"Power Chips" -TM- Could Increase Output and Reduce Costs for Geothermal Power.Business Editors & Technology Writers GIBRALTAR--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 2002 Geothermal power Geothermal power Thermal or electrical power produced from the thermal energy contained in the Earth (geothermal energy). Use of geothermal energy is based thermodynamically on the temperature difference between a mass of subsurface rock and water and a mass plants could become more productive and widespread by using Power Chips(TM), a new nano-scale technology for converting heat directly into electricity. Geothermal power is a clean, renewable process whose growth has so far been restricted by limited access and high initial start-up costs. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Power Chips plc, a majority-owned subsidiary majority-owned subsidiary A firm in which more than 50% of outstanding voting stock is owned by the parent company. of Borealis Exploration Limited Borealis Exploration Ltd. is a Gibraltar-based research and development company that owns subsidiaries dealing with materials and power transfer. The company considers itself a virtual company, and is publicly traded. (BOREF) that could change by making lower temperature geothermal resources a viable target for exploration. About 2800 Megawatts of geothermal energy geothermal energy: see energy, sources of. geothermal energy Power obtained by using heat from the Earth's interior. Most geothermal resources are in regions of active volcanism. are currently produced in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , with several times as much capacity currently untapped. Accessing this power, however, has relied on identifying certain areas where the shifting of tectonic plates This is a list of tectonic plates on Earth. Tectonic plates are pieces of the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle, together referred to as the lithosphere. The plates are around 100 km (60 miles) thick and consist of two principal types of material: oceanic crust (also called beneath the earth's surface provides easy access to hydrothermal hydrothermal, hydrothermic relating to the temperature effects of water, as in hot baths. (heated water) resources. Once a suitable location has been identified, high-temperature water and steam can be captured directly or passed through a heat exchanger to vaporize va·por·ize v. To convert or be converted into a vapor. Vaporize To dissolve solid material or convert it into smoke or gas. a secondary fluid that spins a turbine. Power Chips have the potential to offer high efficiency power generation from available heat, and produce power at temperatures lower than typically required for successful plant operation. They are capable of enhancing output and reducing cost per kilowatt at existing plants, while allowing the construction of small, high efficiency facilities in areas considered inadequate for production using current power generation solutions. In a presentation today at the Geothermal Resources Council 2002 Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, Sean Kilgrow of Power Chips plc will outline these benefits to members of the geothermal industry. "Borealis is actively seeking partners to bring this product to market" says Sean Kilgrow. "We look forward to working with members of the geothermal community to make this clean, renewable power source the preferred choice of power production in the geothermal industry." Power Chips are wafer-thin discs designed to produce electrical power more efficiently than other available technologies by taking advantage of an effect known as thermotunneling, harnessing quantum mechanical electron tunneling phenomena. Thermotunneling occurs when hot electrons (those with the most energy) travel between electrodes spaced less than 20 nanometers apart, creating a usable electric current. Power Chips are small, solid-state devices and are scalable as arrays that can be designed to match any available heat source. The technology is protected by an extensive patent portfolio covering general theory and specific techniques for thermotunneling and thermal energy conversion. More details are available on the Power Chips plc web site at http://www.powerchips.gi including the full text of issued patents. Power Chips are being developed and licensed by Power Chips plc, a majority-owned subsidiary of Borealis Exploration Limited (BOREF). Both companies are incorporated in Gibraltar. Borealis' business is reinventing the core technologies used by basic industries, including electrical power generation, cooling and thermal management, electric motors, and steel production. Forward Looking Statement at http://www.powerchips.gi/fwdlook.shtml |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion