“Use Wind Power not Corn for Ethanol Production --- Marine Resources Recovery with Wind Power and Plants at Sea” issued on December 25th, 2007, by Power Co. (written in Japanese) Authors
1) Masataka Murahara: Research professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology and a professor emeritus of Tokai University. specialty is laser photochemistry. Japan Society of Laser Technology. 2) Kazuichi Seki: Professor of Mingdao University, Taiwan, and a professor of Research Institute of Science and Technology of Tokai University (1991-2005). His specialty is wind turbine engineering. Energy Association. A chairperson of the Japan Wind His
A board member of trustees of the Laser Society of Japan and a trustee of the
The summary of the book
1) The seawater contains water most and sodium second. Therefore, the seawater is electrolyzed with the electric The sodium is
power generated by the wind power plant at sea to recover fresh water, sodium, and magnesium. made to use as a substituting power source for coal, oil, natural gas, uranium or plutonium.
At the thermoelectric
power station, the sodium reacts with water and produce hydrogen for hydrogen power generation. Fortunately, the sodium hydroxide, a by-product, is used as a raw material for the soda industry（Na+H2O=1/2H2+NaOH）. dream that the hydrogen power generation with sodium leads to escape from nuclear power generation. It is my
2) An electrolysis plant at sea is made to electrolyze seawater lying in with the electric power generated by the windmill or waterwheel installed on a ship (mega-float) or built offshore. Next, an alcohol plant at sea is made to
produce fuel alcohol and deep-sea water beer by alcoholic fermentation of vegetable fiber or grain being shipped with chemicals such as sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide and fresh water produced at the electrolysis plant. Using the
carbon dioxide produced at the alcohol plant, a vegetable plant at sea is made to grow vegetables by photosynthesis. A fish farm at sea is made to raise fish with the oxygen generated at the vegetable plant, reduce the low oxygen zone in the ocean, and control the occurrence of the red tide.
3) This conception of the multiple plants at sea is a proposal to make the world environmentally friendly and with no wars for resources, by decreasing energy loss in production, storage, and transportation to improve the efficiency of the entire system, preventing a collapse in prices for grain, and enabling supply of water, vegetables and fish, and energy or mineral resources. Unfortunately, oil and mineral resources are unevenly distributed, but seawater exists evenly in the world.
3)
Moreover, in exclusive economic zone (EEZ), hydrothermal deposit, manganese clast, or manganese nodule are mined to lift mineral resources of gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, cobalt, and manganese with the electric power generated by the windmill or waterwheel.
Note: 1~54 and 85~166 pages written by Masataka Murahara 55~84 pages written by Kazuichi Seki
Contents
Preface i
Chapter 1 Is corn a fuel or food? 1.1. 1.1. 1.2.
…………………………………………………………… 1 ………………………………………………. 1 ………………………………………………. 3 ………………………………………………. 6
The U.S.A. who gains an advantage over corn Japan of the world’s largest corn importing country Are you serous about having the car drink bourbon?
Chapter 2 Alternative energy for corn fuel from seawater [enormous resources hidden in sea] 2.1. Birth of earth, birth of seawater, and development of salt manufacturing technology Why is the earth said the planet of water? Why is salt contained in sea? Get salt from seawater 2.2.
…………. 9 …………10
………………………………………………10 ………………………………….11
Birth of seawater
………………………………………………12
Resources used up to now and resources considered not profitable ………………………………….13 Collecting method of resources in seawater Recovery of salt and desalination of seawater ………………………………………………13 ………………………………….16 ……………………..18
Recovery of metal from waste fluid after desalination of seawater 2.3. Rare metal buried in sea bed, being undeveloped
………………………………………………19 …………19
Metal resources and hydrothermal deposits buried in exclusive economic zone Does magma gush out to the mountain or to the bottom of the sea? How is manganese crust, the argosy of cobalt, formed? Birth of manganese nodule 2.4.
……………………..20
………………………………….22
………………………………………………22 ………………………………….23 ……………………..23
Deep-sea water of 200 m and more, rich in nutritive elements Difference between deep-sea water and general seawater New industry using deep-sea water
………………………………………………24
Chapter 3 3.1.
How to use natural resources obtained from seawater Let’s make Japan an exporting country of fresh water
………………………………… 26 ………………………………… 26
Evaporation method to pick fresh water from steam generated by heating seawater Freezing method to gather fresh water by warming frozen seawater ice Reverse osmosis method, the cheapest in manufacturing cost of fresh water Ion-exchange separation method to separate and collect salt efficiently 3.2. Thermal power plant where sodium is used for fuel
……. 27
………... 29 ………... 29 ………... 30
……………………………………………... 32 ………………………………… 32 ………………………………… 36
Japan’s power plant development and oil crisis Hydrogen that has energy 4.4 times as large as carbon Hydrogen power plant plan
…………………………………………….. 37
Sodium, water, and oxygen as energy sources for thermal power plant instead of nuclear power generation ……………………………………………………..….. 38
Lessons that “Monju”, the fast breeder reactor, gives in the sodium leakage accident …… 39 Making hydrogen from sodium 3.3. …………………………………………….. 40 ……………………. 42
Use the waste of the power plant as a raw material for the soda industry Why is caustic soda needed? Uses of caustic soda
…………………………………………….. 42 …………………………………………….. 43 …………………………………………….. 45 …………………………………………….. 45 …………………………………………….. 46 …………………………………………….. 48 …………………………………………….. 51 …………………………………………….. 51 ………………………………… 52
3.4.
Metallic magnesium and light alloy duralumin Uses of metallic magnesium Magnesium played with a checkered life Proper use of magnesium and sodium
3.5.
Manufacturing sulfuric acid without using sulfur Why is sulfuric acid necessary?
Sulfuric acid manufacturing method, past and future
Chapter 4
Resource recovery energy is renewable energy that does not count on petroleum [wind and current power generations] ………………………………… 54 ………………………………………………55 ………………………………… 55 …... 56
4.1.
Wind power generation plant at sea
Wind power generation directed from land to sea 4.1.1.
Present situation and future of the construction of wind power generation plants at sea The road that European countries of the advanced nations in wind power generation walked through
…………………………………………….. 56 ……………………. 57 ………. 59
Output goals of the wind power generations of European countries 4.1.2.
Construction technology and current issues of wind power generation plants at sea Construction sites?
…………………………………………….. 59 ………………………………… 60
Power plant to be built at harbor or along the shore Power plant to be built on shallows Power plant to be built offshore
…………………………………………….. 60 …………………………………………….. 61
4.1.3.
Japan’s wind energy abundance at sea and the feasibility Offshore wind power is ten times as strong as land’s
………………………………… 61 ………………………………… 61
Area available for offshore wind power, and the estimates of the number of windmills and the gross generation …………………………………………….. 62 ………63
Advantages of wind power generation at sea and problems that need to be solved Matters that need urgent solutions
…………………………………………….. 64 ……………………. 66
Problems and solutions after establishing windmills on land
Adoption of the vertical axis turbines (Giromill type), problems that need to be solved, and solutions 4.2. Current and tide power plants …………………………………………….. 68 …………………………………………….. 71 ……………………. 71
The Kuroshio current that generates enormous electric power 4.2.1. Present situation and future of current power generation
………………………………… 71 ………... 71 …………72
Water current power that generates energy 854 times as large as wind power Enactment of the Basic Act on Ocean Policy and exclusive economic zone 4.2.2. Introduction technology and problems of current power generation Current power generation system
…………………….. 73
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Research and development of current power generation system home and foreign Horizontal axis current turbine or vertical axis water current turbine for current power generation 4.2.3. Current energy abundance and power generation
………………………………………………75 ………………………………….77 ……………………..77
Current flow and energy abundance in exclusive economic zone 4.2.4. Practical application of vertical axis water current turbine and recovery of water current energy
………………………………………………79 ………………………………….79
Characteristics of vertical axis water current turbine
Vertical axis water current turbine that is advantageous to recovery of water current energy 4.2.5. ………………………………………………79 ………………………………….80
Current speed and waves condition in the sea near Japan Oceanic environmental condition Current and waves conditions in the open sea Current and waves conditions inside the bay
………………………………………………80 ………………………………….81 ………………………………….81 ……………………..82
4.2.6.
Installation place and structure of current power generation plant Proper depth of the sea for installation of watermills Support structure model of water current turbine
………………………………….82 ………………………………….83 ………………………………….85 ……………………..85 ………………………………….86
4.3.
Wind power generation plants at sea not in progress in Japan Findings of National Institute of Environmental Studies Findings of National Maritime Research Institute
Findings of Tokyo University and Tokyo Electric Power Company 4.4. Ocean thermal-energy conversion plant
……………………..87
………………………………………………88
Thermal-energy conversion plant of deep-sea water and surface-layer water of the sea …...88 Thermionic power generation by thermal difference of sunlight and seawater Thermionic power generation by thermal difference of solar water heater and seawater ……………………………………………………………..…………90 …………89
Highly efficient thermionic power generation by replacing the circulating water with oil in the heater ………………………………………………92
Chapter 5
Develop industries at sea with renewable energies [ocean factory complex operated by wind power] ………………………………….94 ………………………………….95 ………………………………….95
5.1.
Floating kombinat:
Ocean factory complex
Cooperation of the floating manufacturing plants 5.2.
Products and manufacturing method of the floating electrolysis plant (in the process of sodium production, following by-products are made: Cl2, O2, HCl, NaOH, and H2SO4) Characteristics of the floating electrolysis plant Produce sodium via caustic soda from seawater Produce sodium directly from seawater Water, Mg, Ca, H2,
…………...……………..………99 ………………………………….99 …………………………………100 …………………………………103 …………………….105
Produce sodium with salt that is made by boiling seawater down 5.3.
Deep-sea water beer and methylated spirit to be produced at the floating ethanol factory (using the caustic soda and sulfuric acid produced at the floating electrolysis plant) Why producing ethanol at sea? ………..107
…………………………………107 …………………….108
Produce beer with 4% alcoholicity using freshed deep-sea water
Produce methylated spirit with 100% alcoholicity using freshed surface-layer water of the sea ……………………………………………..109
Floating ethanol factory that makes both drinking and fuel products …………………….110 Production of oxalic acid that decalcifies the seawater before reverse osmosis film penetration treatment 5.4. Floating vegetable plant (to grow vegetables by photosynthesis, using the carbon dioxide produced at the floating ethanol factory, the fresh water produced at the floating electrolysis plant, and artificial light) …....113 Why does Japan need a vegetable factory? The vegetable plant controlled by a computer Setup of the floating vegetable plant 5.5. Floating fish farm …………………………………113 …………………………………117 …………………………………117 ……………………………………………..112
(using the oxygen generated at the floating vegetable plant) Why does Japan need fish breeding? Oxygen that prevents occurrence of the red tide Setup of the floating fish farm 5.6.
……………………….………..120 …………………………………120 …………………………………126 …………………………………128 ………..130
Submarine resources drilling by wind and the Kuroshio Current power generations How is offshore development made possible?
…………………………………130 …………………….131 …………………….133
Submarine hydrothermal deposits in urgent for development Meaning of manganese crust that is a treasure house of cobalt Manganese nodule whose mining area in the public sea is fought for by the leading nations 5.7.
……………………………………………..133 …………………….135 ………..135
Scale and capacity of the mega-float, the ocean factory complex
Driving force of the mega-float, that is renewable energy power generation Possible reserve collected from seawater and recovery process Estimates of electric power required at the electrolysis plant
…………………….137 …………………….140
Chapter 6 6.1.
Dreams while traveling:
“I will build an ocean factory here”
…………………….145 ………..145 …………………….145 ………………………………147
A glimpse of the sun risen above the horizon and the restaurant in Stockholm Scandinavia in winter that needs an artificial sun A vegetable factory for Scandinavia
6.2.
Windmill at the monastery and the long-drawn-out fields of soybean, sunflower, corn, and wheat in North Dakota Hurricane and windmill ……………………………………………..148 ……………………………………………..148 ………..149
Windmills working even in the leisure season for farmers, not wasting time 6.3. The India Ocean route longed for long, and a sailing and open sea factory Recall of my young days A trading ship, a sailing and open sea factory 6.4.
…………………….152
……………………………………………..152 …………………………………153
Ex-president of a laser company who challenges to cultivate asparagus in Iki Island: why not reaching for aluminum refining Raising asparagus Plan for a vegetable factory Aluminum, gourmand of electric power ……………………………………………..155 ……………………………………………..155 ……………………………………………..157 ……………………………………………..158 …………………………………161
Aluminum refining factory using the wind power
Postscript References
………………………………………………………….163 ………………………………………………………….167
6.1
A Glimpse of the Sun Risen above Horizon and the Restaurant in Stockholm
(145-147 pages)
Scandinavia in winter that needs an artificial sun The restaurant of the classy hotel in front of the Stockholm Central Station, which was crowded with people on Christmas holidays. central table. A long queue was made as soon as a waiter brought a stainless steel bowl and put it on the I would go
It was lettuce, lettuce, and lettuce on the plates of the guests who returned to their tables.
and get lettuce later; however, the waiters never brought in another bowl of lettuce again. At the Stadshuset (Stockholm City Hall) where the Nobel award ceremony was just held a several days ago (December 10th). When I saw the city hall from the courtyard, I was very surprised with my long silhouette. It
was still noon, and the length of my shadow was more than 10 m. A several hours of sunlight. eating green vegetables? shelf but expensive.
The sun was out, but it was like in the evening. Are people in Sweden
With such a short sunlight hours, vegetable does not grow.
I went to the supermarket in order to confirm it.
Lettuce, cucumber, and leek were on the
Except sunny lettuce (one bundle for 24.9 SEK), everything was imported.
And, I went outside. Very cold outside. I returned to the hotel to have a sauna, but the sauna was turned on from 18:00pm to 22:00pm for saving electricity. Next to the sauna, there was a sun tanning machine, which is a Northern Europe seems not to benefit from the sun in winter.
solar capsule with a window to stick your head out. Last night’s lettuce.
How lucky you were if you had valuable lettuce in this country! Then, it occurred to me; I
WILL present a vegetable factory to the people in Sweden! As previously mentioned, Northern Europe has extremely short sunlight hours in winter, and the vegetables do not grow up. Photovoltaic power generation, needless-to-say, cannot be done; therefore, they heavily depend on oil, and nuclear power generation is indispensable. maintaining the post-nuclear policy. The Swedish government recently adopted the post-oil policy,
Promoting the use of the forests, they grow crops in cultivated and uncultivated
lands for fuel by biomass or power generation. Sweden is the country with rich energy resources of water and forests but with little of sunlight. There, however, is a wind. The island of Gotland and its vicinity in the Baltic
Sea between Sweden and Finland are abundant in wind. It is heard that the limited express trains of Swedish National Railways have been run by the electric power generated by the windmill on this island.
A Vegetable Factory for Scandinavian Because the Baltic coast is comparatively shallow to a considerable distance from the shore, I believe that the integrated factory should be built at the bottom of the sea instead of being built on a mega-float. Then, fresh water,
sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, caustic soda, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen, and oxygen are produced from the surface seawater pumped up at the electrolysis factory; the fresh water is electrolyzed to produce hydrogen, which is pipelined to the thermal power plant on the shore. the fresh water to produce hydrogen for power generation. On the other hand, the vegetable fibers of biomass such as timber, branch, and weeds produced on the land are The sodium is also made to react with
treated with sulfuric acid and fermented to distill bioethanol.
Vegetable are cultivated day and night by
photosynthesis of the carbon dioxide generated by the alcohol fermentation and the light emitting diode or fluorescent lamp light generated by the wind power. The oxygen generated by the photosynthesis is supplied to a
fish preserve or a man-made fishing reef for raising fish, and also dissolved to the sea with decreased density of oxygen for controlling the forming of crown-of-thorns starfish and red tide. In this manner, I would like to build a complex that has the electrolysis factory, the ethanol factory, the vegetable factory, and the fish-farming factory being operated by the wind power and seawater in order to present the Scandinavian winter with light, warmth, vegetables, and fish.