P R O P O S A L

Worldwide energy consumption is increasing year by year decreasing limited non-renewable sources. Furthermore, combustion of these fuels is accompanied by emission of hazardous substances. In spite of that the electrical energy produced from renewable sources is growing gradually, its amount is not enough yet
and we are far from rejecting use of gaseous, liquid and solid fuel. Existing renewable sources cannot be used everywhere and at all times due to the limitations of their origin and the principles on which their devices operate. Thus, a quest for new renewable sources of energy is encouraged.

The new method of generating energy from renewable sources is presented. Expansion and contraction of matters by changing in environment temperature is lying on the basis of technique. Here, we consider that it is necessary to remind the concept of renewables.

Several definitions of renewables can be found on Wikipedia. The main requirement is that the resource must be natural, renewable, and ecological and can operate without the efforts of humans. If proceed from these requirements the thermal expansion of solids and liquids is associated with an increase in the kinetic energy of their individual atoms. Conversely, a decrease in the kinetic energy of atoms accompanies by contraction of matter. The increase or decrease in the kinetic energy of atoms is governed by the increasing or decreasing temperature of the substance, which in turn depends on the environmental temperature. The environmental temperature will constantly change in nature, and day and night temperatures are usually considerably different. Thus, every day, all matter will periodically expand and contract under the influence of the environment temperature. This expansion and contraction will continue year-round regardless of whether the day is sunny or not. Therefore, the process of natural thermal expansion and contraction of matter is renewable and matches with the definition of a renewable resource. The forces that arise during these processes can be used to generate useful energy. In addition, according to the definition mentioned in our work, the term “renewable energy” covers energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment, and the ultimate sources of such energy are the sun, gravity, and the earth’s rotation. According to these determinations the expansion and contraction of matter are the results of environmental temperature changes. The natural temperature changes caused by sunlight, weather, and earth’s rotation for a given locality per unit of time can be regarded as energy flows. These environmental energy flows will be transferred to the liquid and solid matters, and the kinetic energy of the individual atoms of which will increase or decrease resulting in expansion or contraction.

It is known that the enormous forces and pressures occur by thermal expansion of solids and liquids respectively: liquids can rupture or deform containers or vessels and solids can destroy bridges, buildings or rails if adequate preventive measures have not been implemented with foresight. Finding ways to use these enormous forces to produce useful energy is the aim of our investigation. The ways of application of these forces and pressures to produce useful energy is suggested. Very slow thermal movement of matters can be amplified by thousands and even much more times converted into mechanical and subsequently, into electrical energy.

The temperature of the earth and air starts to rise gradually and all matters expand every day from the early morning. Some of them expand faster and others slowly with increasing of temperature. This process is continued until the sun comes to the zenith. Then the inverse process begins: the temperature of the earth and air falls gradually, matters start to contract. Process continues after sunset also, while the temperature is decreasing. The matters expand and contract periodically due to day and night temperature difference even on those days, when the sun is not visible entirely.

The new method allows to generate electricity even at insignificant changes in environment temperature. Effectiveness can be increased in favorable conditions. The basic problem of producing energy by natural thermal expansion and contraction is how to transform the relatively slow processes of expansion and contraction of solids and liquids into fast linear or circular motion to generate electricity.  

The method distinguishes the simplicity of construction and small number of moving parts. It is ecological and resource saving: the fossil is not used and there is no waste. The power plant, which can be work automatically, affords to produce the electricity round-the-clock and year-round, can be created using the last achievements of science and technology. It makes possible to provide with the electricity the remote farms in rural areas. Low temperatures of sea and ocean waters can afford use it in ships. The space variants of such device can be developed in close future if to take into account big difference in day and night temperatures, in the moon for instance, which promotes the effectiveness of the plant constructed by this method.

The devices on this method can be structured in different ways.

1. Using thermal expansion of solid materials only: high precision hardware is required to catch the fine movements and transform them into fast motion because of the small thermal expansion coefficients. In this case the problems will include also impossibility of using the volume expansion, and very slow displacement velocity, which is difficult to transfer into fast enough circular motion.

2. Using thermal expansion of liquid materials only: liquids have some advantages in this respect. There are two factors that are beneficial in liquids: first, the expansion coefficients are several times bigger than in solids and second, if for solids only linear expansion can be used, whereas for liquids volume expansion can be employed, increasing the effect threefold. The power of the device is dictated by the initial volume of working fluid and the value of the pressure, which can be supported by the hydraulic vessel. The larger is the volume of working fluid - the more is the thermal expansion and the higher is the power. The larger is the pressure in the vessel - the more work done and the higher is the power. But setting up the device using solely the liquid thermal expansion and contraction phenomena requires high volume vessels that should be able to sustain very high pressures, which is expensive and difficult to realize.

However, it was found in our experiment [5], that the liquid works well in expansion and power is decreasing notably in contracting. Such a phenomenon was explained by intermolecular forces.

3. Using thermal expansion of both liquid and thermal expansion: it will be possible avoid deficiencies of both above mentioned structures and amplify advantages. It can find reliable and cost-effective compromise variants of the device for different magnitudes of power.

Another way to increase power is to choose the working matters with the bigger coefficients of thermal expansion.

Our research on obtaining useful energy from thermal expansion and contraction forces started in 2015. The patent for the invention of the method of generating electricity from thermal expansion and contraction of matter was registered in May 2018. The main concept, basics, and capabilities of this form of energy production, and some related work, are discussed in our next research works.

What we should do to realize the project?

1. SWOT analysis of the method.

2. Choose the structure of the pilot model.

3. Design of parameters and sizes of the constructive parts of the pilot model.

4. Compiling the budget.

5. Choose the companies, who will produce the parts and placing orders.

6. Assembly, adjustment and launching the device.

 Énergie renouvelable

 Innovation & Recherche