and decarbonization arena new opportunities will continue to evolve
in this exciting field of growth.
Common
Pathway
to Induction Electricity generation
Electromagnetic Field Induction
- Rotory Motion Generator
- Linear Induction
- Magneto Harvesting Devices
- Osolating Vibration Harvestors
- other
ElectroStatic Triboelectric Energy
The development of devices designed to harvest the static charge that occurs from the friction contact between
Triboelectric materials.
In order to evolve an energy harvesting system suited for the Recovery 2.0 application and building on the basic principals of the
Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) and the Van De Graaff generator,
Electrostatic Separation
may be used to charge and separate particles, at the same time
harvesting energy from the electrostatic field.
The flexibility to adapt
Triboelectric Energy
into an
Ionic Air Energy
harvesting system combined into a
Plasma Arc Generator
that may be used to power a
CO2 Splitting Reactor.
RF - Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting
The convergence of Radio Frequency and Microwave technologies in the fields of data communication, radar signals,
switches, sensors and wireless power transmission is evolving at a staggering pace.
The development of an ever increasing efficiency path for Antennas, Relays and Receivers allows for the visualization
of a dramatic shift into the digital age of electrification.
Beaming a Microwave relay of space based solar energy to earth based receivers at grid scale,
or billions of decentralized autonomous IOT (the Internet of things) sensors and switches installed throughout
all aspects of society.
No matter at what scale, the industry referred to as RF - Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting is poised for massive growth.
Direct to Electricity
Energy harvesting techniques may provide a unique opportunity to scavenge energy from a multitude of sources
and convert the harnessed energy directly into electricity.
The creation of an innovative streamlined approach that bypasses the traditional steam cycle, may develop a compact, solid state,
modular system to capture energy.
The potential exists to create a low maintenance or passive collection network that consolidates many different sources of energy
and may covert that accumulated energy Direct to Electricity.
Light Harvesting
Thermal Energy Harvesting
Piezoelectric Energy
ElectroStatic Triboelectric Energy
Radio Frequency and Microwave
Categorizing energy harvesting into groupings that share similar characteristics
Electromagnetic Radiation, Pressure Waves, Thermal Energy, Redox Energy
Electromagnetic Energy
Target Range
Magneto Hydro Dynamics MHD
Direct Carbon Fuel Cells
Oxidation Reactions
Waste Heat
Energy Management Strategy
Energy Storage
- Battery Banks
- Thermal Energy Storage
- Compressed Air Storage
- Exothermic Element Storage
Short Cycle Regeneration
- Hydro Energy
- Wind Energy
- Gravity Energy
- Gradient Energy
Energy Sources
- Solar
- Electricity
- Waste Heat
- Optional Sidestreams
Understanding Energy & Recovery
- Energy as a Commodity
- Recovered Energy
Summary
The challenge is to design for optimum operation by
engineering a system that has the capability to swap from priority or default pathways
as seamlessly and rapidly as possible and the ability to scale up or down each energy pathway module.
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