A geothermal AMTEC system
Conference
·
OSTI ID:170400
- Phillips Lab. Power and Thermal Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM (United States)
- ORION International Technologies, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Thermacore, Inc., Lancaster, PA (United States)
The Phillips Laboratory Power and Thermal Management Division (PL/VTP), with the support of ORION International Technologies, is investigating new methods of advanced thermal to electric power conversion for space and terrestrial applications. The alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC), manufactured primarily by Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) of Ann Arbor, MI, has reached a level of technological maturity which would allow its use in a constant, unattended thermal source, such as a geothermal field. Approximately 95,000 square miles in the western United States has hot dry rock with thermal gradients of 60 C/km and higher. Several places in the United States and the world have thermal gradients of 500 C/km. Such heat sources represent an excellent thermal source for a system of modular power units using AMTEC devices to convert the heat to electricity. AMTEC cells using sodium as a working fluid require heat input at temperatures between 500 and 1,000 C to generate power. The present state of the art is capable of 15% efficiency with 800 C heat input and has demonstrated 18% efficiency for single cells. This paper discusses the basics of AMTEC operation, current drilling technology as a cost driver, design of modular AMTEC power units, heat rejection technologies, materials considerations, and estimates of power production from a geothermal AMTEC concept.
- OSTI ID:
- 170400
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950729--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
DESIGN
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FORECASTING
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
HEAT PIPES
MODULAR STRUCTURES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
PAYBACK PERIOD
PERFORMANCE
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
THERMOSYPHONS
WELL DRILLING
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
DESIGN
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FORECASTING
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
HEAT PIPES
MODULAR STRUCTURES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
PAYBACK PERIOD
PERFORMANCE
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
THERMOSYPHONS
WELL DRILLING