A Compact Turbo-Rankin Energy Conversion System

Creare is developing a miniature power system for NOA weather monitoring stations in remote locations. This system can provide electric power continuously from naturally occurring temperature differences that exist between ambient air and water in environments such as the Arctic Ocean and the Great Lakes. Generating power directly from these temperature difference uses the atmosphere and ocean/late as effectively infinite thermal reservoirs to provide an inexhaustible source of pollution-free energy. Our approach leverages decades of advanced development at Creare devoted to small thermodynamic systems with miniature turbomachines. During Phase I project, we specified designed details and demonstrated power generation at prototypical temperatures with a simplified breadboard assembly. We are now ready to fabricate a complete prototype system and demonstrate its operation and performance in a simulated Arctic environment during Phase II.