Water-powered cars unrealistic

I don’t buy this for a second…too much smoke for there not to be a big fire somewhere in all the claims.

“Energy experts are speaking out against a Japanese company that claims to have invented a water-fueled car. Genepax is touting their newly released water-fuel as capable of powering a car and other fuel-reliant devices. Yet information on the product is only available online and the company has failed to release any details to the public aside from a few simple diagrams. These diagrams show technology that enables the use of water as a fuel and as the system’s main emission. Daniel Dingel, an inventor from the Philippines, claims to have created a water-powered car 30 years ago. He has garnered worldwide press for his invention, but like Genepax, he has never released the details of his design. Both Dingel and Genepax were unavailable for comment. While the technology does exist to get energy out of water, it is still considered too inefficient for vehicles. “What’s appealing is the concept,” said Arne Elias, executive director of the Centre for Sustainable Transportation. “The problem is that’s not how it works. The conversion to hydrogen from water is very inefficient.” “It’s possible to put H2O in your tank and use a fuel to split it . . . but there is no such thing as an H2O-powered vehicle.” The concept of an H2O-powered vehicle is often confused with hydrogen fuel cell technology, where hydrogen gas is converted into energy with a pure H2O emission.” - Source

Gasless Power Wagon for Blackouts, Brownouts, Mobile Electricity

What a clever idea…

“The battery generator Power Wagon debuted at the St. Joseph Grade School Carnival. Paul Wilks, the inventor of the gasless generator, has built a battery powered device which recharges by merely turning the wheels. Charging from the torque of wheels rolling, the device runs lights, air conditioning, refrigerators, and even inflatable slides. The noiseless device charges its batteries by attaching the trailer to the back of a vehicle — or for that matter a horse and wagon.”It rolls itself,” explained Wilks, adding that it can provide power in remote settings, at construction sites, for emergency situations, or as a gasless alternative to power your home or office. 0A Wilks, who once drove a truck, has been working on the invention about seven years. The idea came from seeing the wheels of trucks turn.” I started piecing it together seven or eight years ago. I did not know if I could make it work.” He envisioned capturing that energy as a substitute for gas. John Howard, manager of M & M Inflatables, Ironton, Ohio, ecstatically stated, “I’ve never seen anything like it before. We could take this places without electricity. It would be great for festivals; it’s not very loud. You can’t hear it run. It saves on gas; it would pay for itself in about a year’s time with us.” On lookers expressed amazement as the device powered machines at the St. Joe carnival. One individual foresaw the device as having a wide variety of military uses (such as providing power in Iraq) or as an asset for THEMA, which faces powerless disasters. Pointing to a set of generator powered lights which the carnival would utilize after dark, Wilks explained “you could put a light system on this that could light up just as much as those.” Wilks indicated that a group of West Virginia University engineers have given a &nbs p;thumbs up for the invention, for which a patent application is pending. “They said it needed to be on the market now,” the inventor said of the WVU examination of the gasless generator. Asked often whether a car could be built to run on it, he grinned and shrugged favorably. But, that project would be too large for him. Still, many of those marveling at the device aptly described it as “the wave for the future.” Wilks can be contacted at (304) 544-4093. He will soon have a website at: http://www.thepowerwagon.com. / And thanks to Robert Nelson at Rex Research for finding the Wilks Patent - Trailer with Integral Axle-Mounted Generator and Battery Charger - US2007051542 - 2007-03-08 - Inventor: WILKS PAUL L - Classification: - international: B60K1/00; B60K1/00; - European: B60L11/18L6 - Abstract — A working surface incorporates a means for transferring mechanical energy produced by a rotating member of the working surface so that the energy rotates a shaft attached to an alternator that charges a bank of 12 V batteries. The alternator is responsible for converting the mechanical energy being input by the rotating shaft to electrical energy that is fed to the batteries. The batteries transfer the energy into an inverter for use depending upon the required amount. Thereby, backup electrical power may be generated and stored, taking advantage of excess horsepower at cruise provided by a vehicle as well as better utilizing travel time. Additionally, the added cost of ownership and noise of a portable power generator is avoided.” - Source

Aussie Solar Panel could halve solar cost

Some houses here in Mexico have similar solar hot water heating systems.

“Household roofs would be kitted out with rows of mini-troughs, made of mirrors, if the project gets off the ground. For now, eco-conscious households must install separate solar hot water heaters and solar electricity panels at a total average cost of around $16,000, excluding government rebates. The high cost is a barrier to some homes going solar. But researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra think the new “two-in-one” invention could cost much less – around $5,000-$10,000, at a rough guess. “Obviously, for the simple reason because it generates electricity and hot water simultaneously in the one system,” Dr Skryabin said. “I think it should be significantly cheaper and more efficient.” Dr Skryabin said an average-sized installation would provide enough hot water to run a household, and between half and two-thirds of the power needed for an energy-efficient household. The new panels consist of thin troughs made up of mirrors. The mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays onto a solar strip, which runs along the troughs. The strip generates electricity. The strip also contains treated water, which heats up with the sun. That heat is conveyed into the home’s hot water system. The cost of going solar now is based on $13,000 for a small solar electricity array, and $3,000 for a solar hot water heater. Prices can vary widely and partial government rebates are available.” - Source

MIT develops solar panels which track the sun without motors

A rediscovery of an old method.

“Students at MIT participating in the annual MADMEC (Making And Designing Materials Engineering Contest) have devised a zero-input energy solution which allows solar panel arrays to track the sun’s movement thereby increasing solar panel efficiency by 38% over stationary panels. Borrowing from the very technology used to track the sun by plants coupled to the relatively primitive approach used in coil-based temperature gauges, the device is basically a temperature sensor that responds mechanically to changes in heat. Constructed from bimetal aluminum and steel, two materials which expand at different rates when exposed to identical changes in temperature, the device is built into a type of arch affixed permanently at one side and attached to a pivot arm on the other. As the sun moves it heats up different portions along the arch causing it to flex and bend to varying extents allowing the solar panel to track with the sun’s movement, as per the expansion of the arch. The idea of having completely autonomous solar panel tracking mechanisms is very exciting, especially in developing nations where an additional 38% efficiency would be most desirable. Solar panels that orient themselves are so much more efficient than stationary models, albeit more costly, that the extra energy they generate more than makes up for the small amount of energy required to track the sun through movement by electric motors and tiny computers which compute the angle at various points throughout the day. This team’s solution will simply do the same job less costly and without parts which will more easily wear out over time.” - Source

Energy Saving Ambient Air Clothes Dryer

Every little bit helps.

“An energy saving ambient air clothes dryer is one step closer to becoming a fixture consumers’ homes. Recently out of prototype testing, the ambient air dryer utilizes less energy than conventional natural gas and 220V electrical element clothes driers because it employs 110V and 12V power sources, and can be modified to run on solar power as well. Additionally, the ambient air dryer, which works by circulating 20 times more air, does not heat damage clothes or present fire hazard because it does not create a flame to heat air to dry clothes. Instead of using heated air to dry clothes, the ambient air dryer utilizes a patented design to continually circulate twenty times more air through an 18 inch intake and exhaust system. Because of the amount of air the ambient air dryer circulates, it is able to dry clothes in the same amount of time as a conventional dryer, but without the fire hazard and heat damaging the clothes. / And thanks to Robert Nelson at Rex Research for finding the Ford Patent - US7340848 (B2) - Ambient air clothes dryer - Classification: - international: F26B11/02; F26B11/00; - European: D06F58/02 - Also published as: - US7340848 (B2) - US7178265 (B2) - US2006254083 (A1) - US2006107548 (A1) - Abstract — The ambient air clothes dryer is an automated device providing axial flow of unheated ambient air through the dryer drum. The dryer may include different drum drive systems, timer and/or humidity detector controls, and a configuration utilizing a separate, portable fan for temporary, removable installation with the dryer housing to provide airflow through the drum. The ambient air dryer greatly reduces energy requirements for drying laundry when compared to conventional heated air dryers, and is quite effective in warm and/or dry climates. The ambient air dryer is portable and may be used indoors or outdoors. The device may be configured to use twelve-volt power from a motor vehicle for use in camping. When used indoors, the device may be placed with a heat source (heat register, etc.) to draw warm air through the drum while humidifying the air as it passes through damp laundry in the drum.” - Source

White roofs, streets could curb global warming

Better yet, painting them with solar cell paint to produce electricity.

“The idea of painting our roofs and roads white to offset global warming is not new, but a recent study has calculated just how significantly white surfaces could impact greenhouse gas emissions. Last week, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley presented their study at California’s annual Climate Change Research Conference in Sacramento. If the 100 largest cities in the world replaced their dark roofs with white shingles and their asphalt-based roads with concrete or other light-colored material, it could offset 44 metric gigatons (billion tons) of greenhouse gases, the study shows. That amounts to more greenhouse gas than the entire human population emits in one year, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times. The strategy could also offset the growth in carbon dioxide emissions, which account for about 75% of greenhouse gases, for the next 10 years.” - Source

Nanotechnology, the mysterious Casimir Force, and interstellar spaceships

It’s about time…KeelyNet and our associates have been preaching this for years! Just no money to research applications…yet!

“Scientists have suggested that the quantum mechanics of something called the Casimir effect can be used to produce a locally mass-negative region of space-time, a phenomenon that theoretically could be used to stabilize a wormhole to allow faster than light travel (”Wormholes, Time Machines, and the Weak Energy Condition”).

For many years the Casimir effect was little more than a theoretical curiosity. With the advances in micro- and nanotechnology and the fact that the Casimir force affects nanoscale devices such as NEMS, research in detecting and manipulating this mysterious force has generated substantial interest.

Now, the secretive DARPA, a research agency of the U.S. Department of Defense that often dabbles in far-out technologies – and that also brought us the Internet’s predecessor ARPANET – is soliciting innovative research proposals in the area of Casimir Effect Enhancement (Solicitation number DARPA-BAA-08-59.)

Energy Unlimited - Diagram design by physicist Jordan Maclay.

The goal of this program is to develop new methods to detect, control and dynamically manipulate (i.e. switch on and off) attractive and repulsive forces at surfaces based on engineering of the Casimir Force.

One could leverage this ability to control phenomena such as adhesion in nanodevices, drag on vehicles and many other interactions of interest to the DoD.

The Casimir effect is rooted in one of those spooky sounding real world manifestations of quantum mechanics, namely that even an absolute vacuum is not empty, but bristling with virtual particles that constantly pop in and out of existence and, while here, buzz around for an undefined time. This phenomenon gives vacuum an energy, the so-called zero-point energy.

The Casimir force arises from the interaction of the surfaces with the surrounding electromagnetic spectrum, and includes a complex dependence on the full dielectric function of both surfaces and the region between.

The complexity of the Casimir force leads to significantly greater possibility for manipulation through materials, geometries, and other phenomena. The significantly greater complexity of the Casimir force potentially allows greater opportunity for neutralization or for use of Casimir forces to partially cancel van der Waals forces.” - Source

Tankless water heaters save energy, but not always money

Wow, and I thought they saved you a lot of money, guess again.

“Heating water is one of the biggest parts of a utility bill – as much as 30 percent of gas or electric bills. Most people get their hot water from a traditional water heater with a tank. However, makers of tankless water heaters promise to cut energy costs – some claim by as much as half. Tankless water heaters are more energy-efficient because they do not store water and keep it hot. They heat water only when the user needs it. That means they might not deliver hot water like most people are used to, however. According to Consumer Reports’ tests, tankless heaters could save $70 to $80 on your annual energy bills, but they are more expensive to install and maintain. The base price tag for tankless water heaters is higher, between $800 and $1,150 compared with $300 to $500 for regular heaters. “Their high cost means, it could take you up to 22 years just to break even, and that’s not necessarily a big money-saver,” Trotta said.” - Source

Why the Gasoline Engine Isn’t Going Away Any Time Soon

India and China will speed this up and I suspect if the American car manufacturers don’t get on the ball, all our cars and trucks will come from other countries. Sloppy, lazy and too many government regulations and high wages.

“With all the glitzy ads, media chatter and Internet buzz about plug-in hybrids that draw power from the electric grid or cars fueled with hydrogen, it’s easy to get lulled into thinking that gasoline stations soon will be as rare as drive-in theaters. The idea that auto makers can quickly execute a revolutionary transition from oil to electricity is now a touchstone for both major presidential candidates. That’s the dream. Now the reality: This revolution will take years to pull off — and that’s assuming it isn’t derailed by a return to cheap oil. Anyone who goes to sleep today and wakes up in five years will find that most cars for sale in the U.S. will still run on regular gas — with a few more than today taking diesel fuel. That will likely be the case even if the latter-day Rip Van Winkle sleeps until 2020. Engineering and tooling to produce a new vehicle takes three to five years — and that’s without adding the challenge of major new technology. Most car buyers won’t accept “beta” technology in the vehicles they and their families depend on every day.” - Source

NASA News

Two items of interest from NASA.

NASA and the End to Famine - “NASA scientists claim to have made a breakthrough that could help to end famine. By condensing water from the air and soil on chilled pipes, their invention attempts to alleviate both water and food shortage problems. It offers the ability to produce agricultural crops in most hot and humid climates by watering plants with condensation from environmental moisture, and by multiplying the number of crops that can be obtained per season. The technology operates in remote areas, using solar energy alone and with a one-time filling of a water tank.” - Source

NASA Patents To Be Auctioned - “”The sale, which will include rights to signal processing, GPS for spacecraft and sensor technologies, is the first auction under a partnership announced earlier this month between Goddard’s Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) and Ocean Tomo Federal Services LLC. Ocean Tomo provides a marketplace for intellectual property, which NASA wants to leverage in commercializing its technology.” - Source