Sustainable Power Generation Platform Based on Closed-Loop System with CO₂ Kinetic Energy from Flash Effect (PGES-CO₂-KE)

Abstract

This manuscript presents the Sustainable Energy Generation Platform Based on Closed-Cycle Energy with CO₂ Kinetic Energy by Flash Effect (PGES-CO₂-KE), an autonomous system designed to meet the electricity demand in remote indigenous villages of the Xingu Indigenous Park and other Indigenous Lands in Mato Grosso, where the lack of consolidated electrical infrastructure compromises food security, health, and education. Developed from the author's experience as an indigenous rights advocate, the system combines technical requirements of modularity for river transport and operational autonomy with the logistical, cultural, and socio-environmental realities of these territories. The technology operates in a closed cycle, using the flash effect of liquid carbon dioxide to produce kinetic energy, which is subsequently converted into electricity by means of a biomimetic radial turbine. The process comprises three interconnected stages: (i) supersonic expansion of pressurized liquid CO₂ (85 bar, 30°C) via an electronic valve and De Laval nozzle, generating a supersonic jet (Mach 1.5+); (ii) conversion of kinetic energy into mechanical torque (15–17 Nm at 6,000 rpm) by a 12-blade turbine, driving a permanent magnet generator with a power of up to 4 kW and 94% efficiency; (iii) recovery and recondensation of residual CO₂ using heat exchangers with carbon nanotubes and a three-stage compressor, recycling 98.5% of the fluid and requiring only 1.5% annual replenishment. The technical design includes a carbon-epoxy composite reservoir, a De Laval nozzle machined from carbon-PEEK, a turbine with blades inspired by raptor wings, contactless magnetic sealing, and a recompression system with high-flow fans. The development methodology is structured in three phases: computational thermofluid dynamic (CFD) modeling and structural analysis; benchtop prototyping with IoT instrumentation for experimental validation; and field implementation with participatory management, training community members for operation and preventive maintenance. The theoretical foundation is based on recent advances in supercritical CO₂ cycles (Ahmed et al., 2025; Battisti, 2024; Du, Tian & Pekris, 2021), exergetic analyses (Feng et al., 2025; Mrzljak et al., 2020), and participatory social technology models (Rosa, 2007; Campos, 2007; Bezerra, 2021), which validate the potential for innovation, energy efficiency, and sociocultural inclusion of the proposal. The PGES-CO₂-KE system is currently in the development and proof-of-concept phase, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals 7 (affordable energy) and 13 (climate action), and contributing to the concept of Planetary Health by replacing diesel generators in isolated communities. Its distinguishing features include the elimination of traditional thermal cycles, high-efficiency hybrid cooling, and a self-sustaining cycle, positioning it as a strategic alternative for sustainable electrification in contexts with low electrical infrastructure, with prospects for global replication through institutional partnerships and consolidation as a public policy for energy justice.