Engine Ear

U.A.E to Adopt Nuclear Power?

2008-05-19T15:18:00.001-07:00

"The massive development underway in Dubai means that 43 percent of world's cranes now reside there (China has 37 percent). With that comes a thirst for raw materials, manpower and, of course, electrical power. While attempts to capitalize on solar power are well underway, it's not going to keep up with the expanding energy requirements of buildings and the desalinization plants needed to supply fresh water from the Gulf for residents.

I took this top photo on the way to the Bab al Sham resort for dinner, and got into a conversation with Joe Desposito, editor in chief of Electronic Design, on the benefits of nuclear power, in general, and for the region, in particular. We agreed that it would be a good idea, politics aside. They must've heard us. The next day the move to nuclear power was announced on page 1 of "The Gulf" newspaper (bottom). Smart people!"

Courtesy : EE Times

U.S Earthquake Engineers Travel to China

2008-05-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

Courtesy : NY Times

"Due to the extensive use of unreinforced masonry and nonductile concrete construction in this region, heavy damage is wide spread. Added to this is the concentration of population and structures along large rivers where liquefaction is a significant problem. That's why damage is occurring as far away as Chongqing -- 220 miles away, - Tom Chan, Vice President of Miyamoto International.

In response to the earthquake in Sichuan, China on May 12, Miyamoto International has dispatched a team of earthquake engineers. They will assess the structural integrity of existing buildings and infrastructure, collect data, and provide support to clients on damage assessment, loss estimation and recommendations to mitigate further business interruption."

Read more here : Industry Week, 'U.S Earthquake Engineers Travel to China'

Verizon Implements Opto 22 Monitoring Systems

2008-05-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

Telecom leader Verizon's "central office of the future" uses Opto 22 products to monitor and control vital electrical and mechanical systems. A senior Power Engineer at Verizon talks about the downfalls of electrical switching in the networks and explains the implementation of a new prototype at the Garden City switching and administrative office for reducing energy costs. Complete details of this procedure can be read here. Video courtesy Design World.

Flipperons for Improved Aerodynamic Performance

2008-05-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

"The underlying concept of using flipperons and other flipperlike actuators to impart desired characteristics to flows is not new. Moreover, elements of flipperon- based active flow-control (AFC) systems for aircraft had been developed previously, but it was not until the development reported here that the elements have been integrated into a complete, controllable prototype AFC system for wind-tunnel testing to enable evaluation of the benefits of AFC for aircraft.

The tests showed that with appropriate actuation of flipperons, lift was increased and drag reduced, by amounts of the order of a percent. Data from these tests were then used to estimate the benefits that could be obtained by adding flipperon-based AFC systems to transport airplanes in two tests cases. In one case, it was found that the addition of the flipperons to the vertical stabilizer of a Boeing 777 (or equivalent) airplane would make it possible to reduce the size of the vertical stabilizer, thereby reducing the drag, by an amount sufficient to enable a reduction of fuel consumption by as much as 1.7 percent. In another case, it was found that by exploiting the ability of a flipperonbased AFC system to delay the onset of stall, one could safely increase the angle of attack (thereby increasing lift) while reducing the size of the wings (thereby reducing the weight) of a blended-wing/ body airplane by an amount sufficient to enable a reduction of fuel consumption by as much as 0.6 percent."

Read More Here : NASA Tech Briefs "Flipperons for Improved Aerodynamic Performance"

Geothermal Bridge Monitors Deck Temperature

2008-04-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

Piping grid in road bed circulates geothermal fluid (Canada)

"Bridges and overpasses lose heat faster overnight than neighboring roads because they are surrounded by air. Black ice forms in minutes when moisture in the air freezes into a thin, virtually invisible layer of ice on a bridge deck; this happens even though approach roads may be bare.

The system works to cool the bridge deck in the summer time and heat it during the winter, reducing the temperature extremes and associated thermal expansions and contractions that stress and cause wear to the bridge structure. A heated bridge deck not only eliminates 24/7 rapid response by city crews to treat black ice, but it also reduces snowplow damage to the bridge, reduces damaging thermal stresses, and reduces maintenance requirements. Further, because salt is not required to make the bridge safe for driving, the bridge is expected to have a life span up to 25 years greater than the typical 50 year bridge life span."

Read more here : Sensor Mag

Danish Engineers Design Gripper For Small Objects

2008-04-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

"The most daunting challenge of automating assembly of very small products, such as hearing aids, is how to feed and manipulate tiny screws and other parts. These parts are so small that gravity becomes less dominant than other forces, such as Van der Waals forces, surface tension and electrostatic energy. These forces cause tiny parts to stick to the gripper, creating problems with centering and alignment.

Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby have designed a gripper and an automatic screwdriver that overcome this challenge. Led by Asta Gegeckaite, Ph.D., the researchers developed a mechanical gripper that can successfully pick up and release a small push button for a hearing aid. The researchers discovered that reducing the surface area of the gripper reduces the stiction effects and makes the gripping process more efficient."

Read more here : Assembly Blog

The HyperCar Model of Efficiency

2008-04-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

"Two decades ago, physicist and energy expert Amory Lovins came up with a notion he called "Hypercar," a general class of vehicles so fuel-efficient it might, Lovins hoped, radically reduce oil consumption in the U.S. and worldwide. A tailpipe dream? Perhaps not. While the Hypercar SUV that Lovins and colleagues designed in 2000 remains a one-of-a-kind concept vehicle, many automakers are beginning to embrace the underlying principles of Hypercar. In this audio slideshow, Lovins describes the key characteristics that any Hypercar would have, and he offers a glimpse of a Hypercar-like Toyota vehicle that may soon be driving through your neighborhood."—Susan K. Lewis

View the hyper car slideshow here, given by a chief scientist of Rocky Mountain Instritute. Courtesy of PBS.

Go to the official site of Hyper Car here

Dryer Miser : An Energy Efficient Clothes Dryer

2008-04-27T16:48:00.001-07:00

Energy comparisons - Hydromatic's Dryer Miser on right is more power friendly

"Made of durable copper and aluminum, the Hydronic Dryer’s heat technology works by heating up a specially formulated, non-toxic and non-hazardous heat transfer fluid with an immersion element (similar to a water heater). The fluid is transferred to a heat exchanger where it is mixed with air. The heated air is then blown into the dryer’s drum. The result is a safer, highly energy efficient dryer, that dries faster than any other brand available on the market – up to 41% faster!"

What will Whirlpool think of this?

Read More Here : EcoGeek 'New Clothes Dryer Could Save Billions'
Go to the Product Website

Top Challenges for Engineers in the 21st Century

2008-04-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

"As scientists and engineers, what can we achieve that will allow humanity to flourish in this, the 21^st century? Thanks to the US National Science Foundation (NSF), we may not have to wait for decades to find out.

The NSF assembled an impressive committee of experts to develop a list of aspirations for engineering in the 21^st century. The group announced their 14 grand challenges at the recent AAAS meeting in Boston:

• Make solar energy affordable
• Provide energy from fusion
• Provide access to clean water
• Reverse-engineer the brain
• Advance personalized learning
• Develop carbon sequestration methods
• Restore and improve urban infrastructure
• Advance health informatics
• Engineer the tools of science discovery
• Prevent nuclear terror
• Engineer better medicines
• Manage the nitrogen cycle
• Secure cyberspace
• Enhance virtual reality"

U.S Patent Applications Up But Quality Poor

2008-04-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

"The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently received an application seeking a patent for what was claimed to be a better way to stand in line while waiting to use an airplane toilet.

Jon Dudas, director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, said the example may be extreme, but it illustrates the declining quality of U.S. patent applications his agency has seen since 2000 as more applicants attempt to game the system."

Self Filling Vehicle Tire

2008-04-17T14:47:00.001-07:00

"Created by engineers at Coda Development in the Czech Republic, the system involves the use of a small cavity in the tire wall and an inexpensive “managing valve.” When a vehicle’s tires are rolling, the valve in the Self-Inflating Tire transfers air into the cavity, which in turn delivers it to the tire. The managing valve, which rotates along with the tire, refills on every revolution. Whenever the tire’s pressure is lower than the air pressure inside the tiny cavity, the system opens its intake and delivers air. When the pressure in the cavity and the tire are equalized, the system’s intake is disabled, and refilling ceases."

Read More Here

Fouling Problems Cause Inefficiency in Refineries Worldwide

2008-04-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

"Fouling is the build up of oil deposits on tubes in heat exchangers. Refiners spend $4.5 billion worldwide to clean up refineries, resulting in shutdowns and serious health and safety issues because of the need to safely dispose of toxic material from the tubes. Security of oil supplies also is threatened when refineries are offline.

Refineries suffering fouling have reduced throughput and are inefficient because they waste more energy in converting oil into fuel products. Consequently there are increased carbon emissions. "Up to 10% of refinery's carbon footprint is from fouling in preheating trains," Pugh said, adding that oil needs an extra blast in the refinery's furnace prior to distillation because of fouling.

Pugh recommended that the oil industry shares resources to solve the problem with an emphasis on technology to design new types of heat exchangers, hydrotreaters, and FCC units."

Self Healing Goodyear Tires

2008-04-11T08:58:00.001-07:00

"Self-healing "DuraSeal" tires, which instantly seal themselves with little or no loss of air pressure, are now available from Goodyear Tire & Rubber. The "revolutionary" feature seals punctures up to ¼ inch in diameter and avoids flats, the company's executives said." - Construction Equipment

"The tires have a gel-like, nonflammable, solvent-free rubber compound built into the tire’s inner liner. The gel flows into voids and around objects less than 0.25 in. in diameter, and will do this repeatedly, letting it take care of dozens of punctures. The repair gel’s yellow color highlights punctures, making them easier to see. The tires also feature four all-steel belts, which gives the tires a solid foundation for several retreadings." - Machine Design

"DuraSeal is initially available in Goodyear's new G287 and G288 on/off-highway tires, and will be available later in other commercial truck models. Cohn said it probably won't expand to consumer tires because "there it's price, price, price, and they (most motorists) wouldn't pay for it." - Construction Equipment

Silver Nanoparticles Harmful for Environment

2008-04-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

"Scientists are raising alarms about toxic nanoparticles being woven into fabrics as "odor neutralizers" in socks and as antibacterial agents in bandages.

Silver nanoparticles used in fabrics were found by researchers to leach out after just a few washings, releasing harmful toxins shown to harm aquatic life. While the effects of silver nanoparticles on humans have yet to be established, the researchers recommended that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require manufacturers to bind silver nanoparticles to fabrics to prevent leaching during washing. They also recommended labeling products as containing potentially harmful nanoparticles."

Revolutionary Technology For Cheaper Titanium Alloys

2008-04-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

"...over the past few years research at the Light Metals Flagship (LMF) – an Australian Government-funded CSIRO initiative involving industry and research partners – a new processing technology is being developed that is said to have the potential to halve titanium processing costs. One of the keys to reducing the cost of producing titanium is TiRO™, a new processing technique developed by the LMF. TiRO™ is based on the same chemistry as the Kroll process – the traditional method for producing titanium metal – but is continuous, faster and eliminates many intermediate steps. It directly produces titanium metal in powder form.

The technology – based on reduction of titanium chemicals with aluminium – has produced 150 grams of alloy per hour in a continuous production mode in a small experimental unit."

Read more here

Dean Kamen's Water Purifier

2008-04-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

I love Dean's ideas.

This link shows how a "Vapor Compression Distiller" works.

Mitsubishi LaserVue TV

2008-04-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

"....laser produces twice the color gamut of either LCD or Plasma TVs. Laser beams provide the widest range of rich, complex, colors, along with the most clarity and depth of field. Laser TV, which has been under development for the past several years, is now apparently ready for Prime Time, and is expected to be delivered to dealers in Fall 2008.

Mitsubishi LaserVue TVs are expected to provide the ultimate in picture quality, according to the company, and offer new and innovative features for an exemplary viewing experience. LaserVue TVs will employ the latest generation of TI's DLP chipsets (either HD4 or HD5), and completely eliminate the color wheel and lamp found on regular DLP HDTVs. Further, cabinet size and depth will be reduced over standard DLP models also. As well, the Laser TVs are environmentally friendly, consuming approximately one-half the power of today's LCD TVs, and approximately one-third the power consumption of plasma TVs."

Source : EE Times

Highest Glass Bottomed Elevator

2008-04-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

"Lifting off April 9, 2008, the CN Tower introduces North America's first and the world's highest glass floor paneled elevator as one of its glass-fronted elevators now offers a thrilling new perspective on the view - 346m (1,136 ft) straight down. The enhanced elevator includes two glass floor panels each almost 2 1/2 in thick which when combined total 5¼ square feet of floor space." - CN Tower Portal

"Tower experts claim it can hold the weight of 14 hippos. But since they'd never be able to fit in the cage, there's plenty of room for everyone else." - City News

"Made with five centimeter-thick glass, Ms. Knight said that much like the glass floor of the tower's main pod, the glass elevator panels were designed using the same technology, strength and durability standards. You could stand and jump on them, but we want people to concentrate on the view." - National Post

Unique Ventilation Design in Shoes

2008-04-07T16:52:00.000-07:00

"A perforated part is embedded in the front of the sole (1). Water vapour is transported through air ducts (2) under the upper sole into a cavity in the heel (3). The vapor is then emitted through a special waterproof valve.

When the material gets wet, for example if the wearer steps in a puddle, a superabsorbing BASF polymer known as Luquafleece in the ventilation element immediately expands and self-seals the system. It even stays watertight under high pressure. Then, as soon as the material dries, it regains its breathability."

Lithium Ion Battery for Chevy Volt

2008-04-07T15:14:00.001-07:00

"The new battery is designed to provide the Volt with a 40-mile pure electric range. Known as a “plug-in hybrid,” the Volt will use the battery to power electric motors that drive its front wheels. GM has said the Volt will use an engine-generator set to recharge its lithium-ion battery beyond the initial 40 miles. Lithium-ion is considered the battery of choice for the coming generation of plug-in hybrids because it packs greater energy density than lead-acid or other battery alternatives."

Source : Design News