energy conversion efficiency is a comparison of energy output with energy input.
energy conversion efficiency is a comparison of energy output with energy input.
what is a comparison of energy output with energy input?
energy conversion efficiency
one heliostat mirror is a reflecting surface, giving a total of per heliostat. the total plant heliostat reflecting surface results in 173,500 heliostats × 14.05 m/heliostat = 2,437,144 m. based on irradiance, the intercepted solar energy flow is 2.717 mw·h/m/year × 2,437,144 m = 6,621,720 mw·h yearly. thermal yield, after taking into consideration reflection, transmission, radiation and absorption losses, assumed about 55 percent, resulting in a thermal power input to the steam turbines of 6,621,720 mw·h × 55 percent = 3,641,946 mw·h. the resulting expected energy output would be 3,641,946 mw·h × 28.72 percent efficiency = 1,045,967 mw·h/y, rounding up to 1.05 twh/y. the overall energy conversion efficiency = energy output / intercepted solar energy = 1,045,967 mw*h/yr / 6,621,720 mw*h/yr = 0.15796 or less than 16 percent.
ivanpah solar power facility
etc is also a more viable option than other alternatives by definition. etc requires much less energy input from outside sources, like a battery, than a railgun or a coilgun would. tests have shown that energy output by the propellant is higher than energy input from outside sources on etc guns. in comparison, a railgun currently cannot achieve a higher muzzle velocity than the amount of energy input. even at 50% efficiency a rail gun launching a projectile with a kinetic energy of 20 mj would require an energy input into the rails of 40 mj, and 50% efficiency has not yet been achieved. to put this into perspective, a rail gun launching at 9 mj of energy would need roughly 32 mj worth of energy from capacitors. current advances in energy storage allow for energy densities as high as 2.5 mj/dm³, which means that a battery delivering 32 mj of energy would require a volume of 12.8 dm³ per shot; this is not a viable volume for use in a modern main battle tank, especially one designed to be lighter than existing models. there has even been discussion about eliminating the necessity for an outside electrical source in etc ignition by initiating the plasma cartridge through a small explosive force.
electrothermal-chemical technology