About 3 years ago while ill in my bed and bored with lying in silence, I decided to open my computer and make a little research into outer space and the technology behind being able to power a satellite, as I had recently read that some early satellites launched more than 30 years ago are still running.
During my research I discovered Thermal Electrics, a way of making power from the differences in temperature. This technology was first invented in the 1850's by one Mr Peltier. The Peltier thermoelectric generator has no moving parts, so nothing to wear out or break, for me the perfect power generator. I likened Peltiers discovery to a thunder storm, when a cold cloud meets a hot cloud a reaction produces an electrical charge, (bolts of lightning.)
Peltier found a way using different metals formed into a series to imitate a thunder storm by heating up one side of his device and cooling the other side, his device produced an electrical current. This form of thermoelectric is known as the Seebeck effect. With this in mind, the electrical power for a satellite was born. By using thermoelectric generators on the outer shell of a satellite the sun would heat the surface, while out of the sun on the opposite side the temperature would drop in excess of minus 50c. Thus producing electricity from an electrical plate with no moving parts, that perhaps will last for decades to come.
Our future generations may even see these satellites revolving the earth in 100 years time. In the early years the power output was so small that in order to create a usable amount of power many thousands of these plates would be needed. The surface of a satellite is vast and the temperature difference so great, that power was possible. But power also came at a price.
As the Peltier plate was used only in expensive projects the plate was also expensive. Since that time technology has changed and the power output has risen enormously while at the same time the cost of production has dropped substantially. Which brings us to project Xtralec.
My wife Pauline and I have been involved in the wood fuel business for several years and understanding the necessity for change from fossil fuels to biomass. I had the idea of combining thermoelectric generators with a wood burning stove.
For the past 3 years Pauline and I have been dedicated to making a wood stove capable of electrically powering a family home. In that time we have seen the emergence of thermal electrics in small biomass projects, but as we set our goal, to make larger scale electrical production, we have never digressed from our goal.
During this time I realized that it would take several experts in different fields to make our dream into reality. Firstly of course was my wife of 40 years and life partner Pauline. An entrepreneur in her own right and one of the brightest people I have ever known, Pauline saw the potential immediately and has helped to make our dream a reality. In the early days I spoke to an electrician friend about the idea and with in a few days we had located a very small thermoelectric generator and met for trials.
In the kitchen of his house my friend and I started work. Using the heat from a cup of tea for the hot side and blowing onto the cold side we produced enough power to run a very, very, small CPU computer fan. After a few minuets we became more adventurous and put the generator on the electric cooker and turned on the power. WOW for a few seconds we almost had the power of an aircraft engine, the small CPU fan almost went airborne. But to our horror had an almost immediate melt down, never to work again.
Our friend was a working electrician, he shared our passion for horses and was a musician in his spare time, so with little or no time to spare, my friend and I said our goodbyes and I went home.
With the first trials over and not being able to get the idea out of my head I started to look for help in creating the first prototype. Pauline and I purchased a wood burning stove from a local heating center and all the materials necessary to make our first prototype. We then paid to have the first prototype assembled.
When the prototype number 1. was ready I picked it up and brought it home to make tests. We built a workshop and started work immediately to test the power output. We very quickly realized that prototype number one was going nowhere. The power output was very small and we had many leaking and cooling problems, so decided to scrap the prototype and start all over again. Within a couple of months we had constructed a new prototype generator number two. We fitted it to another wood burner ready to start testing once again. This time we had more success.
Reaching a new record high also gave us a new lease of life. We started to change parts and the application almost on a daily basis. Working some times well into the night, we trialed many different ways and ideas. It quickly became obvious that we needed expert help. In our quest for knowledge, I traveled around the world looking for the perfect equipment to develop our project, while Pauline stayed behind to run the business. During my travels I met a scientist and expert in thermo electrics. He has agreed to help our project and has become one of our consultants.
Pauline and I learned a great deal during my travels and since being back in the UK have put them to good use. While researching wood burners we came upon a company in the North West of England with experience in the manufacture of wood burners. I went to visit unannounced. Within a few minutes I realized that I was in the right place. I was also talking to the right people. Experts in the construction of wood burners. I decided to tell a little about our new invention. They saw what Pauline and I had seen in the early days. They came to view a trial run of our prototype electrical generating wood stove. From that day to this they have worked along side Pauline and I , again some times late into the night to trial all our ideas.
Finally we have evolved a wood stove that will produce a large amount of electrical power and we believe we are on our way to produce enough power to run a house. Even better is the fact that our new prototype wood burner will also produce enough hot water to run up to 10 radiators, a hot water tank and enough blown hot air to heat either extra rooms, or keep snow and ice from settling on solar panels, in colder snow clad climates, like the Baltic States, Scandinavia, Russia, many parts of Europe including the Balkans, not to mention Canada and many parts of the USA, China and so many other countries so desperately in need of low cost or free energy. Many millions of homes in these countries are surviving off grid, using very expensive, noisy generators. Xtralec has the answer!
With pollution levels at an all time high and the global warming climate change in diabolical disarray we believe we have the perfect solution, a new era in power generation. A wood burner that ticks all the boxes. Running carbon negative, burning up to 90% emission free and able to burn multiple fuels.
Our electricity producing wood burner is everything we need in day to day living. Electricity, hot water and heat, make a coffee or cook your dinner, watch TV, listen to a little music. All in all we now have a working prototype in our workshop capable of changing the way we live!
We have recently trialed burning briquettes made from straw, leaves and grass. Perfect for our appliance. This fuel is in plentiful supply, growing every year in most countries.
From my bed time dream I have always had the idea of building a wood stove, come electrical appliance, with the idea of digital display screens below the fire box monitoring everything from heat output of the stove, central heating and hot water together with electrical output of watts, volts and amps. We now have have everything needed to not only bring this project to fruition, but also make our wood stove into one of the best and most awesome products to enter the market in recent years. This is the first 'on demand' affordable, green energy equipment ever to be made available to all. Simply light the fire and the lights come on!
Howard Pym
No comments:
Post a Comment