powering the third world

 

Hi All,
         I was reading about MIT's idea of creating a PC for the third
world http://laptop.media.mit.edu   and its use of a wind up crank to
power for its PC.
It states "1 minute of cranking gives enough power for 10 minutes of
operating"

I would think this would be very generous calculations and there should
be easier way for the worlds poor to get power when an area/region is
not on a grid or the people cant afford a utility bill. Would 19th
century technology be a better way to go
ie: steam powering a dynamo (Your child's bicycle light).

Both these technologies would be quite old and not under any patent
rights anymore so it should be relatively cheap/easy to manufacture
while being simple enough to run and maintain.

Would it be possible to create a system, where a mum's in the 3rd
world, could siphon her wood stove wok's or pot's excess stream and
pass into a tiny triple expansion steam engine to generate power for
such a mobile device.

Steam generators seem to have gone out of fashion, as I cant find many
on the web
eg: http://users.olis.net.au/strathsteam

Is there reason this type of system wouldn't be feasible?

Im probably watching too much of the discovery channel, but I love to
hear you ideas/input,

Regards,

Slyi

BTW: Has anyone had any experience with web/email over Ham radio for
remote areas
Eg: http://www.nsrc.org/wireless/HF-radio.html

 



3rd world and triple pass steam. And your getting that technology to the
third world?????
Power is a wonder thing. What are they going to use it for? Laptops?


 Most of the production steam generators near my home are only double pass.

 

slyi wrote:

I would think solar and hand crank would be cheaper.

But more to the point, the supply of PCs will lag behind want for a
long time yet. So it makes more sense to go for the lowest hanging
fruit, ie places where there is already electrickery.

BTW, what would a low power pc use, 30w? If so, that 10:1 hand crank
would need an output of 300w, so an input of 400w... fairly hard going
for 10 minutes of use.

A thermopile might make more sense than steam. Low voltage ones can be
diyed with copper and nichrome wire.


NT

 

Hi meow,
             Sorry i have absolulty no experience in this areana and im
just curious of windup about windup praticality's for such a high
powered decive.
So what your saying it be more ecomonical to put give out the PC's to
poor urban area's first and for the remote areas have a more scaled up
eletricity generation at the central high school where the PC would be
used rather than at each and every home.

BTW doesnt solor panels limited lifespan and would be difficult to
maintain for the untrained local populas, blacksmiths/carpenters in the
field. A thermophile may well be easier to maintain.

regards,

slyi

 


Not at all, their lifespan is measured in decades, very probably
longer than the computer they'd be powering.  However, the expense of
solar cells would break the budget of a $100 laptop...