Border Governors Conference 2008
I was very kindly invited by Racquel Palmese the chief editor of
Green Technology Magazine to cover the 26th annual Border governors conference in Los Angles California. The focus of the conference was on green energy and technologies that will enable the mission of the border states to serve the populations that live there in the best most ecologically friendly way.
Racquel made sure we had all the information we needed to attend the show, I personally want to thank her for her efforts. I really enjoyed the show and learned about some new technologies as well as had some amazing photo ops with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Upon arrival things were a little confusing , most folks around worked for the universal studios and did not have anything to do with the conference, so I ended up circling the are a while before a kind police officer took pity on me and walked my through the back lot to the opening ceremonies, whoever he was I’m grateful, My camera man didn’t show for the day so I was toting the equipment and wearing my nice dark suite in the 95 degree weather.
After the opening ceremony, I decided to head over to the next area before the crowd did, this was the actual trade show floor.
I will be covering the XXVI annual Border Governors conference on Thursday August 13th 2008.
This conference will be a very exciting event because many of the Border states are very active in the renewable energy business, most people think about Texas where I’m from and California as the wind and renewable capitals of the country, however all of the border states are active in some or all aspects of renewable energy.
There will specific photo and interview opportunities at the show and I am hoping to interview Governor Rick Perry of Texas and if possible Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from California. Not sure that will be possible, we will see. There is also a gala event Thursday evening where more informal conversations may be possible.
Check back for updates throughout the weekend.
Plasma Gasification Technology From Westinghouse
Plasma, often referred to as the “fourth state of matter”, is the term given to a gas that has become ionized. An ionized gas is one where the atoms of the gas have lost one or more electrons and have become electrically charged. The sun and lightning are examples of plasma in nature. Man made Plasma is formed by passing an electrical discharge though a gas
such as air or oxygen. The interaction of the electric discharge and the process gas causes the temperature of the gas to increase significantly often exceeding 5,500°C (10,000°F), nearly as hot as the sun’s surface.
WPC’s
plasma torches can be fed with process gases of widely varying chemical
composition including air, oxygen, nitrogen, argon and others. This
flexibility allows WPC to tailor the plasma torch system to best fit
our customers’ needs. WPC’s plasma technology can increase the energy
of the process gas to between two to ten times higher than conventional
combustion.
What is Plasma Gasification
Gasification
is a process that converts carbon-containing materials, such as coal,
petroleum coke, municipal solid waste, or biomass, into a synthesis
gas, (syngas), composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
Gasification
occurs when a carbon-containing feedstock is exposed to elevated
temperatures and/or pressures in the presence of controlled amounts of
oxygen. Syngas can be used as a fuel to generate electricity or steam
or it can be used as a basic chemical building block in the production
of high value energy products such as diesel or electricity.
WPC Plasma Advantages
WPC’s plasma torch technology, which has been in development for over 30 years, is a high efficiency process heating device designed to
operate with minimal maintenance in an industrial environment. The WPC plasma torch provides an inherent level of flexibility over combustion burners as it allows control over temperature, independent of fuel or
oxygen throughput in the process. In general, the greater the
temperature difference between the heat source and the material to be
heated, the faster it can be processed.
The benefits of WPC plasma torches include:
- High reliability – over 500,000 hours in commercial operation
- Proven commercially in the world’s largest plasma gasification facility
- Availability in a wide range of power inputs from 80 to 2,400 kW
- Power input can be quickly adjusted to match process requirements.
I actually was intrigued when i saw this booth, they have a very mature product that essentially uses geothermal loops of pipe to provide heating in the winter and cooling the summer, they make units from residential size all the way through commercial rooftop units.
I was impressed with stated efficiencies and the fact that they provide clean quiet heating and cooling.
Here is a quick description of how it works from the water furnace website.
Find out more at http://www.waterfurnace.com/
No matter what climate you live in, the temperature throughout the year varies. For some climates that means blazing summers that cool to frigid winters. What many people don’t realize is that the temperature below ground (regardless of climate or season) stays fairly consistent all year.
The ground is able to maintain a higher rate of temperature consistency because it absorbs 47% of the suns energy (heat) as it hits the Earth’s surface. WaterFurnace geothermal systems are able to tap into this free energy with an earth loop. This technology is then used to provide your home or office with central heating and cooling.
Heating
During the heating cycle, a WaterFurnace geothermal system uses the earth loop to extract heat from the ground. As the system pulls heat from the loop it distributes it through a conventional duct system as warm air. The same heat energy can also be used for a radiant floor system or domestic hot water heating.
Cooling
In the cooling mode, a WaterFurnace geothermal system air conditions your home by reversing the heating process. Instead of extracting heat from the ground, it is extracted from your home and either moved back into the earth loop, or used to preheat the water in your hot water tank. Once the heat is removed from the air, it is distributed through the duct system in your home.
Geothermal vs. Geoexchange: what’s in a name?
Geothermal energy has been used to heat and air condition buildings for several decades, and, during that time, these geothermal systems have been called many different things. Some of the more popular variations include geo-thermal, geoexchange, ground-water, ground-water assisted, ground-water-source, water-to-water, and even our company name, water furnace heating and cooling.
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When I walked up to this booth my jaw about hit the floor, here was this man with a blowtorch, lit, and he was holding it on his hand!
He did this for what seemed like a long LONG LONG!!!! time, and casually talking to the crowd while doing so!!
The secret to the seeming magic feat is a new fire fighting gell from the folks at Geltech Solutions, it literally can shield you from 2000 degree heat with what looks to be around 1/2 inch or less of coverage. Simply amazing !!!!
Here is short description from their website
To learn more goto http://www.geltechsolutions.com/
When adding FireIce® to water in very low concentrations, it rapidly absorbs into the water to produce a fire suppression gel.
Water with FireIce® added can be used to extinguish structure fires, can be used directly on wildfires and brush fires and to establish fire breaks that aid in corralling the approaching fire. FireIce® adheres directly to the burning material to break the fire triangle by cooling and rapidly suffocating the fire. This also helps to prevent relights and reduces firefighter risk.
FireIce® has been successfully tested under UL-711. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, and neither clogs nor corrodes firefighting equipment. FireIce® is the only product in the world that can be added directly into a pumper truck without damaging the pump system. It will not harden or leave any residue and when finished simply flush with water.
The effectiveness of FireIce® reduces the amount of precious water needed to stop fires thus conserving millions of gallons typically spewed from fire hoses.
Unlike other fire suppression products, FireIce® does not contain harsh chemicals that kill trees, foliage and aquatic life. FireIce® is environmentally safe, so once the fire is over it harmlessly dissolves into the ground. This reconditions the soil to enhance new plant growth in burnt areas.
I cant help wondering about the help wanted ad for the torch mans job
“Wanted: Person willing to travel the world to trade shows where you will apply a 2000 degree torch to your hands to help sell our product. Pay is possible if you survive the first few shows. Great medical insurance!
Must be willing to trust our product with your life.”
I really wonder how did they find the torch man?
-Matt
I had the opportunity to visit with Terry from HybridLight makers of the Hybrid Solar Light.
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Seems like a cery cool product, Terry was nice enough to give me one, I will report back on its performance.
-Matt
