Monthly Archives: February 2012

Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing (hydrofracking):

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What is Hydrofracking?
Slick water hydraulic fracturing, also known as hydrofracking, is a new development in natural gas extraction. This process makes mining for natural gas in dense shale more economically possible, where before it was not.
Hydro-Fracking, sometimes called hydrofracturing, is a well development process that increases the flow of water from a bedrock well by increasing the size and extent of the bedrock fractures that bring water into the well. The procedure involves subjecting the bedrock formation to water pressure sufficiently high enough to either extend existing bedrock fractures or create new fractures. Hydro Fracking is a more COST EFFECTIVE alternative than drilling deeper. Water is injected into low-yield water well at a high pressure and volume opening up and cleaning out the existing fractures found in the rock.
“Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas Pollutes Water Wells”
I looked up a story headlined “Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas Pollutes
Water Wells” written in March of 2011 expressing concerns in the state of Pennsylvania. With locals worried about water contamination around the site of hydrofracking in Penn, a study has been performed showing there has been pollution detected within a mile of the sites.  The contaminants are known to be high levels of methane being found in drinking water if the communities were extracting from wells.  While learning that this type of problem is not something that is unexpected, more research was done determining the methane being released from fracking was newer gas and this gives evidence of negative effects from the process.
I completely empathize with their concerns and feel there are steps and
restrictions that should be made to ensure the well being of not only the home
owners in the area, but the environment as a whole.
KEY POINTS
Hydraulic fracturing is essential for the production of natural gas and oil from shale formations.
 Fracing fluids are comprised of approximately 98% water and sand and are handled in self‐contained
systems.
 Freshwater aquifers are protected by multiple layers of protective steel casing surrounded by cement. This is administered and enforced under state regulations.
 Deep shale natural gas and oil formations exist many thousands of feet underground

Hydraulic fracturing FACTS

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracing, is a proven technological advancement that allows natural gas and oil producers to safely recover natural gas and oil from deep shale formations. This discovery has the potential to not only dramatically reduce our reliance on foreign fuel imports, but also to do so in an economically and environmentally responsible manner. Simply put, deep shale natural gas and oil development is critical to America’s energy needs and its economic renewal. Experts have known for years that natural gas and oil deposits existed in deep shale formations, but until recently the vast quantities of natural gas and oil in these formations were not thought to be recoverable. Today, through the use of hydraulic fracturing and sophisticated horizontal drilling techniques, extraordinary amounts of natural gas and oil are being safely produced from deep shale formations across the country.
Hydraulic fracturing has been used by the industry since the 1940s and has become a key element of natural gas and oil development worldwide. In fact, this process is used in nearly all natural gas wells drilled in the United States today. Properly conducted modern fracing is a highly engineered, controlled, sophisticated and safe procedure.
Refrences

Generator Experiment

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Equipment:

  • One generator (magnet that moves back and forth
    inside a coil of wire)
  • One voltage probe
  • One NXT adaptor
  • NXT
  • Labview VI  generator_lab.vi
  • Excel sheet

 

 

FARADAY’S LAW
Faraday’s Law states that changing magnetic fluxes through coiled wires generate electricity (currents and voltage).   The greater is the change in magnetic flux, the greater are the currents and voltages. In this lab we had to shake a tube which has a magnet that will travel back and forth through a coil of wires. We was able to show that the faster you shake the tube, the greater will be the generated voltage.

We experimented with generators this week, and found ways to generate electricity using flashlights. Each flashlight had a magnet inside it that could be moved up and down with a simple shake of the wrist. The simple movement caused a change in the magnetic field. The bigger the change, the bigger the increase in energy.

We connected the flashlight with a voltage probe and NXT adapter. After that we shook the flashlight in 30 second intervals. The first time we shook it at slow pace, and then increased the speed each time for a total of five sessions. The computer collected the data.

 

 

The we had to calculate in Excel the sum of the squares of the
generated voltages (SSGV’s) (the voltage is logged after each second)..

Next, we plot the SSGV’s as a function of # of shakes and
fit the result to a linear curve graph..

Automobile Industry (Gas Mileage)

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The  automotive industry is one of the most competitive in the world. It’s so  competitive that the Ford Motor Co , founded in 1903 by Henry  Ford the legendary pioneer, innovator, and father of the assembly line, has  fallen all the way to the third spot in U.S. auto sales. Just a few weeks ago,  Ford was ousted from its longtime No. 2 spot by the Japan-based Toyota Motor  Co. , a  clear sign that the strategic landscape in the auto sector is changing, and  that nothing can be taken for granted. Soaring gas prices and environmental concerns have blown the door wide open for fuel-efficient  hybrid cars.  Registrations of new hybrid  automobiles increased 35% to nearly 290,000 vehicles in the first 10  months of 2007, according to data from R.L. Polk  and Co., an auto information and marketing company.
The company  sold 277,750 hybrid vehicles last year, up 44% from 2006. Toyota’s Prius,  Camry, and Highlander are considered the best hybrids on the market today. In  fact, the Prius is the industry’s  best-selling hybrid vehicle.

The latest addition to Toyota’s hybrid family is the  company’s A-BAT,  a concept truck set to debut at the 2008 North  American International Auto Show in Detroit. According to BusinessWeek,  the vehicle is roughly the size of Toyota’s smallest SUV, the RAV4. Its oversized  grill and rugged body type are designed to appeal to truck enthusiasts, but the  heart of the truck is its hybrid engine. Analysts have labeled the pseudo-truck  as a bold attempt to capitalize on a market shift toward fuel-efficient and  eco-friendly vehicles, without alienating traditional “red-state” truck owners

“Toyota is the world leader in hybrid technology.”

Hybrid Cars offer drivers an innovative, efficient, and affordable option. After years of ‘on the road’ development, gas-electric hybrid cars have become a practical choice for consumers. Hybrid-electric vehicles combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors and can be configured to obtain different objectives, such as improved fuel economy, increased power, or additional auxiliary power for electronic devices and power tools.
Some of the advanced technologies typically used by hybrids include…
  • Regenerative Braking. The electric motor applies resistance to the drivetrain causing the wheels to slow down. In return, the energy from the wheels turns the motor, which functions as a generator, converting energy normally wasted during coasting and braking into electricity, which is stored in a battery until needed by the electric motor.
  • Electric Motor Drive/Assist. The electric motor provides additional power to assist the engine in accelerating, passing, or hill climbing. This allows a smaller, more efficient engine to be used. In some vehicles, the motor alone provides power for low-speed driving conditions where internal combustion engines are least efficient.
  • Automatic Start/Shutoff. Automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restarts it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents wasted energy from idling.
Example of Hybrid automobile…
 

 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid 

 

 4/5 seat sedan
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Mileage (mpg): 42 city/ 46 hwy
Range per fillup (miles) : 600+

2012 US Base Retail Price: $26,500 

Features

Steering wheel audio and phone controls

Vehicle stability management system

Front dam air flap reduces wind resistance

Active eco-system regulates engine management

Voice-command, touch screen radio control

Vehicle smart key; auto-dim rear view mirror

UVO infotainment system

IPod USB connectivity; Bluetooth

“Revenge of the Electric Car,”

Then there is the electric car. Fuel cell vehicles and hybrid cars are also technically “electric,” but this is not what the auto industry means when it talks about electric cars. These cars run on rechargeable  battery powers, often coming from pricey lithium-ion battery packs. The price of such batteries has contributed to high prices for these cars and therefore low sales, but introductions like the new Nissan Leaf
car and other smaller “mini” cars tailored for city life are becoming more and more popular. In addition to being totally gas-free, the electric car has plenty of other advantages – for one, it runs nearly silently when compared to traditional motors.
In the 2006 documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” filmmaker Chris Paine chronicled the creation – and subsequent destruction – of electric cars by an auto industry resistant to change, environment be damned. I highly reccommend this documentary. You guys should watch it.

 

REFRENCES…..

A Robots Acceleration….

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Here is a Video of me & my partner taking on the experiment…

IMG_0484

 

In this lab we explored Newton’s 2nd
Law.

1. Newton’s 2nd Law i.e

2. The law of conservation
of energy

3.Velocity and acceleration

4. Power

In the experiment, we altered the amount of weight used on the pulley, and using  the Lab View computer program we were able to adjust the power levels to lift the weights…We discovered that less weight made the pulley go faster, as did higher power levels when the weight was unchanging.  Likewise, heavier weights and lower power levels slowed it down. After collecting the data, it was transferred to a
Microsoft Excel template, shown in the image below.We then arranged the first four attempts that had the same amount of weight and
different power levels, and the last four have different weights but the same power level.  After this, we put it all into several graphs.

 

SPEED (RPM) BATTERY DISCHARGE Mass POWER LEVELS
0 61.96324 0 55 0 0.25 0 75 0 4.153 0 14.92012
0 91.66994 0 152 0 0.185 0 75 0 2.549 0 35.9631
0 94.92064 0 152 0 0.135 0 75 0 2.625 0 36.16024
0 97.7086 0 111 0 0.095 0 75 0 2.313 0 42.24324
0 99.53904 0 180 0 0.055 0 75 0 2.314 0 43.01601
0 67.87879 0 28 0 0.25 0 62 0 3.025 0 22.43927
0 51.92967 0 14 0 0.25 0 52 0 4.474 0 11.60699
0 84.23628 0 235 0 0.25 0 82 0 2.861 0 29.44295
0 116.1114 0 83 0 0.25 0 92 0 2.311 0 50.2429
0 127.2517 0 42 0 0.25 0 102 0 1.869 0 68.08542

 

Demand Response

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Demand response refers to electricity customers reducing or shifting their electricity use during peak demand periods in response to price signals or other types of incentives. At present, the vast majority of electricity customers are on flat, average rates that do not vary by time of day or season, no matter how much the cost to generate or deliver electricity fluctuates as demands on the system rise and fall. Flat rates combined with the growth in the use of air conditioning—one of the highest demands during peak periods—has led to peak power demand growing faster than overall growth in electricity consumption. Rising peak demand is straining the electricity system and threatening the reliability of the power grid. It also is adding costs that all customers pay one way or the other, while leading to increased emissions.
Demand response technologies are smart grid technologies. They include any products or services that help in the active monitoring and dynamic control of electricity usage. Smart meters are one of the examples. Such meters allow measurement in time intervals, which is essential to being able to send timebased price signals to customers that encourage them to shift usage from one period to another. The meters and other technologies also allow new and better information to be generated and used by both the customer and electricity providers.
Demand Response Cheat Sheet: Stuff you need to know-
  • The estimated minimum amount of power electricity consumers demand on a day-to-day basis is called the baseload.
  • Demand for electric power is highest in the afternoon and early evening. The periods when demand is greatest are called peak usage times.
  • Dynamic pricing, time-of-use rates (TOU) and upgrading to smart grid technology are all examples of demand response programs that could reduce energy consumption, reduce power outages and reduce wholesale energy costs.
  • The current power grid is one-way only — it delivers power where and when power is requested. Upgrading to a smarter, two-way automatic grid would open communication between power plants, delivery systems and buildings. It could automate the flow of electricity as needed, identify load problems and balance uneven supplies of energy.

DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS

Demand Response programs offer incentives to electricity users to reduce their power use in RESPONSE to a utility’s need for power due to a high, system-wide DEMAND for electricity or emergencies that could affect the transmission grid.

Demand Response programs offer these incentives to users who volunteer to participate by temporarily reducing their electricity usage when demand could outpace supply. These high-demand situations are known by a number of different terms: peak demand, peak energy event, critical demand event, peak demand period, etc. Utility and energy planners endorse Demand Response programs as fiscally and environmentally responsible ways to respond to peak demand periods. Below are some of the different demand response programs.

  1. Peak Energy Agriculture Rewards (PEAR)
  2. PJM Interconnection
  3. Demand Response Contracts
  4. Demand Bidding Program (DBP)
  5. Critical Peak Pricing (CPP)
REFRENCES

1/27 My Robots Velocity

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On the 2nd week of messing around with our Robots, we calculated the Distance, Wheel turns and Velocity. In this activity we had to measure the distance and velocity of or robotic car by setting the wheels so that the car would go straight and with the help of a ruler determine the distance the wheels traveled and the speed at which our car traveled as well. The first step was to measure the diameter of the wheel of out car which was 5.5 cm.  Once we had the diameter, using a simple formula, we multiply the ratio of the wheel times PIE, and divided by the number of degrees the wheel had turned.  Our software gave us the actual rotation in degrees and the number of turns. Given that a complete turn is 360 degrees.The software also recorded the time it took to travel from point A to point B, which is the base of figuring the velocity of our car. The more turns, the further the car traveled.

Below are me & my partners results while testing out our Robotic car.

Circumference (Wheel diameter)(m)= 0.157

#wt= 3.25556

Distance=0.511122

Velocity=distance/time=0.511122

 

1st Distance =0.49236

WT=3.16611

54 centimeters (.54 m) @75

Error= 9%

 

2nd Distance=0.465331

WT=2.96389

46 centimeters (.46m) @69

Error=0%

 

3rd Distance=0.459225

WT=2.925

46 centimeters (.46m) @73

Error=2%