[Gasification] ORC's...

[Tom Miles]

I've heard conversion efficiencies of 30,000 Btu/kWe to 60,000 Btu/kWe from
steam or hot water. 

In recent proposals I have seen costs for ORC conversion equipment from
Ormat and UTC Power run from $1500 to $4000/kWe for units in the 300-500 kWe
range. That doesn't include the heat source such as a biomass boiler or
gasifier.   

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: gasification-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:gasification-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Peter Singfield
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 7:43 PM
To: gasification at listserv.repp.org
Subject: Re: [Gasification] ORC's...


Any heat source will work --

They are practical --

But initial investment is "major" -- though when you spread it over the 25
year operating life expectancy -- maintenance free -- it come out quite
economic compared to any other solution out there at present!!

Further -- as mentioned -- for a 10,000 unit order -- they would drop
prices dramatically.

The further north you be -- the colder the weather -- the more "practical"
these systems become -- as some one else correctly mentioned -- the
condenser temperature is the single most import part in regards to
achieving high efficiencies -- the colder -- the much better!!

Now -- I believe you could run one of those from the waste heat going up
the stack from a home heating stove -- just make sure to clean the flue gas
well -- or burn clean fires. 

That for the 2 kw unit -- the village level power plant -- 6 kw -- costs
$50,000 US plus -- but comes with a built in thermal gasifier -- that will
take almost any biomass for fuel.

As for recovering heat -- they use air blown condensers -- so if you put
this in your basement you can marry it to any hot air home heating system
---

You house -- even in the coldest part of winter -- would be well heated and
lite up!

Again -- if they could sell 10,000 units per year -- prices could be
greatly reduced.

But for years now -- people have avoided this technology -- makes me think
of that old "saw":

"To good to be true"

This "solution" has been staring us in the face for years now -- but
radical new ideas take a long time to be accepted -- though I bet by now
Kevin is ready to admit that things heavier than air can indeed fly.

That does not mean he would buy one -- until at least a few other millions
have used them and got great results for years -- but again -- maybe not
even then either.

I have a 1923 Mark's Handbook that totally describes the ORC systems in
great detail extolling the advantages -- mentioning a few case histories
and experiments and prophesizing it would be the wave of the future -- but
that day has not come yet.

Probably when 100 years has passed -- 2023 -- it will be though.

Peter / Belize

At 10:09 PM 2/3/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>So why can't an ORMAT type remote power unit be converted to be fired by
an efficient biomass burner to create a nice little domestic power unit.
Fired by wood chips dried by the waste heat from the process such a unit
would be suitable for application in individual residences or for district
heating & power applications.
>
>Are microscale CHP systems practical?
>
>Driving a device like this with solar heat is, of course, very attractive
but in northern climates we have more wood than sun.
>
>Regards
>_______________________________________________
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>Gasification at listserv.repp.org
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>

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