MICROPOWER ELECTROSTATIC GENERATOR MEG

Nowadays, micro power generators that harvest vibration

energy and can become power sources for wireless sensors and
portable applications are drawing much attention [1-3]. There
are three common mechanisms: piezoelectric, electromagnetic,
and electrostatic, each of which has various examples reported
in literature. The problem that each approach must address is
that low frequency vibration such as human motion is only
sufficient to generate an extremely low output of power. To
overcome

this

difficult

challenge,

we

developed

new

electrostatic micro power generator that 1) can enable both

separation gap control and long-range movement at low
frequency, and 2) can increase the number of times power
generation (electrostatic induction) is done. To achieve these
we developed the following technologies: 1) a micro power
generator consisting of microball bearings to roll with the
separation gap control and to firmly keep the separation gap
(Microactuator using microball bearing has been reported [4]),
and

2)

new

miniaturization.

electret

structure

to

accommodate

Magnox
Magnox is a now-obsolete type of nuclear power reactor,
which was designed in the United Kingdom and was exported to
other countries, both as a power plant and, when operated
accordingly, as a producer of plutonium for nuclear weapons.
The

name magnox comes

from

the magnesium-

aluminiumalloy used to clad the fuel rods inside the reactor.

Magnox

reactors

dioxide cooled, graphite

are

pressurised, carbon

moderated reactors

using natural

uranium (i.e., unenriched) as fuel and magnox alloy as fuel

cladding. Boron-steel control rods were used. The design was
continuously refined, and very few units are identical. Early
reactors

have

steel

pressure

vessels,

while

later

units

(Oldbury and Wylfa) are of prestressed concrete; some are

cylindrical in design, but most are spherical. Working pressure
varies from 6.9 to 19.35 bar for the steel pressure vessels, and
the two prestressed concrete designs operated at 24.8 and 27
bar. No British construction company at the time was large
enough to build all the power stations, so various competing
consortia were involved, adding to the differences between the
stations; for example nearly every power station used a
different design of Magnox fuel element

BIOMASS FUELED POWER PLANT

A new generation of small scale (less than 20 MWe) biomass
fueled, power plants are being developed based on a gas
turbine (Brayton cycle) prime mover. These power plants are
expected to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of
generating power from fuels such as wood. The new power
plants are also expected to economically utilize annual plant
growth materials (such as rice hulls, cotton gin trash, nut shells,
and various straws, grasses, and animal manures) that are not
normally considered as fuel for power plants.
This paper summarizes the new power generation concept with
emphasis on the engineering challenges presented by the gas
turbine component. The major reasons for consideration of the
biomass power option are: (1) disposal of biomass residues
combined with the production of electricity and heat, (2) power
production from abundant indigenous biomass resources, (3)
power for remote locations rich in biomass resources, and (4) it
is a renewable energy option. This option has been chosen for
many applications. In the U.S. there is an estimated 6000 MWe
of wood-based generating capacity that is dispatchable (Neos
Corporation, 1992). The amount of power that could be
generated from biomass resources is much greater, especially
considering the
worldwide market. But to effectively capture this underutilized
renewable resource requires a new generation of biomass
power plants