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An energy conversion method by using density difference of water
Author(s) -
Mochizuki Hitoshi
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
electrical engineering in japan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1520-6416
pISSN - 0424-7760
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6416(19970130)118:2<10::aid-eej2>3.0.co;2-u
Subject(s) - seawater , renewable energy , consistency (knowledge bases) , energy (signal processing) , energy density , solar chimney , electric energy , environmental science , salt water , fresh water , chimney (locomotive) , power density , electric potential energy , electric power , power (physics) , solar energy , environmental engineering , computer science , mathematics , thermodynamics , meteorology , engineering , electrical engineering , physics , engineering physics , geology , statistics , oceanography , artificial intelligence , smoke
This paper proposes a new method which produces electric energy by utilizing the density difference of water by means of a “chimney effect.” The density difference of water occurs in two ways, i.e., differences of water temperature and consistency of suitable materials such as salt. For instance, water heated by solar energy is pointed out as an example of the former, while fresh water of a river versus seawater and seawater versus concentrated salt water may account for the latter. This paper also considers the three foregoing cases in a practical way. The analysis estimates that the proposed method generates energy of several hundreds or more, and ten thousands and millions of kilowatts in the respective cases. The amount of energy extracted in the third case is compared with that of the usual electric power stations using nuclear energy. The method is considered as a kind of so‐called renewable energy conversion system which is free of CO 2 , high‐energy density and is controllable. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (2): 10–18, 1997