For science nerds, the following picture probably says more than 1000 words. Click on the picture to see it in a downloadable full size.
So, what is it?
I created a simple (~one moving part) heat pipe + turbine design, which permanently maintains a higher turbine entry side pressure and recycles all waste heat from the turbine’s exit side. Molecules at a high-pressure heating area (A) will always flow towards the low-pressure cooling area (B). In doing so, the molecules must always go through every single of the turbine blades, and they necessarily lose some of the system’s internal energy to each of the turbine blades. After irreversibly losing the heat of vaporization (~98% of the added energy), the steam condenses to liquid. The condensed liquid must then be further cooled to maintain the low-pressure area at cooling area (B) of the heat pipe. As up to 98% of the internal energy was converted into electricity, 3% of that electricity can now be used for powering a heat pump to remove the remaining 2% of added thermal energy from the cooling area B.
Large heat pipes can transfer megawatts of thermal energy. So, if this thing works, it should be possible to make units that produce megawatts of electrical power. I imagine placing those units into bodies of water, from which they would take thermal energy and send it to dry land in the form of electricity. But does it work? At least it is a simple design and the critical step is very nicely isolated. Also, I can’t think of any form of substance that would prevent the steam’s molecules, traveling at the speed of sound, from interacting with the blades and therefore losing energy to the benefit of the kinetic energy of a rotor. So, is there something wrong? If there is an error, I can’t find that – can you?
Is this a business opportunity?
Well, if you science nerds think that it might work – then it probably can become a business.
If you say, it’s impossible, and especially if you can back up that with some reasonable explanation – well, then it probably doesn’t work.
After I had applied for a patent, I took the invention to local university. After three months of waiting, professor-level specialists have verbally confirmed that it works, but despite my gentle persuasion, they appear to be too shy ever to put anything on paper. I kind of understand them, but this may be important and insight from less shy professors is highly appreciated and needed. Ultimately someone needs to actually confirm that it works or that it doesn’t work.
About a size of a business opportunity. Well, it’s big enough. The world is expected to be spending trillions for building renewable energy production capacity during the current decade. If this technology allows building production capacity the cheapest, the most environmentally friendly, and the most scalable way, you can expect to see revenue in billions.
I estimate that 20 million 1MW units, operating with a capacity factor of 80%, would be enough to cover the current annual use of energy (140,000 TWh). With effective assembly plants, such capacity could be built within 20 years at a total cost of 5-10 trillion dollars. The price of each of the roughly car-sized 1MW units would be $250,000 – $500,000. Therefore, if this invention really works, in less than 25 years, it can replace most of the current use of fossil fuels and make green energy transition happen.
If you are an investor and think this could be a business opportunity for you. Please email me at lets_build_it [at] hotbenefits.com.