The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is a fancy name for a binary system taking heat from a source and transferring it to a working liquid in a closed system to be vaporized and pressurized, typically turn a turbine, then condense back to liquid form before flowing through the heat exchanger again to repeat the cycle. The diagram below breaks out the typical components of an ORC system.



These systems can vary in size from a few hundred kilowatts clear up to hundreds of megawatts. A picture of a 200Kw system is displayed below.



These ORC systems have several key benefits over traditional steam turbines including lower operating temperature (down to 75C,) less wear and tear on turbines (clean single fluid environment,) and no requirement to expose heat source to the environment (no emission power generation is possible using these units in a closed geothermal system for instance.) The major disadvantage to this approach is that energy is lost during the heat transfer process relative to direct use systems.


26 days until OSU plays for the national championship
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 12-0 Next up: Florida 1/8/2007
Tune: Go ‘Head by Ali Gipp featuring Chocolate Tai
Technorati Tags: Energy | Science | Geothermal | Mike Harding Blog

Congratulations to Troy Smith and the entire Ohio State team and coaching staff. There’s no doubt Smith is a talent, but the folks around him deserve credit as well.

There is no shortage of content on this award or on Smith himself with the adversity he’s overcome to be in the position to win the award. It’s nice to see the 7th OSU Heisman go to Smith, he deserves it.


29 days until OSU plays for the national championship
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 12-0 Next up: Florida 1/8/2007
Tune: I Believe to my Soul by Ray Charles
Technorati Tags: Football | Ohio State | Heisman | Mike Harding Blog

Update: If you’re looking for the Rose Bowl “moon” picture, refer to this entry…



The video above has gotten lots of press at Deadspin and the M-Zone. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a hoot. Not once, but twice, USC Song Girls (aka Cheerleaders) cheering as the opposition scores.


30 days until OSU plays for the national championship
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 12-0 Next up: Florida 1/8/2007
Tune: 88 Lines about 44 Women by The Nails
Technorati Tags: Football | Blooper | Cheerleader | Mike Harding Blog

Air pressure:


Wind speed:


Wind gust:


Wave height:


I knew I shouldn’t have written and posted that entry…..it simply tempts fate. Oh well, it is December and somehow I doubt I’m really powerful enough to cause bad weather, so I’m grateful we had the good weather we did get. Data courtesy of NOAA Buoy 46012.


31 days until OSU plays for the national championship
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 12-0 Next up: Florida 1/8/2007
Tune: Rain King by Counting Crows
Technorati Tags: Coast | Storm | Weather | Mike Harding Blog

And I don’t mean the holidays. The weather on the coast has been outstanding the past few weeks. Yesterday was sunny with temperatures in the mid-60’s (18C.) I know the act of writing this condemns us to rainy season starting tomorrow, but it’s simply too nice to not comment.

See for yourself….



31 days until OSU plays for the national championship
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 12-0 Next up: Florida 1/8/2007
Tune: Sunny Afternoon by Stereophonics
Technorati Tags: Coast | Christmas | Weather | Mike Harding Blog