The Sky's the Limit

Abstract

This article discusses building a prototype of an atmospheric vortex engine (AVE) to increase the thermodynamic efficiency of a thermal plant. An AVE would look like a natural draft cooling tower with a controlled vortex emerging from its open top. An AVE tower could have a diameter of 300 feet and stand 10 to 20 stories tall. To fully demonstrate the AVE concept, however, it is likely necessary to build and test a prototype at an existing thermal power plant. Building the prototypes at existing thermal power plants would be advantageous because of the availability of a controlled heat source of relatively high temperature. Possessing some 20% or 30% of the capacity of the existing cooling tower, the prototype would be able to accept a fraction of the waste heat from the plant. A small gas-fired power plant in a rural location with a dry cooling tower would be a good candidate site for an AVE prototype, since it could be developed without risk to existing plant operation.