Alternative Energy 3

[Fayaz]

I am involved in a project, located in a developing country. The project is to produce alternative energy to provide electricity and run air-conditioning system for a 2000 sq. ft. house. Total budget is $2000.00 to purchase equipemnt. Any HELP? IDEAS?

 

[mrbean]

Where is this country? Have you thought of cow dung or even human 'dung' energy? It produces methane gas you can use for cooling or electricity conversion.

 

[Fayaz]

Yes, I have thought of cow dung, but I have no knowledge of design, performance and generation equipment. Any help will be appreciated

 

[butelja]

This web site lists many resources that should be able to help you understand the biogas use concepts.

http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/vb6.html

 

[boilerdoc]

Hi Fayaz,
did I read the budget correct with $ 2000,00
(two thousand)?
How many kW installed electrical capacity is needed ?
What is the ambient temperature?
Is there biomass (wood) available?
Maybe you can get more specific on this subject.

 

[waqarpk]

Hello
Cheapest way to generate energy is hydro energy ... You can utilize you local sources if available .... Then go to solar energy system.

 

[peebee]

How strict are the definitions of "air conditioning" and "alternative energy"? If it's a dry area, maybe you can use a swamp cooler (although that's probably twisting both definitions a bit too far).

 

[Axsave]

If it is a developing country why waste energy on air conditioning? Unless its a hospital or something.
There must be a greater need for energy elsewhere

 

[aberta]

Hi Fayaz,
For two thousand dollars I suggest you use wind power if wind is available. You will need to store this energy so it can be used when necessary. This will only be a supplement source of energy.
If water energy is available, then that would be the best.
Solar power is costly but could be ideal.
A good source of air conditioning is using latent heat of evaporation of water. A fan blowing some air through a porous membarne which has water flowing down it. You will have money left over.
Regards and best of luck!

 

[navidhasan]

There are many open fields going on in various R&D organizations in the world.The idea of generating 3KVA/KW TO 7KW of energy is not a big deal.Your requirement is not more then that...The generation can be through the usage of wind mill, a small mill designed for the job.
It can be through micro steam engine concept coupled with biogas support.
The best of it may be dependent on the scope of work u choose.
So good luck,

Navid.H Bokhari

 

[jmw]

I was visiting anew office building in Germany during its construction phase and discovered that in summer they cool usig water recirculated from a number of small wells bored around the premises and circulated through underfloor piping systems. I don't know the details but i guess they were pumping from one depth and returning to another. The water consumption is nil since it is returned and i guess you will need some electricity to run the pumps. I have no idea of cost or how far $2000 will stretch.
In terms of cooling and house design modern technology is just that, modern.
The problem has been around longer than the technology. I was reading a book about ceramic houses (mud brick construction which is fired using a kerosene burner to dry and fuse the blocks... the original designs were Iranian houses but the technique was being used in New Mexico as well.) but the interseting point is that house design has a significant part to play including such devices as wind towers which ensure good air circulation. Courtyards with water fountains etc. Technology is one way with available energy and a budget but that is not to say that many of the tradditional designs haven't had a lot of success addressing the same problems with local skills, materials and conditions. People managed to cool food without refirgerators. Water in a porous pot keeps cool through evaporation. Somewhere among these systems may be the result you need without high tech or you may find that a combination of a tradittional method helped out by a low budget application of technology may produce the resuklts you need. I haven't looked by the centre for alternative technology in North wales probably has a web site with lots of helpfull ideas on construction materials and methods which are based on low tech and traditional materials used in new ways. You may find that they can help with some suggestions based on your environment and resources. The point about the German office building is that they had available water at shallow depth at a useful temperature. try the same thing in some other location and you may find you have geothermal energy in the form of heat!
You might also try some architectural web sites looking for a forum with some good ideas.

 

[peebee]

jmw: most likely, in the geothermal system you saw, there was no actual pumping of ground water. More likely is that a u-shaped tube was inserted vertically into each well to act as a heat exchanger, both ends of the u-tube would then be piped back to the building cooling water system, which would then be a closed system. That water likely drove heat pumps to provide both heating and cooling.

Such systems can be very efficient. But they also have very high installation costs. There's always a tradeoff.

 

[samienela]

Be aware that biogas always contains some sulfur as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans etc along with the carbon dioxide and methane. When the biogas burns sulfuric acid is formed which is very corrosive to boiler tubes and gas powered engines.

If there is will be plenty of money for fuel, an ordinary generator will give you reliable power. If there is only a little money for fuel, you might consider the stirling-engine fan (e.g.

http://www.jerry-howell.com/S-Fan.html).

If there is no money for fuel, wind or hydro power are good choices; they have already been "indigenous technology" in cultures all over the world.

 

[pleadesman]

You cant air condition a building with solar power for $2,000. Its that simple. Solar is expensive, it has a 15 year payback even with high priced electric rates. You can use solar for everything else but air conditioning (lower power required) but it still isnt cheap. Nobody uses solar for A/C.

 

[onenut]

If propane or methane or another type of consistent heat source is available you could save on the hydro end of your problem by mimicing a propane fridge.

 

[acadien]

I saw a design once for a cooling tower, where at the top of the tower water was atomised via nozzels, as the water absorbed heat the air becomes cool and denser thus falling inside the tower a creating a cool brease at the bottom. If capture you circulate the water in the ground cooling it again pump it back up the tower.

I tought one could build this in a modified fireplace chimeney that you could use in winter to heat and in the summer to cool.

 

[xerxy]

Some additional weather data would be helpful, but if the conditions are right (low enough humidity, access to water, little cloud cover at night) a roof pond may work for cooling the space. A roof pond is covered and insulated from the outside air during the day and and uncovered at night to release the heat it absorbed from the space.

I don't know if you could do it on your budget for sure.

If you can provide more info on the resources of the place you're at and the conditions, I may have some other ideas.

Good Luck!

John

 

[nbucska]

You may want to study ancient Persian (==Iran) architecture
where solar heat circulated the air and evaporation in clay tubes under the lawn cooled it.

<nbucska@pcperipherals.com>