Worldview Magazine - Winter 2007 - (Page 27)
O heat water conserves local plant life and reduces the long hours women and girls spend collecting combustibles. Our research converged on solar parabolic reflectors as a relatively cheap way to collect and concentrate sunlight. After several iterations of prototypes and a few field trials in Lesotho, we solved most of the technical problems of building a two-axis tracking collector that was sturdy, simple to build, a weather-resistant design offering good optical and thermal efficiency. We achieved concentrated sunlight and made heat; next, we wanted to produce electricity from the heat in an engine. ere were two choices: the more efficient Stirling engines or the simpler and cheaper organic Rankine cycle engine. In the Rankine, hermetically sealed organic fluid is pumped from the atmosphere to the solar array and vaporized to drive a turbine and produce electricity before the fluid is condensed again by the cold source. ink of it as an air conditioner run backwards: instead of putting in electricity and getting a hot side out your window and a cold side in your house, you start with a hot side and a cold side and get electricity out of the box. However, purpose-built fluid machinery for a small-scale organic Rankine cycle is neither commonly available nor cheap. We tested automotive and air-conditioning components as the feed pump and turbo-generator. We also recovered much of the wasted energy from the engine to make hot water. In their annual Development Marketplace competition in Washington, D.C., the World Bank gave us a $130,000 grant to try it. We founded the non-profit Solar Turbine Group and four of us went to work in Lesotho for a year. ur colleagues were four Basotho who had technician certificates or diplomas in mechanical engineering from local skills centers or South African Technikons. Eight of us discussed what we knew of the theory and design, discussed the practical applications, built a machine shop deep in the mountains, and started constructing solar-organic Master of New Professional Studies: Peace Operations Study theory and practice of peace operations, international civilian police operations, nongovernmental organizations, elections, refugees/internally displaced persons, governance, and culture with world-renowned scholars and practitioners at one of the nation’s leading schools of Public Policy. Join us in an environment that encourages discussion and nourishes ideas. Our program is small enough to offer you an individual experience and large enough to be distinguished! • 39-credit hours—night classes • Affordable costs • Conveniently located in Arlington, Virginia • Accepting applications for fall 2007 To find out more, please contact: Dr. Allison Frendak-Blume afrendak@gmu.edu or 703-993-4983 Master’s Program in TRACKS INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS National Security International Economics & Development http://bush.tamu.edu 979.862.3476 admissions@bushschool.tamu.edu CONCENTRATIONS American Diplomacy in World Affairs Defense Policy & Military Affairs Intelligence as an Instrument of Statecraft International Politics Regional Studies Transfer Pricing International Economics International Economics & Development Individually Designed Concentrations GRADUATE PROGRAMS Master of Public Service and Administration Master’s Program in International Affairs Certificate in Homeland Security Certificate in Advanced International Affairs Certificate in Nonprofit Management TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY Return Peace Corps Volunteers will be given special consideration for financial aid. WorldView 27
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Worldview Magazine - Winter 2007
Worldview Magazine - Winter 2007
Contents
President's Note
Lafayette Park
Note to Readers
Commentary
Letter from India
Commentary
Letter from Botswana
Letter from Ha Teboho
Letter from Jumbi Valley
Letter from Mununga
Letter from Medellin
Giving Back
Community News
Worldview Magazine - Winter 2007
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