Fuel and other energy costs continue to escalate and we may not be able to do anything about increasing fuel prices, but we can try to use less fuel by making our homes more energy efficient. Here a a number of tips you should use to keep your home heating bills down. Make sure you windows are properly insulated. Make sure they are well sealed and you feel no drafts coming in. You can get window insulation kits at a hardware or home improvement store. Install ceiling fans. Heat rises, so keep the heat down in the room with a ceiling fan. They keep a room cooler in the summer when you use the reversible switch. Ceiling fans are relatively inexpensive and can save a lot in energy costs. Close all of the doors in rooms that are not being used. Once everyone is out of the bedrooms, for example, close the doors so your furnace only has to send heat to the main part of the house. Keep curtains and blinds drawn. You can keep them open during a sunny day to take advantage of the radiant heat and then trap it in at night to keep your home warmer by closing curtains and shades. Install weather proofing on your doors, and put additional caulking on your windows. If you feel air coming in along the bottom of the doors, attach weather stripping. Putting caulk around the windows will stop small drafts from seeping in. Make sure your doors are properly aligned. If your doors have shifted or sagged over time, they may be creating air spaces that will let the cold weather into your home. A snug fit will save fuel. Get a furnace check up. Have an HVAC expert make sure your furnace is running at top efficiency. Besides the money saved on fuel, you will be happy to know that your family is safer with a clean, efficient furnace. Change air filters. Keeping your air filters clear to make sure your heating system is giving you maximum efficiency. Clogged air filters can also be a fire hazard, so this is an important step to take. Close the vents. In the winter you want to keep cold air out, so make sure you close the circulation vents in your home once the cold weather arrives. Make sure your attic is sufficiently insulated. Since heat rises, you want to make sure the attic is not sucking up all of your heat, but rather that the insulation is holding it and pushing it back into the home. Just these few tips will make a difference in your home heating bills. You can learn about more tips if you go online or talk to your energy provider. Many of them provide books with fuel conservation tips, or will even do an energy audit of your home. So if you feel that you need to lower your energy bill then make a n effort, get some power tools and hand tools and get to work right away to get the job done. Being specifically interested in hand tools, Vince Paxton authored quite some informative papers in this specific area. You can learn about his work on rigid power tools and hand tools at http://www.insidewoodworking.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vince_L._Paxton |
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Water For Fuel - Saving Energy in Your Home
Water For Fuel - The Cost of Driving Your Vehicle
Owning a car is a comfort that many of us can afford. The car has become such an critical part of our life, that at times it can be very hard to live without one. Owning a car is a big responsibility for many people, it is usually one of the larger investments individuals make in their lifetime, aside from a house]. This dependence and importance makes the car ownership a necessity. There is more to owning a car than just buying it and driving it off the lot. We will focus on the different costs associated with owning your own vehicle. Aside from paying the car dealer or individual for the car, the next thing the car will need is fuel. fuel enables the motor vehicle to be driven from point A to point B, without it the car could not operate. In today's society the price of fuel has jumped. Just a few years ago it cost people on average $40 a month to fill their car. In the present the price to fill up a relatively small car for the month is between $120 and $160. Add that number by the amount of weeks in the year and one can understand that it requires a large amount of [dollars to keep your car moving. This is one cost that adds on the vehicles owner. Vehicle's are machines and like all machines over their lifespan they subject to wear and tear and eventual break down. Maintenance and repair of your car is another dollar value associated with the ownership of your car. New or relatively new motor cars require very little work as they are built to drive and last longer before any serious repairs are needed. This does not mean that anything could not happen as the world is unpredictable. You could be driving and a stone breaks your axel or something out of the ordinary. Maintenance and repair costs can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to the thousands. The cost and eventuality of this has to be factored into the price of owning your car. Almost all States in The USA require motor vehicle drivers to have car insurance. motor vehicle insurance is usually a contract in which the insurance company agrees to reimburse for the individual's financial loss resulting from a specified event. This enables you to receive financial compensation in the event you meet or are involved in an accident. The premiums for insurance depend on different factors and it also depends on the type of insurance you choose to get. The premium will also depend on the model and type of car that you drive. A driver can be prepared to spend a couple hundred a month. As mentioned, owning your car is more than paying for it. You have many costs that add on to the total ownership of your vehicle. These costs will come from fuel costs, repair and maintenance and lastly car insurance . The car owner should take all of this into consideration when they make the decisi {The author James Dalton|James Dalton} writes on various topics from Birmingham Insurance to Scottsdale Insurance, For more information on a wide range of topics please visit his website at motor vehicle insurance Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Daltons |
Water For Fuel - The Expanding E85 Fleet of General Motors
The E85 movement, which is based on an alternate fuel consisting of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, is getting an additional boost thanks to a recent decision by General Motors to expand its existing line up from 9 models to 14. This increase will mean that General Motors, which already has nearly 2 million E85 vehicles on the road, will be able to produce as many as 400,000 E85 vehicles per year. For proponents of alternate fuel sources, the decision by General Motors is certainly a welcome one. Let's take a look at GM's expanding E85 fleet and what this could mean for you, the fuel conscious motorist. E85 has been around for well over a decade now, but has only recently has it been the focus of such widespread attention. Credit gas prices exceeding $3 per gallon for interest in E85 and you can see why General Motors is continuing to expand its line up to meet the demand for alternate fuel sources. The Current Line Up GM's current fleet of E85 vehicles now numbers nine. GM's Silverado, Tahoe, Impala, Monte Carlo, Avalanche, Sierra, Suburban, Yukon, and Yukon XL currently make up the entire fleet of E85 capable vehicles produced by the automaker. The bulk of GM's E85 sales have come since 2000, however the automaker had been building E85 capable vehicles for many years prior to the turn of the millennium. DaimlerChrysler and Ford also build tens of thousands of E85 vehicles per year. Expanding on the Theme General Motors is planning to add five new models for 2007 including the Chevrolet Uplander, its crossover van offering. Other models have yet to be named, but they will likely include similar sized vehicles. Shortages Persist/Limited Availability While E85's appeal remains strong, limited pump availability and fuel shortages have put a strain on the market. Most of the ethanol currently used is derived from corn a readily available food and fuel source in the U.S. However, refineries and pump availability is limited outside of the Midwest, making E85 totally unavailable in some areas. With GM's help, new stations and increased capacity are coming online. Fortunately, if E85 is not available in a particular area, each vehicle can still run on straight gasoline. Fuel Economy and Performance Another area that must be acknowledged is overall fuel economy. While ethanol does produce a nice boost in overall performance, it does impact fuel mileage reducing it by 25-30% on some models. When E85 prices are 50 or 60 cents lower than gasoline, this is not a problem. However, with E85 demand being high, prices are only 5 or 10 cents lower in most areas. Certainly, consumers could find themselves paying even more overall for fuel by electing to go with E85 at various times. A Cleaner Environment Beyond price and fuel economy, there is one huge benefit to using E85: harmful pollutants are greatly reduced. With only a small percentage of gasoline consumed compared to straight gasoline or diesel fuel, greenhouse gas emissions drop significantly which is clearly better for the environment. A Temporary Fix or a Wave to be Ridden? Finally, E85 may be considered only a temporary fix especially if other forms of fuel efficient vehicles catch on. Hybrids remain an attractive alternative for some, biodiesel is growing in strength, and hydrogen powered cars are only a few years away. Still, E85 is more then a fad, but it does need some government intervention in order to succeed. Whether the federal government does intervene remains to be seen, but if consumer sentiment continues to rise, that may all become a moot point. Copyright 2006 - Matt Keegan is a freelance automotive writer covering the classics, new models, and industry trends. Your alternate fuel powered vehicle could benefit from the inclusion of superior aftermarket products made by great manufacturers including Banks, NOS, and Accel. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan |
Water For Fuel - Are We Serious About Fuel Alternatives?
As you can see from some of our previous articles, government agencies predict about 40 years of petroleum still remains. As usage climbs, the amount of time remaining may shrink even more. New reserves will be found, but developing countries, such as we're seeing in China with their industrial revolution taking place, will demand greater volumes of petroleum to supply energy needs. People under 50 years of age should be considering this phenomenon as a potentially life-changing circumstance. For most of us, there is little we can do except watch events play out, and perhaps vote when the opportunity arises. Our industries must step up to the plate to meet the task at hand. Since the first petroleum shortages of the 70's, some groups have come to the forefront to inform others about the dangers and difficulties we will face. Few took them seriously. Radical groups made drastic lifestyle changes to reduce their own fuel consumption, and hoped that others would follow suit. Not likely. However, these groups are and have been dedicated to spreading the word to the public that we are running out of fuel as we know it. It won't be today, nor next week, nor even 10 years from now. Maybe it's 80 years from now, but all signs and reports indicate we are running out. Social Security also has 40 years of successful operation, but the Bush Administration has clearly taken on the task of "fixing social security", because in about 40 years it's going to crash too, according to administrative estimates. We suggest that fuel alternatives are even more important than social security. Without fuel----and MASSIVE quantities of it--- this nation will dry up like a sand dune. Operations of most business will cease, and we'll be returned to the pre-industrial age. Keep vaccinating the horse population for West Nile Virus.....we may need them for transportation. It is our belief, although we have no solid evidence, that fuel companies are squarely behind the petroleum pumps, and the scare is played very low-key. Huge profits exist where a product can simply be drawn from the ground, and with one refining process, produce gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, methane, etc. from the run. It is by far, the cheapest present alternative for large companies. All corporate companies are dollar driven, and so it makes perfect sense for them to continue using petroleum. Our government has committed more resources than we can ever afford, to secure and protect our overseas interests where petroleum is abundant. If new massive volumes of petroleum are located, it will alleviate some of the crisis for the time being. But this looming crisis will never go away. It is imperative that government begin providing the means for business of all sizes to develop alternative fuel strategies. Government does at present provide some incentives, in tax breaks, informational support, and even grants, but more can be done. Investing large quantities of time and money into the research and development of alternatives is crucial. As supplies dwindle, this ever-growing concern will do just that. It will grow. Oil companies will continue to lobby Congress, and place propaganda in the public eye to insure them that everything is OK......just buy oil. But at the same time, the concern about dwindling supplies, and the subsequent raise in prices for petroleum fuels will begin to catch the attention of the general public. At present, the best bet for alternative, renewable fuels appears to exist with ethanol, biodiesel, and the newest addition to the list, hydrogen fuel cells. But full compatibility with regard to motors and machinery will require some changes in manufacturing. Since most new vehicles are now monitored by computerized equipment, governments need to encourage engine manufacturers to engineer and develop computerized motors that can determine a fuel mix, ethanol, gasoline, biodiesel, etc. and make adjustments to the fuel burning mix at the injection point. Few changes would be needed on the pistons or block. Piston technology is, in its primitive sense, the same design for the last 100 years when steam coursed through the cylinders instead of fuel explosion force. Air-fuel ratios are the biggest hurdle in engine conversions, and computerized sensors would allow a slow changeover without interruptions. By being able to sense what fuel is being used, engines could run on ethanol/gasoline for gas engines, or diesel/biodiesel for diesel engines, with any proportions, and switch back and forth. While some may envision a whiskey still in everyone's backyard, that is far from realistic. Americans enjoy their plush way of life, and expect to pull up to a fuel pump anywhere in their travels and fill up their tank. Only the fuel mega-companies are up to the task of maintaining such presence. So with all likelihood, the future of alternative fuel manufacturing still lies with major petro-producers. Some experts have said that alternative fuels are "unfeasible". Perhaps a true statement when looking at the bottom line profit, but as petroleum prices rise, this gap closes, and may reach a point where feasibility is achieved. Corporations will make the jump when this gap is closed.....it's a simple buck to them. It will be important that the American community at large supports such conversions with their capital stock investments, and with their patronage. In other words, be willing to burn an alternative fuel. Along the lines of feasibility, how about making it feasible for farmers to produce high-oil crops, or crops for fuel? Millions of acres in the Midwest lay idle, because the government programs that pay farmers NOT to grow crops are more lucrative than the potential profit of growing them. For the farmer, it is also a simple buck. So if the government is going to invest tax dollars in these operations, how about paying a farmer TO GROW a crop used for fuel? At least this would allow such acreage payments to be a benefit to the country......perhaps the world, by moving slowly toward independence with regard to fuel production. Electrical power generation is another large consumer of energy. Nuclear, coal, and hydroelectric make up the bulk of this grid, but wind power is beginning to make significant additions as well. In the last website we reviewed, electricity from wind power is at about 6%. There is tremendous opportunity to increase the contributions of electrical power via wind and hydro. Because the amounts of power needed are so great, wind farms and hydroelectric dams are huge development projects, which can have a great impact on the landscape and surrounding environment. Environmentalists that reject such proposals need to give themselves a reality check, and come to grips with the size of the problems America faces. Yes, hydro and wind will impact the environment. Yes, we'll kill some birds. And yes, some fish (lots of fish) will be re-navigated because of hydroelectric dams. But no American......not even an environmentalist.....is willing to give up their computer, their hair dryer, their car, their massive amounts of printer paper, their telephones, their cell phones, their lovely homes.....well, you get the idea. So the impact to the planet if we do NOT develop these technologies is significantly worse. No one will willingly return to the stone age, so any and every fossil fuel will be seized, stolen, or warred after to make the power.....at far greater environmental harm. It is more likely that America would bomb itself back into the stone age over the last drop of oil rather than "conserve" or adapt the livestyle of Laura Ingalls Wilder. We believe that true energy freedom will not be acquired until our energy is produced from renewables within our borders. Mega-consolidators will still hold the reins to alternative energies. They'll still have their lobbyists, and a lot of money in their coffers. However, the American Dream will still live on. Our way of life depends upon the procurement and distribution of affordable energy. Only with public support and the encouragement of Congress can businesses develop the systems needed to make it happen. ---Tom Clouser, Madisonburg, PA Tom Clouser is a 38 year old farmer in Pennsylvania. In addition to farming, he and his father publish a monthly 16-page newspaper called "Trees 'n' Turf", which targets subjects of interest to those in land use industries and activities. View their website at http://www.clouserfarm.net Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Clouser |
Water For Fuel - The Newly Redesigned 2008 Honda FCX Fuel Cell Car
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are considered as zero emission vehicles. These vehicles combine hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air to produce water and electricity. The electricity is then used to power the electric motor which powers the vehicle. Honda motors has developed a concept fuel cell car called the "Honda FCX" which will become a limited production car in 2008. Honda has equipped the FCX with a fuel stack and an ultra capacitor along with high pressure hydrogen tanks. The fuel cell stack serves as the main power source while the ultra capacitor serves as the storage unit for supplemental power. The Honda fuel stack consists of the PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) and has a total maximum output of 86kW. The water produced when hydrogen and oxygen are combined, is used in the humidification system. The fuel cell system is located under the floor and the high pressure hydrogen tanks are positioned under the rear seat. The ultra capacitor is positioned at an angle behind the rear seat to ensure that luggage space is not lost from the trunk. During startup and acceleration, the ultra capacitor assists the fuel cell to power the electric motor. During slowdown, the ultra capacitor recovers energy and stores it for future use. While the vehicle is stopped, the ultra capacitor provides energy to power the A/C, Radio and other electrical components while shutting the power from the fuel stack to the motor. The latest generation of Honda FCX is about two times more efficient than it's hybrid counterparts. Honda has also redesigned the fuel cell stack to be V shaped to allow quick recovery of water generated during the electricity production. It is about 20 percent lighter and 30 percent smaller, while producing 14kW additional power. Honda has also added an auxillary litium ION battery. The vehicle top speed is about 100 mph with a range of 354 miles on one tank. Large scale production of this car is limited by the number of hydrogen refuelling stations that will be built over the next few years. Overall, Honda seems to have made fantastic progress in building a highly energey efficient car of the future. Jim Letap is the lead editor of Hybrid Auto Info which is an online portal providing information on the latest developments in the area of hybrid technologies. Please visit HybridAutoInfo.com for more details. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Letap |
Water For Fuel - What Are Alternative Fuels And How Do They Effect Our Enviroment?
Right now in the United States, there is a huge push for people to use alternative fuels as opposed to gasoline. There are many reasons for this push. Generally, it's because alternative fuels are kinder to the environment and can help to combat the ever-growing problem of global warming. The price of driving a car is rising at an alarming rate. It has become very expensive to drive a car, so people are looking out for ways to save money on their fuel. Scientists are developing alternative fuels that can help not only the environment, but also the consumers checkbook. The new alternative fuels offer advantages in so many ways that people are really starting to take a look at these as an option over paying astronomical gasoline prices. When consumers use alternative fuels both to gas up their car as well as heat and cool their homes, they are helping the environment as well as helping themselves. The toxins that are released into the air when we burn gasoline and other fuels have shown to contribute to global warming and before we know it, winter will be as warm as summer. In the simplest form, an alternative fuel is one that is not produced by using crude oil. They are simply fuels that replace conventional gasoline as a means of powering vehicles. Alternative fuels have desirable energy efficiency and pollution reduction features. The 1990 Clean Air Act encourages development and sale of alternative fuels. There are many different kinds of alternative fuels and the most prominent one as well as the one that has been around the longest is ethanol. Ethanol is made from corn which is a great help to our farmers as well as to consumers and the environment. Ethanol is sometimes called grain alcohol. It can also be made from organic materials including agricultural crops and waste, plant material left from logging, and trash including paper. The alcohol found in alcoholic beverages is ethanol. However, the ethanol used for motor fuel is denatured, which means poison has been added so people can't drink it. Some people believe that producing ethanol takes more energy than it gives back and for the most part, this is true. However, technologies have evolved in such a way that it is possible to increase the efficiency of producing ethanol. The growing trend toward alternative fuels will probably grow as we become more and more conscious of how we are damaging our environment through our habits and products we use. New alternative fuels are being developed all the time and having a choice will certainly be a nice alternative itself. Dwayne Garrett is the author of several eBooks and popular software applications, he also offers an affordable Alternative Fuel Resource that will help you to make sense of Choosing An Alternative Fuel source. Visit: http://www.ChoosingAlternativeFuel.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dwayne_Garrett |
Water For Fuel - Why The Solutions To Our Environmental Problems Already Exist But We Don't Use Them
We have a history of doing things too late or at the last possible moment and whether this is an in-built trait in our DNA that exists in most of us or just our general laziness and resistance to change I am not sure. It starts for all of usually at an early age when we wait until we are ask and usually threatened multiple times before cleaning our rooms. This then graduates to our reluctance to complete assignments or study for exams until the due date. We avoid paying our credit card bills until we absolutely have to and as a society we tend to only support change when the current alternative has become so bad that it is hurting us individually. We only provide new transport options when our traffic jams and commute times get to unacceptable levels, then we only bring a method of supporting people through retirement when we realise we are going broke and more alarmingly in recent times, we institute change at a snails pace regarding our water, source of power and general environment when we now realise we are in dire straits. And sadly for all of these things from cleaning our room to environmental policy, we know that with the technology and knowledge we have at our disposal and early action, we would have avoided a majority of the heartache and measures we are forced to endure. They say the unfortunate thing about common sense is that it is not all that common and this seems to apply to us when it comes to environment. We live in the driest continent on Earth, yet still use fresh drinking water for our sewridge and toilets. We are closely located to the hole in the ozone layer with the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, yet we continue to expose ourselves excessively to the damaging rays and worse still not even use easily accessible forms of protection like sun cream. It is only now with Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth all below 40% water storage capacity and thus under severe restrictions that we see fit to have a national sustainable water policy. Finally with combined awareness of fossil fuels like oil running out and prices reaching much higher levels that we finally attempt to develop alternative energy sources. We are basically closing the stable door after the horse has escaped but there is good news at hand if we act now. The greatest thing about humanity is our potential is limitless because as long as our imagination can envisage something, it becomes possible. Through manifestations in our mind we have created technology that has overcome impossible obstacles in the past. When it comes to water we need only look abroad for two solutions that will dramatically reverse our current plight. Drier countries in the Middle East have utilised desalination and recycling plants for years. Due to the fact that 80% of all water use is for agriculture, it would make sense firstly that we adopt some of the best practice and lest wasteful farming methods of abroad and then further adapt it to our unique situation and climate. In fact this alone could almost save our current situation. Whether you believe in Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect or not it is universally accepted that large levels of Carbon Monoxide and Dioxide in the atmosphere is not good for our personal health not to mention the ever depleting supply of these fuels. We developed hydrogen fuel cells in the sixties to help us get to the moon and if we had spent a fraction of the money and effort we do with less important things, this would be powering our cars and homes today. The by-product of his power is water as well just to add further evidence our lack of common sense. This is not a matter of one side of politics being right and another being wrong or being a matter of people's opinions. These are just the facts and reality of our society and our collective apathy for doing anything until often it's too late. Do you remember how you easily you slept that one time you studied for a test weeks in advance or even just bought your Christmas presents early? Well think how easily you will sleep knowing that your children can live a great life and not spend it cleaning up our mess! Chris Jacob He is passionate about helping the youth in society and that is why methods as discussed above must be used to provide a better world for those following us. He also wants to help people financially as well which is why he is a co-founder of Credit Card Help which advises on the best deals for you from an independent perspective. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Jacob |
Water For Fuel - Coal-to-Liquids and Lignite-to-Liquids - An Environmentally-Sound Solution for the Peak Oil Crisis
The possibility of the world facing a "peak oil crisis" is now widely recognized as a clear and present danger in the fields of fuel and energy. Unfortunately, many attractive and widely-touted alternate fuel systems -- such as a safe and practical hydrogen-based transport fuel system -- will remain a dream until the distant future. For this reason, many nations have been re-examining other transport fuel technologies, such as the Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) technology, as a near future source of transport fuels. Coal-to-Liquids -- that is, the conversion of coal to liquid transport fuels -- is in fact not new a technology and has been practiced for a number of decades in countries such as South Africa and Germany and will soon be adopted in China. The most viable Coal-to-Liquids system requires the conversion of coal into a synthesis gas consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and then its synthesis into long-chain liquid fuel molecules. These processes produce excess heat that can be used to generate electricity. The synthetic petroleum products, and especially synthetic diesel, have a number of unique environmental advantages. These advantages include the reduction of particulates, nitrogen oxides and fugitive aromatic hydrocarbon emissions of those associated with 'natural crude'. Although the technology of CTL is well understood, technological challenges regarding its application to specific coal and lignite (brown coal) resources exist. Lignite is usually a high moisture fuel with moisture contents of up to 65%, for example the Victorian lignites have around 60% moisture. Lignites also can have high mineral matter (ash) content and have high sulphur contents, say to 5%. The economics of Coal-to-Liquids are that a crude oil price of between $US40 - $US50 per barrel is required to provide conditions where the process is viable. This infers that coal should be provided at a relatively low cost; that favorable logistics such as transport, access to refineries and good proximity to markets exist; and that there is a financial and political will to invest in plant that will have over a thirty year production life. Industry wisdom is suggesting that the scale of successful Coal-to-Liquids plants will be a minimum production of 50,000 barrels per day of synthetic crude plus 400 MWe of power available for export. The introduction of CTL into the developing countries of Asia that have suitable coal and/or lignite reserves makes good sense. The replacement of traditional crude oil with CTL crude has positive economic, environmental and security aspects for those countries. The co-generation of electricity will also be positive, as will the co-production of by-products of sulphur, waxes and LPG (liquid petroleum gas). The production of CTL also has strong security aspects, since indigenous liquid fuel is generally less vulnerable to disruption by terrorist action or international political disputes. About the Author: Dr. Michael C. Clarke is the founder of M.E.T.T.S. Pty. Ltd. - Consulting Engineers, of New Farm, Queensland, Australia. Dr. Clarke has qualifications and experience in mining, chemical and environmental engineering. In 2007 Dr. Clarke completed a consultancy for the Asian Development Bank that looked at the development of the Thar and Badin lignites. M.E.T.T.S. is currently working on the design of an integrated mining, beneficiation and Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) utilization system that will maximize the production of liquid fuel and the co-generation of electricity. In co-operation with an Australian coal beneficiation technology company and a mining technology company that respectively have innovative coal drying and complementary mining technologies under development, M.E.T.T.S. is looking for lignite and coal deposits that match the feed specifications for an integrated process. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Michael_C._Clarke |
Water For Fuel - Submarine Propulsion and Internet web sources
Let us discuss the patent for the Submarine, which is now in the public domain, not that any foreign governments ever cared since they have been building them for years. Since my Grandfather built the first Ring Gyro at Stanford Research years back, I think it wise to discuss these things in a modern context. The device he built is now called a Laser Ring Gyro Inertia Guidance system which is not nearly the size of the original the first one ever built by my Grandfather was six feet in diameter and six feet high and was used in a submarine after it was perfected. Today you can make one in a small box with a computer chip about 3 inches by three inches. Proving Moore's Law in more ways than one. So if you were going to build a submarine right now how would you build it? What would power it? What would be its limitations on performance? Could it also fly? Go on land? Who would you pay to build it? How fast could it go? Well we could use a Hydrogen fuel Cell, actually that has already been done and by the way it works fine. No more, Red Octobers, here is some history leading up to this discussion you may find rather interesting. www.milparade.ru/security/117.html Some of this is significant to me because my Uncle was in charge of a Nuclear Submarine in days gone by. Yes, I know interesting family right? There are so many interesting designs for submarines and under water exploratory vehicles and they run on all kinds of different ideas; www.liquefaction.com/subs/ www.fuelcelltoday.com/FuelCellToday/IndustryInformation/IndustryInformationExternal/IndustryInformationDisplayArticle/0,1168,471,00.html You see those darn Germans are always building something cool, but then again so are we; http://web.mit.edu/ctpid/www/Whitney/USA/navsea.pdf www.solidworks.com/html/Company/article.cfm?Id=334 and if any one out there thinks we do not have underwater superiority like we do air superiority www.geocities.com/Heartland/2778/weapons.txt then they have been smoking too much Iraqi grass. In a comparison of possible propulsion units one might ask why not use this technology of Hydrogen cells anywhere that air is not needed. Bingo. http://itri.loyola.edu/subsea/c3_s2.htm this is exactly my thoughts on this matter. You know this really no revelation because we have known about this technology for years; www.iahe.org/Establishment_of_IAHE.htm www.minihydrogen.com/ www.newlondoncountyguide.com/submarines1.htm I mean submarines have been around since before the civil war and Hydrogen Cell technology around the turn of the 1900's that's right? So let us compare types of propulsion that can be used in submarines? How about like a bicycle, people power? Sure it has been done before. http://scilib.ucsd.edu/sio/indexes/subbibl.html and since then we have come with many different types of propulsion all with different characteristics for anti-detection, efficiency, speed and power against currents. www.newlondoncountyguide.com/submarines1.htm www.aticourses.com/advanced_undersea_warfare.htm www.naval-technology.com/projects/tupi/ www.fas.org/nuke/space/c01intro.htm . Did you know that even Pakistan has submarines and it has nuclear weapons? Scary thought right? http://www.pakdef.info/pdnn/news/archives/news94.html And Taiwan too http://www.taiwandc.org/twcom/tc63-int.pdf This is why we need satellites and fast moving unmanned subs to intercept if necessary. But it is difficult that is why drug runners use submarine remote control units to import drugs so no one can detect them; they have the budget obviously; www.postpolitics.com/blogs/archives/000202.html www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/scn-sub.htm and we are now finding ways to prevent that from happening too. www.fas.org/irp/congress/1989_cr/h891121-drugs.htm www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/columnists/steigerwald/s_80587.html There are so many uses for submarines from underwater mining, sea life expeditions, sunken treasure seekers, military safety, under water base building, etc. www.cnn.com/TECH/9707/30/ancient.shipwrecks/ www.peterbrueggeman.com/delta/ www.auditory.org/asamtgs/asa92nwo/3aAO/3aAO11.html How a submarine works is very simple actually. This may account for it's many variants; www.howstuffworks.com/submarine4.htm Submarines are of huge benefits to mankind "Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow |
Water For Fuel - The Benefits of Hydrogen Cells for Home Brewing
See in your mind's eye if George Jetson had his own microbrewery; what would it be resembling? Would the look be sleek as well as space-like? How much greater and fast could it would it operate? How about the formidable S.S. Enterprise? Can you simply appreciate Captain Kirk or Captain Picard downing a pint of their private galactic beverage? And what would provide power to the apparatus making such thrilling domestic brews? Hydrogen cells are creating ripples and news as well as all in between in a world where lack of energy is not some economical urban legend. The Hubbub About Domestic Brews And Hydrogen Cells What exactly is a hydrogen cell? What does home brewing have in common with energy conservation anyhow? Hydrogen cells are a type of fuel cell, which is on the whole a device that conserves energy. Fuel cells yield their own energy, almost all the time wit the aid of a particular source of fuel as well as an oxidant. Hydrogen cells use hydrogen as the fuel source and oxygen as the oxidant. Breweries want power to manufacture their ales and lagers, and really cannot be lacking power at anytime. This is where hydrogen fuel cells perform an important function; they keep the energy flowing. And being able to "generate" energy in your own backyard is pretty darn cool. This also makes you both energy conscious and quite business savvy. You might perhaps appear on the cover of a few magazines. What are hydrogen fuel cells good for? At this time, they can be looked at as incredibly useful support generators of sorts. Numerous companies, including a few respected breweries are considering fuel cells as a manner to be extra self-sufficient as far as energy goes. This could be excellent news for the future of making beer as a hobby; home breweries using hydrogen for fuel. There would be noteworthy reductions in energy usage. Can home breweries use hydrogen cells? The hope for individuals studying and working with fuel cells is that every person will know how to exploit most of the benefits that this product has to offer. You would be capable of provide electricity to so much, from your microbrewery to every piece of equipment in your home by using less energy. There is not a lot of information on the doable uses of hydrogen fuel cells. Despite the fact that some fuel cells are being used, the scope of what they have got to offer is even now being explored. The Sierra Nevada Brewery has implemented the use of molten carbonate fuel cells and are projecting a savings of larger than $400,000 a year in energy costs. For more information on home beer brewing visit InformationAttendant.com, where you can also find a wide selection of information and knowledge with RSS feeds for website syndication. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Simpson |
Water For Fuel - Pond Solar Systems - Solar System Aeration
Solar pond bubbler aeration improves water quality, and prevents winter fish kills! Solar pond bubbler aerator operates day & night. Typically, 1 million gallons of pond water only holds a maximum of 2-6 pounds of oxygen. Not much, and it goes away quickly when aeration is interrupted. Only a 24/7 aeration system can maintain and improve water quality. When you purchase a solar aeration system look for the best quality and price, and a manufacturer that is so sure of their aerators, they put links to their competitors on their site. All solar pond bubbler aerators can be used in any depth pond. The deeper the pond, the better the system will work because there is more fresh, warm water to circulate. Also the system will work better in a larger pond with more water in it. Solar systems are designed to keep water available in cold weather and improve water quality in warm weather. They are not designed to keep the whole pond ice free, especially when the outside air temperature reaches 0 degrees. There are many solar powered aeration systems. Look for a system that does not require a degree in electrical engineering, or a contractor's license for installation near any public access, and are not a daily maintenance nightmare. Solar pond bubbler aerators if properly engineered should have no installation cost, no additional wiring cost, and need no priming. You should be able to just clamp the solar panel to a pole, and squeeze the battery clamps in place. You then should be able to attach the non pluggtng diffuser to the float which is furnished in all well designed systems. See manufacturer specifications for maximum diffuser depth, and do not allow the diffuser to touch the bottom. Drop the diffuser in the water and it aerates. Solar aerators restore lakes, ponds, water gardens, golf course water ponds, and aerate thousands of fish daily. Look for a system with a one year warranty on all parts, 3 year warranty on pump motor (replace diaphragm annually). 5 year warranty on solar panels. You will have to furnish low profile automotive battery, rated at 300-600 amps, and a pole to mount solar panel on most systems. Do your part to increase the world's pure oxygen supply!! Water algae produces the oxygen you are breathing now, but at night they need your help!! Aeration is necessary to maintain oxygen in pond water to keep it healthy. The oxygen content decreases rapidly at night. The algae, which produce excess oxygen during the day, switch metabolism at night and use up pond water oxygen. This natural process depletes almost all of the waters oxygen supply. If the biological balance is destroyed all pond life could die within hours. Using a solar aerator increases water circulation, prevents stagnation, and injects oxygen into the water. And guess where the big fish hang out! The big fish are in the high oxygen aeras. For More Information On Solar Pond Aeration Systems Call Or Email Me: World Aquaculture, 24 (2): 108-109. |
Water For Fuel - Alternative Energies and Our Dependence on Foreign Middle Eastern Oil
The issues with our dependency on Middle Eastern foreign oil compromises the United State's position in maintaining our integrity in International Relations, treaties, negotiations and sticking to our guns on doing what is right. Indeed it often makes the chess game more complicated and causes to make a bad shift over the line too often in the pragmatic approach lining up alliances. In looking at the Wind Energy, I find that it is insufficient, but sure it is doable for only some types of applications and for regional energy exploits. Ocean Wave energy is nice, as water it is 750 more dense than air and Ocean Water 850 times as dense. Solar makes sense in many cases. Growing our own fuel? Well, there are drought issues and in the future it could be a percentage? 8-15% but we need land area and water too, distribution and transportation issues exist. Corrosive cannot go in pipes. Must be rail cars with ceramic coating, perhaps even above ground tanks too, still environmentalists, EPA regs and lawsuits are at issue too. Still GM, Ford and Chrysler say they can do 7-8 million units in a few years? If we have oil let's use it now, watch for seismic activities from cavities and if the Chinese are going to go for the Gulf via Cuba, well we ought too also, as it is in our zone. Just like when Kuwait drilled side ways into what Iraq's Saddam made claim too. We will not be using oil in 150 years, so use our ground supplies now. Alaska drilling if it is economically feasible based on the market price and costs, beats beating our heads against the wall with Islamic Radicals if the World price escalates too high. The more enemies made there or even in South America the sooner all that oil will end up in China as their economy can afford the higher prices. If we make fatal errors in foreign policy or stand on the high-ground without a pragmatic understanding of Machiavellian human nature of nation-state's leaders then one by one the offended parties will become China's friend. We will have to compete on World Markets for Natural Resources, Oil and in my opinion we should be selling energy, natural resources and using our own oil in a much greater percentage, not buying these, as we are allowing non-reciprocal monetary flows to leave for foreign shores and it drains our money supply and puts us in debt to keep the game up. I am troubled by all this and it is time that we take this bull by the horns. We need to win. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you. "Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow |