Technomimicry
Is that a word? Just googled it, guess it is…
Okay, now that the mic-check is over, I’ve got something to say.
I’ve been reading a lot about biomimicry lately. Biomimicry, in a nutshell, is looking to nature for cues on how to design something. The Wright brothers did a lot of this when they studied birds for years before building the first airplane, termite colonies offer us a lot to learn about temperature and humidity management, and infomercial producers have a lot to thank to the Venus Fly Trap. But I’m not here to wax philosophic about whale fin-shaped fan blades, or bug-shaped cars.
In my web-travels the other day, I was introduced to this video:
Pretty cool, eh? Solar towers look to be made of much cheaper materials then conventional photo-voltaic solar energy collectors. Looks to be just a bunch of concrete and plastic sheeting (with a very expensive turbine inside, of course. I’m fairly certain that it’s pretty expensive in its own right, but I’m positive that it earns out a lot faster then a PV system.
However, as I was checking the thing out, it struck me. There’s a huge concrete stack outside of my bedroom window. And more throughout the city. In fact, they’re ubiquitous in this great country of ours. So why not start building these puppies all over the place, or converting existing stacks in buildings that have outlived their usefulness. Take an industrial complex with a couple of huge stacks, use the roof of the buildings to collect heat (hell, even plant low maintenance seedums under the plastic canopy and you’ve got yourself a lot better something from nothing. The trick would be to retro-fit the stack to allow the air inside, house the turbine, and still not impinge upon the structural integrity. Easy problem to solve, engineers love challenges.
Or better yet, think of this structure. (Photos courtesy of this very cool airport.) Imagine building the center of this thing hollow and using the very air that is superheated on the tarmac around it to power all its systems. Sure, you’d have to build it a little bigger and keep the area around it clear, but if you’re already building the thing, you might as well make it work for you too.
Bout time someone finally turned the stack effect to our advantage.