Showing posts with label Heat Enging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heat Enging. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene


Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, colloquially known by its abbreviation ETFE, is a fluorocarbon-based polymer (a fluoropolymer): a kind of plastic. It was designed to have high corrosion resistance and strength over a wide temperature range. In addition it has a high melting temperature and does not emit toxic fumes when ignited.

Wikipedia

At the Beijing Olympics, the National Aquatics Center, or "Water Cube," is surrounded by a light-weight polymer foil that significantly reduces the energy that goes into construction. The thin transparent material, called ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene), is segmented into 3,000 air-filled cushions that let in light but hold in heat.

Source

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Solar Thermal Waste Heat Engine works at low temperature, low pressure



The compact, lightweight 18 lb (8 kg) Waste Heat Engine is a six-cylinder radial steam engine capable of running on waste heat as low as 225 °F (107 °C) and pressure as low as 25 psi (172 kPa). The engine achieves maximum efficiencies at 600 °F (316 °C) and steam pressure of 200 psi (1.4 MPa), at which point one Waste Heat Engine can generate 16 hp (12 kW), 30 lb-ft (41 Nm) of torque, and a little over 10 kW of electrical output. The only drawback is the typically low 12% energy efficiency common with most reciprocating steam engines. On the plus side the piston-based steam engine operates at a maximum of 3000 rpm which means it is well suited to drive any standard generator.

Source