Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Why not imagine it in a way that works?

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


 

Forest fire power generation

Pre-emptive
  (+8)(+8)
(+8)
  [vote for,
against]

It is notable that numerous forested areas of your planet are highly vulnerable to destructive wildfires.

Wildfires are in fact all a part of the natural cycle - the problem is not fires, but the unparalleled stupidity of humans.

Destruction of property could be mitigated by a simple biomass scheme.

This is based on the fact that the biomass concerned is, sooner or later, going to burn anyway. Thus the scheme is - once the equipment is manufactured - intrinsically "carbon neutral".

We envisage a very large tracked machine, articulated to operate on very steep, unstable slopes, incorporating a closed-cycle steam turbine powerplant. The machine moves slowly across the landscape, clean-cutting a swath at least 25m wide, gathering up all flammable material in its path - not just cutting trees, but ripping the roots out of the ground - and feeding it into a furnace to generate electric power. Useable timber (large logs) and ash from the furnace is returned to the soil via a chute at the rear, ensuring minerals are retained. The logs can be collected later. The machine unreels a very long flexible EHV cable behind itself, through which electricity is fed into the nearest available grid line through an export meter - apart from the energy the system uses to move itself, and power its systems.

In doing this, the machine creates firebreaks, but because it is slow-moving and noisy - and there is no actual fire - is much less destructive to wildlife who have plenty of time to get out of the way,

Remember, the biomass is going to burn anyway at some point, and in a much more damaging way; this scheme actually turns a problem into a benefit.

8th of 7, Dec 25 2019

Please log in.
If you're not logged in, you can see what this page looks like, but you will not be able to add anything.
Short name, e.g., Bob's Coffee
Destination URL. E.g., https://www.coffee.com/
Description (displayed with the short name and URL.)







 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle