Ted R. Heidrick

Design and Performance of a Prototype Thermophotovoltaic System

A prototype thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system, utilizing a cylindrical radiant burner, and GaSb cells, was assembled and tested. A unique combination of nine-layer dielectric and quartz-214 optical filtering components was utilized to minimize circuit heating, and increase emitter temperature. An evaluation of the performance of each of the spectral filtering components, and a mapping of energy losses throughout the system are provided for burner firing rates ranging from 6 kW to 9 kW. Fuel to electric conversion efficiency for this prototype TPV system was found to increase linearly from 1.2% at 6 kW to 1.5% at 9 kW. This corresponded to power densities ranging from 0.07 W/cm 2 at 6 kW to 0.13 W/cm 2 at 9 kW Areas that require additional improvement in order to increase system efficiency are addressed.

Open innovation in the energy sector

The main focus of the research program discussed in this article is to develop a technological innovation method by combining internal and external sources of technology. Open innovation generates new technology by combining technology developed internally by internal research and development within an organization, and technology developed externally by sources outside the organization. This research program studied the use of open innovation to generate and apply technologies to solve the kind of major problems that an organization cannot resolve on its own. A case study was conducted on the Canadian agencies promoting collaborative R&D efforts in the energy sector. The case study identified the energy sectors technology-sharing and collaboration using open innovation. A study of The Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA) Underground Test Facility (UTF) Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) Project concluded that the open innovation concept adopted by AOSTRA had played a major role in the development of UTF SAGD Technology. The research program also studied the issues of why an organization becomes interested in open innovation and whether open innovation demands any changes in an organizations intellectual property management policies.

Correlations between the two-phase gas/liquid spray atomization and the Stokes/aerodynamic Weber numbers

The The effects of air-to-liquid ratio (β) and void fraction (α) on Sauter mean diameter (SMD or D32), arithmetic mean diameter (D10), surface mean diameter (D20), volume mean diameter (VMD or D20), and radial velocity profiles were experimentally investigated for a two-phase gas/liquid (TPGL) nozzle with a hybrid design of classical twin-fluid and effervescent nozzles. Radial spray profiles were measured using a Phase-Doppler-Particle-Anemometer (PDPA) system on 15Dn, 30Dn, 60Dn, 120Dn;(Dn represents nozzle diameter = 3.10,mm) axial distances. In addition, the effects of spray break-up patterns were analyzed with changing axial distances. The average void fraction in the feeding conduit (FC) was measured by a pneumatic controlled quick-closing-valve (QCV). The experiments were performed using mixtures of air with water at water flow rates of 1.50 to 7.50 kg/min and air-to-liquid mass ratios (β) of 0.30 to 10;%. The length and diameter of the FC was 36.8,cm and 6.35,mm, respectively. Result indicates that as the St number reaches the value of one, no more break-up continues, thus the droplets start to coalesce each other forming bigger droplets (higher D10 values) with increasing radial distances. Knowledge from this study will provide better understanding that ensures an increase in plant efficiency and product yield in oil sands bitumen upgrading.

Correlations of the Droplet Size-Velocity of the Two-Phase, Air/Liquid Spray Using a Particle-Dynamic-Analyzer

In the heavy oil process industry preheated bitumen and steam are mixed upstream of the feed nozzle and subsequently injected into fluid bed coker reactors via feed nozzles. To achieve high liquid product yields, the bitumen should contact a large number of fluidized coke particles quickly and uniformly. One of the drawbacks of the spray issuing from the nozzle is the potential pulsation within the spray and in the feeding conduit, which is highly undesirable to yield high productivity. These pulsations result in poor atomization and in most instances, a slug of liquid is ejected out of the nozzle. It would be valuable to investigate under which two-phase fluid conditions this pulsation aggravates. It would also be beneficial to examine the detailed spray map with changing air-to-liquid ratio (ALR) by mass and void fraction (α). The average void fraction in the feeding conduit was measured by a pneumatic controlled quick-closing-valve (QCV). The length and diameter of the feeding conduit was 36.8 cm and 6.35 mm, respectively. The experiments were performed using mixtures of air with water at water flow rates of 1.50 to 7.50 kg / min and air-to-liquid (ALR) mass ratios of 0.30 to 9.3%. This study indicates that there exists a strong positive correlation between the droplet diameter and axial velocity at the center of the spray. A positive correlation also exists in between the spray center and periphery. However, a strong negative correlation exists at the periphery of the spray. Knowledge from this study would help the heavy oil process industry to upgrade their heavy oil upgrading process and increase the product yield.Copyright

Optimum Design Parameters for Reciprocating Pumps Used in Natural Gas Wells

Experimental and theoretical investigation of a recently patented down-hole direct-acting reciprocating pump system is presented. The technology, (US Patent No. 5,860,795) consists of operating a gas well with gas and liquid phases being produced separately by using the gas phase to power a pump to bring the liquid phase to the surface. This would increase the duration of profitability of many gas wells in North America. Experiments and modeling were used to determine optimum design parameters to maintain flow at a minimum reservoir pressure; an optimum area ratio for the gas/liquid pistons is approximately 40. The effect of friction in the pumping system was predicted to have a small effect on this optimum design. The results of this investigation will now be used to design and construct a prototype for field testing.

Technology futures analysis methodologies for sustainable energy technologies

Futures Analysis Methodologies are reviewed and assessed to determine the most appropriate methodology for assessing the future value of a current investment in a sustainable energy technology. Assessment criteria are defined and each method is evaluated against these criteria. The paper provides preliminary conclusions regarding which methodologies to pursue for the purpose of developing a model to predict the future value of a current energy/environmental technology.

TECHNOLOGY FUTURES ANALYSIS METHODOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

Futures Analysis Methodologies are reviewed and assessed to determine the most appropriate methodology for assessing the future value of a current investment in a sustainable energy technology. Assessment criteria are defined and each method is evaluated against these criteria. The paper provides preliminary conclusions regarding which methodologies to pursue for the purpose of developing a model to predict the future value of a current energy/environmental technology.

A Pumping System to Enhance Production From Gas Wells

A new pumping concept has been developed and patented by the Alberta Research Council to address the problem of liquid loading in natural gas wells at low, depleted pressures. This concept consists of a pump installed at the bottom of the wellbore that is driven by the reservoir gas pressure to bring the produced liquids to the surface as they accumulate thereby improving gas production from shallow gas wells. The above pump concept has been investigated in two stages of research. In the first stage, a mathematical model was developed to estimate the minimum reservoir pressure required to prevent liquid build up in a gas well with either: 1) the reservoir pressure (and flow) itself carrying the produced liquids to the surface in a two-phase flow or 2) the reservoir gas pressure powering a pumping system to carry the produced liquids to the surface in the most efficient manner possible. The objective of the second stage of this investigation was to look at the feasibility of using a reciprocating pump powered by gas pressure. In particular the effect of the pump Area Ratio (ratio of the area being pushed by the gas to the area pushing the liquid) on the use of reservoir gas pressure was investigated. There are approximately 75,000 flowing gas wells in western Canada and these gas wells were categorized by depth and production rate. From this list of gas wells, a typical well was chosen and its production data and well characteristics were incorporated into the mathematical model. The model was tested in both the above-mentioned investigations and the results show that there is a significant increase in the operating range when the reservoir pressure is used more efficiently to produce gas from the well. It was determined that higher pump-area ratios lead to a more efficient use of reservoir pressure and for the gas well investigated in this study, an optimum area ratio of 40 was identified as the best design. The concept of multistage pumping was also investigated. The results presented are the basis for experiments presently being designed that will validate the current model of the system and allow for possible improvements.

Estimation of Average Void Fraction for Gas-Liquid, Two-Phase Flow in an Industrial Nozzle Assembly Using a Quick-Closing-Valve

Experimentally accurate void fraction measurements are a challenge in an air/water, two-phase flows through an industrial nozzle assembly, as a highly non-uniform void fraction exists in the feeding conduit prior to the nozzle. In this study, average void fractions were measured by isolating a section in the feeding conduit of a horizontal nozzle assembly, termed as the quick-closing-valve (QCV) technique. A high-speed video camera was utilized to capture the asynchronization closing time, tac . The average closing time and asynchronization for the pneumatically controlled valves were 200 ms and 2 ms, respectively. Based on the equation of 100um tac (1−α)/αlc , the synchronization error between the two valves was 1.12%, 1.26%, and 1.79% for the 1%, 2% and 4% ALR cases, respectively; here um is the mixture velocity, α is the void faction, and lc is the closing length. Higher synchronization error at 4% ALR occurs due to enhanced momentum in the flow regime. Experimental results indicate that the average α over the 33.4 cm feeding conduit (6.25 mm ID) was 76% (αtheoretical = 75%) for the 2% ALR, and 85% (αtheoretical = 83%) for the 3.3% ALR. In the two-phase, two-component flow the α affects the drop size and stability of the spray produced from an industrial nozzle assembly. Learning from this study will yield insights and conceptual understanding of two-phase flow phenomena in conduit, which would affect stability, pulsation tendency, and possibly atomization performance of the nozzle downstream. Two-phase flow nozzles have wide applications in the industries, e.g. petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and others.Copyright

Multi-Stage Collaborative System for Microelectromechanical Systems Manufacturing

In order to reap the economic rewards from a new technology, it is necessary for it to be commercialized by private enterprise. A lot of research work and product development is being done in universities in the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) field. Unfortunately, much of these early stage MEMS developments can not be easily prototyped or produced due to the lack of required manufacturing facilities able to address the complex set of related manufacturing processes within a single institution. This paper describes a proposed methodology for a system capable of coordinating the interaction among different organizations and different facilities in order to optimize the commercialization of diverse MEMS ideas. A systematic commercialization model will be discussed. The model will ultimately be extended to nanotechnology which is at an even earlier stage of development than MEMS. This system will allow the researcher to take advantage of all the strengths and unique capabilities of various institutes and companies that may not be necessarily located geographically close to each other.