The SeaCleaners are developing the MANTA ship, an Ocean going vessel capable of continuously collecting and processing large quantities of macroplastics floating on the surface of our oceans. The SeaCleaners have selected Bluebox Energy’s hot air turbine to use the Syngas produced from the plastic pyrolysis to produce power to support the ship’s systems as well as the heat needed to dry the plastic prior to pyrolysis. Engineering work has already started and is expected to be complete in 2021, build is planned for 2022, with testing the year after.

Ricardo’s energy team has today signed an agreement to collaborate with Bluebox Energy Ltd to deliver innovative new low carbon technologies that support the transition to a low carbon future
National government targets, such as the UK’s to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, are helping to drive both the public and private sector to develop strategies and invest in processes and technologies that will enable organizations to deliver a low carbon future. Innovation in heat and energy technologies is critical to the achievement of net zero ambitions, and this has been the driving force behind a new collaboration between Ricardo and Bluebox Energy.

The two companies have extensive experience and expertise in delivering a range of energy-based technology and process innovations, including Ricardo’s use of renewable and sustainable energy management for key infrastructure, such as introducing solar to power rail networks and Bluebox Energy’s development of hot air turbine technology.

The agreement was signed by Dipak Mistry, director of Ricardo’s energy services and Jonathon McGuire, director of Bluebox Energy.

On the collaboration Dipak Mistry commented: “The extensive experience and complementary capabilities of both Bluebox Energy and Ricardo will enable us to drive innovation that is key in tackling the significant carbon challenges faced by both the public and private sectors. We’re proud to be working with Bluebox Energy to help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges”.

Jonathon McGuire, Bluebox Energy director added: “Even in the short-time we’ve been working together, we’re already seeing a number of opportunities for us to develop innovative technology-based solutions that can drastically reduce carbon. The combined expertise of both companies will enable us to make the ambitious carbon reduction targets achievable. We’re now looking forward to making a real difference together.”

We were delighted to have been asked to present to the Portsmouth City Council’s energy team. At the event, we introduced a number of CoGeneration solutions that would benefit Portsmouth residents and business’s including the HLT-100 biomass cogeneration system and the BioChar carbon capture solution currently being developed with our smaller hot air turbines.
Link to presentation

A busy few days at European Utility week presenting initial results from the CAPTure project. Looking forward to commissioning the installation over the coming couple of weeks.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 640905.

Nice to see the IEA Best practice report on decentralised biomass fired CHP plants and status of biomass fired small and microscale CHP technologies found space for the Bluebox 50kWe and 100kWe hotairturbine systems.

Link to report here…

We will be describing our EU project developing Combined Cycles for Concentrated Solar using multiple towers with high efficiency volumetric receivers at PowerGen Europe / Utility Week. Our project is located at M70L1. We will also be holding a policy workshop, link below:

http://capture-solar-energy.eu/2019/07/03/capture-at-powergen-europe-2019/

The new Bio-Bloc developed by Innergy using a Bluebox hot air turbine has just won the Innovation Award at Expobiomasa.

The Bio-Bloc main features are:

Due to its small dimensions and versatility, it provides an attractive solution for small waste generators or municipalities that want to give a commercial outlet for their waste and in turn have thermal needs such as swimming pools, schools, spa’s, hotels or industrial processes.

The special configuration of the plant allows its fully automatic operation, at a minimum cost, compared to other technologies existing in the market. As a result of the development, it is also planned to define different work modes for complex fuels such as bamboo, rice husk, and others that, due to their low cost, will allow a quick return on investment.

INNERGY has developed this product with a view (in a first phase) to the Japanese market, once it has reached a lower cost by scaling production to higher volumes, being able to introduce it worldwide, both in LATAM and in Europe.

More information on the award here

Since our inception, we have worked with hot gas stands to validate our turbomachinery. Using our knowledge of turbocharger and turbogenerator life support systems, controls and data monitoring, we have now taken this to the next level and can provide the following services to help clients with their hot gas stand and test cell requirements:

We’re excited to have started development of our new Bluebox-80, Bluebox-220 and Bluebox-330 hot air turbines rated at 80kWe, 220kWe and 330kWe respectively.

All three will use Bowman’s new ETC1000 turbogenerators (two in the Bluebox-220 and three in the Bluebox-330) and new Mk5 power electronics. Bluebox-80 will use an uprated Bowman turbocharger, Bluebox-220 and Bluebox-330 will use the new Napier NT1-10A turbocharger.

The thermodynamic simulation work is now complete, with turbomachinery and power electronics selected. Work is nearing completion on the mechanical design of the supporting structure and integration air pipework, lubrication/cooling subsystems and control architecture.

More details are described in the products area.