Difference between revisions of "Village:Energy"

From SHA2017
Jump to: navigation, search
m
Line 1: Line 1:
The idea is that we create a metropole containing villages / people with tents that all use 42VDC (+/- 8V) as only power source.
+
The idea is that we create a metropole containing villages / people with tents that all use 42VDC (+/- 8V) as only power source. (On the island maybe?)
  
 
WHY?!  
 
WHY?!  

Revision as of 21:33, 13 February 2016

The idea is that we create a metropole containing villages / people with tents that all use 42VDC (+/- 8V) as only power source. (On the island maybe?)

WHY?!

  • Because power hacking is COOL!
  • DC grids are HOT!
  • <50(60)VDC is relatively safe.
  • You can connect your:
    • Wind generators
    • Solar cells
    • Woodgas generator
    • Electrical bacteria soup
    • Hamster wheels
    • Fitness gym equipment
    • Pocket fusion generator
    • INSERT YOUR POWER IDEA HERE



HOW MUCH POWER? 1.21 JIGOWATTS!

Benadski has a plan and some stuff prepared already. Contact him for the details in the RevSpace IRC channel, or read on.




Alternative power SHA2017: brainfarts benadski



Example DC power distribution grid



Example grid left:

  • red: power central, no user ends. except maybe for a few big power suppliers
  • yellow: interconnect / user tap point
  • green: user tap point. tap points are for delivering power too








The grid must be:

  • Safe
    • ELV (a voltage not exceeding 42.4 Vac peak or 60 Vdc) is safest thing fiddling with
    • Grid cable strands individually fused at least on positive rail, negative: earthed.
    • Fuses must all be DC rated 60V+ for a DC ELV grid!
    • High current side not accessible for end users


  • Accessible
    • Not too expensive converters for delivering / using power to / from grid.
    • Connecting should be painless for end users.
    • High power connections for villages must be available


  • 24/7 powered
    • Power transformer(s) for power when alt-power is depleted (no sun / wind etc.) ←Benadski already has a 15kW power supply!
    • Small battery backup (not more than 15 minutes?), also doubles as stabilizer.
    • Maybe other kinds of backup solutions, like bio-gas / wood-gas generators?


  • Simple and robust
    • Cables must be able to handle more power than needed
    • A shorted or disconnected cable should not affect the rest of the grid


  • Smart and anonymous? (not really my expertise, but interesting)
    • Should a user need more power temporarily, let her/him access the power grid somehow to get some more? Can this be made non-traceable / anonymous?
    • Let the network warn people when power demands are too high / voltage is low?
    • Voltage dependant power, users can control when they use power just looking at the grid voltage. A converter can auto-start when there is plenty of power for instance.


Numb3rs and sort of facts:

(all are sucked out of my thumb): ←I know, I know that's not an English expression (yet!) But used in many other countries, so: adapt! :P


  • 42VDC? (range 34-50V, some safety to make sure >60V will never be reached) (42V is 7 6V batteries in series)
  • 2A per user (enough for charging laptops, having blinkenlights etc.), average use under 0,667A
  • 16A per village (to power a fridge, 4 laptops and lots of lights and/or audio), avg 6A
  • Power generation, 32A max. 4 connections totaling 64A max. per power node. ZB: 32+19+1+12
  • 300 users * 0,667A + 10 villages * 6A = 260A. 260A * 42V => 11kW average usage, estimated peak 15kW.
  • Cables should handle about 25% of max. current => 52A, fused at 50A slo-blo
  • 4x6mm2 can probably handle the current, but there cannot be a yellow/green conductor carrying current.
  • 5x10mm2 is better, earth wire is now used for earth only. Voltage drops are lower, less losses. 5x16mm2 is awesome but very expensive...
  • PTC fuses are excellent for user end protection, but must be pre-fused. One 16A per 8 2A outputs should do the trick
  • Battery backup / stabilizer: 7x6V 10Ah at every corner of the grid. Decouples below 35V, starts charging again above 42V. Maybe bigger one at the center of the grid, 12Ah or higher
  • We need a big load for destroying excess power when >48V (or store it somehow, see below)
  • The whole concept / ruleset must be open and accessible online at least one half year before the event.


Wild ideas next!

  • Water tower for storing energy and big-ass stat display. (Energy capacity fairly low)
  • Big crane structure lifting / lowering a concrete weight or an old car to store / deliver power.
  • Woodgas generator
  • Biogas generator (from local biological waste like dead food, NOT from feces and/or pee) ←This could create horrible stench, use with care!
  • Electrical bacteria farm (http://www.nwo.nl/en/research-and-results/cases/bio-batteries-in-the-seabed.html)
  • Bicycle gym with generators (near showers please!)
  • Design nice converters people can buy for little money (open hardware):
    • >36V => 19V / 12V / 5V for powering stuff, with grid status outputs ←Benadski already has some (30+!) >38V to 12V20A converters for the power lurkers. These will be installed inside the yellow/green tap points.
    • 5..42V => 36..48V (auto optimum point detection) for delivering power to the grid.
    • 48..120V => 36..48V same as above. for the awesome solar frontier panels for instance.
  • Data over power, for general grid stats or other cool things.
  • Use the motion of people to generate power somehow. (children's playground power / walkways)
  • Store excess energy in water heating for dish washing / showering, pre-heated water needs further heating before it's used.
  • Limited number of alt-power tickets for participants will make sure people can participate. No disappointments. But I don't like limitations... What to do?