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Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering / Alternative energy sources

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The article makes an attempt to assess the actual potential of renewable energy and the prospects for its use. At the same time, the reasons for the low intensity of use of renewable energy at the present stage are explored. Much attention is paid to practical recommendations and ideas for the use of green biomass today and in the future.

“Completely impossible, obviously useless and, in any case, unprofitable,” this is exactly what they wrote in the magazine “Son of the Fatherland” about the railway (as it turned out later, the most profitable of land transport modes) [1]. Something similar is said today about solar energy. But of all the types of renewable energy, solar energy is of greatest interest. Other varieties have too little potential.

Every year the earth's surface absorbs 5,2x10²⁴ J of solar energy. All man-made energy systems in the world produce a tiny fraction of this energy. The primacy in assimilation and accumulation of solar energy rightfully belongs to plants. Plants make up 2400 billion tons of land biomass, while the total mass of all animals and microorganisms is 23 billion tons [2].

While still in the process of accumulation (on the “root”), green biomass brings enormous benefits. Plants normalize the chemical composition of the air, regulate the movement of atmospheric and ground moisture, contribute to the enrichment of the soil and prevent its erosion. A direct connection between the amount of precipitation in regions and the number of plants, especially trees, has long been discovered.

Almost no rain falls over areas of land devoid of greenery. Conversely, the greatest amount of precipitation is observed over large forests, especially if these forests are located in the mountains. We can say with confidence: whoever saves on planting forests spends money on irrigating fields and loses most of the harvest. Residents of the South and East of Ukraine have long been sounding the alarm about the increase in the area of ​​desertified steppes and the emergence of deserts due to wind erosion.

Back in 1946-1970. in all countries of Eastern Europe (excluding the USSR), 1 million hectares of new forests were created and 3 million hectares of cleared forests were restored. But the first places in the cultivation and use of forest plantations are occupied by the USA (first place in the world in the production of plywood, fiberboard, rosin and turpentine), Canada, Finland, Sweden, Japan and Germany. In Ukraine, only 13% of the country's territory is under forest (second to last place in Eastern Europe), while the average for the CIS is 33,4%, for the whole world - 30%. For comparison, in Germany - more than 30%, in Sweden - more than 50%, in Japan - 66%. We are accustomed to thinking of Spain as a desert, arid country, but thanks to the afforestation policy, more than 50% of Spain's territory is under forest.

In colonial Ukraine, there was total deforestation for centuries. During the period from the end of the 1914th century to 18,4, forest cover in the Kharkov and Poltava provinces decreased from 6,8 to 37,3%, in the Chernigov and Kyiv provinces from 15,3 to 3% [60]. Today, the area of ​​arable land and pastures continues to increase due to deforestation and uprooting. Our agriculture does not have enough arable land, which has already occupied more than 30% of the country's territory, while in Western Europe XNUMX% of the territory is used for arable land.

We know well from history what the priority of commercial interests over economic interests leads to: “...The people who in Mesopotamia, Greece, Asia Minor uprooted forests to obtain arable land, never dreamed that by doing so they laid the foundation for the current desolation of these countries, depriving them, along with forests, of centers of accumulation and conservation of moisture" [4].

We think that in order to increase the area and quality of forest plantations, they need to be used more, including for energy. After all, the quantity and breeding quality of wheat increased after people learned to use it. The same will happen with forests. It is only necessary that this serious business be dealt with by the real owners of their land, and not by businessmen eager to get rich quickly.

Before being turned into fuel, plants are excellent materials. It is still difficult to do without them in construction, production of goods and services. Materials from plants are easily recycled. The only waste from burning such materials is ash - a valuable mineral fertilizer extracted from the ground by the plants themselves. We can say that green biomass has 4 lives: before being separated from the earth, as a material, as a fuel and as a fertilizer. Next, we will be more interested in the use of plants as fuel to produce thermal and electrical energy.

Technologies for processing wood into combustible gas, liquid high-octane fuel (synto-gasoline) and coal are known and widely used. Wood was used as coal for metallurgical processes long before coal coke. All chemically pure silicon for semiconductor devices is obtained using charcoal. A very durable metal is smelted using charcoal, which also does not rust [5].

Gasoline from wood is produced by processing gases released during pyrolysis (heating without air access) of carbon-containing waste. Such gasoline already works in internal combustion engines, but a real boom in the use of synthetic gasoline will begin with the resumption of use of external combustion engines in transport (tractors, combines). Although steam engines are not commercially viable, they use fuel more efficiently, do not emit CO, and have an operational life of half a century! While commercial manufacturers boycott the production of steam engines that are unprofitable for them, craftsmen can use modified pneumatic and hydraulic motors, rotation amplifiers, spool compressors, pumps, etc. Based on such improvised engines and high-pressure boilers, it is possible to manufacture a mini-CHP, a steam car, or a steam ship. Today, steam is used in all thermal and nuclear power plants, on large ships, and as an engine for space rockets.

Pyrolysis boilers are used today for heating homes, heating water, and generating electricity. In such boilers, biomass combustion occurs in 3 stages and in 3 separate zones of the boiler. At the 1st stage, the fuel is dried and converted into gas, the 2nd stage is the combustion of gas in nozzles with the supply of heated secondary air, the 3rd stage is the afterburning of combustion products in a heat-insulated chamber.

Biomass generators for direct space heating are already sold in Ukraine [6]. You can make a simplified version of such a device yourself [7]. Unfortunately, our average buyer cannot afford more productive equipment [8].

We think there is a great future for the production of Free Flow heat generators, invented by Canadian inventors, at domestic enterprises. A heat generator with a power of 6 kW consumes 8 m12 of firewood in 0,01...3 hours of continuous operation, and a heat generator with a power of 55 kW consumes 0,07 m3! For comparison, let's say that during this time a vaunted fireplace can burn a whole cubic meter of wood and, instead of releasing heat, draw cold air from the street into the house.

Interestingly, absolutely dry wood of all species has almost the same chemical composition: 49,5% carbon, 6,3% hydrogen, 44,1% oxygen, 0,1% nitrogen. The density of woody matter is the same for all species, but the presence of cavities leads to differences among tree species and wood samples (bark, branches, leaves, trunk). It is usually advised to use fast-growing plant species (bamboo, willow, poplar), but drying and transporting such biomass is a waste. However, there is already positive experience in using willow twigs as fuel [9]. In oral folklore, willow is sung as the worst fuel. But look at the table data on the cost of one kWh of electricity obtained from different types of fuel.

Still, we would not recommend planting a vine. It is better to grow heavy wood - hornbeam, and even better - beech. After all, beech can be used as a material before burning. By the way, this is what they do in Europe. Annual increase in phytomass in Western beech forests. Europe is 130...200 c/ha. Hazel (hazelnut), birch and horticultural crops provide good biomass. But coniferous trees are ineffective as fuel: there is too much moisture and low volumetric calorific value. Coniferous forests are characterized by low biomass growth and increased fire hazard.

Wood gas has long been used to produce plastics. It can also be burned in mini-power plants or power plants, in convectors (for heating greenhouses). Excess gas can be pumped into gas pipelines. The idea of ​​using wood gas directly for lighting is interesting. One day, German inventor Auer von Welsbach brought electric companies to the brink of bankruptcy by improving a conventional gas burner. He provided her with a mesh cap made of gauze impregnated with metal salts. At the moment of ignition, the gauze burns, and the salts form a solid skeleton. This skeleton no longer burns, but becomes white-hot with gas and glows brightly. Thus, the light intensity of gas burners increased several times, and they consumed 6 times less gas than before. Such gas lighting was ignited using a button, was adjustable and was much cheaper than electric lighting. Then electric companies were saved from the “Auer burner”... by Auer himself, who proposed replacing the carbon filament in the electric lamp with a metal filament made of osmium (tungsten filament was proposed by A. Lodygin).

As you can see, in the energy sector a lot depends on inventive people, and if you try, “green energy” will completely replace “fossil energy”. At the same time, the number of jobs will increase, and the profits of the oligarchs will return to normal.

Forest is a unique natural phenomenon that performs climate-regulating, soil-protecting, water-protection and water-regulating, health, energy and aesthetic functions. No amount of solar panels or solar collectors can replace forests.

Therefore, we consider the cultivation and use of forests to be the best form of solar energy. The greatest use of plant biomass should be expected where there is the cheapest labor and no fossil fuels. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Ukraine is one of these countries, and we have the opportunity to become a country of “green” energy - the comprehensive and full use of biomass.

References:

1. Ivych A. Adventures of inventions. - M., 1990. - 79 p.
2. Kondratov A. Directory of necessary knowledge. - M., 2001.
3. Great Soviet Encyclopedia. T.14. - P.360.
4. Marx K., Engels F. Works, ed. 2nd, v.20. - P.496.
5. Rodzinsky L. Thinner machines//Inventor and innovator. - 1980. No. 6.- P. 10.
6. Prepare the buller'yan vletka - you will be warmly charged / / Express. - 2002. - July 25.
7. Bearded Yu. People's heat generator: waste instead of gas and electricity // Radioamator-Constructor. - 2001. No. 9. - P.5.
8. Ecological boilers//Green Energy. 2002. - No. 3. - C.2.
9. P'ehotski J. Vikoristaniya biomass of bush willows in Poland // Green energy. - 2002. - No. 3. - P.19.

Authors: V. Ivaniv, Yu. Borodaty

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