THE CHENA POWER CLEAN BIOMASS POWER PLANT

Organic Rankine Cycle Electric Power System for Biomass Applications using Revolutionary Turbine Technology

This image demonstrates the principal behind our design. This configuration, along with the innovative turbine design (see below), allows for a drastic increase in efficiency from ~8% to a jaw dropping ~20%.

The project objectives are to generate a zero emissions sustainable source of electricity for the local electric utility by burning cardboard, paper, and woody biomass.  The power, heat, and CO2 from the biomass hot oil heater and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbines will support greenhouses where produce  will be grown.

This is a schematic of the high speed direct drive turbine. This turbine assembly creates a magnetic field that suspends the turbine in mid-air. This reduces all wear on the moving parts, contributing to a longer usable life.

In 2010, Chena Power, LLC with funding from the Alaska Energy Authority began the installation of a 500kW biomass power plant near Fairbanks, Alaska. When complete, this power plant will operate by burning pelletized paper and cardboard collected from Fort Wainwright Army Post, the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, and several other locations around Fairbanks. The emissions from this power plant will be used to heat and provide carbon dioxide to greenhouses that will eventually grow produce for the local market. Chena Power’s ultimate goal is to expand the power plant to 2.5mW gross power production and operate off of paper, cardboard, and other wood that is currently not being recycled.  This is a schematic of our topping and bottoming cycle, our plate heat exchangers, and piping.

This project will provide nearly zero emission power to the local economy and help reduce the cost of the electricity to the market.  This project will also help reduce the local use of coal and diesel as the primary sources of electricity in Fairbanks, Alaska.  Through the combustion of paper and cardboard this project will also reduce the amount of material that currently goes into the landfill.  With the addition of the collocated greenhouses, the project will eventually supply produce to the local market as well. 

Actual photo of revolutionary turbine design.

It should be noted that this is a demonstration project and as such it will be making use of revolutionary high speed direct drive turbines that operate inside of magnetic fields. The magnetic fields suspend the turbines in mid-air, thus friction is significantly reduced on moving parts. Once this technology is proven, it will revolutionize renewable energy production by dramatically increasing the efficiency of the Organic Rankine Cycle generator design. 

 Actual photo of generator assembly.

United Technologies Research Center, Pratt & Whitney Power Systems, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Fort Wainwright are all contributing to the success of this pioneering project.