A fascinating invention is being tested here in our little village.

by Gregor 17 Replies latest social current

• 

  Gregor

  It is a beautifully simple machine that produces electricity from moving water.

  We live on the Columbia River 3 miles above the huge Bonneville Dam hydro-electric installation.

  We have an abandoned lock that was built about one hundred years ago to lift river traffic around the rapids formed thousands of years ago when the naturally formed Bridge of the Gods collapsed. The river now flows through it next to Thunder Island.

  Recently, an experimental device called the "Eco-Auger" was lowered into the locks current to begin tests of the Beta model. It is about the size of a small school bus. It produces enough electricity to power 50 homes.

  I live a 5 minute walk to the testing site and have met the inventor and his crew. It is a beautiful thing to watch.

  google "Eco-Auger" to see it.
• 

  PhilJonesIII

  A variation on the Archimedes screw and a seriously good idea. JCB, the company that makes those mechanical diggers, employs one at their Academy in Rocester in England. The advantage is that you dont need to build a dam to deploy them.
• 

  Simon

  With a combination of conservation and alternative energy sources we should be able to dramatically cut emissions.

  I think the river / tidal sources are more limited than solar and wind power though although there's never going to be a single replacement for fossil fuels - it will be a combination of sources that contribute what they can.
• 

  Oubliette

  Eco Auger
• 

  Gregor

  The auger does not turn a generator. It powers an hydraulic pump that pumps down hydraulic fluid. This fluid that is under pressure is piped to a generating station out of the water. The highly pressurized hydro fluid then turns a very efficient turbine generator.

  Mr. McNamara spent almost an hour with us explaining the system. They brought the test machine out of the water today because our area is under a blizzard warning for the next two days.

  The hydraulic generator is housed in a little building about the size of a coffee drive up shack. It produces 2+ kW. That is a lot of juice.

  It can operate in tidal currents because the auger turns in either direction.
• 

  Gregor

  As you can see from the various awards and recognition of the device, it is not intended to be a major source of grid power. But it could be life changing for small communities and villages in third world areas that are situated near rivers or tidal areas. The benefits to these millions poor people are unbelievable.
• 

  LogCon

  Interesting product. Correction is in order. Nothing man does benefits the environment. All man can do is try to diminish his impact on the environment. The only thing mankind can do to benefit the environment is disappear from the face of the earth.
• 

  sowhatnow

  WOW I love it when something like this is created, now all we have to do is get it in use!
• 

  Gregor

  The only thing mankind can do to benefit the environment is disappear from the face of the earth.

  You sound a little pessimistic, Mr Sunshine!
• 

  Caedes

  Interesting device, the only way we are going to meet future power needs is to use a variety of different technologies. I'm involved in some tidal power generation projects and it isn't easy to achieve reliable power generation.