Naked Science Forum
On the Lighter Side => New Theories => Topic started by: Jolly- Joliver on 02/03/2011 07:40:11
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I am not sure where would be best to place this, so I will Post it here is New theories.
I was looking at our current energy problems, and concepts of energy. That energy cannot be destroyed or created.
And I was wondering if it would be possbile to create a social energy system to act as a loop?
So that energy used in a house or in a shop, could in some way be redirected back into the power(I suppose "Grid" currently)Loop.
As a simple example of what I am getting at. Having a form of light solar panel near each light, which collects some of the energy releases and then feeds it back into the main social loop.
I know any break in a circuit stops the energy continuing, but what if the loop was outside the main grid, or around it, gathered the energy it could, then feed it back into the Grid?
I suppose my question is how feasible is the idea?
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As a simple example of what I am getting at. Having a form of light solar panel near each light, which collects some of the energy releases and then feeds it back into the main social loop.
I know any break in a circuit stops the energy continuing, but what if the loop was outside the main grid, or around it, gathered the energy it could, then feed it back into the Grid?
On futher reflection, of that simple idea.
If you took an electric cooking hob and made it surface sensitive, then the ring would only heat under the pot, to the exact size of the pot, frying pan or saucepan(instant energy minimisation) using better materials for pots would also achieve an energy saving if they worked to store and heat quicker(again an energy saving), a smart cooker could also have some form of sensor that knew the temperature the pot was required to be at and then adjust the amount of energy to accommodate(again achieving a minimisation of energy use).
If then over the stove was a thermoelectric generator, or form of lid to capture and convert heat to electricity:-
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/thermoelectric.html
which could either store up or directly transmit the electricity to the loop or to a house or company box(battery), once the "Box" had a required quota it could then be returned to the grid, via the "loop"(there would be a loss of energy in that return but a saving also). Minimisation of 'energy waste'(loss) being a key objective, the best approach for each situation can be assessed, lighting, cooking, heating, cooling, at home, work or leasure.
Human energy for example, people in a gym could while riding the bikes or running on machines or lifting weights with gyros could create energy to go to the loop and then back to the grid(who hasn't seen the potential for that?).
This is just with cooking and while the individual house amounts might be small, and it might take a few months to fill the "box" up, but if every household did that the energy return just from cooking could potentially be huge.
I do not believe it would ever be possible to capture the entire energy with a loop, if that was achievable then once a loop was established there would be no need to add energy to it.
But, a significant amount of loop return requiring a lower initial input surely is possible, and lower input means less coal use, less need for nuclear power input.
I do see a potential concern over the ability of those that watch the power grid to maintain and not exceed the energy levels needed, yet surely systems to transferee and store excess energy when too high and or release energy combined with production when too low could resolve excesses and imbalances, without the need to lose to much energy in the process.
Infact surely the use of a loop system could eradicate the need to watch the grid too heavily if, through automation, the system naturally balanced it's need.
Basically this idea calls for a secondary system unconnected directly to the main grid, which will store and transmit, excess and needed energy, as required; If it worked, then hopefully the initial power station inputs could be reduced, and the more efficient our use of energy would become.
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Basically this idea calls for a secondary system unconnected directly to the main grid, which will store and transmit, excess and needed energy, as required; If it worked, then hopefully the initial power station inputs could be reduced, and the more efficient our use of energy would become.
As a final thought, the way I am looking at this issue is to see an energy amount as a wave.
In a simple analogy: If you put bread in-front of the energy wave it becomes toast as the wave passes over the bread(the wave continues on), some energy is then stored in the toast and is then released as a slower second wave. Eventually the entire energy wave has passed, all stored energy from the wave has moved on and you are left with cold toast, basically only the heat I believe is the residual effect 'energy' of that energy wave, Mass has energy, yet does some of that energy get released with the energy wave effecting that mass, I believe it does, depending on the material of course.
I feel the question becomes, how do you not loose to much energy while putting things in the way of the energy wave, and capture and reuse the secondary output waves from the material changed?
Looking at how we use energy today, it appears to me that we are filling up a watering-cans by throwing buckets of water over the them, the watering-can fills up but in a rather slow and haphazard way, and a lot of water is wasted.