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Electricity from solar ponds To create electricity from solar pond hot water is a well understood process. The convertor is called an 'Organic Rankine Cycle Engine' (ORC engine) - named after a 19th century engineer. This is the same process used to extract energy from deep ocean temperature gradients off Japan and turn geothermal hot water into electricity. The Rankine engine works by using the hot water to evaporate a low boiling point chemical, such as those used in refrigerators. The vapour then becomes a high pressure gas which is used to drive the ORC turbine.
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Once used, the gas is recirculated, cooled, condensed and recycled - as in a refrigerator. The ORC shaft then turns a electricity generation alternator. Heat exchange flow rates are generally lowered for electricity generation applications to increase feed temperature to the ORC. A low cost version of a Rankine engine can be built using 'off the shelf' industrial scale air conditioner parts. A South Australian company made units at Alice Springs and Birdsville in this way. |
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