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How many solar panels or wind turbines would it take to power an EMU?

Discussion in 'Diesel & Electric Traction' started by SilentHunter86, Jun 17, 2017.

  1. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    no a way to harness all the air, hot or otherwise , that's being generated
     
  2. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    How does this unit move on a dark windless evening :p
     
  3. staffordian

    staffordian Well-Known Member

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    Keep up at the back!

    Once it rolls down the slope away from the platform, the turbine starts running, generating the power.

    :)
     
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  4. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    or if on the flat, the unit uses 3rd rail to spin up the turbine ,or batteries that in turn are then re charged by the power generated see, resistance is futile :)
     
  5. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Sadly, I think resistance may be the subtle flaw we have all forgotten ...

    Ohm
     
  6. estwdjhn

    estwdjhn Member

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    I believe, rather than bother with complicated mods to the internals of the class 47, an alternative arrangement, to make a class 47 move a four car EMU is in the form of a three link or screw coupling - a comparatively recent invention, that only predates both items by around 100 years...
     
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  7. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    This can only end with mankind being sucked into a rip in the space/time continuum....
     
  8. seawright

    seawright New Member

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    I take it that Dr Who has made it to Oz.
     
  9. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    You could also do the same with a class 47 + kettle; it'd save on those long, complicated and expensive boiler overhauls... ;)
     
  10. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Overkill just for a cup of tea, isn't it?

    Tom
     
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  11. Grashopper

    Grashopper Member

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    #A colleagues fag-packet calculation in the Selhurst depot technical office some years ago, recconed that if the BML had solar panels in the 4ft from London to Brighton, then that would generate enough power to run 1 unit at line speed over that distance.
     
  12. guycarr360

    guycarr360 Part of the furniture

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    Need a wind farm like this one Martin :-

    http://www.solaripedia.com/13/160/san_gorgonio_wind_farm_produces_893_gwh.html

    Unbelievable sight.
     
  13. andrewshimmin

    andrewshimmin Well-Known Member

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    This may be tangential, but of course many electrified railways have been and are powered by hydroelectric generation, including Norway, Germany, etc. This is renewable and fossil-fuel free although not zero carbon.
    There are countries which have operated for a short time (I.e. a day or so) on only renewable energy, including Portugal and Costa Rica. The former has electric railways which must therefore have been green powered: the latter did have electric trains, but took the wires down a while back.
     
  14. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    That's why they have things like this;
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station
     
  15. 45045

    45045 New Member

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    This only has a limited supply of water and was designed to cover high demand like mornings and evenings, pumping back water overnight when the sun is not so bright over UK.
    They actually use diesel generators and gas turbines (with no heat recovery as this takes too many hours to heat up, like a steam engine boiler). This is the crazy thing about solar and wind energy, they do cause carbon dioxide emissions and depending on the weather can be higher than an efficient gas turbine (with heat recovery and steam turbine). There has been a significant increase in small diesel engine generators spread across the country.
     
  16. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Yes, but its not the only one. The point is more that you would not just rely on wind turbines or solar energy, rather look to a mix of supplies to provide reliable power.
     
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  17. Eightpot

    Eightpot Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    We had the HS2 Roadshow here a few years ago. I posed the question that with regular power stations being shut down, as to where they were going to get the electricity to power their trains from. Answer - "Not our problem."
     
  18. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    So, when the train glides to a halt, due to nothing to power it, what happens then? to my way of thinking, power generation should be duel mode, from a land supply, for boost and self generated, from with in the unit its self, either by kinetic energy, ie using its own momentum, or by stored energy, or both, can modern materials be given solar absorbing coatings, or be made from lightweight composites, can turbine technology be miniaturized so it can be incorporated into a railway vehicle, without impacting on its passenger accommodation, or by having duel mode locomotives, that can run on any line, either with ac, or DC , Overhead, or third rail but also is not completely tied to an outside source to generate the power it needs either by having battery or a small diesel engine to wind up a set of turbines .
     
  19. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    diesel engine to drive turbines?
    Sorry don't understand that idea.
     
  20. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    Isn't that how they work?
     

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