13 replies to this topic

[still learning]

Water: We need it, ever more of it.  Takes energy to get it where we need it.

In past times, we were mostly concerned with the building cost, the capital cost, of the dams or wells or aqueducts or reservoirs needed to bring us more.  Has always taken energy to run water systems, but when the available hydroelectric energy wasn't enough, just burn some fossil fuel to make up the difference.  Now we've realized that burning ever more fossil fuel isn't such a good idea.  The "energy Intensity" of our water has become important.

Article here: http://www.earthmaga...nstrained-world

(ran across link to the article at EurekAlert   )

[E3 wise]

Excellent post thank you.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Image won't post...sorry.

[Besoeker]

still learning, on 04 July 2013 - 07:01 AM, said:

Water: We need it, ever more of it.  Takes energy to get it where we need it.

It does. Quite a lot of it. We have provided electrical equipment for a good many pumping stations in UK. It's not unusual for the installed capacity  to be a few thousand kilowatts. A colleague and I went to one a week or two back. Six pump sets. Of the six, we had been asked to look at one - reportedly making "funny" noises. And no, not the kind that would make the comedy show circuit.

Slightly more seriously, it was a unit rated at 1,100kW. We supplied both the variable speed drive system and the motor. Variable speed to control flow and/or pressure.
Typically, such systems can save about 30% compared to fixed speed with valves regulating flow.
In this case maybe 300kW. That's over 500 times the rate that the average UK household uses electricity.
Based on the BWEA figure of 4,700 kWh per year.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

The issue with water isn't just for electricity though. If it were, we'd be ok. But it's vital for production of everything-
clothing, food, cleanliness............soup to nuts, as it were.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Speaking of food-
Saudi Arabia has been greening their deserts to grow wheat. Short sighted? You bet. 4/5 th's of the water has
already been pumped out of the aquifer.
Now that most of the water is gone, they're stopping the practice by 2016.
Source

[Besoeker]

*

Shortpoet-GTD, on 05 July 2013 - 03:41 AM, said:

The issue with water isn't just for electricity though. If it were, we'd be ok. But it's vital for production of everything-
clothing, food, cleanliness............soup to nuts, as it were.

The OP was about energy (which is usually electricity) to transport water rather than water for electricity.

But, yes, water is used in manufacturing plants and processes.. Papermaking, for example, uses huge amounts of water. The basic process is fairly simple*. Cellulose fibre is mixed with a lot of water, formed into a continuous sheet, and the has the water sucked out of it buy vacuum, by pressing it against felts, wrapped round steam heated rollers and reeled up at the end. Importantly, the water so extracted is recycled.

The actual implementation of the process is maybe just a tad more complex.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Maybe the issues of water will finally hit home when beer drinkers can't toss back a few.

[still learning]

Besoeker, on 04 July 2013 - 08:54 PM, said:

....Typically, such systems can save about 30% compared to fixed speed with valves regulating flow....

Wonder if the "Big Lift" that supplies some of Southern California's water could use your help?  http://mavensphotobl...s-at-edmonston/

[still learning]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 05 July 2013 - 03:18 PM, said:

Maybe the issues of water will finally hit home when beer drinkers can't toss back a few.

That would've been a major hardship for me some years ago.  Would still be a small hardship.

In the late '70's, in the third consecutive really dry year, we had the saying "let the yellow mellow but flush the brown down."

[Besoeker]

still learning, on 05 July 2013 - 07:29 PM, said:

Wonder if the "Big Lift" that supplies some of Southern California's water could use your help?  http://mavensphotobl...s-at-edmonston/

Can't comment beyond can't comment.

[Phil]

Rain water cisterns and UV lamps! ;<0

[SheforACT]

Energy and water are intricately connected. All sources of energy (including electricity) require water in their production processes: the extraction of raw materials, cooling in thermal processes, in cleaning processes, cultivation of crops for biofuels, and powering turbines. Energy is itself required to make water resources available for human use and consumption (including irrigation) through pumping, transportation, treatment, and desalination.

[eds]

Nexus: Water/Food/Energy

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