Power and Efficiency

More detailed studies, including economic, are warranted. A combination of cathode recycling and recuperation, or steam generation, could be the best way to optimize efficiency, power and cost for a particular power plant size. 

The use of MW irradiation to provide the energy for the activation of chemical species certainly leads to faster and cleaner reactions compared with conventional heating. The coupling of microwave technology with solvent-free solid-liquid PTC conditions is one of a group of particularly efficient, powerful, and attractive methods. 

Thus, multiphoton excitation eliminates unwanted out-of-focus excitation, lumecessary phototoxity and bleaching. However, efficient power sources are required and, since the efficiency of multiphoton excitation is usually low, the times needed to generate unages are mcreased. 

Computer modelling provides powerful and convenient tools for the quantitative analysis of fluid dynamics and heat transfer in non-Newtonian polymer flow systems. Therefore these techniques arc routmely used in the modern polymer industry to design and develop better and more efficient process equipment and operations. The main steps in the development of a computer model for a physical process, such as the flow and deformation of polymeric materials, can be summarized as ... 

Boric anhydride. This is a powerful and efficient desiccant and will absorb up to about 25 per cent, of its weight of water. It is useful for drying formic acid. 

The CO2 laser is a near-infrared gas laser capable of very high power and with an efficiency of about 20 per cent. CO2 has three normal modes of vibration Vj, the symmetric stretch, V2, the bending vibration, and V3, the antisymmetric stretch, with symmetry species (t+, ti , and (7+, and fundamental vibration wavenumbers of 1354, 673, and 2396 cm, respectively. Figure 9.16 shows some of the vibrational levels, the numbering of which is explained in footnote 4 of Chapter 4 (page 93), which are involved in the laser action. This occurs principally in the 3q22 transition, at about 10.6 pm, but may also be induced in the 3oli transition, at about 9.6 pm. 

The efficiency of an induction furnace installation is determined by the ratio of the load usehil power, P, to the input power P, drawn from the utihty. Losses that must be considered include those in the power converter (transformer, capacitors, frequency converter, etc), transmission lines, cod electrical losses, and thermal loss from the furnace. Figure 1 illustrates the relationships for an induction furnace operating at a constant load temperature with variable input power. Thermal losses are constant, cod losses are a constant percentage of the cod input power, and the usehd out power varies linearly once the fixed losses are satisfied. 

Fig. 5. NO formation in a hydrogen engine having spark at 17° before top-dead center (BTC) rpm, 2900 and compression ratio, 5.5 1, where A is nitric oxide B, backfire C, power and D, brake thermal efficiency, (a) Effect of equivalence ratio, ( ) and (b), effect of water induction at 0 = 0.625.

Free-Electron Lasers. The free-electron laser (EEL) directly converts the kinetic energy of a relativistic electron beam into light (45,46). Relativistic electron beams have velocities that approach the speed of light. The active medium is a beam of free electrons. The EEL, a specialized device having probably limited appHcations, is a novel type of laser with high tunabiHty and potentially high power and efficiency. 

The most dramatic evolution of a microwave power source is that of the cooker magnetron for microwave ovens (48). These magnetrons are air-cooled, weigh 1.2 kg, generate weU over 700 W at 2.45 GHz into a matched load, and exhibit a tube efficiency on the order of 70%. AppHcation is enhanced by the avaHabiHty of comparatively inexpensive microwave power and microwave oven hardware (53). The cost of these tubes has consistently dropped (11) since their introduction in the eady 1970s. As of this writing (ca 1995), cost is < 15/tube for large quantities. For small quantities the price is < 100/tube. 

Solar cells have been used extensively and successfully to power sateUites in space since the late 1950s, where their high power-to-weight ratio and demonstrated rehabiUty are especially desirable characteristics. On earth, where electrical systems typically provide large amounts of power at reasonable costs, three principal technical limitations have thus far impeded the widespread use of photovoltaic products solar cells are expensive, sunlight has a relatively low power density, and commercially available solar cells convert sunlight to electricity with limited efficiency. Clearly, terrestrial solar cells must be reasonably efficient, affordable, and durable. International efforts are dedicated to obtaining such devices, and a number of these activities have been reviewed (1). 

Fig. 4. Chart for efficiency estimates and curve shapes, where (a) represents curve shapes showing the relationship between efficiency (Eff), head (H), and power (P) as a function of flow (b) specific speed, where the numbers represent flow in nr /s and (c) impeller profiles.

The grain-oriented steels, containing ca 3.25% siUcon, are used in the highest efficiency distribution and power transformers and in large turbine generators. They are processed in a proprietary way and have directional properties related to orientation of the large crystals in a preferred direction. 

Indonesia and Singapore use slow-speed rotary furnaces. Both Malaysia and Thailand have added new electric-furnace smelting capacity in order to improve smelting efficiencies. Reverberatory and rotary furnaces are also used in Indonesia. On the other hand, the smelters in Central Africa, including those in Zaire and Rwanda as well as those in South Africa, which are far away from coal sources, use electric furnaces because of the availabiUty of electric power. 

Viscosity (See Sec. 5 for further information.) In flowing liquids the existence of internal friction or the internal resistance to relative motion of the fluid particles must be considered. This resistance is caUed viscosity. The viscosity of liquids usuaUv decreases with rising temperature. Viscous liquids tend to increase tlie power required by a pump, to reduce pump efficiency, head, and capacity, and to increase Friction in pipe lines. 

Operating costs will include 5 to 10 percent of one worker s time, plus power and fuel required. Yearly maintenance costs will range From 50 to 10 percent of total installed costs. Total power for fans, dr er drive, and feed and prodirct conveyors will be in the range of 0.5 D to 1.0 D". Thermal efficiency of a high-temperature direc t-heat rotary dryer will range from 55 to 75 percent and, with steam-heated air, from 30 to 55 percent. 

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