Heat Transfer

Impact of Materials in Alternative Energy in Puerto Rico
By: Santiago, F. and Jiménez, J.
Alternative Energy as a definition it can be describe as sources of energy that have been raised as alternatives to the traditional sources. It can be said that this alternative energy is usually referred to the concept of renewable energy. On that side of renewable this concept is known as any kind ofenergy obtained from natural sources as wind, rain, sunlight, tides, geothermal heat etc. But generally when it is referring to alternative energy it can be any type of source that doesn’t involve the burning of fossil fuels.
Since the beginnings of times the human race has use what is called dirty energies, which consist in burning fuels. From the beginning of the evolution humans has used woodas fuel in order to generate heat to warm their bodies and later on to cook their food and this source generates smoke that contaminate the ambient. Entering into the XX century it moved to more efficient sources but more dirty and polluting as petroleum, gas and carbon. Now this present century XXI came with an opportunity in new and cleaner energies called green energies, which areinexhaustible. These energies are the ones provided by Mother Nature and are virtually in each corner of the world, inexhaustible and clean. Examples of these green and cleaner energies are the sunlight capture by photovoltaic panels, the win which energy can be transmitted with the help of windmills and the wave’s power.
Here in Puerto Rico these three types of energy sources can be exploited. Since theIsland is surrounded by water and due to it is small size, the option of extracting energy from waves would be helpful, because it can be put in key pint facilities of energy storage and from there distribute the energy to the surrounding municipalities which could benefit. Something like can be made to extract energy from the wind due to the Island geography, with high points along all the centralmountain range the wind blows at high velocities. Taking key point also to place a set of windmill to supply the surrounding municipalities. And as for the sunlight, because practically the 365 days of the year is sunny, this kind of energy could be exploit and this one can benefit unlike the other to source, the entire Island.
Wave energy is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and thecapture of that energy to do useful work in this case electricity generation. This alternative energy is right now under development and it is studied around the world as a good alternative of green energy. Georgia Tech Research Corporation in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) made an assessment of energy production potential from tidal streams and ocean waves in the UnitedStates. This assessment is the first of it is kind in the U.S. and as a result the report outlines the wave energy potential along the East Coast of the U.S. including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Due to our geographic characteristics been surrounded by the ocean this type of energy it can be highly exploited. There are several methods of getting energy from waves. There is the “Limpet”, using the waterlevel (waves) to compress air inside a chamber to move a wells turbine. The “Pelamis” a long floating tube connected off shore in sections, moving pistons generating power in the hinged joints and another methods that have been designed. As engineers on the design of these artifacts on how to try to take as much energy as we can is really important to take on considerations another aspects. Firstthese artifacts some of them are offshore but there is some designs on shore. On this point the location it is a really important aspect in order to maintain the marine life not affected. Another important aspect is the material of these artifacts. This material it would be in highly contact with seawater and it is necessary to not create contamination to the ambient and avoid corrosion in order...