We suggested earlier a new sustainable method for permafrost thermal stabilization that combines passive screening of solar radiation and precipitation with active solar-powered cooling of the near-surface soil layer thus preventing heat penetration in depth. Feasibility of this method has been shown by calculations, but needed experimental proof. In this article, we are presenting the results of soil temperature measurements obtained at the experimental implementation of this method outside of the permafrost area which actually meant higher thermal loads than in permafrost area. We have shown that near-surface soil layer is kept frozen during the whole summer, even at air temperatures exceeding +30 °C. Therefore, the method has been experimentally proven to be capable of sustaining soil frozen. In addition to usual building and structures’ thermal stabilization, the method could be used to prevent the development of thermokarst, gas emission craters, and landslides; greenhouse gases, chemical, and biological pollution from the upper thawing layers, at least in the area of human activities; protection against coastal erosion, and permafrost restoration after wildfires. Using commercially widely-available components, the technology can be scaled up for virtually any size objects.
In this paper, we review practical limitations to laser space
propulsion that have been discussed in the literature. These are as
follows: (1) thermal coupling to the propelled payload, which might
melt it; (2) a decrease in mechanical coupling with number of pulses,
which has been observed in some cases; and (3) destruction of solar
panels in debris removal proposals that might create more debris
rather than less. Previously, lack of data prevented definite
assessments. Now, new data on multipulse vacuum laser impulse coupling
coefficient
C
m
on several materials at 1064 nm, at
1030 nm, and at 532 nm are available. We are now able to compare the
results for single and multiple pulses on materials that have been
considered for laser ablation space propulsion (LASP), or that are
likely space debris constituents, and decide whether LASP is a
practical idea. Laser space propulsion and debris removal concepts
depend on thousands or hundreds of thousands of repetitive pulses.
Repetitive pulse mechanical coupling as well as thermal coupling
(which can melt the target rather than propel it) are both important
considerations. Materials studied were 6061T6 aluminum, carbon-doped
polyoxymethylene (POM), undoped POM, a yellow POM copolymer, and a
mixture of Al and POM microparticles combined and pressed, containing
a 50%/50% mixture of the two materials by mass. We address 6 and 70 ps
pulses because of the availability of data at these pulse durations.
We also briefly consider continuous wave (CW) laser propulsion.
Finally, we consider a recent paper concerning solar panel destruction
from a positive perspective.
In this work, we consider the concept of using a distributed solar power plant, setup on the right-of-way of the railroad. The proposed solution allows to shave peaks of electricity consumption without additional land alienation, using the existing power grids. The concept includes the setup of solar panels on the alienated land of the railroad. PV can be placed directly on the cross ties using damping elements, on the embankment slopes and on the right-of-way land. This solution allows minimizing the cost of solar panels installation along the railway tracks. The North Caucasus railway was considered to assess the gross, technical and economic potential of the proposed solution. The operational length of the railroad there is 6,472 km. The railway consists of large non-electrified sections, segments powered with 25 kV AC and 3 kV DC. The railroad is used not only for cargo transport, but also for long-distance and suburban passenger traffic. We have considered different scenarios for right-of-way land use rate and have shown that possible project costs could be reduced by ca. 25% by double land use only. This does not include shared electric grid infrastructure use that also should benefit considerably, but is hard to be estimated. While the potential nameplate capacity of such power plants within one region is 10s-100s of MW.
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