Energy conversion

[Howard]

What technologies are available to handle the conversion of energy on the order of 1.5 MJ from kinetic to potential back to kinetic, at a rate of at least 200 kW?

Arbitrary figures - this is not for homework, I assure you.

Also, I would not define thermal energy as potential energy.

 

[silverpig]

Uh, gravity?

 

[Howard]

Uh, gravity?

So basically a big lift powered by hydraulics/electric motors that is also driving/is a generator?

Anything else?

 

[Denbo1991]

Millions of sufficiently sized capacitors/memory shape alloys/flywheels/air compressors/springs. Of course, none of them seem too practical...

 

[Gibsons]

A really really big pendulum? Like ten tons or so?

 

[silverpig]

So basically a big lift powered by hydraulics/electric motors that is also driving/is a generator?

Anything else?

It depends on what the input is. We need more specifics. If it's a train, you can just have it go up a hill.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

What kind of potential? Chemical potential? You could just use huge batteries. Gravitational potential? Big hydraulic things or just pushing something huge up a hill. etc.

 

[Howard]

Any kind of potential, as long as it is returned to kinetic form. And, the smaller the volume requirements, the better.

 

[greenhawk]

Guess it comes down to time allowed to "charge" and time needed to convert it back.

ofcourse, how long is it to be held can play into it as well.

A large weight / hill is slow for both, and has zero losses.

Quick you are looking at things like springs/compressed air/spining weights ect, but losses occur the longer it is held.

if volume is the biggest issue, then spining weights is the best I would think, but charge times is a little inefficient (IIRC, they do better with a "slow" spin up and not instantainious).

 

[Howard]

Guess it comes down to time allowed to "charge" and time needed to convert it back.

Conversion speed should be minimum 200 kW.

ofcourse, how long is it to be held can play into it as well.

I don't know. An hour?

 

[edro]

Giant versions of:
Electrical water pump and a hill.
Air compressor and air tank.

 

[z1ggy]

Hydro power plant which instead of putting power out to a grid, puts power to massive cap. banks. But you said the smaller the better .. soo..guess that's out. Guess you could replace the moving water/turbine with a motor. And how is a kW a speed of any sort?

 

[Mark R]

And how is a kW a speed of any sort?

The unit of speed of energy convesion is the Watt (W). 1 kW = 1000 W

1 W means conversion of 1 Joule (J) of energy per second.

 

[z1ggy]

^ Okay just checking.

Yeah idk how many motors could produce 1.5MJ of power. Seeing as the railgun BAE just tested was 32MJ.. and that thing is batshit crazy. But do tell if their are motors than have that kind of output.

 

[Howard]

^ Okay just checking.

Yeah idk how many motors could produce 1.5MJ of power. Seeing as the railgun BAE just tested was 32MJ.. and that thing is batshit crazy. But do tell if their are motors than have that kind of output.

MJ is a unit of energy.