New Car Engine Sends Shock Waves Through Auto Industry Despite shifting into higher gear within the consumer's green conscience, hybrid vehicles are still tethered to the gas pump via a fuel-thirsty 100-year-old invention: the internal combustion engine. However, researchers at Michigan State University have built a prototype gasoline engine that requires no transmission, crankshaft, pistons, valves, fuel compression, cooling systems or fluids. Their so-called Wave Disk Generator could greatly improve the efficiency of gas-electric hybrid automobiles and potentially decrease auto emissions up to 90 percent when compared with conventional combustion engines. The engine has a rotor that's equipped with wave-like channels that trap and mix oxygen and fuel as the rotor spins. These central inlets are blocked off, building pressure within the chamber, causing a shock wave that ignites the compressed air and fuel to transmit energy. The Wave Disk Generator uses 60 percent of its fuel for propulsion; standard car engines use just 15 percent.
Scientists Discover Wild Solar Energy Effect, Allows Power Without Cells Up until now scientists thought that only the electrical charge separation effects of photons were strong enough to produce energy from sunlight. (Source: Aether Wave Theory) Researchers have discovered a novel new effect which produces energy when intense light passes through an insulating material like glass, creating a strong magnetic field. (Source: Galucci's Catering) New energy harvesting devices would leverage magnetism effects, rather than electric ones Mankind currently only harvests a minuscule fraction of the estimated 12.2 billion kilowatt-hours of solar energy that hits the Earth every day [source]. That's why a new breakthrough in alternative energy at the University of Michigan is so exciting. No, it's not some novel photosynthesis scheme. I. Light has two components -- magnetism and electricity. But Stephen Rand, a professor in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics and Applied Physics at U of M, was fascinated by this property. II. III.
Syngas Syngas, or synthesis gas, is a fuel gas mixture consisting primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and very often some carbon dioxide. The name comes from its use as intermediates in creating synthetic natural gas (SNG)[1] and for producing ammonia or methanol. Syngas is used when it is gasified and is turned into electricity. Syngas is also used as an intermediate in producing synthetic petroleum for use as a fuel or lubricant via the Fischer–Tropsch process and previously the Mobil methanol to gasoline process. Production methods include steam reforming of natural gas or liquid hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen, the gasification of coal,[5] biomass, and in some types of waste-to-energy gasification facilities. Production chemistry[edit] The main reaction that produces syngas, steam reforming, is endothermic with 206 kJ/mol methane needed for conversion. In order to produce more hydrogen from this mixture, more steam is added and the water gas shift reaction is carried out: Other[edit]
Top Five Air Powered Vehicles If the Cash for Clunkers incentive wasn’t enough to curb your unsettled feeling about owning a new gas guzzler, you might want to start saving for one of these truly awesome air-powered eco-rides. Sometimes called PHEV (pneumatic-hybrid electric vehicle), these cars are most typically powered by a compressed air engine combined with an electric motor. The engines are similar to steam engines as they use the expansion of externally supplied pressurized gas to perform work against a piston. Don’t settle on a fuel/electric hybrid or a biofuel burning vehicle before you take a look at our list of top 5 air powered vehicles that will soon be available in the United States. 5. Magnetic Air Car For the sports car lover who also wants a zero-pollution vehicle, take note of San Jose Club Auto Sport, who claims to be developing the first Magnetic Air Car. 4. 3. 2. Unveiled at the 2008 New York Auto Show, the OneCat from MDI has a style that may win over the Mini and Smart Car owners. 1.
Dirty Energy Money | Oil Change International Intermittent energy source An intermittent energy source is any source of energy that is not continuously available due to some factor outside direct control. The intermittent source may be quite predictable, for example, tidal power, but cannot be dispatched to meet the demand of a power system. Effective use of intermittent sources in an electric power grid usually relies on using the intermittent sources to displace fuel that would otherwise be consumed by non-renewable power stations, or by storing energy in the form of renewable pumped storage, compressed air or ice, for use when needed, or as electrode heating for district heating schemes. The use of small amounts of intermittent power has little effect on grid operations. Terminology[edit] Several key terms are useful for understanding the issue of intermittent power sources. Intermittency of various power sources[edit] Solar energy[edit] Seasonal variation of the output of the solar panels at AT&T park in San Francisco. Wind energy[edit] Mark Z. Mark A.