Closed Loop Community Power Facility

74a5b7ad-6f12-4f96-9c40-982740b2c8d5

Closed

Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK

£248,750

Feb. 1, 2013

May 31, 2013

The Closed Loop Community Power Facility (CLCPF) will allow small to medium sized communities to operate in an island mode with regard to power, heat, water, transport fuel and food production. the concept is simple and is based on utilising the communities own arisings to generate power and heat and using any excess to facilitate the production of fuel.
The food production element of this project is based on a greenhouse / hydroponics facility which is environmentally controlled using excess thermal energy from the power production, steam and recovered rainwater to maintain optimum humidity levels, food grade CO2 from the power generating gas engines to enhance growth and to provide optimum light. Co2 from purified syngas will be used to provide cooling for food storage
The genisis of this project is water simple H2O, this is recovered rain water used to generate steam which is then used to transform all of the biomass arisings from the entire community Sewage, waste, food waste biomass etc into a conditioned biomass only feedstock which is converted to Gas by means of an advanced pyrolysis unit. The gas is used to generate power in standard gas engines fitted with food grade CO2 discharge units the carbon dioxide is then routed to the hydroponics bays where it is absorbed by food plants and enhances growth. Excess low grade thermal power which cannot be utilised for power generation or district heating is utilised in the hydroponics bays to maintain optimum growing levels, humidity is controlled by steam and harvested rainwater.
The thermal energy from the advanced pyrolysis process which is recovered but not used within the system is used to provide district heating and process heat for the production of food related products. Any waste from these processes is re introduced to the loop and is used to generate more gas and power.
Power generated by the gas engines feeds a local grid and any excess power is fed to the national grid thus creating further income for the community. Waste collection is by means of small electric vehicles and as the system is operational locally these collections will be on a daily basis thus reducing the need for large storage bins and weekly collections. Due to the nature of the system the need to segregate recyclables is eliminated as the recyclying efficiency of the system is over 99%. This means one small daily sized bin per household.