TECHNOLOGY

The heart of the technology of Nova Somor, which is the basis of the functioning of the products that have already been developed and for the future ones, is the thermodynamic engine at a low temperature with “volatile gas”. The invention is not new: there have been several attempts since the early 1900s and then the practical achievements and patents between the 30s and the 50s of the last century. From these inventions and patents we took inspiration and consider them to be our roots. However, even if the “roots” have more than 100 years, the technology patented by Nova Somor is absolutely innovative and allows efficient systems today, ecological and related to the natural cycles of heat and cold. Our engines operate with the sun, or heat from other sources, and with the cool of the water, which makes evaporate and condense to liquid state the volatile gas within a closed circuit. The volatile gas has physical characteristics that allow it to create a lot of pressure steam with a thermal delta developed at not hiogh temperatures. So our motor always operates at temperatures less than 100 degrees, while for example in a Stirling engine, which works on the basis of the same principle, the temperatures are much higher.

The thermodynamic cycle is the following: a volatile liquefied gas, of those normally used in refrigerant circuits, is heated inside special solar sensors or a boiler wood powered or waste heat. The volatile gas turns into steam and is channeled inside the cylinder of the engine where it moves the piston of the engine itself. The piston movement is transmitted to an hydraulic pump which raises fresh water from a well or other container of water. The water, before being supplied to the user provided, meets the steam of gas out of the cylinder of the engine within an exchanger, it transfers part of its cold and returns the gas to the liquid state. At this point, the liquefied gas is collected in a tank, ready to be pumped back into the solar sensors or in a kettle, to be again evaporated and restart the cycle. In the case of desalination, solar refrigerators and ecological accessories for the maritime industry that we are developing, it is provided the use of sea water. But in any case, the water or other liquid refrigerant is indispensable as much as the heat for the operation of the thermodynamic engine.

It should be noted an important change of paradigm: our engine, except when the heat is obtained from wood or other fuels, normally does not consume anything. Nothing is burned in the engine cylinder and it is not used electricity.

The application to hydraulic pumps for lifting and handling water is certainly one of the most convenient in terms of effectiveness. For this reason we are developing and building a range of “solar pumps” and a range of accessories for their proper use.