Post subject: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 9:08AM
Brigadier General
Joined: Fri 01-24-2003 7:13PM Posts: 1652 Location: down the hill
Source: MST Wireless
I am a few weeks away from finishing my research, but I need something. I'm making a fuel cell that is intended to run inside the exhaust of a diesel engine. It actually uses soot as fuel to generate electricity.
But I don't have a diesel engine. I would like to borrow a diesel truck or diesel generator, and park it outside my lab on campus, so I can run measurement wires out the window to the cell.
Ideally, it would be an older truck or a diesel generator, so it makes a lot of soot, and has easier access to the exhaust manifold. And I'd need to borrow it for a week, maybe two max. I know this is a lot to ask, but you will be acknowledged in a scientific journal for your trouble.
I know you won't want to part with your daily driver for a whole week, but I figure somebody has an old truck they don't drive daily, or a small diesel generator stashed for ice storms or the like.
Thanks.
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Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 9:38AM
BLITZVERPWND
Joined: Wed 09-16-2009 6:52AM Posts: 608 Location: in your 802.11g stealing your internetz
Source: IT Dept
I'm sure you've already thought of this, and I'm sure there's so much red tape it's ridiculous, but if this is university-sanctioned/sponsored research, could it be possible to request use of one of the university trucks? I know phyfac has a few diesel trucks, and there's two sitting outside of the Rock Mechanics building every day (I'm 70% sure they are diesel), they are almost never used.
Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 12:17PM
Brigadier General
Joined: Fri 01-24-2003 7:13PM Posts: 1652 Location: down the hill
Source: MST Wireless
blitzvergnugen wrote:
Or maybe you could get it inside the power/steam plant?
The problem with this is that my high precision electronic measuring equipment is not portable, and I need to measure a fuel cell operating inside the exhaust manifold of a diesel engine (or generator).
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Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 12:18PM
Brigadier General
Joined: Fri 01-24-2003 7:13PM Posts: 1652 Location: down the hill
Source: MST Wireless
zeroluck wrote:
I'm sure you've already thought of this, and I'm sure there's so much red tape it's ridiculous, but if this is university-sanctioned/sponsored research, could it be possible to request use of one of the university trucks? I know phyfac has a few diesel trucks, and there's two sitting outside of the Rock Mechanics building every day (I'm 70% sure they are diesel), they are almost never used.
I will look into this, but because I will have to disassemble the exhaust manifold and install a fuel cell in there, they may not let me do that.
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Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 1:01PM
Colonel
Joined: Sat 04-29-2006 8:47PM Posts: 663
Source: Fidelity
The diesel generator in the power plant is used primarily in the summer to help keep down peak power usage when the steam that is normally generated isn't needed.
For anyone who doesn't know, our power plant is used primarily for steam generation and power distribution. The ~1/2 MW of power that they do produce is just used to keep down peak power usage and is generated as a side effect of lowering the steam pressure using the generator. The ~150 psi produced by the boiler is lessened to something they can distribute across campus.
Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 6:18PM
Colonel
Joined: Sat 04-29-2006 8:47PM Posts: 663
Source: Fidelity
FrankieM wrote:
It's great because the final cost for the electricity is like $0.005/kWh since it is a byproduct.
Except the university buys about 4.5MW from the city to distribute and the .5MW generated is used to supplement for the 5 MW need of the university. The steam is what is needed, the energy is essentially free since it is a biproduct for lowering the pressure from 150 psi to ~25
Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 6:29PM
Drowning
Joined: Sun 08-15-2004 9:36PM Posts: 4957 Location: ~~~~\o/~~~~~
Source: Off Campus
dar9q7 wrote:
FrankieM wrote:
It's great because the final cost for the electricity is like $0.005/kWh since it is a byproduct.
Except the university buys about 4.5MW from the city to distribute and the .5MW generated is used to supplement for the 5 MW need of the university. The steam is what is needed, the energy is essentially free since it is a biproduct for lowering the pressure from 150 psi to ~25
Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 8:36PM
Drowning
Joined: Sun 08-15-2004 9:36PM Posts: 4957 Location: ~~~~\o/~~~~~
Source: Off Campus
it is the coal plant is making too much steam pressure, so slap a diesel generator on there to lower the pressure....oh and it makes power, so practically free.
Post subject: Re: Can I borrow a diesel truck or generator for my research?
Posted: Wed 02-10-2010 9:43PM
Major General
Joined: Sat 10-18-2003 10:26PM Posts: 2954 Location: Stone's throw from Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs
Source: Off Campus
Rather than wasting the steam energy by throttling it off, spin it through a turbine to accomplish the same thing and get electricity for the cost of the generator.
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