Renewable Energy Tech: Heat and Power Nathan Siegel Department of Mechanical Engineering Bucknell University Solar Scholars Workshop 5/12/2012

Outline Energy Usage Heating With Solar Non-Solar Energy Solutions

Energy Usage What “type” of energy do you use and how much does it cost annually? – Perform a basic audit (Kill-A-Watt), look at utility bills. Heating can be a major energy cost – Depends on Weather, Construction, Type/Fuel Space Heating Everything Else (TV, Computer, Lights, AC)

Estimated Heating Costs : New Berlin, PA Type: Oil, forced air, with one room electric baseboard Construction: 1800 ft 2, Brick (~1880) Average Temperature: 39 o F Energy: 57 MBTU (139,000 Btu/ga) Heating Cost: $1462 (411 ga at $3.6/ga) or $26/MBtu Sandia Park, NM Type: Propane, radiant floor Construction: 2100 ft 2, Frame Constr. (2001) Average Temperature: 42 o F Energy: 55 MBtu (91,690 Btu/ga) Heating Cost : $1800 (600 ga at ~$3/ga) or $33/MBtu How quickly would you pay off an alternative heating system? Weather Data: bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:

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Heating With Solar A Range of Options – Passive Solar Architecture – Trombe Wall – Solar Air Heater – Solar Liquid Heater – Combination – Storage/No Storage A home designed for solar heating in the winter Source: electrictreehouse.com

Heating With Solar A Range of Options – Passive Solar Architecture – Trombe Wall – Solar Air Heater – Solar Liquid Heater – Combination – Storage/No Storage A Trombe wall providing heat and storage Source: consumerenergycenter.org

Heating With Solar A Range of Options – Passive Solar Architecture – Trombe Wall – Solar Air Heater – Solar Liquid Heater – Combination – Storage/No Storage Active solar air heater with rock storage Source: warmair.com

DIY Air Heaters Air heaters can be made from relatively inexpensive materials: – Wood box – Polyiso insulation – Polycarb or glass window – Aluminum cans Soda can solar air heater Source: rimstar.org Soda can solar air heater Source: Bucknell Solar Scholars

Heating With Solar A Range of Options – Solar Liquid Heater – Combination – Passive Solar Architecture – Trombe Wall – Solar Air Heater – Storage/No Storage Solar liquid heater schematic for a radiant floor system Source: radiantec.com

Heating Liquids: Flat Panel Years of operation in the field Relatively inexpensive

Heating Liquids: Evacuated Tube Relatively new technology Low loss Cost (Sunmaxx 30): $1,450 $8/MBtu in Philly over a 25 year service life Sunmaxx 20 evacuated tube heater Sources: siliconsolar.com,

Bucknell’s Water Heating System Two Heliodyne panels on Mod 3, Bucknell

Non-Solar Energy Solutions

Biomass: Another Heating Option Carbon neutral Uses waste Relatively inexpensive System Specs – 140 Tons/week wood chips – 18,000 lb/hour steam (60 psig) – Saves $600,000/year – Six to eight year payback Steam generator at Evangelical Hospital Sources: L.Z.Leighton Boiler-Heats-Facilities--Will-Accommodate-Growth-

DIY Micro-Hydro If you have running water, you can make power All you need are: – Some civil engineering – A turbine wheel – An electric motor (auto alternator) – Pulleys – Wires to the load. Micro hydro with a water wheel

DIY Micro-Hydro Buy or make a Pelton Turbine that connects to the generator System runs “around the clock” Micro hydro generating station Sources: yousavegreen.com A Pelton wheel turbine generator Sources: energyalternatives.ca

Questions?

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Sunmaxx specs Cost in $/sq ft: $48