Seems like every day I hear of a new, latest and greatest, energy solution that is going to revolutionize the way we get power. The previous blog entry discussed the “Bloom Box” and on site distributed energy. I personally feel that distributed energy is the way to go. But so far no one technology has been able to dethrone big bad coal. While the Bloom box is designed to power 1-4 homes, we also need systems that can power a thousand homes.

Another technology that has been making big, fix-it-all, headlines is Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology. The concept is very sound and has been around for quite awhile. It has been tried before with limited success (The Solar Project),  and is being prepared for wider deployment. The essential concept is to stuff a bunch a mirrors (heliostats) out in a desert around a central tower. The mirrors reflect the sun’s energy back onto the tower so that you get a concentration of energy. The area of the tower that accepts all the sun rays is the receiver. These receivers, depending on their technology, can reach pretty high temperatures, sometimes upwards of 1000°F. The more heat the receiver gets, the more energy is available for use. That heat is used to boil water, producing steam that runs a turbine generator.

There are quite a few big names that are backing this technology. Google just announced a breakthrough in heliostat technology that will greatly increase the amount of reflected energy a mirror can output. Google has also funded, through the firm IdeaLab, millions and millions of dollars into a company called eSolar. eSolar’s plan is to make scalable CSP “farms” that harvest the sun. BrightSource is another big player in the field. They just received the ok for a 1.4 billion dollar loan from the federal government to build a CSP plant in the Mojave desert. The technology is ready for the big time, it just needs deployed, standardized, and mass produced to bring down costs.

So the big questions are, how do we use all this heat energy in an efficient manner, and what about when the sun isn’t shining? Hundreds or maybe even thousands of very bright scientists are working on these issues, and they will find a solution. Some solutions involve higher receiver temperatures, and some involve using materials with a high heat storage capacity to store the energy for when it is needed. Both of these solutions will require insulation to keep that energy from dissipating.

So you are dealing with really high temperatures, and you want to store that heat energy in an efficient manner?  Thermal insulating boards and shapes such as, Gemcolite are available for temperatures up to 3000°F, and its low thermal conductivity provides an efficient solution to help store that heat energy.

Hopefully, in the not too far future, CSP plants and other technologies will be able to reduce our dependency on limited supply, carbon based, power sources, and place the United States at the forefront of a new energy economy.
You can read more about eSolar, BrightSource and Refractory Specialties at the links below.

eSolar
BrightSource
Refractory Specialties

Dan Worley, Alternative Energy Technologist
Refractory Blog

Back-yard fuel cells are about to become a reality. That’s what K.R. Sridhar of Bloom Energy is claiming. Bloom Energy, a Silicon Valley startup, has revealed a small power plant designed to power your home from your back yard.

Each of these units will independently power 1 to 4 residences, allowing them to effectively leave the grid. Imagine the benefits of not having to install or maintain all of those power lines.

If this is too much of a leap for you, consider that we have already made the change from land lines to cell phones, and paper mail to electronic mail. It was never a question of if we would make these changes. The benefits could not be denied. When the technology was ready, we hurried onboard.

If Mr. Sridhar is correct, the technology for decentralizing our energy supply has now arrived. If so, I’m sure we will jump right in.

But what of the big boys like GE and Siemens? They have teams who have been working on this for years. They have multiple patents. They have vast experience in fuel cell operation in real life situations. Is it really possible that a small startup (although an undeniably well funded startup) can step in and take a large slice of the pie? I believe so. I believe there is a difference in focus. The big boys are looking at very large power units, leaving the backyard units for the startups.

Regardless of who develops and markets these units, it is going to happen. The need is simply too great. The benefits are too obvious. The technology is ready, and the price is coming down. It’s also obvious why this is of interest to refractory insulation manufacturers. The mass marketing of fuel cells may be one of the biggest economic opportunities ever for our industry. Fuel Cells require insulation – a lot of insulation.

Although there are several types of fuel cells, the majority of stationary units, including the new Bloom Box, are solid oxide fuel cells. For greatest efficiency, these units currently operate around 900ºC. In addition, the fuel cells that run on hydrogen may be supplied by a reformer (integral or separate) that operates around 800 ºC. The role of the refractory insulation is not only to keep the outside of the unit cool so we don’t burn the hand of a child playing in the back yard, but to keep the interior of the unit at operating temperature so it can maintain its efficiency.

For standard thermal insulation, these units use Ceramic Fiber Blanket, Organic Ceramic Fiber Board, Inorganic Ceramic Fiber Board, and high temperature adhesives. In addition to standard refractory insulation, solid oxide fuel cells require high purity non-silica insulation in key areas. Refractory Specialties’ high purity alumina insulation T-Cast®  was developed specifically for this application. The material was introduced to the market in 2004, and remains a key insulation choice for SOFC manufacturers.

You can read more details about the Bloom Box at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/18/60minutes/main6221135.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Greg Gorby, Editor
RefractoryBlog.com
Refractory Specialties, Inc

The drive home had been treacherous. Three inches of new snow fell during the afternoon, on top of the foot and a half from yesterday. I opened the back door and shook it from my shoes before stepping into the warmth.

All thoughts of snow left my mind. The kitchen was filled with the unmistakable smell of peach cobbler fresh from the oven.

“Hi Dear”, I said, looking around for the peachy treasure.
“Bad roads?” she asked

There it sat on the kitchen island, all nine inches by fourteen inches by who knows how deep, still hot in the pan.
 
“Getting worse”, I replied.
“A little snoverkill if you ask me.”

She emphasized the “s”. She had probably overheard this verbal atrocity sometime during the day and had been waiting to drop it on me. Any other day I would have chuckled. But with this wonderful smell in the kitchen, she deserved more. I laughed out loud.

“Snoverkill! Now that’s funny!”

Her satisfaction palpable, she floated to the island.

“I made some cobbler.”

Now I’ll be the first to admit I have an intense love for fresh peaches. I love the smell as it passes my nose on its way to my mouth. I love the acidic sting on my tongue. I even love the way the fuzz makes my lips buzz. Come to think about it, I have a weakness for anything that is peach flavored. My favorite wine is a rather girly peach and my favorite soft drink is sparkling peach flavored water. But for me the epitome of peachy is and always has been peach cobbler.

“Smells wonderful”, I said.

I went directly to the fridge. Yup. A brand new tub of Cool Whip. The perfect topping for the perfect dessert. I glanced at the clock. 5:30. Another hour till supper.

“Maybe we should eat early tonight?”
“You can wait.”

Well, obviously I would.

I went to the study and busied myself with some unfinished writing. I could still smell the cobbler. I don’t know how she expected me to concentrate. But I did. I was lost in the subject when she stuck her head in the door.

“Dinner’s ready.”

I’m proud to say I didn’t run. The table was set, and there it was, a generous portion on a small plate beside the main dish. Even better, she had piled on the Cool Whip. She usually made negative comments about how much I used. This time she had put on even more than I would have. I decided to laugh at her wordplay more often.

I managed to eat the main dish at a civilized pace. I pushed aside the empty main plate and pulled the dessert plate front and center. In a single swift cut I forked a hefty portion, carefully balanced to be precisely half Cool Whip and half peachy goodness and sweetened crust. Perfect. Just the way I like it. Awash in anticipation, I put it in my mouth.

Now what I experienced wasn’t in words. It was far too brief for that. Perhaps the mental equivalent of texting OMG! WTF!

I had to be careful. If I just blurted out what I thought, I might jeopardize all future chances of getting cobbler. And maybe not just cobbler.

“Mmmm, good”, I said.
“Thanks. I used Lite topping instead of regular. You can have as much as you want.”

I never thought of dessert as a duty, but that’s what it was. I cleaned the plate.
__________________

Making a change is never a good idea without testing. A thorough comparison of the old and the new can help avoid surprises. Take a look at our paper, Pool Heater Insulation Comparison to see an example of how we can participate.

Greg Gorby, Editor
RefractoryBlog.com
Refractory Specialties, Inc.