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GREEN POWER MACHINE FAQ’S

 

1. What is the Green Power Machine?

   The Green Power Machine is an auto-thermic reformer using a catalyst that produces a hydrogen rich syngas from a wide spectrum of carbon based organic materials (i.e. biomass). The biomasses used are clean, local and renewable. The Green Power Machine does not use a combustion process that consumes a fuel. Instead the reformation process cracks out the hydrogen molecule from the fuel. Once the process is started, the process essentially does not use energy to produce energy. There is only a small amount of energy required to run the operating system, blowers, etc. A protocol (the process to prepare the biomass for reformation) is engineered for the biomass that is selected.

2. Do all biomasses need a protocol (process to prepare the biomass for reformation) before the biomass can be used with the Green Power Machine?

   No. Most raw byproducts such as oils (palm, coconut, corn, soy, etc.) can be used in the Green Power Machine without any special processing. Crude glycerin, a by-product of producing biodiesel and a by-product of processing many different types of oils (palm, coconut, corn, etc.) can be used in the reformer without processing. Note: Crude glycerin is not normally thought of as a fuel but with the Green Power Machine, it becomes a fuel. Further, crude glycerin is a waste in many places around the world. Crude glycerin can be diluted with water and used in the Green Power Machine.

3. How does the biomass become a fuel for the Green Power Machine?

   A protocol is engineered to determine the process and right mixture for the fuels. The fuel sneed to be blended together and then water added to produce the “feed fuel” for the reformation process in the Green Power Machine.

4. Can we use a local biomass that is not on the list of suggested biomass feedstock types?

   Yes. Global Biomass to Energy LLC can engineer the fuel protocol using your local biomass.

5. If the Green Power Machine produces a hydrogen rich snygas, how is electricity produced?

   The Green Power Machine is the missing link for many other technologies to use renewable biomass. The Green Power Machine is used with other equipment components such as but not limited to Stirling engines/generators, fuel cells, steam engines, etc. to produce electricity. In addition to the electricity produced, there is cogeneration of energy from the heat produced throughout the entire process.

6. Are Global Biomass to Energy Systems CHP Systems?

   Yes. CHP stands for combined heat and power (also called cogeneration). It is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat from the same fuel or energy. A typical cogeneration system consists of an engine, steam turbine, or combustion turbine that drives an electrical generator. A waste heat exchanger recovers the waste heat from the engine and/or exhaust gas to produce hot water or steam and when used with absorption chillers, to produce refrigeration and air conditioning.

   When the Green Power Machine is used by itself, it is a “quasi” cogeneration system in that it produces hydrogen and also uses the “waste” heat from the process. Both are used to produce hot water or steam. When the Green Power Machine is combined with other equipment components into a system, the Global Biomass to Energy Systems can actually be considered a tri-generation system or more. The Green Power Machine produces hydrogen that is burned to produce electrical power through the Stirling engine/generator, and heat energy is recovered from 1.) the auto thermal process when a fuel is reformed in the Green Power Machine, 2.) from the Stirling engine/generator and 3.) from the combustion exhaust gases from the Stirling engine/generator. The recovered heat energy from these three heat sources is then used to produce hot water or steam and when used with absorption chillers, to produce refrigeration and air conditioning. The object of the Global Biomass to Energy Systems is to use every available BTU produced in the system to its maximum effect.

7. What are some of the advantages of a CHP (Combined Heat & Power) system?

   Because cogeneration produces two usable energy sources from a single fuel, it operates more efficiently than other sources of energy. Consequently, it saves money. In fact, cogeneration turns up to 90% of the fuel burned into usable energy. That compares with just 52% of the fuel burned in most local power plants or in typical hot water heater. That difference in efficiency can save large sums of money.

   Returns on investment of capital range from 25 to 50% when cogeneration is properly applied to a facility – be it a home, commercial operation or an industry. Not only are economics involved in using cogeneration, but there are environment and conservational benefits too.

   A wide variety of commercial and industrial businesses are using cogeneration to cut costs to conserve energy and the improve the environment:

   • Municipalities use cogeneration to heat swimming pools and air conditioning associated with meeting and fitness centers.

   • Food processors use cogeneration to cook and pasteurize their products while generating electricity for their facility.

   • Fitness centers are a natural for cogeneration because of the hot water they use in spas, swimming pools and showers while generating electricity and air conditioning for their facility.

   • Wastewater treatment plants use cogeneration by burning a combination of biogas and natural gas to generate electricity and hot water.
     
     

8. Can the Green Power Machine hydrogen rich syngas be used in thermal applications?

   Yes. The Green Power Machine hydrogen rich syngas can be used in thermal applications where burning the syngas and using the heat from the reformation process itself produces heat. This heat can be used for process steam, hot water heating, space heating, and when used with absorption chillers, to produce refrigeration and air conditioning

9. How fast is the hydrogen syngas produced once the system is started?

   Approximately 5 minutes.

10. Can the hydrogen rich syngas be filtered to just hydrogen gas?

    Yes. Global Biomass to Energy has additional components available to add to the system to provide 99.999% hydrogen.

11. Is the hydrogen syngas or pure hydrogen stored in tanks?

    Typically No. (See next questions below.) Once the Green Power Machine is started, the hydrogen is continuously produced and is used as it is produced. This is very important aspect of the Green Power Machine process. One reason why hydrogen is not widely used is that it is extremely expensive to store and transport hydrogen. With the Green Power Machine, hydrogen snygas or hydrogen is used as it is produced.

12. Can the hydrogen be stored in tanks?

    Yes. Global Biomass to Energy can provide additional components in the system to compress the filtered hydrogen into tanks.

13. How many kilowatts are produced by the Global Biomass Mass to Energy Systems?

    This question would better be asked as…How much energy is produced in the Global Biomass to Energy Systems? Technically speaking, we do not produce any energy. However, we do convert (reform) your local biomasses and/or biomass by-products into an energy form that you may use. When you review the below example, you can see how the CHP portion of the system is just as important as the Kwh electricity produced.

    Please note that each system is custom engineered for the each application depending on the biomass being used and the amount of energy required for each application. An example is as follows:

    Green Power Machine Combined with a 44 kw Stirling Engine/Generator.

    A 44 kw Stirling Engine/Generator requires 600,000 BTU’s per hour. The low heating value for hydrogen is 290 BTU’s per minute and the high heating value for hydrogen is 343 BTU’s per cubic foot. For this example, 295 BTU’s per cubic foot will be used for hydrogen and the biomass based fuel is crude glycerin.

    600,000 BTU’s per hour required by the Stirling Engine/Generator divided by 295 BTU’s per cf of hydrogen.Note: Hydrogen is obtained by filtering the hydrogen rich syngas produced in the Green Power Machine..	2,034	cubic feet per hour of hydrogen required for the Stirling Engine/Generator.
    Gallons of Crude Glycerin required for reformation to produce 2,034 cubic feet per hour of hydrogen:	32.66 124.63	gallons liters of crude glycerin per hour
    32.66 gallons (124.63 liters) of glycerin/hour x 11 lbs. (5 kg) per gallon of crude glycerin x US0.015 (1.5¢) per pound of crude glycerin equals:	$5.39	Cost of crude glycerin per hour to produce 600,000 BTU’s per hour.
    44 Kwh Stirling Engine/Generator minus 3 kw for parasitic energy to operate the Green Power Machine sized for a 44 kw Stirling Engine/Generator:	41	Kwh net output
    Cost per Kwh using crude glycerin as the biomass based fuel, the Green Power Machine and a 44 kw Stirling Engine/Generator.	US$0.13	per Kwh
    (CHP) Recovered BTU’s from the heat produced during the reformation of the hydrogen rich syngas:	180,600PLUS	BTU’s cogeneration heat (CHP)
    (CHP) Recovered BTU’s from the heat produced from the Stirling Engine/Generator:	500,000	BTU’s cogeneration heat (CHP)

14. What is Distributed Generation?

    Distributed generation (also called distributed energy, on-site generation, dispersed generation, embedded generation, decentralized energy (DE). decentralized generation) generates electricity using distributed energy resources (DER) systems that are small-scale power generation technologies (typically in the range of 3 KW to 10,000 kW) used to provide alternative to or enhancement of the traditional electric power system. The electricity is used in the immediate area where it is produced.

    Currently, industrialized countries generate most of their electricity in large centralized facilities, such as fossil fuel (coal, gas powered) nuclear or hydropower plants. These plants have excellent economics of scale but the environment can be affected, the extension of the electrical grid to areas that do not have electrical power is expensive and the sprawling power grids, in which large power plants feed miles of power lines can lose one-third of the generated electricity before it reaches the

    customer.Distributed generation is another approach. It offers advantages that large-scale, capital-intensive, central-station power plants cannot provide. It avoids the transmission and distribution power losses because the electricity is generated very near where it is used, perhaps even in the same building. This also reduces the size and the number of power lines that must be constructed and is less costly to electrify remote areas than the traditional way of extending the electrical grid.

15. Can Licenses be purchased to manufacture the Green Power Machines in other countries other than the United States and sell the total Global Biomass to Energy Systems?

    Yes. We encourage the manufacturing of the Green Power Machines in each country that has a need for renewable energy. This creates jobs in those countries. Also, a local manufacturing company understands the laws and regulations for that country and can better support the Global Biomass to Energy Systems locally.

16. Can a manufacturer of fuel cells or Stirling Engines/Generators purchase the Green Power Machine to use with their fuel cell or Stirling Engine/Generator?

    Yes. We are happy to work with companies to adapt the Green Power Machine to their technology.

17. What are some common terms and acronyms used

    Term	Acronym	Definition
    Absorption Chillers	-	Absorption chillers use heat instead of mechanical energy to provide cooling. A thermal compressor consists of an absorber, a generator, a pump, and a throttling device, and replaces the mechanical vapor compressor.
    Captive Power	-	Term closely related to DE often used to describe on-site power. The term can imply either power only or cogeneration applications.
    Cogeneration	-	Term used interchangeable with “combined heat and power”. Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of both electricity and useful heat. Cogeneration can be on any scale from very large applications in refineries to tiny machine in individual homes.
    Combined Heat & Power	CHP	The simultaneous production of both electricity and useful heat. CHP can be on any scale from very large applications in refineries to tiny machine in individual homes CHP is one type of DE.
    Combined Cooling Heating & Power	CCHP	CCHP is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat and cooling (usually by a heat powered chiller). CCHP is one type of DE.
    Decentralized Energy	DE	Electricity production at or near the point of use, irrespective of size, technology or fuel used – both off-grid and on-grid. DE includes high efficiency cogeneration (CHP), on-site renewable energy, industrial energy recycling, and on-site power.
    Distributed Generation	DG	Often used interchangeably with DE although sometimes DG refers to power only whereas DE includes thermal energy and electrical power.
    Microgeneration	-	Very small scale applications of DE – usually at the scale of an individual home.
    Trigeneration	-	Term used interchangeably with CCHP. Trigeneration is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat and cooling.

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