Directory:Fellows Thermoacoustic Cycle (TAC) Generator
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To efficiently convert heat into electricity
Lee Fellows' Thermoacoustic Cycle (TAC) Generator uses heat to amplify acoustic waves (sound waves) in a high pressure gas. These amplified acoustic oscillations drive a unique kind of generator and produce electric power. The system can allegedly be built at a very low cost.
The TAC is designed to produce power from almost any source of heat energy. When powered by solar radiation or waste exhaust heat from other systems, the TAC has no polluting gaseous emissions. It can be configured for use with a wide variety of combustible fuels, and burn them efficiently in a low-pressure combustor with very low emissions and a controllable heat signature. It can be configured to burn any combustible fuel, including methane, natural gas, LPG, gasoline, alcohol and fuel oil.
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About
Official Website
- http://www.io.com/~frg/
- History (http://www.io.com/~frg/history.htm)
- MEMS-TAR (http://www.io.com/~frg/tar.htm)
- Thermoacoustic Cycle Engine (TAC) (http://www.io.com/~frg/taceng.htm)
Interview
- Download (http://pesn.com/Radio/Free_Energy_Now/recordings/2008/080512_LeeFellows_ThermoacousticCycleGenerator.mp3) (13 Mb; mp3) - On May 12, 2008 Sterling D. Allan conducted a 1-hour, live interview with Lee Fellows.
How it Works
Fellows' Thermoacoustic Cycle (TAC) Generator uses heat to amplify acoustic waves (sound waves) in a high pressure gas. These amplified acoustic oscillations drive a unique kind of generator and produce electric power.
Sound waves are simply pressure fluctuations in a gas. These pressure fluctuations can be amplified by heat. The amplified pressure waves can then be used to generate electricity, via driving a piston, which drives a generator.
Plausible heat sources include engeine exhaust, solar energy, process heat, geothermal heat.
Characteristics
Typical Fuel efficiency: 2.66 kWh/lb fuel (0.28 lb/hp-hr) (Net thermal-electric eff. > 40%)
Typical Emissions (w/LPG or NG fuel in catalytic combustor):
NOx = < 2.5 ppm
CO = < 4.0 ppm
Video
(10:26 Minutes)
- Fellows Thermoacoustic Cycle (TAC) Generator (YouTube; May 13, 2008)
Costs
Cost of capitalized equipment:
- TAC < $0.25/Watt (W)
- MEMS-TAR < $0.10/W
Cost of Competing power generation technologies:
- Fossil fueled: $0.43/W
- Wind: $1.00/W
- Nuclear: $3.50/W
- Photovoltaics: $4.50/W
Advantages
Applications
As a fuel burning engine it is ideal for:
- Combined Heat and Power Systems (CHP)
- Hybrid Vehicle Engines
- UPS and Auxilliary Power Generators
For energy recovery, it may be cost effective for applications involving a significant amount of waste heat, such as:
- Solar energy - for solar-electric systems
- Geothermal energy
- Co-generation - Waste heat from gas turbines and boilers
- Industrial process waste heat
- Automotive exhaust heat. Installed in the engine exhaust manifold, it can generate electricity and air-conditioning from the waste heat in engine exhaust, to save fuel and reduce air pollution.
Independent Testing
Patents
Two US patents awarded. Two others ready for filing upon receipt of financing.
- Patent #6,385,972 (http://www.io.com/~frg/tarpat.htm)
Profiles
Company: Fellows Research Group, Inc.
- Summary (http://www.io.com/~frg/busplan.htm)
Inventor: Lee Fellows
Coverage
- THERMOACOUSTIC CYCLE (TAC) GENERATORS (http://www.zpenergy.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=793) - These generators convert waste heat directly into useable electricity. The TAC generator is designed to produce power as a fuel fired primary generator or waste energy recovery system. (ZPEnergy; June 13, 2004)
Comments
See Discussion page
Low Efficiency
electrique527 wrote on July 23, 2008 on YouTube;
"Problem with these engines / converters is the very low efficiency. They are simply no match for the existing stirling engines, even though those are more complex. Also, your presentation is incorrect in places, very one sided, and almost misleading in other parts. The technology is good, but not as rosy as you make it here."
Excellent Conventional Science
On July 12, 2004, (now) New Energy Congress member, Ken Rauen wrote:
This is an excellent application of conventional science. It has tremendous potential for cheaply utilizing low temperature heat. It is Carnot-limited, but the device is simple and cheap to make and can produce electricity from heat sources that usually are ignored. It is probably a Stirling cycle. Piston Stirlings are usually somewhat high tech and costly. Thermoacoustics has the potential to be far simpler and cheaper, and these people seem to have a good idea.
Contact
Fellows Research Group, Inc.
112 Clear Spring Rd.
Georgetown, TX, USA 78628
Phone: (512) 864-2097
Email: frg@io.com (mailto:frg@io.com?subject=TAC_featured_at_PESWiki.com)
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