Snow energy

[Ocean11 0]

I'm doing a job about 'new' environmental technologies. I thought this item about 'snow energy' might be of interest to people who own buildings in snowy places.

 

----

 

Technology for outdoor collection of cleared snow arising in winter, saving it until summer, and supplying the cooling energy of the snow to multiple facilities.

In this system, latent heat is collected when the stored snow at 0ºC (solid) melts to snow melt water (liquid) at 0ºC, thereby obtaining energy. The cold energy that can be obtained from snow is generally thought to be about 80 kcal/kg, and depending on the calculation, 1 tonne of snow can eliminate about 28 kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

There are two methods of utilizing the energy obtained, sending the snow melt water for use in facilities that use coolant, and cutting up the heap of snow and transporting the snow itself for use.

Tree bark is used to coat the snow for storage, but the bark is also reused for biomass power generation after use.

 

----

 

Let's using snow year-round!

[Fattwins 0]

O11 its a good idea but will take some time. I saw a wine maker that used the seasons snowfall to keep his wine seller cool. he could dump his roof into a snow storage area. I thought that was a good idea.

[soubriquet 0]

There is some value to this, as long as the snow has to be moved anyway, otherwise we might as well leave it on the ground and burn oil for heat.

 

This year my neighbouring city office turned one of their snow dumps into an experimental snow pile by building it into a pyramid and covering it. The pile still exists, and the plan is to replace the reverse cycle air conditioning with circulating cooled water. Admirable.

 

Very much not new, of course. Prior to the invention of heat pumps, the North Sea herring industry relied on stored ice harvested from the Norfolk Broads for refrigeration.

[Ocean11 0]

I think I may have seen that on TV.

 

It's definitely not new. Daimyo from snowy parts used to show their loyalty to the Shogun by bringing him ice to Edo in the summer that they had saved in 'snow huts'.

[soubriquet 0]

I checked out the Obanazawa snow pile yesterday. The snow has gone, revealing a concrete structure the size of a shipping container, connected to the building by air duct. My guess is they pump air through a tank of icy water.

 

I've solved your boarding eco-dilemma. Why don't you get one of these?

 

 

"The Air Force is looking for a way to save fuel and energy. The R-11 hybrid electric refueling truck is one answer.

 

The vehicle has a 6,000 gallon aviation fuel tank. It operates with a diesel engine, an electric motor and battery pack to optimize fuel efficiency.

 

"One of the reasons we're going toward hybrid electric technology is to advance the capability of the warfighter, reduce maintenance costs, reduce environmental impact and reduce our dependency on foreign energy sources."

 

Space Daily.

 

You could get to the slopes via diesel-electric hybrid, and re-fuel a squadron of F16's in the process.