Advanced Energy Research at the University of Virginia

Dr. Phil Parrish, Associate Vice President for Research(parrish@virginia.edu)

Governor’s Conference on EnergyOctober 14, 2010

UVA Research in Energy• “Grand Challenges” approach: examples –

– R&D on alternative energy sources• Off‐shore wind; new liquid fuels for energy storage; integrated solar and battery storage demonstration

– R&D on reducing energy consumption in systems which are major users of energy

• Homes, buildings, data centers

• New and existing building stock

Technologies for a Low-Cost High-Efficiency Off-Shore Wind Energy Demonstrator

Key Technologies:• Nano-composite Coatings for Turbine Blades • Morphing Segmented Wind Turbine Concept• Fluid Power Energy Storage for Increased Capacity

Prof. Eric LothMechanical and Aerospace Engineering

University of Virginia

University ofIllinois

DOE National RenewableEnergy Laboratory

Performance in Coastal Environment– Zinc Oxides nano‐particle protects against UV 

– Polymer binder reduces water and ice adhesion

– Coating resistant to organic and acidic liquids

Lotus Leaf (Naturally Super-Hydrophobic) Nano-particle Coating

Micro/Nano Surface

Nano-Composite Coatings for Turbine Blades

Lotus Leaf Micro/Nano Surface

– Blades deflect/twist aero‐elastically at high winds (rather than current stiff designs)

– Downstream ‐ blades allow high deformation ‐ ideal for floating turbine concepts and extreme‐scale turbines (10 MW) 

– Segmented blades to dramatically reduce construction, manufacturing and maintenance costs (by 30% or more)

Morphing Segmented Wind Turbines

Conventionalturbine

Morphingturbine

Segmentedblades

Fluid Power Energy Storage for Turbines

Electricity generator on platform (vs. tower) to ease access and sized for uniform (vs. oscillating) power

High Pressure Accumulator (water and air) partially submerged to serve as platform and ballast; floating platform can be tugged to site and cable moored

Wind energy converted into fluid power: compact, efficient, can run at large speed range & environmentally friendly (similar to hybrid engines for cars)

Up to 35 MPa Air

Wind

Up to 35 MPa Sea Water

Electric generator and transmission lines sized for uniform power (vs. peak power) to increase overall capacity by 100%!

DOE Energy Frontiers Research Center: Catalysis for Hydrocarbon

Functionalization

T. Brent Gunnoe (Director, University of Virginia)

Robert Bergman (University of California at Berkeley)Robert Crabtree (Yale University)Tom Cundari (University of North Texas, CASCaM)William Goddard (California Institute of Technology)Jay Groves (Princeton University)Victor Lin (Iowa State University, Ames Laboratory)Tom Meyer (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)Roy Periana (The Scripps Research Institute)Andrei Vedernikov (University of Maryland)

Ė = N · (GDP/N) · (Ė/GDP)

Ė = world energy consumption rate

N is population (9.4 billion)

GDP/N is per capita GDPGDP/N = 2.3% per yr

$7,5002001 to $15,0002050

Ė/GDP is energy intensity (energy consumed per unit of GDP)

Ė/GDP = –0.8% per yr0.29 W/($/yr)2001 to 0.20 W/($/yr)2050

therefore Ė will grow on average:2.3%/yr – 0.8%/yr = 1.5%/yr

gas (2.70)

coal (2.96)biomass (1.21)

nuclear (0.83)hydro (0.29)

renewable (0.29)

oil (4.52)

Lewis (Caltech) and Nocera (MIT) PNAS Perspective, 2006

Global Energy Inventory

Conversion of Solar Energy to Useable Energy

Use of solar energy ... four primary needs:

1) Capture light

2) Convert light to "other" energy

3) Store and transport the energy – liquid fuels compatible with existing energy infrastructure

4) Controlled release (useable energy storage)

Methane to Liquid?

Currently:

CH4 CO + H2 Methanol (CH3OH)

Capital and energy intensive Requires new catalysttechnologies

Future:

CH4 + air Methanol (CH3OH)

Long Term:

H2 + CO2 Methanol Solar

Nuclear

Occupant‐oriented HVAC:Wireless Sensing and Control

ThermostatSensors

SetpointTemperature

Kamin Whitehouse, Computer ScienceAnselmo Canfora, ArchitectureStephanie Guerlain, Systems Eng

Hossein Haj‐Hariri, Mechanical EngJack Stankovic, Computer ScienceAndrea Larson, Darden Business

ThermostatSensors

Occupant‐oriented HVAC

Occupant‐oriented HVAC– Can save 28% of energy with $25 in hardware

• The “Smart Thermostat” (SenSys ‘10)Scheduled

Reactive

Smart

Occupant‐oriented HVAC

• “Smart Zoning”– Can save an 20% of energyeven when building is occupied Downstairs

Zone1Zone 2

Zone 4

Zone 3Zone 3

Zone 3Zone 5

UVA Grounds as an Advanced Energy Lab• Smart micro‐grid

o Administration interest in energy savings and carbon footprint reduction for UVA

o Research in software architecture to accommodate cybersecurity – large DoD contract on cybersecurity is providing important approaches

o Research into issues with respect to integration of alternative energy systems

• Sensing and control of energy usage in buildingso Occupancy‐based sensing and control

o Demonstrations of energy savings