Thursday, May 26, 2005

Energy From Cold In The Deep Blue Sea John Piña Craven says we can generate electricity and fresh water by pumping cold from the deep sea.  The tempurature difference between the deep sea water and surface water is enough to drive engines, generators, etc.  The reference to to "root and fruit" below referes to his fascination with vineyards. Running the frigid pipes through heat exchangers produces unlimited air-conditioning that costs almost nothing. Draining their sweat yields an endless supply of freshwater for drinking and irrigation. The cold water also creates a temperature difference between root and fruit that Craven believes speeds growth. And by turning the flow on and off, Craven has found he can further accelerate the plants' growth cycle by forcing them in and out of dormancy - he can get three crops of grapes a year and pineapples in eight months instead of the usual 18. Feeding some of the water through a contraption Craven calls a hurricane tower generates clean electricity. "What the world doesn't understand," says Craven, still zigzagging through the parking lot, "is that what we don't have enough of is cold, not heat." Technical summary at the end of the article. 9:25:27 AM    comment []

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