Required Information#
Useful Nuclear ParticlesTrue energy densities#
Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density
| Storage type | Energy density by mass (MJ/kg) | Energy density by volume | Peak recovery efficiency % | Practical Recovery Efficiency % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass-energy equivalence | 89,876,000,000 | ||||
| Binding energy of Helium-4 nucleus | 683,000,000 | 857,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (8.57x1024) | |||
| Nuclear fusion of hydrogen (energy from the sun) | 645,000,000 | ||||
| Deuterium-Tritium fusion | 337,000,000 | ||||
| Nuclear fission (of 100% U-235) (Used in nuclear power plants) | 88,250,000 | 1,500,000,000 | |||
| Natural uranium (99.3% U238, 0.7% U235) in fast breeder reactor[7] | 24,000,000 | 50% | |||
| Enriched uranium (3.5% U235) in light water reactor | 3,456,000 | 30% | |||
| Hf-178m2 isomer | 1,326,000 | 17,649,060 | |||
| Natural uranium (0.7% U235) in light water reactor | 443,000 | 30% | |||
| Ta-180m isomer | 41,340 | 689,964 | |||
| Specific orbital energy of Low Earth orbit | 33 (approx.) | ||||
| Cl2O7 + CH4 - computed | 17.4 | ||||
| Cl2O7 decomposition - computed | 12.2 | ||||
| Nitromethane | 11.3 | 12.9 | |||
| Octanitrocubane explosive - computed | 8.5 | 17 | |||
| Tetranitrotetrahedrane explosive - computed | 8.3 | ||||
| Heptanitrocubane explosive - computed | 8.2 | ||||
| Dinitroacetylene explosive - computed | 7.9 | ||||
| Sodium (reacted with chlorine) | 7.0349 | ||||
| Tetranitrocubane explosive - computed | 6.95 | ||||
| Ammonal (Al+NH4NO3 oxidizer) | 6.9 | 12.7 | |||
| Tetranitromethane + hydrazine bipropellant - computed | 6.6 | ||||
| Hexanitrobenzene explosive - computed | 6.5 | ||||
| Octogen explosive - computed | 6.3 | ||||
| ANFO-ANNM | 6.26 | ||||
| TNTin Kinney, G.F.; K.J. Graham (1985). Explosive shocks in air. Springer-Verlag. ISBN 3-540-15147-8. | 4.610 | 6.92 | |||
| Copper Thermite (Al + CuO as oxidizer) | 4.13 | 20.9 | |||
| Thermite (powder Al + Fe2O3 as oxidizer) | 4.00 | 18.4 | |||
| Hydrogen peroxide decomposition (as monopropellant) | 2.7 | 3.8 | |||
| Lithium ion battery with nanowires | 25.42.54-2.72? | 29 | 95%[8] | ||
| Lithium thionyl chloride battery [9] | 2.5 | ||||
| Water 220.64 bar, 373.8°C | 1.968 | 0.708 | |||
| Kinetic energy penetrator | 1.91.9-3.4 | 3030-54 | |||
| Fluoride ion battery [10] | 1.71.7-(?) | 2.8(?)2.8(?) | |||
| Regenerative Fuel Cell (fuel cell with internal Hydrogen reservoir used much as a battery) | 1.62 [11]sm=n | ||||
| Hydrazine(toxic) decomposition (as monopropellant) | 1.6 | 1.6 | |||
| Ammonium nitrate decomposition (as monopropellant) | 1.4 | 2.5 | |||
| Zinc-air battery | 1.33 | ||||
| Capacitor by EEStor (claimed prototype capacity) | 1.0 [12] | 2.18 | |||
| Thermal energy storage(Molten Salt) | 11 approx. | ||||
| Molecular spring | 11 approx. | ||||
| Sodium-sulfur battery | 1.23 [13] | 85%[14] | |||
| Liquid nitrogen | 0.77[1] | 0.62 | |||
| Lithium ion battery[2] | 0.540.54–0.72 | 0.90.9–1.9 | 95%[15] | ||
| Lithium sulphur battery | 0.540.54-1.44 | ||||
| compressed air at 300 bar (at 12°C), without container | 0.512 | 0.16 | |||
| Flywheel | 0.5 | 1-0.15%/10s [16] | |||
| 5.56 × 45 mm NATO bullet | 0.40.4-0.8 | 3.23.2-6.4 | |||
| Zn-air batteries | 0.40.40 to 1.7 | 5.95.9 | |||
| Ice(Ice) | 0.335 | 0.335 | |||
| Zinc-bromine flow battery | 0.270.27–0.306 [17] | ||||
| Compressed air at 20 bar (at 12°C), without container | 0.27 | 0.01 | 64%[18] | ||
| NiMH Battery | 0.22 | ||||
| NiCd Battery | 0.140.14-0.22 | 80% [19] | |||
| Lead acid battery | 0.090.09–0.11 | ||||
| Compressed air in fiber-wound bottle at 200 bar (at 24°C) | 0.14 | 0.06 | |||
| Vanadium redox battery | 0.09 [20] | 0.1188 | 7070-75% | ||
| Vanadium bromide redox battery | 0.18 [21] | 0.252 | 81% | ||
| compressed air in steel bottle at 200 bar (at 24°C) | 0.04 | 0.1 | |||
| Capacitor Ultracapacitor | 0.0206 [22] | 0.050 [23] | |||
| Capacitor Supercapacitor | 0.01 | 98.5% | 90%[24] | ||
| Capacitor | 0.002 [25] | ||||
| Water at 100 m dam height | 0.001 | 0.001 | 8585-90%[26] | ||
| Spring power (clock spring), torsion spring | 0.0003 [27] | 0.0006 | |||
| Liquid hydrogenclarification needed | 143 | 10.1 | |||
| Compressed gaseous hydrogen at 700 bar [28]clarification needed | 143 | 5.6 | |||
| Gaseous hydrogen at room temperaturecitation needed | 143 | 0.01079 | |||
| Beryllium (toxic) (burned in air) | 67.6 | 125.1 | |||
| Lithium borohydride (burned in air) | 65.2 | 43.4 | |||
| Boron [29] (burned in air) | 58.9 | 137.8 | |||
| Methane (1.013bar, 15°C) (burned in air) | 55.6 | 0.0378 | |||
| Natural gas (burned in air) | 53.6[3] | 10 | |||
| LPG propane (burned in air)[4] | 49.6 | 25.3 | |||
| LPG butane (burned in air)[4] | 49.1 | 27.7 | |||
| Gasoline[4] | 46.4 | 34.2 | |||
| Diesel fuel/residential heating oil (burned in air)[4] | 46.2 | 37.3 | |||
| Polyethylene plastic | 46.3[5] | 42.6 | |||
| Polypropylene plastic | 46.4[5] | 41.7 | |||
| Gasohol E10 (10% ethanol 90% gasoline by volume) | 43.54 | 33.72 | |||
| Gasohol E85 (85% ethanol 10% gasoline by volume) | 33.1 | 25.65 | |||
| Lithium (burned in air) | 43.1 | 23.0 | |||
| Jet A aviation fuel [30] / kerosene | 42.8 | 33 | |||
| Biodiesel oil (vegetable oil) | 42.20 | 33 | |||
| DMF (2,5-dimethylfuran) | 42 [31] | 37.8 | |||
| Crude oil (according to the definition of ton of oil equivalent)clarification needed | 46.3 | 37[3] | |||
| Polystyrene plastic | 41.4[5] | 43.5 | |||
| Body fat metabolism | 38 | 35 | 2222-26%[32] | ||
| Butanol | 36.6 | 29.2 | |||
| Graphite (burned in air) | 32.7 | 72.9 | |||
| coal Anthracite | 32.5 | 72.4 | 3636% | ||
| Silicon (burned in air)[33] | 32.2 | 75.1 | |||
| Aluminum (burned in air) | 31.0 | 83.8 | |||
| Ethanol | 30 | 24 | |||
| Polyester plastic | 26.0 [5] | 35.6 | |||
| Magnesium (burned in air) | 24.7 | 43.0 | |||
| coal Bituminous [34] | 24 | 20 | |||
| PET plastic | 23.5 (impure) [35] | ||||
| Methanol | 19.7 | 15.6 | |||
| Hydrazine (toxic) combusted to N2+H2O | 19.5 | 19.3 | |||
| Liquid ammonia (combusted to N2+H2O) | 18.6 | 11.5 | |||
| PVC plastic (improper combustion toxic)clarification needed | 18.0[5] | 25.2 | |||
| Sugars, carbohydrates & protein metabolism | 17 | 26.2(dextrose) | 2222-26% [36] | ||
| coal Lignitecitation needed | 14.0 (to 19) | ||||
| Calcium (burned in air)citation needed | 15.9 | 24.6 | |||
| Glucose | 15.55 | 23.9 | |||
| Dry cowdung and cameldung | 15.5 [37] | ||||
| Wood | 6.0 (to 17) | ||||
| Sodium (burned to wet sodium hydroxide) | 13.3 | 12.8 | |||
| Household waste | 8.0 (to 11)[6][7] | ||||
| Sodium (burned to dry sodium oxide) | 9.1 | 8.8 | |||
| Zinc (burned in air) | 5.3 | 38.0 | |||
| Teflon plastic (combustion toxic, but flame retardant) | 5.1 | 11.2 | |||
| iron (burned to iron(III) oxide) | 5.2 | 40.68 | |||
| iron (burned to iron(II) oxide) | 4.9 | 38.2 |
Energy-Releasing Reactions#
| Description | Chemical | Fission | Fusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample Reaction | C + O2 -> CO2 | n + U-235 -> Ba-143 + Kr-91 + 2 n | H-2 + H-3 -> He-4 + n |
| Typical Inputs (to Power Plant) | Bituminous Coal | UO2 (3% U-235 + 97% U-238) | Deuterium & Lithium |
| Typical Reaction Temperature (K) | 700 | 1000 | 1,000,000,000 |
| Energy Released per kg of Fuel (J/kg) | 370,000,000 | 21,000,000,000,000 | 340,000,000,000,000 |
OpenEI Transparent Cost Database#
| Plant Type | Levelized Cost(USD/MWh) | Overnight Capital Cost(1000xUSD/kW) | Fixed Operating Cost(USD/kW) | Variable Operating Cost (USD/MWh) | Capacity Factor (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind, onshore | 60 | 1.57 | 10.95 | 6.45 | 38 |
| Wind, offshore | 100 | 3.05 | 14.28 | 21.18 | 43 |
| Solar PV | 280 | 5.10 | 32.03 | 0 | 21 |
| Solar CSP | 200 | 5.74 | 55.72 | .10 | 31.16 |
| Geothermal Hydrothermal | 60 | 2.82 | 155.41 | 0 | 85 |
| Blind Geothermal | 100 | 6.85 | 222.98 | 0 | 95 |
| Enhanced Geothermal | 130 | 7.00 | 199.69 | 30 | 84.6 |
| Small Hydropower | 140 | 4.50 | 130 | 0 | 50 |
| Hydropower | 20 | 1.32 | 13.14 | 3.20 | 93.2 |
| Biopower | 70 | 2.62 | 66.63 | 4.61 | 84.04 |
| Fuel Cell | 150 | 4.64 | 5.65 | 47.92 | 95 |
| Natural Gas Combustion Turbine | 70 | 5.74 | 10.53 | 3.57 | 80 |
| Coal, pulverized, scrubbed | 50 | 1.92 | 27.50 | 3.70 | 84.6 |
| Coal, pulverized, unscrubbed | 40 | 4.45 | 84.6 | ||
| Coal, integrated gasification combined cycle | 80 | 3.17 | 38.67 | 7.25 | 80.96 |
| Nuclear | 60 | 3.10 | 85.66 | .49 | 90 |