Economic Generation of Electric Energy

By

V. ARAVAMUTHAN1
Retired Deputy Director
Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, India

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1
The author Mr. V. Aravamuthan, aged 89, has been contributing articles for the advancement of Science and
Technology for over six and a half decades (since 8 March 1943). Mr. Aravamuthan can be contacted at the
following address - Flat No 7, II Floor, AKM Nest, Jawaharlal Nehru Street, T. Nagar, Chennai- 600 017, India.
E Mail: asampu@hotmail.com; Phone No: +91 44- 28140082.
2
This article has been shared with the libraries of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, and Connemara
Library, Chennai, India, on the 20th of February 2009

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 Economic Generation of Electric Energy

Abstract

It is an accepted fact that in electric energy generation release of carbon-di-oxide, oxides of Nitrogen
and oxides of Sulphur should be avoided when utilizing even low grade coal with high as content, and/
or Sulphur contents and Methane from any source. Pollution of air and water must be avoided.
Maximum use of solar heat energy with low cost appliances which can also be maintained/replaced, if
need be, even by un skilled workers with simultaneous utilization of waste lands must be done. A
suitable hybrid system should be utilised to generate electric energy continuously as replacement
whenever solar heat energy could not be tapped. And top priority must be given to the utilization
of inexaustable heat energy available from hot rocks continuously for millions of years in simple
devices without any water, air and earth pollution. This article highlights ways of practicing these.

Main Article

Coal, Methane, Solar light and heat energy and also the heat energy of hot rocks are the most
important raw materials for large scale production of Electric Energy.

A. UTILISATION OF COAL AND METHANE IN THE GENERATION OF

ELECTRIC ENERGY

It is possible to subject powdered coal having ash contents even well above 40% to latest
physical methods of separation followed by chemical treatment (in which specific chemicals
are used to react with the minerals in coal to form soluble products which can be separated
from coal by filtration. The chemicals not only dissolve the minerals, but are also easy to
regenerate and used in the cyclic process) to get ultra clean coal powder having below 0.05
percent ash. The cleaned coal can be utilized as indicated below at sites near to coalfields and
also transported to distant places by pumping coal water- slurry and utilized.

Employing carbon molecular sieves in a low energy consuming pressure swing adsorption
process, oxygen from air (freed from moisture and Carbon dioxide) is obtained
economically .Nitrogen is a valuable co product.

To achieve maximum benefit in the utilization of heat content of 1) cleaned powdered coal
and (2) Purified methane from Natural gas and or methane present in coal mines or biogas in
the generation of Electric Energy without polluting the atmosphere with carbondioxide or
Nitrogen, or Sulphur Oxides. I recommend that the powdery cleaned coal or purified methane
is combusted in low cost oxygen in compact units and the hot combustion gas is used in the
production of steam and then electrical Energy by the well established procedures. The waste
heat of the exhaust combustion gas is utilized by well known procedures and finally
concentrated carbon dioxide is collected in a compact chamber. I recommend that this carbon
di oxide is continuously withdrawn in small optimum quantity and fed into large volume of
water in a tower to get carbonic acid of the same concentration that is achieved in a tree robot

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which removes carbon dioxide from atmospheric air. Optimum quantity of this carbonic acid
is continuously withdrawn from the bottom of the tower and released to the earth. Fresh water
in required amounts is continuously fed into the top of the tower.

Thus the pollution due to carbon dioxide in the generation of electric energy from coal and
methane is avoided.

If the plant producing electric energy from coal or methane is located near sea coasts, the
utilization of the waste heat from the exhaust combustion gas for desalination of sea water
will be very economical.

B. UTILISATION OF SOLAR LIGHT ENERGY IN THE GENERATION OF

ELECTRIC ENERGY

Although the utilization of solar light energy for the generation of Electric energy through the
use of latest types of photovoltaic cell is well established in all places in the world, yet the
indirect utilization stored solar light energy as biomass is also commercially very important in
electricity generation. I recommend the production of pure methane from biomass and utilize
the methane in the generation of Electricity as indicated earlier.

Vegetation is bound to thrive by utilization and storage of solar energy from the sun. It
reduces the levels of carbon dioxide and enhances the oxygen content in the atmosphere.
Large amounts of annual agricultural wastes and human/animal refuse are available at a very
low cost. These can be used as raw materials for the anaerobic digestion to get biogas. An
excellent organic fertilizer is obtained as a co-product.

Water hyacinth, a quick growing plant, can be extensively cultivated in sewage water with
dissolved and suspended organic matter mixed with different kinds of industrial wastes. Even
effluents from the tanneries can be used for hyacinth cultivation after necessary treatment with
required amounts of sulphur dioxide to kill the bacteria and other harmful matter. The
hexavalent chromium present in the effluent will be reduced to trivalent chromium. The
solution is then reacted with ammonia and air to precipitate out chromium hydroxide along
with ferric and aluminum hydroxides from any dissolved aluminum and iron values. The
solution thus obtained is free from metal hydroxides and is used for hyacinth cultivation. The
effluent from the water hyacinth ponds/canals is used for irrigation purposes. Biogas can be
obtained from the portions of water hyacinth above 7 centimeters from the root portion as such
or in admixture with animal or human refuse. The sewage and industrial wastewater contains
harmful impurities like lead, cadmium and mercury and these are absorbed by hyacinth plants
and stored up to 7 centimeters from the root. This portion is incinerated to get mixed metal
oxides like lead, cadmium, mercury etc.

In a tropical country like India with a vast sea coast and adjoining waste lands, Chosen
varieties of marine algae cultivated in ponds and canals form a potential low cost raw material
for continuous production of biogas. Hybrid varieties of sea algae such as synechocystis can
be grown in ponds/canals. These algae have an ability to absorb carbon dioxide 4 to 5 times to

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those of tropical forests. The ponds/canals are to be fed with seawater and biogas sludge has to
be added in proper proportions. A portion of by-product carbon dioxide resulting during the
separation of methane from biogas when fed along with biogas sledge boosts the yield of
algae. By a simple procedure, carbon di oxide can be separated from methane using potassium
carbonate solution in a cyclic process

The concentrated carbon di oxide resulting in the decomposition of potassium bicarbonate is

collected in a compact unit. I recommend that this carbon dioxide is continuously withdrawn
in small optimum quantity and fed into large volume of water in a tower to get carbonic acid
of the same concentration that is achieved in a tree robot which removes carbon dioxide from
atmospheric air. Optimum quantity of this carbonic acid is continuously withdrawn from the
bottom of the tower and released to the earth. Fresh water in required amounts is continuously
fed into the top of the tower.

Thus pollution due to carbon dioxide in methane production from biomass is avoided. My
recommendation to dispose off concentrated carbon dioxide as dilute carbonic acid to the
earth is applicable to any industry were even moist carbon dioxide is available in a
concentrated state.

Hydrogen Sulphide can be separated from methane by passing it over activated carbon bed.
The spent carbon is land filled. Replacement of active carbon is done normally once in four
months.

Pure Hydrogen can be produced economically from biomass through the intermediate
production of pure methane thus. Pure Hydrogen in theoretical yields is obtained by cracking
methane in molten iron in a cyclic process. The carbon gets dissolved in molten iron and is
burnt off by injecting low cost oxygen. Heat thus released is greater than that required for
cracking and the surplus heat can be utilized in a number of ways. This economic production
of Hydrogen in a pure state from pure methane gas is also applicable to pure methane obtained
from Natural gas or pure methane from coal mines. The heat recovered while cooling the hot
pure hydrogen gas to room temperature is suitably used. The pure hydrogen gas at room
temperature is employed to generate electric energy in a fuel cell.

Salicorniabigelovil, which produces edible seeds can be economically cultivated in waste

lands by utilizing the effluent from the sea algae pond or canal, biogas sludge and sea water.
The edible seeds of salicornia bigelovil compare favourably with soya bean in oil and protein
content. One hectare of salicornia bigelovil grown in waste land can replace one hectare of
soyabean irrigated with salt free water. The leaves and the straw of salicornia bigelovil along
with suitable agro wastes, animal and human refuse can be subjected to anaerobic digestion to
get rich yields of biogas economically.

It is not out of place to record here that the inexhaustible, cheap and abundant biomass, marine
algae which surpasses any other known or to be developed device for the efficient and
economical use of solar light energy, can produce biomass oil product equivalent to crude oil.
Rich harvests of marine algae can be had on barren desert lands using sea water and feeding
calculated amounts of biogas sludge and cheap byproduct carbon dioxide. Thus the need for

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the use of costly fresh water and valuable agricultural lands for growing corn and the like for
bio fuel production is eliminated.

Methane can be trapped in a bizarre material dubbed “dry water” a mixture of silica and water
that looks and acts like a fine powder. The methane reacts with water to produce a crystalline
material called methane gas hydrate in which individual methane molecules sit inside ice-like
cages of water molecules. Thus methane can be stored and also transported to distant places
economically by converting it into powdery form and is an attractive alternatives to pipe lines.

C. UTILISATION OF SOLAR HEAT ENERGY IN THE GENERATION OF

ELECTRIC ENERGY

In a tropical country like India with abundant sunshine, very vast sea coast with adjoining
waste lands and extensive desert area, I recommend the following procedure for the
utilization of Solar thermal energy in the economic production of Electric Energy. Along with
the sea coast and also in the desert plastic acrylic Fresnel lenses, which can be mass produced,
are employed to focus sun’s rays intensely to heat several kilometers of black painted pipes
containing hermetically sealed anhydrous chloride mixtures of sodium or potassium with
aluminum or ferric in proper proportions. The anhydrous chloride mixtures remain in the
liquid state from 300 degree centigrade to 750 degree centigrades and store the heat efficiently
for several hours. This heat energy is utilized to produce steam and then electric energy by
well established procedures. Whenever the stored solar heat system cannot supply the
necessary heat to produce steam, a hybrid system can be employed substituting solar thermal
energy by the heat energy derived from the combustion of clean coal or methane in low cost
oxygen. The waste heat of the exhaust combustion gases is utilized by well established
procedures. If the hybrid plant is located near the sea cost, the utilization of waste heat of the
exhaust combustion gases is utilized economically in the desalination of sea water.

D. UTILISATION OF THE HIGH TEMPERATURE HEAT ENERGY AVAILABLE

IN ROCKS IN THE ECONOMIC GENERATION ELECTRIC ENERGY

The inexhaustible high temperature heat energy available in rocks at great depths below the
earth’s surface in many parts of the world, especially in U.S.A and Australia can be extracted
as high pressure dry steam at high temperatures continuously for several millions of years
economically employing the available technologies for reaching the desired depths below the
surface of the earth utilizing water in a cyclic process. Mechanical and then electric energy is
generated economically by well established procedures utilizing this high temperature high
pressure steam.

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Establishing several large scale units in many parts of the world for the utilization of:

• Heat energy of hot rocks

• Concentrated solar heat energy and
• Stored solar light energy available continuously throughout the world as abundant low cost
waste biomass and algae through the production of pure methane from them as indicated in
this contribution for electricity generation.

This will serve to decrease considerably our dependency on fossil fuels, thus conserving fossil
fuels and atomic energy for electricity generation.

The electric energy generated economically by all the procedures indicated in this contribution
is fed into electric grid and utilized for various purposes in any place. Large scale use of this
electric energy in many systems of transport will help to maintain pollution free atmosphere in
many parts of the world.

For Comments, Suggestions and Clarifications, write to:

Mr. V. Aravamuthan, Flat No 7, II Floor, AKM Nest, Door No : &, Jawaharlal Nehru Street, T. Nagar, Chennai-
600 017, India. E Mail: asampu@hotmail.com; Phone No: +91 44- 28140082 or send email to cats@vsnl.com