麻豆淫院

Nuclear and coal power plants are some of the thirstiest machines on earth. The turbines that spin inside of them to generate electricity require tons and tons of steam, and all of that water has to come from somewhere.

Recent studies have estimated that roughly two-fifths of the nation鈥檚 freshwater withdrawals and three percent of overall freshwater consumption goes to supplying the steam generators at large power stations in the United States. In order to cut down on the enormous quantities of water required to operate these plants, scientists have begun to look for new technologies that could improve their efficiency and reduce the demand for water.

As part of a larger consortium involving partners from several energy companies, universities, and government agencies, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 Argonne National Laboratory are developing a special class of nanoparticles that partially melt as steam evaporates from a plant鈥檚 cooling towers, absorbing a significant percentage of the diffused heat in the system.

In order to operate, electrical plants use a cycle that uses partially condensed high-temperature steam to turn a large turbine.  During generation, a significant quantity of this steam is lost due to evaporation. 鈥淚n every cycle, there鈥檚 a significant amount of water that we can鈥檛 recapture,鈥� said Argonne materials scientist Dileep Singh, who is working to develop the specialized nanoparticles.

The nanoparticles are based on what is known as a 鈥渃ore-shell鈥� configuration, in which a solid outer coat protects an inner layer that can melt above a certain temperature. Once dispersed in the plant鈥檚 water supply, the nanoparticles are able to absorb heat during the thermal cycle. After partially melting, the particles travel to the cooling tower where they resolidify. The system is closed and designed to ensure against leakage of the plant鈥檚 water or steam into the environment.

At the molecular level, Singh and his colleagues are especially concerned with the surface of the nanoparticles, as the chemistry at the boundary between the metal and the water determines how much heat the particles can take up. 鈥淲e鈥檙e experimenting with looking at the bonding between the particles and the water molecules,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hat we really want to know is how much heat we can pick up given a constant amount of water to cool the system,鈥� he added. 鈥淓nvironmentally responsible energy growth involves worrying about how you manage your water resources.鈥�

The vast quantities of water that are needed to operate these facilities will necessitate the mass production of the nanoparticles once they are commercially developed, a fact that could potentially complicate the research and development process, said Argonne associate division director Thomas Ewing. 鈥淎s we begin lab testing, we need to keep in mind the costs and issues associated with making this work in a real live power plant,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are lots of tradeoffs to take into account.鈥�

According to Ewing, Argonne is working with the Electric Power Research Institute and other partners to move this basic technology quickly through the developmental pipeline. Initial plans call for the demonstration of proof of concept to commence this year and full-scale commercial deployment to begin in four years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 practically unheard of for industry to seek to deploy a new technology so quickly,鈥� Ewing said. 鈥淗owever, water consumption is a major issue that limits the expansion of power. If we want to solve the energy crisis, we鈥檒l have to move boldly.鈥�