Tap and Switch

The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, mentioned the possibility of extracting water and oxygen from air using wind turbines in a recent discussion with the CEO of global wind turbine giant Vestas. There have been some strong responses both for and against these statements. Let us take a look at both these processes. The point on water extraction has probably led to many people (including myself) finding out about the French company Eole’s wind turbine model named WMS1000 dating back to 2012. (Note: Eole is no longer in business as of 2020) This model used a refrigeration based system for dehumidification, involving a compressor and fans and some components to achieve the desired air flow into the dehumidification unit. The water extraction system was installed in the nacelle (same enclosure where other equipment such as gears, generator etc. of the turbine are installed) and the wind turbine itself provided power for that arrangement. Eole WMS1000 Youtube video The fact is th...

Electricity is used so widely because it can be used for transporting large amounts of energy at a high rate, and is easily converted into a number of common end uses such as mechanical movement, heat and light. However, at present, a major problem with electricity is that it cannot be stored economically. Thus, the generation of electricity has to be controlled and adjusted according to its end use rate. The power drawn by end users at a given time is known as the ‘demand’ on the system. ‘Demand’ refers to instantaneous requirement. As the name suggests, demand side management (DSM) involves controlling the demand created by the end users. What is the need of demand side management? The higher the demand, the higher is the amount of current required. The generation, transmission and distribution equipment have to be designed and sized according to the demand and this infrastructure has a maximum capacity which it can safely handle. An increase in demand thus puts strain on existing ...