Apr
24
Thinking about our final project, I am fascinated by solar cookers. I found this experiment in hopes to recreate it!
Apr
24
We had a scheduled trip the to Museum of Science and we got to see what some of our energy options are and how even some animals are eco-friendly!
Apr
24
We visited the MIT Plasma Fusion Center and got a briefing with Christian and then got a tour!
About Iter:
ITER is a large-scale scientific experiment that aims to demonstrate that it is possible to produce commercial energy from fusion.
The Q in the formula on the right symbolizes the ratio of fusion power to input power. Q ≥ 10 represents the scientific goal of the ITER project: to deliver ten times the power it consumes. From 50 MW of input power, the ITER machine is designed to produce 500 MW of fusion power—the first of all fusion experiments to produce net energy.
During its operational lifetime, ITER will test key technologies necessary for the next step: the demonstration fusion power plant that will prove that it is possible to capture fusion energy for commercial use.
The science going on at ITER—and all around the world in support of ITER—will benefit all of mankind.
We firmly believe that to harness fusion energy is the only way to reconcile huge conflicting demands which will confront humanity sooner or later.
The issue at stake is how to reconcile the imperative, constantly growing demand of the majority of the world’s population to raise their standard of living …with the enormous environmental hazards resulting from the present energy supply …
…In our opinion, the use of fusion energy is a “must” if we want to be serious about embarking on sustainable development for future generations.
–Director-General Osamu Motojima, Opening address, Monaco International ITER Fusion Energy Days (MIIFED), 23 November 2010
Along with joining their cause to fight for funding, I wrote a letter and received this in return:
“Thank you for your email. Please know that I appreciate you taking the time to share your views on this important issue. As always, I will keep your comments and concerns in mind as this issue continues to develop in the 112th Congress. Please note that if this is an emergency or a time-sensitive issue, please contact my Boston office at 617-428-2000, and a member of my staff would be happy to help you. Again, thank you for your email. Please don’t hesitate to contact me in the future regarding this or any other issue.
Sincerely,
Stephen F. Lynch
Member of Congress”
Apr
24
Who are they?
Those who are in a “climate change denial” are those who attempt to deny or dismiss the scientific evidence and the effects of global warming. Typically, these attempts take the rhetorical form of legitimate scientific debate, while not adhering to the actual principles of that debate.
What they say?
This is a chart I found. I can only image two people, one a scientist and one a naysayers arguing back and forth about global warming:
Why they say it?
BECAUSE THEY DONT WANT TO BELIEVE THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!
just kidding…
Apr
24
“I’ve always loved electricity,” said Thomas Vales. “I’ve being doing this for a long time.”
He spoke in our Science class, bringing light bulbs that light up when they get close to the Tesler Coil machine. We were all in awe when purple sparks came out of the coil and lit up each bulb on by one as they got near. He was showing us the fusion demo in class! It did seem a little dangerous, but he knew what he was doing and made it really fun for us to watch. I was sitting in the way back of the room, so it was a little hard to see, but I sure did see the purple sparks!!
Apr
24
The Solyndra controversy involves President Barack Obama’s authorization of a $535 million loan to Solyndra Corp in 2009 as part of a program to find alternative energy growth. Between Solyndra and the White House, they had announced that this would create an estimate of 4,000 new jobs. Two years later, the company ceased all business activity, filed for bankruptcy and laid off nearly all of its employees, 1100 to be exact. The government then had to pay back the loan it had guaranteed. Critics claimed that the Obama administration had unduly influenced awarding the loan guarantee. Others have noted that the Solyndra loan guarantee process was a multi-year process begun during the George Bush Administration.
Apr
24
The Generator lab measured number of magnet shakes vs. power voltage. We shook the flashlight 20, 25, and 30. As we shook the flashlight, the information was recorded, then we calculated the sum of square voltages per each number of shakes. This resulted in a positive linear curve. This would happen because of the amount of times we shook the flashlight. It creates a higher voltage with every shake.
Apr
24
Everyone in the automobile industry knows how the business works and that it is ever expanding in ways they didn’t dream of a hundred years ago. It is evolving not only with better, faster, stronger cars. But safe and eco-friendly. They are looking at how they can increase milage, which is a problem since the price of gas is constantly skyrocketing. In order for them to do this, they must look beyond the traditional economic standards. This cannot be a short-term solution! They must develop a long-term goal that is adaptable to our ever expanding and evolving market.
Not only are those in the business worried about selling cars, but they now have to focus on mobility, and saving the resources of their customers. Beyond the gizmos and gadgets fancy cars have, the most advance part of the newer cars has to be how MUCH you can get. Some of those fancy tech toys can actually hurt your car! The EPA has tested supposed gas-saving devices — including “mixture enhancers” and fuel line magnets — and found that very few provided any fuel economy benefits. Those devices that did work provided only a slight improvement in gas mileage. In fact, some products may even damage your car’s engine or cause a substantial increase in exhaust emissions.
Ways the auto industry is becoming green: hybrid cars, solar panel cars…
Apr
24
In class, we built an NXT Basic Two-motor car. For a lego set, I was surprised how difficult it was to make! But this wasn’t the fun part. After we put it together, we plugged it into our computer and programmed it to make it move! The program took some getting used to as I’ve never used it before.
We programmed the robotic car to move in circles with a ~2 ft radius which is one revolution, and then again in reverse. To do this, we attached a motor to Port A. Then in LabView we programmed it using different power levels and making one wheel to go forward, which made the car go in a circle. However, we needed to make a 2ft radius which meant both wheels had to move. We got this by changing the different power levels to make him go in a circle even larger! And then we got a little carried away and made him go in a big circle and got caught in the door…
Then we had to measure our measurements via ruler while LabView measured it on the computer. Then we would see how accurate our measurements came out to be. LabView concluded that our measurements were only a number or two off. This was most likely human error, since the robotic car didn’t always travel in a straight line.
| Power Level | Ruler Distance | LabView Distance |
| 25 | 0.05 | 0.0563 |
| 55 | 0.15 | 0.1645 |
| 75 | 0.24 | 0.2512 |
Apr
24
Demand response are the methods used to respond to outside product demand that include producing to stock or to order, fill rate % and other targets. It changes in electric usage by demand-side resources from their normal consumption patterns in response to changes in the price of electricity over time, or to incentive payments designed to induce lower electricity use at times of high wholesale market prices or when system reliability is jeopardized.
There are three types of demand response – emergency demand response, economic demand response and ancillary services demand response. (1) Emergency demand response is short-notice program that provides payments to electric customers who reduce load during specific times when electric availability could be jeopardized. (2) Economic demand response provided subsidies and side payments to customers who agreed to reduce load in a given hour. (3) Ancillary services demand response consists of the ability of smart meters to instantaneously cycle thousands of appliances makes that ability a potentially vital reliability resource.
(1) Emergency demand response
(2) Economic demand response
(3) Ancillary services demand response
