Holly Lawrence, a native of Cedartown who has lived in New York City for the past 32 years, returned on Thanksgiving Day to visit relatives and make a special gift to the community.
She presented the Polk County Historical Society with an oil painting of the fountain which presently adorns the garden of that organization. “Cedartown was an important part of my life and I want to reestablish that bond,” Lawrence said.
Calling it her favorite landmark, Lawrence painted the fountain at the age of 12 when it was located in Peeks Park.
“From my vantage point as a child, I considered the fountain to be the grand aristocrat of the park with its own ornate swirls and regal presence. I studied the structure intensely, circling around it and imagining far away palaces and castles that I longed to visit some day. I was so happy to find out that the Historical Society had given the fountain a permanent home,” she continued.
Lawrence began her interest in art at the age of six while attending Benedict School in Cedartown. She credits local artists Margret (Peg) Whipple and Reba York with her inspiration and early training. She was a frequent competitor in 4-H Club arts and crafts contests as well as the annual Cedar Valley Arts Festival.
Lawrence continued her art studies at Floyd Junior College before leaving for New York to earn her Bachelor of Arts in English at Marymount Manhattan College and a Master of Arts from Columbia University in New York City. She has also studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California.
In addition to her career in art, Lawrence is an avid traveler. She has visited almost every continent and loves to find beautiful fountains around the world.
Lawrence’s painting can be viewed at the Polk County Historical Society Museum from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.
2011年11月30日星期三
2011年11月29日星期二
Local hills hold precious resource
They’re not the White Cliffs of Dover, but they’re close.
Call them the White Cliffs of Lompoc.
In the green hills south of Lompoc lie some of the world’s largest and purest deposits of a chalky substance called diatomaceous earth.
Every time you brush your teeth, paint the house, drink a glass of wine, have a glass of beer or fruit juice, swim in a swimming pool or take a prescription medication, diatomaceous earth is involved.
Also called diatomite, it is also used as an insulator.
While largely unknown to laymen, “Virtually everyone in first-world countries uses some diatomite every day or at least uses a product produced with the aid of diatomite,” geologist Robert Norris wrote in his book, “The Geology and Landscape of Santa Barbara County.”
Diatomaceous earth is made up of the fossil remains of microscopic marine plants related to algae called diatoms, which built up into layers and were uplifted by earthquakes or volcanic activity millions of years ago, forming the so-called White Hills. Refined by mills into powder, it is used by countless industries.
“It’s the same material as that found in the White Cliffs of Dover,” said Dennis Headrick, executive assistant at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, a sturdy two-story building on South I Street that is built of diatomaceous earth.
When the building was constructed in 1892, “they didn’t know what to do with it so they made building material of it,” said Headrick. The builder “was ridiculed for building it.”
The material is also known informally as Chalk Rock. “You can pick it up and draw on the sidewalk with it,” he said.
Large deposits of the material were found in the 1880s on the Balaam family farm in Miguelito Canyon south of Lompoc, according to the Lompoc Valley Historical Society.
A son, Arthur Balaam, who had studied mineralogy in school, discovered that “the Old White Hills,” as his father called the area, held a flaky substance that could be used in lighting fires. Digging hunks of material by hand from the ground, he shipped it to a buyer in San Francisco.
The first commercial shipment of diatomaceous earth followed on May 12, 1893.
Production grew into a large-scale operation covering thousands of acres and employing hundreds of Lompoc residents. Housing communities once grew up around the facility, said Karen Paaske, president of the Historical Society, whose parents worked at the mine, acquired by the Johns Manville Corp in 1928.
“To find good quality stuff is really rare,” said Paaske. “It’s very unique to Lompoc.”
The mining facility, owned by the Celite Corp. since 1991, is on Miguelito Road two miles south of Lompoc.
Call them the White Cliffs of Lompoc.
In the green hills south of Lompoc lie some of the world’s largest and purest deposits of a chalky substance called diatomaceous earth.
Every time you brush your teeth, paint the house, drink a glass of wine, have a glass of beer or fruit juice, swim in a swimming pool or take a prescription medication, diatomaceous earth is involved.
Also called diatomite, it is also used as an insulator.
While largely unknown to laymen, “Virtually everyone in first-world countries uses some diatomite every day or at least uses a product produced with the aid of diatomite,” geologist Robert Norris wrote in his book, “The Geology and Landscape of Santa Barbara County.”
Diatomaceous earth is made up of the fossil remains of microscopic marine plants related to algae called diatoms, which built up into layers and were uplifted by earthquakes or volcanic activity millions of years ago, forming the so-called White Hills. Refined by mills into powder, it is used by countless industries.
“It’s the same material as that found in the White Cliffs of Dover,” said Dennis Headrick, executive assistant at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, a sturdy two-story building on South I Street that is built of diatomaceous earth.
When the building was constructed in 1892, “they didn’t know what to do with it so they made building material of it,” said Headrick. The builder “was ridiculed for building it.”
The material is also known informally as Chalk Rock. “You can pick it up and draw on the sidewalk with it,” he said.
Large deposits of the material were found in the 1880s on the Balaam family farm in Miguelito Canyon south of Lompoc, according to the Lompoc Valley Historical Society.
A son, Arthur Balaam, who had studied mineralogy in school, discovered that “the Old White Hills,” as his father called the area, held a flaky substance that could be used in lighting fires. Digging hunks of material by hand from the ground, he shipped it to a buyer in San Francisco.
The first commercial shipment of diatomaceous earth followed on May 12, 1893.
Production grew into a large-scale operation covering thousands of acres and employing hundreds of Lompoc residents. Housing communities once grew up around the facility, said Karen Paaske, president of the Historical Society, whose parents worked at the mine, acquired by the Johns Manville Corp in 1928.
“To find good quality stuff is really rare,” said Paaske. “It’s very unique to Lompoc.”
The mining facility, owned by the Celite Corp. since 1991, is on Miguelito Road two miles south of Lompoc.
2011年11月28日星期一
Smart Windows To Let Heat In
When you think of high-tech gadgets that make us greener, you might picture solar panels or electric cars; windows may not seem as exciting. But buildings are responsible for 40 percent of the country's energy use, and researchers say they can lower that number by making windows smarter.
As someone who studies windows, Howdy Goudey isn't surprised that most of us find them a little boring.
"It's a pretty pedestrian object," he says. "You know, what's new to do with a window?"
But at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., windows are the focus of some cutting-edge research in nanocrystal technology.
For the most part, windows aren't good insulators. They leak heat in the winter and let heat in during the summer. Many homes still have single-pane windows, which were the name of the game during the post-World War II building boom.
But the country soon learned that insulation is necessary, as energy prices skyrocketed in the 1970s. Double-pane windows became common, and then came double-pane windows with invisible coatings, which are twice as efficient. Today, they make up more than half of windows sold. At a hardware store, these are labeled low-e windows, short for low emissivity.
Goudey demonstrates how the treated double-pane windows work with the help of heat lamps — the kind that diners use to keep food warm.
To simulate a hot summer day, he puts them behind two double-pane windows that look identical. In front of one window, it feels like standing in the sun. But standing in front of the other, low-e window is dramatically cooler, because it has an invisible layer of metal on the glass that acts as an insulator. The coating blocks heat from the sun while letting in light.
When sunlight shines through the untreated window, it provides both light and heat. Most of us want light coming in, but heat is the last thing we want on a hot summer day.
"If you have a few windows in a room with direct sun on them, it's equivalent to running a little space heater," Goudey explains.
But here's the problem: On a cold winter day, that extra heat from sun would be helpful.
"You'd actually like that solar energy to come in and help heat the space," Goudey says. "So that motivates the idea of a dynamic window."
At the lab's Molecular Foundry, Delia Milliron is developing a smart window that can change based on the weather with the help of nanocrystal technology.
"Nanocrystals are very small. That's why when we spread them out in a coating on the window, you don't see anything," Milliron says.
In one setting, the coating lets in both the light and heat from the sun, which is useful for colder days. But apply a small electric current — a couple of volts, Milliron says, or what you'd get from a normal battery — and that's enough to change the charge of the nanocrystals so they block heat from the sun, but not the light.
Milliron says that ideally these windows would be controlled by your heating and cooling system, meaning windows could make buildings more efficient instead of being the energy losers they've always been. All that lost energy costs money, says Stephen Selkowitz, head of building technologies at Berkeley Lab.
"It costs homeowners about $40 billion a year," he says. "And I'd rather have the $40 billion in my pocket [instead] of sending it out the window."
Selkowitz says smart windows could be widely available in as little as three years, but they won't be cheap — possibly costing twice as much as today's windows. The cost should come down as manufacturing ramps up. And one day, smart windows could be written into buildings codes, where the technology would have a much broader impact.
As someone who studies windows, Howdy Goudey isn't surprised that most of us find them a little boring.
"It's a pretty pedestrian object," he says. "You know, what's new to do with a window?"
But at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., windows are the focus of some cutting-edge research in nanocrystal technology.
For the most part, windows aren't good insulators. They leak heat in the winter and let heat in during the summer. Many homes still have single-pane windows, which were the name of the game during the post-World War II building boom.
But the country soon learned that insulation is necessary, as energy prices skyrocketed in the 1970s. Double-pane windows became common, and then came double-pane windows with invisible coatings, which are twice as efficient. Today, they make up more than half of windows sold. At a hardware store, these are labeled low-e windows, short for low emissivity.
Goudey demonstrates how the treated double-pane windows work with the help of heat lamps — the kind that diners use to keep food warm.
To simulate a hot summer day, he puts them behind two double-pane windows that look identical. In front of one window, it feels like standing in the sun. But standing in front of the other, low-e window is dramatically cooler, because it has an invisible layer of metal on the glass that acts as an insulator. The coating blocks heat from the sun while letting in light.
When sunlight shines through the untreated window, it provides both light and heat. Most of us want light coming in, but heat is the last thing we want on a hot summer day.
"If you have a few windows in a room with direct sun on them, it's equivalent to running a little space heater," Goudey explains.
But here's the problem: On a cold winter day, that extra heat from sun would be helpful.
"You'd actually like that solar energy to come in and help heat the space," Goudey says. "So that motivates the idea of a dynamic window."
At the lab's Molecular Foundry, Delia Milliron is developing a smart window that can change based on the weather with the help of nanocrystal technology.
"Nanocrystals are very small. That's why when we spread them out in a coating on the window, you don't see anything," Milliron says.
In one setting, the coating lets in both the light and heat from the sun, which is useful for colder days. But apply a small electric current — a couple of volts, Milliron says, or what you'd get from a normal battery — and that's enough to change the charge of the nanocrystals so they block heat from the sun, but not the light.
Milliron says that ideally these windows would be controlled by your heating and cooling system, meaning windows could make buildings more efficient instead of being the energy losers they've always been. All that lost energy costs money, says Stephen Selkowitz, head of building technologies at Berkeley Lab.
"It costs homeowners about $40 billion a year," he says. "And I'd rather have the $40 billion in my pocket [instead] of sending it out the window."
Selkowitz says smart windows could be widely available in as little as three years, but they won't be cheap — possibly costing twice as much as today's windows. The cost should come down as manufacturing ramps up. And one day, smart windows could be written into buildings codes, where the technology would have a much broader impact.
2011年11月27日星期日
Getting to know snow
Snow here in the High Country is a thing of beauty, covering the landscape in a peaceful white. It is as valuable now as gold was to the miners in this area and snow is actually a mineral! The definition of a mineral is: “A naturally occurring homogeneous solid, inorganically formed, with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement.”
Snow is beautiful as each snowflake is unique; a slice of a six-sided crystal and every snowflake, like a quartz crystal, is vibrant and vibrating. Snow crystals form in six-sided shapes because water molecules are made of one oxygen and two hydrogen molecules. As water begins to crystallize into ice, its hydrogen molecules hook together in ways that form six-sided crystals.
Snowflakes are agglomerates of many snow crystals. Most snowflakes are less than one-half inch across. Under certain conditions, usually requiring near-freezing temperatures, light winds and unstable, convective atmospheric conditions, much larger and irregular flakes can form. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest snowflake ever measured was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. This was observed and recorded in 1887 at Fort Keogh, Mont.
So what is snow? It is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure.
Snowfall tends to form within regions of upward motion of air around a type of low-pressure system. In mountainous areas, heavy snow is possible where upslope flow is maximized within windward sides of the terrain at elevation if the temperature is low enough.
Why is snow white? Visible sunlight is white and most natural materials absorb some sunlight which gives them their color. Snow, however, reflects most of the sunlight. The complex structure of snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light, thus giving snow its white appearance.
The fluffiest, lowest density snows typically fall with light winds and temperatures near 15 degrees Fahrenheit. At colder temperatures, the crystal structure and size change. At very cold temperatures near 0 degrees Fahrenheit, crystals tend to be smaller so that they pack more closely together as they accumulate, producing snow that may be denser.
Fresh snow absorbs sound, lowering ambient noise over a landscape because the trapped air between snowflakes absorbs vibration. Walking across snowfall produces a squeaking sound at low temperatures.
A layer of snow is made up of ice grains with air in between the ice grains. Because the snow layer is mostly empty air space, when you step on a layer of snow you compress that layer a little or a lot, depending on how old the snow is. As the snow compresses, the ice grains rub against each other. This creates friction or resistance; the colder the temperature, the greater the friction between the grains of ice. The sudden squishing of the snow at lower temperatures produces the creaking sound. At warmer temperatures closer to melting, this friction is reduced to the point where the sliding of the grains against each other produces little or no noise.
In a snow pack with a significant temperature gradient, large six-sided, cup shaped “depth hoar crystals” form a loosely packed layer at the bottom. Many small non-hibernating mammals depend upon these loose snow crystals for easy construction of tunnels throughout the subnivean environment. This “sugar snow” can often be the weak and unstable layer that causes avalanche hazards.
Snow cover can protect crops from extreme cold. A blanket of snow keeps the ground evenly frozen, preventing frost heaves and protecting the plants from upheaval.
Each snowflake forms around a particle of dust, which is a tiny grain of soil containing a minute amount of minerals. The minerals in snow are absorbed into the soil, and when the ground thaws, they are taken up by the plants. Minerals provide structure and allow communication in cells, plants and animals.
The water content of snow is variable. Ten inches of fresh snow can contain as little as 0.10 inches of water or as much as 5 inches, depending on crystal structure, wind speed and temperature.
One major benefit of a good snow cover is that snow is an excellent insulator of the soil. Without snow, very cold temperatures can freeze the soil deeper and deeper. Generally, temperatures underneath a layer of snow increase about 2 degrees F for each inch of accumulation. Because the soil also gives off some heat, the temperature at the soil surface can be much warmer than the air temperature.
Most skiers are familiar with the many terms referring to snow or snow conditions: boilerplate, breakable crust, powder, champagne powder, corduroy, corn, hard pack, packed powder, moguls, cornice, glacier, flurries and avalanche just to name a few. The most magical moments on the mountain are a sunny morning after a fresh snowfall when sun shining on a few stray flakes in the air look like floating diamonds or stardust against a brilliant blue sky.
Snow is beautiful as each snowflake is unique; a slice of a six-sided crystal and every snowflake, like a quartz crystal, is vibrant and vibrating. Snow crystals form in six-sided shapes because water molecules are made of one oxygen and two hydrogen molecules. As water begins to crystallize into ice, its hydrogen molecules hook together in ways that form six-sided crystals.
Snowflakes are agglomerates of many snow crystals. Most snowflakes are less than one-half inch across. Under certain conditions, usually requiring near-freezing temperatures, light winds and unstable, convective atmospheric conditions, much larger and irregular flakes can form. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest snowflake ever measured was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. This was observed and recorded in 1887 at Fort Keogh, Mont.
So what is snow? It is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure.
Snowfall tends to form within regions of upward motion of air around a type of low-pressure system. In mountainous areas, heavy snow is possible where upslope flow is maximized within windward sides of the terrain at elevation if the temperature is low enough.
Why is snow white? Visible sunlight is white and most natural materials absorb some sunlight which gives them their color. Snow, however, reflects most of the sunlight. The complex structure of snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light, thus giving snow its white appearance.
The fluffiest, lowest density snows typically fall with light winds and temperatures near 15 degrees Fahrenheit. At colder temperatures, the crystal structure and size change. At very cold temperatures near 0 degrees Fahrenheit, crystals tend to be smaller so that they pack more closely together as they accumulate, producing snow that may be denser.
Fresh snow absorbs sound, lowering ambient noise over a landscape because the trapped air between snowflakes absorbs vibration. Walking across snowfall produces a squeaking sound at low temperatures.
A layer of snow is made up of ice grains with air in between the ice grains. Because the snow layer is mostly empty air space, when you step on a layer of snow you compress that layer a little or a lot, depending on how old the snow is. As the snow compresses, the ice grains rub against each other. This creates friction or resistance; the colder the temperature, the greater the friction between the grains of ice. The sudden squishing of the snow at lower temperatures produces the creaking sound. At warmer temperatures closer to melting, this friction is reduced to the point where the sliding of the grains against each other produces little or no noise.
In a snow pack with a significant temperature gradient, large six-sided, cup shaped “depth hoar crystals” form a loosely packed layer at the bottom. Many small non-hibernating mammals depend upon these loose snow crystals for easy construction of tunnels throughout the subnivean environment. This “sugar snow” can often be the weak and unstable layer that causes avalanche hazards.
Snow cover can protect crops from extreme cold. A blanket of snow keeps the ground evenly frozen, preventing frost heaves and protecting the plants from upheaval.
Each snowflake forms around a particle of dust, which is a tiny grain of soil containing a minute amount of minerals. The minerals in snow are absorbed into the soil, and when the ground thaws, they are taken up by the plants. Minerals provide structure and allow communication in cells, plants and animals.
The water content of snow is variable. Ten inches of fresh snow can contain as little as 0.10 inches of water or as much as 5 inches, depending on crystal structure, wind speed and temperature.
One major benefit of a good snow cover is that snow is an excellent insulator of the soil. Without snow, very cold temperatures can freeze the soil deeper and deeper. Generally, temperatures underneath a layer of snow increase about 2 degrees F for each inch of accumulation. Because the soil also gives off some heat, the temperature at the soil surface can be much warmer than the air temperature.
Most skiers are familiar with the many terms referring to snow or snow conditions: boilerplate, breakable crust, powder, champagne powder, corduroy, corn, hard pack, packed powder, moguls, cornice, glacier, flurries and avalanche just to name a few. The most magical moments on the mountain are a sunny morning after a fresh snowfall when sun shining on a few stray flakes in the air look like floating diamonds or stardust against a brilliant blue sky.
2011年11月24日星期四
China’s Pacific Reach to Spur U.S. Spending on Anti-Sub Warfare
China’s naval expansion in the eastern Pacific is poised to accelerate U.S. investment in anti- submarine warfare equipment, according to Ultra Electronics Holdings Plc, the world’s biggest supplier of sonar detectors.
The Pentagon and its allies will focus spending on devices able to spot subs even in the noisiest shipping lanes as China’s naval build-up heightens tensions with neighboring nations and underscores the need to secure commercial shipping flows, Ultra Chief Executive Officer Rakesh Sharma said in an interview.
“Even with global defense cuts the sonar business is expanding,” Sharma said. “Mineral supplies and commodities, for example, are all transported by sea, so it’s becoming imperative to protect trade routes. Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as the U.S., will all start investing in anti-submarine warfare as the possible threat from China grows.”
President Barack Obama said last week he’d station 2,500 marines in north Australia to boost security in vital sea lanes as the U.S. moves to blunt the naval influence of China, which will add 30 subs through 2020 out of 86 likely to be built for Asia-Pacific fleets, according to defense researcher IHS Jane’s.
Ultra’s latest technology employs multiple “sonobuoys” which are dropped from a ship or plane and return data from different angles and frequencies to determine whether an object is a submarine, a rock or a whale, Sharma said. Earlier versions couldn’t differentiate between organic and inorganic materials.
Greenford, England-based Ultra is developing sonars geared to Asia-Pacific operations at a unit in Indiana, the CEO said. Emitting more powerful acoustic pulses, they can spot submarine signatures in the most sound-polluted waters, including the Malacca Strait -- the main channel between the Pacific and Indian oceans -- and the South China Sea, where oil rights have led to standoffs between China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Other gear is able to detect variations in temperature and salinity that can help hide even nearby vessels, Sharma said.
“Water is a very good insulator and when a submarine is sitting on the seabed not moving for days it’s very difficult to identify,” he said. “You could have a sub sitting 5 kilometers off your ship and never hear it, or one 20 kilometers away that you can easily detect. It isn’t related to the distance the sub is from you, but the way the sound is travelling.”
U.S. concern about Chinese capabilities began to increase in 2006, when a diesel-powered Song-class attack submarine surfaced undetected within torpedo range of a naval battle group led by the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, Sharma said.
China already has 60 submarines, including eight that are nuclear powered, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and has been conducting sea trials with its first carrier, a reconditioned former-Soviet vessel.
China’s military upgrades have also reduced the likelihood of a “peaceful resolution” to tensions with Taiwan, according to a draft of a report from the congressionally mandated U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission released last month.
The U.S. is a guarantor of Taiwan’s security, and has defense treaties with the Philippines and Thailand.
Japan and South Korea are also among nations looking at anti-submarine systems, said Simon Wezeman, a researcher for the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Program, while Asia-Pacific nations will procure about 100 maritime-patrol planes and 100 marine helicopters this decade, most of them sonar-equipped, according to IHS Jane’s.
Malaysia and Vietnam have submarines on order, and Indonesia is in talks with Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding to buy three 1,400-ton vessels costing 1.2 trillion won ($1.1 billion).
Ultra is already supplying sonar systems for Australian air-warfare and anti-submarine destroyers being upgraded by Lockheed Martin Corp. and for Boeing Co. P8 Poseidon planes, slated for service entry with the U.S. Navy in 2013 and equipped with torpedoes, depth-charges and anti-ship missiles.
The U.K. company generated 68 million pounds ($107 million) of revenue from its sonar division in the first half, equal to 20 percent of the total, making the business the company’s second-biggest after defense communication and computer systems.
Other units supply equipment for warplanes and airliners, with 50 percent of revenue coming from North America.
American Lewis Nixon invented a sonar-like listening device in 1906, with the first patent for underwater echo-ranging filed in Britain in 1912, a month after the Titanic struck an iceberg that had been detected visually less than 40 seconds previously.
The Pentagon and its allies will focus spending on devices able to spot subs even in the noisiest shipping lanes as China’s naval build-up heightens tensions with neighboring nations and underscores the need to secure commercial shipping flows, Ultra Chief Executive Officer Rakesh Sharma said in an interview.
“Even with global defense cuts the sonar business is expanding,” Sharma said. “Mineral supplies and commodities, for example, are all transported by sea, so it’s becoming imperative to protect trade routes. Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as the U.S., will all start investing in anti-submarine warfare as the possible threat from China grows.”
President Barack Obama said last week he’d station 2,500 marines in north Australia to boost security in vital sea lanes as the U.S. moves to blunt the naval influence of China, which will add 30 subs through 2020 out of 86 likely to be built for Asia-Pacific fleets, according to defense researcher IHS Jane’s.
Ultra’s latest technology employs multiple “sonobuoys” which are dropped from a ship or plane and return data from different angles and frequencies to determine whether an object is a submarine, a rock or a whale, Sharma said. Earlier versions couldn’t differentiate between organic and inorganic materials.
Greenford, England-based Ultra is developing sonars geared to Asia-Pacific operations at a unit in Indiana, the CEO said. Emitting more powerful acoustic pulses, they can spot submarine signatures in the most sound-polluted waters, including the Malacca Strait -- the main channel between the Pacific and Indian oceans -- and the South China Sea, where oil rights have led to standoffs between China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Other gear is able to detect variations in temperature and salinity that can help hide even nearby vessels, Sharma said.
“Water is a very good insulator and when a submarine is sitting on the seabed not moving for days it’s very difficult to identify,” he said. “You could have a sub sitting 5 kilometers off your ship and never hear it, or one 20 kilometers away that you can easily detect. It isn’t related to the distance the sub is from you, but the way the sound is travelling.”
U.S. concern about Chinese capabilities began to increase in 2006, when a diesel-powered Song-class attack submarine surfaced undetected within torpedo range of a naval battle group led by the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, Sharma said.
China already has 60 submarines, including eight that are nuclear powered, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and has been conducting sea trials with its first carrier, a reconditioned former-Soviet vessel.
China’s military upgrades have also reduced the likelihood of a “peaceful resolution” to tensions with Taiwan, according to a draft of a report from the congressionally mandated U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission released last month.
The U.S. is a guarantor of Taiwan’s security, and has defense treaties with the Philippines and Thailand.
Japan and South Korea are also among nations looking at anti-submarine systems, said Simon Wezeman, a researcher for the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Program, while Asia-Pacific nations will procure about 100 maritime-patrol planes and 100 marine helicopters this decade, most of them sonar-equipped, according to IHS Jane’s.
Malaysia and Vietnam have submarines on order, and Indonesia is in talks with Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding to buy three 1,400-ton vessels costing 1.2 trillion won ($1.1 billion).
Ultra is already supplying sonar systems for Australian air-warfare and anti-submarine destroyers being upgraded by Lockheed Martin Corp. and for Boeing Co. P8 Poseidon planes, slated for service entry with the U.S. Navy in 2013 and equipped with torpedoes, depth-charges and anti-ship missiles.
The U.K. company generated 68 million pounds ($107 million) of revenue from its sonar division in the first half, equal to 20 percent of the total, making the business the company’s second-biggest after defense communication and computer systems.
Other units supply equipment for warplanes and airliners, with 50 percent of revenue coming from North America.
American Lewis Nixon invented a sonar-like listening device in 1906, with the first patent for underwater echo-ranging filed in Britain in 1912, a month after the Titanic struck an iceberg that had been detected visually less than 40 seconds previously.
2011年11月23日星期三
Building eco-friendly homes from industrial waste
A South African coal-mining company is cleaning up its act by building cheap, eco-friendly housing using its industrial waste.
For some years AngloAmerican -- one of the world's largest mining firms -- has been purifying the water contaminated during its coal mining activities in the South African city of eMalahleni.
Now, AngloAmerican is mixing the waste by-product -- a mineral known as gypsum -- with cement to make energy-efficient bricks it uses to build houses there.
"We've built 62 houses so far," said Peter Gunther, AngloAmerican's head of sustainable development, and the driving force behind the initiative.
"Each home requires about eight tons of gypsum, but at present we're removing over 200 tons of it from the water every day."
Gypsum is a basic mineral compound of calcium and sulphur. The non-toxic mineral is soluble in water, but becomes harder and more adhesive the hotter and dryer it gets.
Because gypsum is malleable when wet, its most common commercial application to date is as the main ingredient for household plaster.
"Actually, there are 50 different uses for it -- from dental surgery to fireproofing doors," said Gunther.
"But there is a serious housing shortfall here, and we have so much gypsum, that once we decided we needed to do something with it, making a strong building material was the obvious choice."
And Gunther believes that his new bricks have significant advantages over the heavy cement ones typically used in the area: "The bricks are generally harder than traditional cement bricks, they're also better heat and sound insulators," he said.
But, most crucially for one of the fastest growing urban areas in South Africa, the gypsum bricks have a lower environmental impact.
"Because it (gypsum) is such a strong binding agent, we need much less cement to make (the bricks)," said Gunther.
According to figures from the Cement Sustainability Initiative, about 5% of all the world's man-made CO2 emissions stem from the chemical and combustion processes involved in cement production.
Most types of cement are made by heating limestone, a chemical process known as calcination which releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The industrial manufacture of cement also requires large quantities of fuel.
Gunther claims that his low-cement bricks save, on average, three tonnes of carbon dioxide for every home built.
Read related: 'Living' buildings could inhale city carbon emissions
In the city of eMalahleni -- a name that in Zulu literally means "place of coal" -- AngloAmerican aims to provide new homes for its entire local workforce, with 400 scheduled to be built in the next year.
"This is my first house ... this is my dream house, and I'm happy. It's not small. I feel free with my family," enthused Maria Mhlongo, whose husband works at one of AngloAmerican's coal mines in eMalahleni. The Mhlongo family was among the first to move into a gypsum-brick house after the company started building accommodation for its workers in 2010.
But can gypsum -- a product that AngloAmerican had been discarding as waste before last year -- really be such a wonder material?
Andrew Bloodworth is head of minerals at the British Geological Survey. He says that gypsum, "a relatively common mineral geologically," is indeed a great heat insulator and can be very strong -- but only as long as it stays dry.
"I've never heard of it being used to make bricks because it's water soluble -- that's why it's so good as a plaster agent," said Bloodworth. "I'd be interested to know how they've managed to get around that."
Gunther says that because the bricks are still partially composed of cement, they are fully water resistant.
"The brick mixture has been subjected to the most rigorous trials by the South African Bureau of Standards, and passed without any problems," he added.
Global carbon emissions from coal are second only to oil, according to the UN Environment Program, while other environmental factors such as air-pollution from coal dust and damage caused by mining also remain a serious problem.
Gunther acknowledges these issues, but says that coexistence between energy sources is necessary "for as long as the world is so much set up around running on coal.
"While we're still using it, the question is: What can we do to make it cleaner and even more useful? I think our approach goes some way to achieving that goal."
For some years AngloAmerican -- one of the world's largest mining firms -- has been purifying the water contaminated during its coal mining activities in the South African city of eMalahleni.
Now, AngloAmerican is mixing the waste by-product -- a mineral known as gypsum -- with cement to make energy-efficient bricks it uses to build houses there.
"We've built 62 houses so far," said Peter Gunther, AngloAmerican's head of sustainable development, and the driving force behind the initiative.
"Each home requires about eight tons of gypsum, but at present we're removing over 200 tons of it from the water every day."
Gypsum is a basic mineral compound of calcium and sulphur. The non-toxic mineral is soluble in water, but becomes harder and more adhesive the hotter and dryer it gets.
Because gypsum is malleable when wet, its most common commercial application to date is as the main ingredient for household plaster.
"Actually, there are 50 different uses for it -- from dental surgery to fireproofing doors," said Gunther.
"But there is a serious housing shortfall here, and we have so much gypsum, that once we decided we needed to do something with it, making a strong building material was the obvious choice."
And Gunther believes that his new bricks have significant advantages over the heavy cement ones typically used in the area: "The bricks are generally harder than traditional cement bricks, they're also better heat and sound insulators," he said.
But, most crucially for one of the fastest growing urban areas in South Africa, the gypsum bricks have a lower environmental impact.
"Because it (gypsum) is such a strong binding agent, we need much less cement to make (the bricks)," said Gunther.
According to figures from the Cement Sustainability Initiative, about 5% of all the world's man-made CO2 emissions stem from the chemical and combustion processes involved in cement production.
Most types of cement are made by heating limestone, a chemical process known as calcination which releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The industrial manufacture of cement also requires large quantities of fuel.
Gunther claims that his low-cement bricks save, on average, three tonnes of carbon dioxide for every home built.
Read related: 'Living' buildings could inhale city carbon emissions
In the city of eMalahleni -- a name that in Zulu literally means "place of coal" -- AngloAmerican aims to provide new homes for its entire local workforce, with 400 scheduled to be built in the next year.
"This is my first house ... this is my dream house, and I'm happy. It's not small. I feel free with my family," enthused Maria Mhlongo, whose husband works at one of AngloAmerican's coal mines in eMalahleni. The Mhlongo family was among the first to move into a gypsum-brick house after the company started building accommodation for its workers in 2010.
But can gypsum -- a product that AngloAmerican had been discarding as waste before last year -- really be such a wonder material?
Andrew Bloodworth is head of minerals at the British Geological Survey. He says that gypsum, "a relatively common mineral geologically," is indeed a great heat insulator and can be very strong -- but only as long as it stays dry.
"I've never heard of it being used to make bricks because it's water soluble -- that's why it's so good as a plaster agent," said Bloodworth. "I'd be interested to know how they've managed to get around that."
Gunther says that because the bricks are still partially composed of cement, they are fully water resistant.
"The brick mixture has been subjected to the most rigorous trials by the South African Bureau of Standards, and passed without any problems," he added.
Global carbon emissions from coal are second only to oil, according to the UN Environment Program, while other environmental factors such as air-pollution from coal dust and damage caused by mining also remain a serious problem.
Gunther acknowledges these issues, but says that coexistence between energy sources is necessary "for as long as the world is so much set up around running on coal.
"While we're still using it, the question is: What can we do to make it cleaner and even more useful? I think our approach goes some way to achieving that goal."
2011年11月22日星期二
Bubble, bubble, toil and success
It started with a simple concept: bubbles. But Central Middle School eighth-grader Carolyn Jons has turned that concept into a national-award-winning science project.
“My project was the effect of soap bubble size on insulative ability of foams,” said Jons.
First, she won the Eden Prairie School District Science Fair, then regionals, then state. Further awards were earned at the Minnesota Academy of Science State Science and Engineering Fair held in Bloomington in March. Jons eventually ended up qualifying out of 300 semi-finalists from around the country to be among the 30 finalists competing in the Broadcom Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars middle school national science competition held in Washington, D.C. There, she scored among the top 10 and took home the Rising Star Award, which includes a trip to watch the Intel ISEF high school competition in Pittsburgh.
According to a news release, “She investigated whether bubbles would provide adequate insulation against heat loss in a bathtub or outdoor whirlpool. She developed an experiment to test the insulating capability of soap bubbles and to determine whether large or small bubbles were better insulators. She hypothesized that a layer of small bubbles would be a better insulator than a layer of large bubbles. Through her research, she confirmed that bubbles prevent heat loss, but found no significant difference in the insulating ability of small versus large bubbles.”
Jons has been participating in science fairs since she was in first grade, but this year knew her interests were soap bubbles and insulation.
While doing research on the subject, she found a website looking into how soap bubbles were providing insulation for a green-house in Canada, she said.
It made me wonder if soap bubbles could provide an affective means of insulation, and from there, her project began.
At the Broadcom event the focus is on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and teamwork. At the event, participants were broken up into teams and put to work on a number of problems. Judges weren’t so much looking to see teams get the perfect answer, but instead they wanted to watch their thinking process, noted Jons.
The teams had five different challenges, she said. One involved water purification. They were to determine what polluted a sam-ple of water. “There wasn’t very much detail and you had to go research facts on various pollutants,” said Jons.
Another project involved building a circuit. For another project, they built a suspension bridge. And finally, on the second day, they built a Rube Goldberg machine.
For Jons, science runs in the family.
“My dad’s a scientist so I didn’t really have a choice not to enjoy science,” she said.
So far she’s mostly done physics projects but this year’s science project has something to do with mold growth. She won’t reveal more details.
“My project was the effect of soap bubble size on insulative ability of foams,” said Jons.
First, she won the Eden Prairie School District Science Fair, then regionals, then state. Further awards were earned at the Minnesota Academy of Science State Science and Engineering Fair held in Bloomington in March. Jons eventually ended up qualifying out of 300 semi-finalists from around the country to be among the 30 finalists competing in the Broadcom Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars middle school national science competition held in Washington, D.C. There, she scored among the top 10 and took home the Rising Star Award, which includes a trip to watch the Intel ISEF high school competition in Pittsburgh.
According to a news release, “She investigated whether bubbles would provide adequate insulation against heat loss in a bathtub or outdoor whirlpool. She developed an experiment to test the insulating capability of soap bubbles and to determine whether large or small bubbles were better insulators. She hypothesized that a layer of small bubbles would be a better insulator than a layer of large bubbles. Through her research, she confirmed that bubbles prevent heat loss, but found no significant difference in the insulating ability of small versus large bubbles.”
Jons has been participating in science fairs since she was in first grade, but this year knew her interests were soap bubbles and insulation.
While doing research on the subject, she found a website looking into how soap bubbles were providing insulation for a green-house in Canada, she said.
It made me wonder if soap bubbles could provide an affective means of insulation, and from there, her project began.
At the Broadcom event the focus is on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and teamwork. At the event, participants were broken up into teams and put to work on a number of problems. Judges weren’t so much looking to see teams get the perfect answer, but instead they wanted to watch their thinking process, noted Jons.
The teams had five different challenges, she said. One involved water purification. They were to determine what polluted a sam-ple of water. “There wasn’t very much detail and you had to go research facts on various pollutants,” said Jons.
Another project involved building a circuit. For another project, they built a suspension bridge. And finally, on the second day, they built a Rube Goldberg machine.
For Jons, science runs in the family.
“My dad’s a scientist so I didn’t really have a choice not to enjoy science,” she said.
So far she’s mostly done physics projects but this year’s science project has something to do with mold growth. She won’t reveal more details.
2011年11月21日星期一
Six low temperature records set in past week
The record cold snap that has gripped the Interior for the past week continued on Monday when a new record low temperature of 38 degrees below zero was recorded at Fairbanks International Airport early in the morning. The old record low was 35 below set back in 1904, the first year the National Weather Service began keeping records in Fairbanks.
It was the fifth straight day and the sixth out of the past seven days that a new record low temperature has been recorded at the airport. The last time so many consecutive temperature records were set at Fairbanks was during the record cold snap of September 1992.
The current cold snap began on Nov. 15 when the temperature dropped to 20 below. It has remained 20 below or colder since.
Monday marked a record seventh consecutive day with a low temperature of 35 below or colder at the airport. That has never happened before so early in the winter in Fairbanks. The old record was only two days in 1989.
Through Sunday, the high temperature had been 20 below or colder for five days in a row and there is a good chance it won’t get warmer than that today, which would make it six days in a row.
With an average temperature of 22.6 below, the week of Nov. 13-19 ranked second behind 1969 as the second-coldest week before Thanksgiving on record.
But the string of cold weather records looks like it will come to end on Tuesday. While temperatures will remain well below normal this week, they are expected to moderate slightly when a low pressure system now along the arctic coast descends south quickly into the Gulf of Alaska.
The air mass aloft will be colder than the air mass that has gripped the Interior for the past week but the push of cold air will be accompanied by clouds and areas of light snow or flurries. The clouds will act as an insulator and keep temperatures somewhat warmer than the past week. Temperatures much of this week are expected to be in the 10 to 25 below range, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’re expecting some cloud cover to come in, which will keep temperatures from being quite as cold for the rest of the week,” meteorologist Dan Hancock said.
Unlike the last few days, when temperatures in the hills were considerably warmer than the valley floor because of a low level inversion, there will likely be little difference in the temperatures this week between the hills and valleys.
“The air mass is going to be quite cold, not just at the surface but all the way up,” Hancock said.
It was the fifth straight day and the sixth out of the past seven days that a new record low temperature has been recorded at the airport. The last time so many consecutive temperature records were set at Fairbanks was during the record cold snap of September 1992.
The current cold snap began on Nov. 15 when the temperature dropped to 20 below. It has remained 20 below or colder since.
Monday marked a record seventh consecutive day with a low temperature of 35 below or colder at the airport. That has never happened before so early in the winter in Fairbanks. The old record was only two days in 1989.
Through Sunday, the high temperature had been 20 below or colder for five days in a row and there is a good chance it won’t get warmer than that today, which would make it six days in a row.
With an average temperature of 22.6 below, the week of Nov. 13-19 ranked second behind 1969 as the second-coldest week before Thanksgiving on record.
But the string of cold weather records looks like it will come to end on Tuesday. While temperatures will remain well below normal this week, they are expected to moderate slightly when a low pressure system now along the arctic coast descends south quickly into the Gulf of Alaska.
The air mass aloft will be colder than the air mass that has gripped the Interior for the past week but the push of cold air will be accompanied by clouds and areas of light snow or flurries. The clouds will act as an insulator and keep temperatures somewhat warmer than the past week. Temperatures much of this week are expected to be in the 10 to 25 below range, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’re expecting some cloud cover to come in, which will keep temperatures from being quite as cold for the rest of the week,” meteorologist Dan Hancock said.
Unlike the last few days, when temperatures in the hills were considerably warmer than the valley floor because of a low level inversion, there will likely be little difference in the temperatures this week between the hills and valleys.
“The air mass is going to be quite cold, not just at the surface but all the way up,” Hancock said.
2011年11月20日星期日
Sh1 billion query haunts Tanesco
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) is on a new test of credibility following allegations that it approved the use of substandard disc insulators in its high voltage power transmission lines despite disapproval by the public utility’s experts.The company endorsed the use of cap and pin porcelain insulators into its transmission networks worth about Sh1 billion procured against technical specifications. The procurement of the insulators that were rejected by Tanesco experts are said to pose a great danger to the transmission towers and the technical aspects of the transmission lines.
They were found, for instance, to have about 80 per cent weight increase for a single insulator, which experts said could have significant effects on loading of existing towers.
The Citizen has reliably learnt that an expert who inspected and verified the consignment and twice recommended that the 45,594 pieces of insulators were not fit for use in Tanesco’s transmission line networks, has since been transferred to Mwanza.
In August 2008, the company signed a Sh1 billion contract with M/s Anisha’s Ltd, a company that won the tender for the supply of the equipment. As per terms and conditions of supply, the supplier was required to submit prior to the shipment, a sample of insulator units for approval by Tanesco.
However, M/s Anisha’s unilaterally allegedly decided not to comply with technical specifications outlined in the bid document regarding inspection, testing and quality assurance.
According to two reports of Inspection and Acceptance of teams formed by Tanesco in June last year, factory acceptance testing of the consignment that requires the presence of witnesses from the client (Tanesco), was not done.
“The Inspection and Acceptance Committee is satisfied that the consignment of cap and pin porcelain disc insulators delivered by M/s Anisha’s Ltd are not fit for use in Tanesco transmission line networks,” reads part of the report by four Tanesco experts chaired by Engineer Brown Foi.
The team investigated whether the equipment met specification standards and whether they were fit for the intended use. “The anomalies observed are far beyond the specification and could have been avoided if the supplier had diligently adhered to the contract provisions,” said the report.
As per terms and conditions of supply, the supplier was required to submit prior shipment, a sample of the insulator units for approval by Tanesco. Many of the insulators randomly picked for verification were found to have sheared and cracked.
Following the findings, Tanesco’s managing director William Mhando wrote to M/s Anisha’s on June 29 last year, telling the company to collect the rejected insulators and replace them with new ones manufactured in accordance with Tanesco specifications and technical data provided in the contract agreement.
“The insulators delivered do not fit for use in our transmission lines and therefore Tanesco rejects the delivered insulators,” read part of the letter.
But in an interesting turn of events and highly questionable circumstances, as well as total disregard of recommendations by the firm’s own experts, Mr Mhando threw out their advice and formed a new team to re-inspect the insulators.
Mr Mhando’s team was chaired by Engineer Simon Kihiyo and drew members from Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Bureau for Industrial Cooperation (Bico) of the University of Dar es Salaam College of Engineering and Technology (CoET) and Tanesco. The committee, despite citing massive irregularities in the tendering procedures and shortcomings in the insulators, concluded that the insulators could be used in the Tanesco system.
“However, there is about 80 per cent weight increase for a single insulator and considering the number of units required up to 16 units for 220kV and 9 units for 132kV, this will have a significant effect on the loading of the existing towers.
“Therefore the committee recommends use of these insulators for replacement to be done only in transmission lines with 66kV lines and below. The insulators can be used in new transmission lines of higher voltages after incorporating weight in design,” the second team recommended.
One of the key findings of the team was that the weight of the insulators was far above the specified one. It recommended replacement of the existing insulators with new ones but be limited to transmission lines of up to 66kV, to avoid overload of existing tower structure.
“This fact may pose some difficulties, when it comes to the task of replacing a disc unit in a string insulator… However, as mentioned before that the tested porcelain disc insulator units satisfy the recommended compliances of power frequency overvoltage and mechanical failing load standards,” further reads the report signed by Dr Mighanda Manyahi of Bico.
Bico manager, Dr Alex Kyaruzi, however, said it should not be involved in any misapplication of its recommendation, which he says were only answers to what Tanesco requested.
“We were only asked to verify whether the supplied insulators were in accordance with specifications but not to decide on their use. There is no way we could say they were fit or not fit for use…. Eventually it is Tanesco who make decisions. We assume they have made due diligence of other considerations,” said Dr Kyaruzi.
Inquiries by The Citizen revealed the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) have carried out investigations regarding massive violation of public procurement rules on the tender.
The authority’s chief executive officer, Dr Ramadhani Mlinga, wrote to Tanesco in July 11, this year, and requested the company to submit all the documents regarding the procurement. PPRA declined to cooperate when this paper sought to know the findings of the investigations despite oral and written requests.
For nearly one month now, the authority’s Public Relations Officer, Ms Coleta Mnyamani’s answer has either been “the CEO who authorised the answers is on leave” or “I am not sure the information you’re seeking is for public consumption or not.”
They were found, for instance, to have about 80 per cent weight increase for a single insulator, which experts said could have significant effects on loading of existing towers.
The Citizen has reliably learnt that an expert who inspected and verified the consignment and twice recommended that the 45,594 pieces of insulators were not fit for use in Tanesco’s transmission line networks, has since been transferred to Mwanza.
In August 2008, the company signed a Sh1 billion contract with M/s Anisha’s Ltd, a company that won the tender for the supply of the equipment. As per terms and conditions of supply, the supplier was required to submit prior to the shipment, a sample of insulator units for approval by Tanesco.
However, M/s Anisha’s unilaterally allegedly decided not to comply with technical specifications outlined in the bid document regarding inspection, testing and quality assurance.
According to two reports of Inspection and Acceptance of teams formed by Tanesco in June last year, factory acceptance testing of the consignment that requires the presence of witnesses from the client (Tanesco), was not done.
“The Inspection and Acceptance Committee is satisfied that the consignment of cap and pin porcelain disc insulators delivered by M/s Anisha’s Ltd are not fit for use in Tanesco transmission line networks,” reads part of the report by four Tanesco experts chaired by Engineer Brown Foi.
The team investigated whether the equipment met specification standards and whether they were fit for the intended use. “The anomalies observed are far beyond the specification and could have been avoided if the supplier had diligently adhered to the contract provisions,” said the report.
As per terms and conditions of supply, the supplier was required to submit prior shipment, a sample of the insulator units for approval by Tanesco. Many of the insulators randomly picked for verification were found to have sheared and cracked.
Following the findings, Tanesco’s managing director William Mhando wrote to M/s Anisha’s on June 29 last year, telling the company to collect the rejected insulators and replace them with new ones manufactured in accordance with Tanesco specifications and technical data provided in the contract agreement.
“The insulators delivered do not fit for use in our transmission lines and therefore Tanesco rejects the delivered insulators,” read part of the letter.
But in an interesting turn of events and highly questionable circumstances, as well as total disregard of recommendations by the firm’s own experts, Mr Mhando threw out their advice and formed a new team to re-inspect the insulators.
Mr Mhando’s team was chaired by Engineer Simon Kihiyo and drew members from Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Bureau for Industrial Cooperation (Bico) of the University of Dar es Salaam College of Engineering and Technology (CoET) and Tanesco. The committee, despite citing massive irregularities in the tendering procedures and shortcomings in the insulators, concluded that the insulators could be used in the Tanesco system.
“However, there is about 80 per cent weight increase for a single insulator and considering the number of units required up to 16 units for 220kV and 9 units for 132kV, this will have a significant effect on the loading of the existing towers.
“Therefore the committee recommends use of these insulators for replacement to be done only in transmission lines with 66kV lines and below. The insulators can be used in new transmission lines of higher voltages after incorporating weight in design,” the second team recommended.
One of the key findings of the team was that the weight of the insulators was far above the specified one. It recommended replacement of the existing insulators with new ones but be limited to transmission lines of up to 66kV, to avoid overload of existing tower structure.
“This fact may pose some difficulties, when it comes to the task of replacing a disc unit in a string insulator… However, as mentioned before that the tested porcelain disc insulator units satisfy the recommended compliances of power frequency overvoltage and mechanical failing load standards,” further reads the report signed by Dr Mighanda Manyahi of Bico.
Bico manager, Dr Alex Kyaruzi, however, said it should not be involved in any misapplication of its recommendation, which he says were only answers to what Tanesco requested.
“We were only asked to verify whether the supplied insulators were in accordance with specifications but not to decide on their use. There is no way we could say they were fit or not fit for use…. Eventually it is Tanesco who make decisions. We assume they have made due diligence of other considerations,” said Dr Kyaruzi.
Inquiries by The Citizen revealed the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) have carried out investigations regarding massive violation of public procurement rules on the tender.
The authority’s chief executive officer, Dr Ramadhani Mlinga, wrote to Tanesco in July 11, this year, and requested the company to submit all the documents regarding the procurement. PPRA declined to cooperate when this paper sought to know the findings of the investigations despite oral and written requests.
For nearly one month now, the authority’s Public Relations Officer, Ms Coleta Mnyamani’s answer has either been “the CEO who authorised the answers is on leave” or “I am not sure the information you’re seeking is for public consumption or not.”
2011年11月17日星期四
Shearling's timeless appeal goes beyond fashion
"Shearling is a natural product," says Roberta Weissburg, owner of Roberta Weissburg Leathers in Shadyside and SouthSide Works. "It's lambskin that is so soft and supple and cuddly that it's like being wrapped up in your teddy bear.
"You can do so much with it," she says, "and there are so many textures in shearling -- from long-haired, that is more of a funky look, to Spanish merino, that is very silky."
Shearling is a sheepskin or lambskin pelt that has gone through a limited shearing process to obtain a uniform look and feel. It is as warm as a heavy blanket, but fashionable and functional, too, which makes it perfect for cooler weather, says Weissburg, who will host shearling designer Dominic Bellissimo at her SouthSide Works store Nov. 25 through 27.
Shearling is an investment because it will provide years of warmth and functionality, Weissburg says. Shearling apparel and accessories by some great designers can be found at a range of prices.
Over the past 30 years, there have been advancements in making the skins really supple and soft, Weissburg says. Also, they are available in colors, such as red, navy blue and even pink. Shearling products can feature ornate trim, beadwork or handpainted details.
Short or long, shearling coats are a fall and winter basic, says Gregg Andrews, Nordstrom fashion director. This year, it's even more so because of the faux-fur trend, he says.
Some of the fake materials give the same look as the real thing, Andrews says.
"This time of year, (shearling) is really popular because it is warm and cozy, but also breathable to where you don't get that clammy sensation," he says. "You get the warmth of a fur without it being too over-the-top, and it is still natural and feels good against your skin."
As far as the appearance and the patterns of synthetic shearling, you can't really tell the difference looking at it.
Advantages to faux shearling is the weight -- it is about 25 percent lighter -- and that it's machine washable.
"But it is still warm," Salyers says. "When I think of shearling, I think of what the Marlboro man wore and what cowboys wear because it is rugged-looking, almost utilitarian."
Shearling gets better with age. Look at UGG boots, which mold to the shape of your foot, as an example, Andrews says.
"Shearling is timeless," says Anne Smith, L.L.Bean footwear product line manager, "and has always been used for warmth and comfort. Shearling is naturally insulating, moisture-wicking, soft and cozy."
"I have shearling slippers, and they are so toasty I never want to take them off," Weissburg says.
Gregor cautions women against wearing two shearling pieces at once because they will compete and be too busy.
"Shearling is a natural material that is water resistant, naturally warm and an excellent insulator for feet," says Adam Sodersten, of Lands' End. "It typically is used in slippers or boots without socks because the warmth is best against the foot. It's a very breathable material."
"You can do so much with it," she says, "and there are so many textures in shearling -- from long-haired, that is more of a funky look, to Spanish merino, that is very silky."
Shearling is a sheepskin or lambskin pelt that has gone through a limited shearing process to obtain a uniform look and feel. It is as warm as a heavy blanket, but fashionable and functional, too, which makes it perfect for cooler weather, says Weissburg, who will host shearling designer Dominic Bellissimo at her SouthSide Works store Nov. 25 through 27.
Shearling is an investment because it will provide years of warmth and functionality, Weissburg says. Shearling apparel and accessories by some great designers can be found at a range of prices.
Over the past 30 years, there have been advancements in making the skins really supple and soft, Weissburg says. Also, they are available in colors, such as red, navy blue and even pink. Shearling products can feature ornate trim, beadwork or handpainted details.
Short or long, shearling coats are a fall and winter basic, says Gregg Andrews, Nordstrom fashion director. This year, it's even more so because of the faux-fur trend, he says.
Some of the fake materials give the same look as the real thing, Andrews says.
"This time of year, (shearling) is really popular because it is warm and cozy, but also breathable to where you don't get that clammy sensation," he says. "You get the warmth of a fur without it being too over-the-top, and it is still natural and feels good against your skin."
As far as the appearance and the patterns of synthetic shearling, you can't really tell the difference looking at it.
Advantages to faux shearling is the weight -- it is about 25 percent lighter -- and that it's machine washable.
"But it is still warm," Salyers says. "When I think of shearling, I think of what the Marlboro man wore and what cowboys wear because it is rugged-looking, almost utilitarian."
Shearling gets better with age. Look at UGG boots, which mold to the shape of your foot, as an example, Andrews says.
"Shearling is timeless," says Anne Smith, L.L.Bean footwear product line manager, "and has always been used for warmth and comfort. Shearling is naturally insulating, moisture-wicking, soft and cozy."
"I have shearling slippers, and they are so toasty I never want to take them off," Weissburg says.
Gregor cautions women against wearing two shearling pieces at once because they will compete and be too busy.
"Shearling is a natural material that is water resistant, naturally warm and an excellent insulator for feet," says Adam Sodersten, of Lands' End. "It typically is used in slippers or boots without socks because the warmth is best against the foot. It's a very breathable material."
2011年11月16日星期三
Alaska Co-ops Quickly Restore Power
Howling winds and dangerous waves that ravaged parts of Alaska’s western coast caused only minor problems for electric cooperatives serving the region, but dozens of villages reported damage.
National Weather Service meteorologists described the Nov. 9 Bering Sea storm as the strongest to hit the west coast of Alaska in 40 years. It was among the latest in a series of storms that have swept inland from the Bering Sea this fall, raking coastal communities and raising concerns about erosion.
“We deployed all of our traveling technicians in advance of the storm,” said Meera Kohler, president and CEO of Anchorage-based Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. Kohler received reports from technicians in the field as the storm moved ashore from the Bering Sea.
“In Teller, the water got to the steps of the power plant,” Kohler said. “Staff relocated to the airport at the end of the town where floodwaters hadn’t covered the road.”
A newly installed, but not yet energized, line connecting Teller with the village of Brevig Mission was damaged when a junction cabinet was swept away, and a submerged water crossing suffered damage to its anchoring system.
In the village of Akula Heights, a technician worked in darkness to locate the source of intermittent arcing. Once he found the problem along a span guy wire, he quickly completed a repair and there were no further problems.
At Mountain Village, technicians restored power to several consumers with damaged service entrances by early evening, said Kohler.
“The airport lost power for two days,” Kohler said. “Villagers used vehicles to light the airstrip so another technician could be flown in to help reset two broken poles on the airport line.”
Individual outages were also reported in other villages, including Savoonga, but the co-op was not able to move additional technicians to assist with restoration until airlines and charter plane operators resumed flights.
Forty homes were out of power in Tununak due to an in-line splice that actually broke in half, possibly as a result of being hit by airborne roof debris, Kohler said.
Kotzebue Electric Association reported no significant outages among its nearly 1,300 consumer-members. The Kotzebue-based co-op’s 17 wind turbines handled gusts in excess of 74 mph, but suffered no damage.
“The turbines are designed to self-protect when sustained winds top 50 mph, so they shut themselves down,” said Brad Reeve, general manager of the co-op.
“We had one brief outage on the system due to a break in a wire holding an insulator down,” Reeve said. “We had most of the feeder back on in five minutes and it took about an hour to repair an outage that affected about 20 homes.”
National Weather Service meteorologists described the Nov. 9 Bering Sea storm as the strongest to hit the west coast of Alaska in 40 years. It was among the latest in a series of storms that have swept inland from the Bering Sea this fall, raking coastal communities and raising concerns about erosion.
“We deployed all of our traveling technicians in advance of the storm,” said Meera Kohler, president and CEO of Anchorage-based Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. Kohler received reports from technicians in the field as the storm moved ashore from the Bering Sea.
“In Teller, the water got to the steps of the power plant,” Kohler said. “Staff relocated to the airport at the end of the town where floodwaters hadn’t covered the road.”
A newly installed, but not yet energized, line connecting Teller with the village of Brevig Mission was damaged when a junction cabinet was swept away, and a submerged water crossing suffered damage to its anchoring system.
In the village of Akula Heights, a technician worked in darkness to locate the source of intermittent arcing. Once he found the problem along a span guy wire, he quickly completed a repair and there were no further problems.
At Mountain Village, technicians restored power to several consumers with damaged service entrances by early evening, said Kohler.
“The airport lost power for two days,” Kohler said. “Villagers used vehicles to light the airstrip so another technician could be flown in to help reset two broken poles on the airport line.”
Individual outages were also reported in other villages, including Savoonga, but the co-op was not able to move additional technicians to assist with restoration until airlines and charter plane operators resumed flights.
Forty homes were out of power in Tununak due to an in-line splice that actually broke in half, possibly as a result of being hit by airborne roof debris, Kohler said.
Kotzebue Electric Association reported no significant outages among its nearly 1,300 consumer-members. The Kotzebue-based co-op’s 17 wind turbines handled gusts in excess of 74 mph, but suffered no damage.
“The turbines are designed to self-protect when sustained winds top 50 mph, so they shut themselves down,” said Brad Reeve, general manager of the co-op.
“We had one brief outage on the system due to a break in a wire holding an insulator down,” Reeve said. “We had most of the feeder back on in five minutes and it took about an hour to repair an outage that affected about 20 homes.”
2011年11月15日星期二
Toasty Warm Vest, Keeps Upper Body Warm During All Outdoor Cold Weather Activities
The new non-electric Weber Toasty Warm Vest (Patent Pending) solves the "warmth without bulk" winter clothing problem once and for all! The Aerogel insulation material in this new kind of winter wear is a spin-off product developed by NASA for use by astronauts during space walks. Aerogel is the the world's best and lightest insulation known to man. When wearing this new Weber Toasty Warm Vest, this extremely efficient insulating "barrier" protects the upper body from the many discomforts and dangers of exposure to extremely cold weather.
There is no more need to spend valuable time searching for a good quality, reasonably priced vest that can keep the upper body warm and that can provide both warmth and comfort in the worst of the cold winter weather.
With this Weber Toasty Warm Vest the wearer will be "toasty warm" - no matter how cold
the weather becomes because... the wearer will now have a very efficient "barrier" or "insulator", between the upper body and the cold, outside - winter temperature.
The amazing Insulation material used in the new Weber Toasty Warm Vest is NASA's "Aerogel" (also called "frozen smoke") it is the lightest and lowest-density solid known to exist. It also holds the World records for being the best insulator and the lowest density solid. Aerogel is composed of amorphous Silicon Dioxide, and is 99.8% air. Aerogel is chemically similar to ordinary glass. Aerogel's true strength is its incredible insulating properties. It negates just about any kind of energy transfer: thermal, electrical or acoustic. Aerogel's density is just 3 milligrams per cubic centimeter (it weighs only 3 times that of air). It's melting point is 2,200- degrees (F). 1,200-degrees (C).
This NASA Insulation material was developed for use in extreme environments and is the world's best thermal protection for outdoor gear, apparel and footwear.Aspen Aerogels developed by NASA has proven its barrier type insulation value in boots, jackets,vests and sleeping pads tested in the most extreme environments on Earth - from the frigid summit of Mt. Everest to the blistering floor of Death Valley.
Now, that extreme protection is available here on earth for all kinds of consumer outdoor gear including Weber's line of versatile, affordable non-electric insulated products such as: Weber Wrist & Ankle wraps (keeps fingers and toes much warmer); Toasty Feet Foot Warmer Insoles and Weber Toasty Warm Vest.
When Weber as asked: "What kind of feedback do you get from your customers?" He replied: "Here are a few comments we get from our users:"
"These have made me more comfortable. Thanks!"
"I use the vest for ice fishing. All day on ice, no problems! Very good. Thanks"
Weber Toasty Warm Vests make use of this, the world's best insulation material. This NASA designed nanoporous material is named: Aerogel. It has the highest thermal insulation value of any solid material available today allowing it to block both heat and cold efficiently it is ultra thin and very light weight and is now available for many applications in space and here on earth. It maintains barrier-like insulation values even under severe compression and it can be infused into shoe insoles to keep feet warm as well as being used in Weber Toasty Warm Vests and other articles of warm and comfortable winter clothing.
Additional features of this kind of Insulation as used in Weber outdoor gear, apparel, and footwear include: Highest thermal performance; minimum weight and thickness, loft not required to maintain R value; doesn't compress or lose performance under load ; waterproof yet allows vapor transmission; increased fashion and design elements ; durable in normal wash/dry cycle.
There is no more need to spend valuable time searching for a good quality, reasonably priced vest that can keep the upper body warm and that can provide both warmth and comfort in the worst of the cold winter weather.
With this Weber Toasty Warm Vest the wearer will be "toasty warm" - no matter how cold
the weather becomes because... the wearer will now have a very efficient "barrier" or "insulator", between the upper body and the cold, outside - winter temperature.
The amazing Insulation material used in the new Weber Toasty Warm Vest is NASA's "Aerogel" (also called "frozen smoke") it is the lightest and lowest-density solid known to exist. It also holds the World records for being the best insulator and the lowest density solid. Aerogel is composed of amorphous Silicon Dioxide, and is 99.8% air. Aerogel is chemically similar to ordinary glass. Aerogel's true strength is its incredible insulating properties. It negates just about any kind of energy transfer: thermal, electrical or acoustic. Aerogel's density is just 3 milligrams per cubic centimeter (it weighs only 3 times that of air). It's melting point is 2,200- degrees (F). 1,200-degrees (C).
This NASA Insulation material was developed for use in extreme environments and is the world's best thermal protection for outdoor gear, apparel and footwear.Aspen Aerogels developed by NASA has proven its barrier type insulation value in boots, jackets,vests and sleeping pads tested in the most extreme environments on Earth - from the frigid summit of Mt. Everest to the blistering floor of Death Valley.
Now, that extreme protection is available here on earth for all kinds of consumer outdoor gear including Weber's line of versatile, affordable non-electric insulated products such as: Weber Wrist & Ankle wraps (keeps fingers and toes much warmer); Toasty Feet Foot Warmer Insoles and Weber Toasty Warm Vest.
When Weber as asked: "What kind of feedback do you get from your customers?" He replied: "Here are a few comments we get from our users:"
"These have made me more comfortable. Thanks!"
"I use the vest for ice fishing. All day on ice, no problems! Very good. Thanks"
Weber Toasty Warm Vests make use of this, the world's best insulation material. This NASA designed nanoporous material is named: Aerogel. It has the highest thermal insulation value of any solid material available today allowing it to block both heat and cold efficiently it is ultra thin and very light weight and is now available for many applications in space and here on earth. It maintains barrier-like insulation values even under severe compression and it can be infused into shoe insoles to keep feet warm as well as being used in Weber Toasty Warm Vests and other articles of warm and comfortable winter clothing.
Additional features of this kind of Insulation as used in Weber outdoor gear, apparel, and footwear include: Highest thermal performance; minimum weight and thickness, loft not required to maintain R value; doesn't compress or lose performance under load ; waterproof yet allows vapor transmission; increased fashion and design elements ; durable in normal wash/dry cycle.
2011年11月14日星期一
Royals Address Mesothelioma Risk at Home
Once widely used as a building material and insulator, asbestos has been linked to a range of health problems including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining that can spread quickly. Great Britain has one of the highest per capita rates of mesothelioma in the world with an estimated 4,000 deaths from the disease each year. By contrast, about 2,500 people die of mesothelioma in the U.S.
Though asbestos use is now banned in new construction in Great Britain, the BBC has reported that as many 500,000 commercial and residential properties still contain the substance, including the apartment at Kensington Palace where the young Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, plan to live. The last major renovation of the palace, originally known as Nottingham House, was in 1960 at a time when asbestos use was at its peak.
Like other homes of that era, the palace likely contains asbestos insulation and asbestos thermal coverings around hot water heaters and pipes. Asbestos may also be found in the electrical system around wires or as a lining for fuse boxes. It is also not uncommon to find asbestos in floor and ceiling tiles, roof shingles, chimney flues, paint, sealants and wallboard in older homes. The older and more brittle asbestos-containing materials are, the more likely they are to crumble and release their toxic fibers into the air, increasing the risk of mesothelioma.
To safely remove asbestos from properties such as the aging palace, asbestos abatement professionals use a variety of techniques including wetting down the crumbling materials to reduce dust. To protect themselves from mesothelioma, they may also use specially-designed protective clothing and respirators.
The planned palace renovation comes at a time when the issue of asbestos abatement is making headlines around the world. In Australia, where mesothelioma rates are rising, especially among women, legislators are calling on the government to force Do-It-Yourself home renovation television shows to warn homeowners against removing asbestos themselves. The renovation and asbestos abatement at the royal couple’s news residence is expected to take a year.
Though asbestos use is now banned in new construction in Great Britain, the BBC has reported that as many 500,000 commercial and residential properties still contain the substance, including the apartment at Kensington Palace where the young Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, plan to live. The last major renovation of the palace, originally known as Nottingham House, was in 1960 at a time when asbestos use was at its peak.
Like other homes of that era, the palace likely contains asbestos insulation and asbestos thermal coverings around hot water heaters and pipes. Asbestos may also be found in the electrical system around wires or as a lining for fuse boxes. It is also not uncommon to find asbestos in floor and ceiling tiles, roof shingles, chimney flues, paint, sealants and wallboard in older homes. The older and more brittle asbestos-containing materials are, the more likely they are to crumble and release their toxic fibers into the air, increasing the risk of mesothelioma.
To safely remove asbestos from properties such as the aging palace, asbestos abatement professionals use a variety of techniques including wetting down the crumbling materials to reduce dust. To protect themselves from mesothelioma, they may also use specially-designed protective clothing and respirators.
The planned palace renovation comes at a time when the issue of asbestos abatement is making headlines around the world. In Australia, where mesothelioma rates are rising, especially among women, legislators are calling on the government to force Do-It-Yourself home renovation television shows to warn homeowners against removing asbestos themselves. The renovation and asbestos abatement at the royal couple’s news residence is expected to take a year.
2011年11月13日星期日
New Insulator Could Help Grid Weather Storms
High voltage cables are typically insulated with special water-resistant polymers that have high-dielectric strength. When the cables get whacked by an especially strong rain or snow storm the insulation may not block all of the moisture. The leaks can lead to a loss of electrical current or even damage to the cables. Typically, the insulation will regain its ability to block water hours, or even days, later.
Engineers know that cable insulation can temporarily lose its ability to repel water under extreme conditions. Now researchers at IBM and Swiss electric-grid builder ABB think they can create an insulating material that can stay water repellent longer—or at least recover quicker. [Philip T. Shemella et al., "Surface Dynamics of Amorphous Polymers Used for High-Voltage Insulators," Journal of Physical Chemistry B]
Using computer simulations, the researchers are studying the molecular dynamics of a new type of polymer under a variety of conditions. Based on the tests so far, the companies claim this virtual insulator can help prevent the 7 percent loss of electricity experienced on average in the U.S. during transmission.
Anything that can reduce stress on overtaxed electrical grids would be welcome. Just ask the one million people still in the dark from last weekend's early season snow storm in the northeastern U.S.
Engineers know that cable insulation can temporarily lose its ability to repel water under extreme conditions. Now researchers at IBM and Swiss electric-grid builder ABB think they can create an insulating material that can stay water repellent longer—or at least recover quicker. [Philip T. Shemella et al., "Surface Dynamics of Amorphous Polymers Used for High-Voltage Insulators," Journal of Physical Chemistry B]
Using computer simulations, the researchers are studying the molecular dynamics of a new type of polymer under a variety of conditions. Based on the tests so far, the companies claim this virtual insulator can help prevent the 7 percent loss of electricity experienced on average in the U.S. during transmission.
Anything that can reduce stress on overtaxed electrical grids would be welcome. Just ask the one million people still in the dark from last weekend's early season snow storm in the northeastern U.S.
2011年11月10日星期四
Easy, inexpensive home heating tips
Sure, there are things that you can do to make the most of your heating dollars! Many of them cost very little and can be done by the average homeowner. Let's see what tools we can provide for you.
We'll start by looking at windows. A single-pane window will transfer over 80 percent of infrared energy to the outside, according to The National Fenestration Rating Council, a nonprofit organization that rates the performance of windows and doors. In English, that means your heat ends up outside!
In recent years, windows have been improved to keep more heat inside our homes. All the new low-e windows (that's short for low-emissivity windows, which help prevent your house from losing heat) and double-pane windows are great -- if you can afford them. They may even pay for themselves over time. But what if you can't afford to buy and install new windows before the cold winds blow?
Don't give up. There are many steps you can take to get the benefits of new windows without the expense.
The first thing to recognize is that air can be your friend or your enemy. Pockets of still air can act as an insulator, but cold drafts, not surprisingly, work against you.
How can you create pockets of insulating air? It's easier than you might think. The glass in your window provides one barrier to the outside. You just need to create a second one. The air trapped between the window and the second barrier acts as an insulator. Experts say that can reduce the amount of heat lost through your windows by up to 25 percent.
Many homes have storm windows that act just like a second window. If you have them, you'll want to get them up now.
But what if you don't have storm windows? Or what if you have them and you still can feel the cold air anytime you're near your windows? Simply create another air barrier on the inside of the window.
Heavy drapes in the closed position are a stylish solution. The heavier the material, the better. Although they're not airtight, they do create an insulating pocket of air just inside the window. Drapes also allow you to pull them open when bright sun is shining on the window, which will tend to warm up the room.
Another less stylish option is to use sheet plastic to create that barrier. You can tape it directly to the inside of the wall around the window. Or use 1-inch-by-1-inch lumber to make a frame that fits snuggly inside the window. Attach the plastic to the frame. You can remove the barrier if you're entertaining and don't want your guests to know that you're reducing your heating bills!
If none of those ideas works for you, consider getting a roll of the large bubble wrap used for packing. Cut it to the size of your window. Moisten the wrap and it will cling to the window. Even something as simple as that will help create the needed air pocket.
Your windows are not the only place where cold air enters your home. Even a small draft of outside air can make a room feel frigid.
The best way to find drafts is to walk alongside outside walls with a lit candle. Watch the flame. Any draft will cause the flame to flicker or smoke to move away from the breeze.
You'll want to pay particular attention around windows, doors and baseboards. Don't forget to check around light switches and wall outlets.
Eliminating any drafts you find is a simple do-it-yourself project. Caulk and/or weather-strip will solve most problems. For light and wall outlets, buy and install rubber gaskets. You can find the gaskets at home improvement centers. The materials are inexpensive; the work easy. The only tools required are a knife and a screwdriver to remove the electric plates.
Next, you'll want to help make your furnace as efficient as possible. That would include cleaning or replacing furnace filters. A dirty filter can reduce your furnace's efficiency by 10 percent.
If you have forced air heating, spend time checking the ducts that deliver the warm air. Leaky ducts can leave half of your warm air in crawl spaces, basements or your attic. Most leaks can be repaired with an inexpensive roll of duct tape (yes, it was really created for that purpose!).
Check the ducts to see if they're "sweating." Condensation on the outside of the ducts means that you're losing heat before the warm air reaches your living areas. You'll want to insulate those ducts. Depending on how accessible the ducts are and how strong your DIY credentials are, you may want to do the job yourself or hire it out.
Here's one final cheap strategy for a warmer home. Furnaces tend to pull moisture out of the air, but moist air feels warmer. Allowing a container of water to evaporate will replace lost moisture. After you've finished your bath or shower, allow the extra steam to escape into your home. Finally, consider allowing some clothes to dry on inside racks or lines.
Lance, you may not be able to afford new windows or a new more efficient furnace. But there are a number of simple steps that you can take to stay warm this winter without ballooning heating bills.
We'll start by looking at windows. A single-pane window will transfer over 80 percent of infrared energy to the outside, according to The National Fenestration Rating Council, a nonprofit organization that rates the performance of windows and doors. In English, that means your heat ends up outside!
In recent years, windows have been improved to keep more heat inside our homes. All the new low-e windows (that's short for low-emissivity windows, which help prevent your house from losing heat) and double-pane windows are great -- if you can afford them. They may even pay for themselves over time. But what if you can't afford to buy and install new windows before the cold winds blow?
Don't give up. There are many steps you can take to get the benefits of new windows without the expense.
The first thing to recognize is that air can be your friend or your enemy. Pockets of still air can act as an insulator, but cold drafts, not surprisingly, work against you.
How can you create pockets of insulating air? It's easier than you might think. The glass in your window provides one barrier to the outside. You just need to create a second one. The air trapped between the window and the second barrier acts as an insulator. Experts say that can reduce the amount of heat lost through your windows by up to 25 percent.
Many homes have storm windows that act just like a second window. If you have them, you'll want to get them up now.
But what if you don't have storm windows? Or what if you have them and you still can feel the cold air anytime you're near your windows? Simply create another air barrier on the inside of the window.
Heavy drapes in the closed position are a stylish solution. The heavier the material, the better. Although they're not airtight, they do create an insulating pocket of air just inside the window. Drapes also allow you to pull them open when bright sun is shining on the window, which will tend to warm up the room.
Another less stylish option is to use sheet plastic to create that barrier. You can tape it directly to the inside of the wall around the window. Or use 1-inch-by-1-inch lumber to make a frame that fits snuggly inside the window. Attach the plastic to the frame. You can remove the barrier if you're entertaining and don't want your guests to know that you're reducing your heating bills!
If none of those ideas works for you, consider getting a roll of the large bubble wrap used for packing. Cut it to the size of your window. Moisten the wrap and it will cling to the window. Even something as simple as that will help create the needed air pocket.
Your windows are not the only place where cold air enters your home. Even a small draft of outside air can make a room feel frigid.
The best way to find drafts is to walk alongside outside walls with a lit candle. Watch the flame. Any draft will cause the flame to flicker or smoke to move away from the breeze.
You'll want to pay particular attention around windows, doors and baseboards. Don't forget to check around light switches and wall outlets.
Eliminating any drafts you find is a simple do-it-yourself project. Caulk and/or weather-strip will solve most problems. For light and wall outlets, buy and install rubber gaskets. You can find the gaskets at home improvement centers. The materials are inexpensive; the work easy. The only tools required are a knife and a screwdriver to remove the electric plates.
Next, you'll want to help make your furnace as efficient as possible. That would include cleaning or replacing furnace filters. A dirty filter can reduce your furnace's efficiency by 10 percent.
If you have forced air heating, spend time checking the ducts that deliver the warm air. Leaky ducts can leave half of your warm air in crawl spaces, basements or your attic. Most leaks can be repaired with an inexpensive roll of duct tape (yes, it was really created for that purpose!).
Check the ducts to see if they're "sweating." Condensation on the outside of the ducts means that you're losing heat before the warm air reaches your living areas. You'll want to insulate those ducts. Depending on how accessible the ducts are and how strong your DIY credentials are, you may want to do the job yourself or hire it out.
Here's one final cheap strategy for a warmer home. Furnaces tend to pull moisture out of the air, but moist air feels warmer. Allowing a container of water to evaporate will replace lost moisture. After you've finished your bath or shower, allow the extra steam to escape into your home. Finally, consider allowing some clothes to dry on inside racks or lines.
Lance, you may not be able to afford new windows or a new more efficient furnace. But there are a number of simple steps that you can take to stay warm this winter without ballooning heating bills.
2011年11月9日星期三
High time to grow up
Clever garden designers have burst on to the green scene by thinking laterally – or vertically, in fact – when it comes to getting creative with small spaces.
“The dynamic quality about vertical gardens, is that you can create 110m2 of garden within a 10m2 floor space,” says Durban landscape artist Brendon Edwards. “Aesthetically, they provide very powerful imagery as you experience the whole garden immediately, unlike a conventional garden that one needs to walk through to appreciate the visual impact of colour and texture.”
The look and feel of a vertical garden can be designed to suit almost every need and taste of the user. No one green wall needs be the same.
The fundamental reason that this form of wall-scaping can be successfully created, says Edwards, is that plants do not need soil in order to grow.
“Firstly, a frame is built on the wall over which a waterproof membrane is fixed. Placed over this is an inert matrix, which acts as the soil into which the chosen plants are bedded, and through which a micro-drip irrigation system is woven.” The upside of this garden is that is that it does not have to be cleaned. The irrigation cloth is a micro-ecosystem that recycles through a biological process.
“Water and plant food are pumped through the system and filtered down to a gutter, from where the water is recycled. Over time, the garden becomes its own self-sustaining ecological environment,” says Edwards.
Apart from greening outdoor and interior walls the environmental benefits are impressive. This natural wall covering reduces heat-loss from the building, acts as a natural insulator, cleans the air around it and acts as a soundproof barrier.
As well as recycling the water through the irrigation system, excess water from air-conditioning units and grey water can be used to feed the living walls.
If you are keen to push the boundaries when it comes to traditional gardening principles and can’t grow out – grow up. Create a three-dimensional living piece of art that will add beauty and energy to any urban space. - The Mercury
The modern vertical gardens, also referred to as living walls, bio walls or green walls, can be entirely attributed to French botanist and artist Patrick Blanc. When he created his ‘mur vegetal’ collection, the green world sat up and took instant notice.
His numerous creations, which include the exterior of the Quai Branly Museum in Paris and the parliament in Brussels, prove that living in a city does not have to mean abandoning the natural world.
Blanc has helped to solve one of the biggest urban planning problems of modern times – how to find space for the greenery that we need to maintain our air quality and emotional health.
“The dynamic quality about vertical gardens, is that you can create 110m2 of garden within a 10m2 floor space,” says Durban landscape artist Brendon Edwards. “Aesthetically, they provide very powerful imagery as you experience the whole garden immediately, unlike a conventional garden that one needs to walk through to appreciate the visual impact of colour and texture.”
The look and feel of a vertical garden can be designed to suit almost every need and taste of the user. No one green wall needs be the same.
The fundamental reason that this form of wall-scaping can be successfully created, says Edwards, is that plants do not need soil in order to grow.
“Firstly, a frame is built on the wall over which a waterproof membrane is fixed. Placed over this is an inert matrix, which acts as the soil into which the chosen plants are bedded, and through which a micro-drip irrigation system is woven.” The upside of this garden is that is that it does not have to be cleaned. The irrigation cloth is a micro-ecosystem that recycles through a biological process.
“Water and plant food are pumped through the system and filtered down to a gutter, from where the water is recycled. Over time, the garden becomes its own self-sustaining ecological environment,” says Edwards.
Apart from greening outdoor and interior walls the environmental benefits are impressive. This natural wall covering reduces heat-loss from the building, acts as a natural insulator, cleans the air around it and acts as a soundproof barrier.
As well as recycling the water through the irrigation system, excess water from air-conditioning units and grey water can be used to feed the living walls.
If you are keen to push the boundaries when it comes to traditional gardening principles and can’t grow out – grow up. Create a three-dimensional living piece of art that will add beauty and energy to any urban space. - The Mercury
The modern vertical gardens, also referred to as living walls, bio walls or green walls, can be entirely attributed to French botanist and artist Patrick Blanc. When he created his ‘mur vegetal’ collection, the green world sat up and took instant notice.
His numerous creations, which include the exterior of the Quai Branly Museum in Paris and the parliament in Brussels, prove that living in a city does not have to mean abandoning the natural world.
Blanc has helped to solve one of the biggest urban planning problems of modern times – how to find space for the greenery that we need to maintain our air quality and emotional health.
2011年11月8日星期二
Toxic Trade
From his tiny, ramshackle home in Ahmedabad 71 year old Naran Mehra cuts a forlorn figure.
The former power station worker is sick after years of exposure to asbestos that’s used as an insulator in his workplace.
‘When it would blow, my hair would turn white’. Naran Mehra
Unwittingly, he brought the danger home. His wife Sevita Devi used to shake asbestos dust from his clothes before washing them and now she’s also stricken with disease. With no money for proper medical care the couple have given up hope for the future.
Asbestos illness in India is under-diagnosed and mostly unrecognised as a health problem. But with the proliferation of factories making and using asbestos products and an import trade in asbestos building products booming, India has become a new frontier for what’s sure to be a dramatic, devastating health crisis.
Indian asbestos workers have little in the way of safety equipment and if they contract a respiratory illness like asbestosis or a cancer like mesothelioma few are paid compensation.
And unlike many developed countries where asbestos products have been banned, India can’t get enough of what’s called poor man’s roofing. Alarmingly it’s a first world nation that’s supplying the stuff. Canada won’t use asbestos itself but it is selling it by the shipload to India. Business is so brisk Canada is breathing new life into its asbestos mining industry to bolster its exports.
‘It amounts to Canada being a purveyor of death around the world. Our country is an exporter of a deadly substance, and we enjoy it … at least our federal government does’. Professor Amir Attaran, University of Ottawa
The asbestos industry is pouring millions of dollars into a campaign to assure India and convince any other developing nation that may be in the market that white asbestos, or chrysotile, is safe.
‘This particular asbestos has not been known to give cancer, so far’ Abhaya Shanker, Managing Director, Hyderabad Industries
Reporter Matt Peacock has spent decades investigating and uncovering many of the health scandals caused by asbestos. In fact much of his reporting has helped to elevate awareness about the dangers of asbestos in Australia. He’s encountered some shocking scenes in his career but India’s asbestos drama shocked even this seasoned correspondent.
‘I first began covering the story of its trail of death in Australia thirty years ago. Back home and in other developed countries the problem now is how to get rid of it. But India it seems is racing headlong into repeating the same mistakes only on a massive scale.
The former power station worker is sick after years of exposure to asbestos that’s used as an insulator in his workplace.
‘When it would blow, my hair would turn white’. Naran Mehra
Unwittingly, he brought the danger home. His wife Sevita Devi used to shake asbestos dust from his clothes before washing them and now she’s also stricken with disease. With no money for proper medical care the couple have given up hope for the future.
Asbestos illness in India is under-diagnosed and mostly unrecognised as a health problem. But with the proliferation of factories making and using asbestos products and an import trade in asbestos building products booming, India has become a new frontier for what’s sure to be a dramatic, devastating health crisis.
Indian asbestos workers have little in the way of safety equipment and if they contract a respiratory illness like asbestosis or a cancer like mesothelioma few are paid compensation.
And unlike many developed countries where asbestos products have been banned, India can’t get enough of what’s called poor man’s roofing. Alarmingly it’s a first world nation that’s supplying the stuff. Canada won’t use asbestos itself but it is selling it by the shipload to India. Business is so brisk Canada is breathing new life into its asbestos mining industry to bolster its exports.
‘It amounts to Canada being a purveyor of death around the world. Our country is an exporter of a deadly substance, and we enjoy it … at least our federal government does’. Professor Amir Attaran, University of Ottawa
The asbestos industry is pouring millions of dollars into a campaign to assure India and convince any other developing nation that may be in the market that white asbestos, or chrysotile, is safe.
‘This particular asbestos has not been known to give cancer, so far’ Abhaya Shanker, Managing Director, Hyderabad Industries
Reporter Matt Peacock has spent decades investigating and uncovering many of the health scandals caused by asbestos. In fact much of his reporting has helped to elevate awareness about the dangers of asbestos in Australia. He’s encountered some shocking scenes in his career but India’s asbestos drama shocked even this seasoned correspondent.
‘I first began covering the story of its trail of death in Australia thirty years ago. Back home and in other developed countries the problem now is how to get rid of it. But India it seems is racing headlong into repeating the same mistakes only on a massive scale.
2011年11月7日星期一
Quasi-particles found within graphene
A recent study by Igor Zaliznyak and others at the Brookhaven National Laboratory proved empirically that exotic particle-like phenomena predicted in theory actually exist in layered sheets of carbon atoms. The study, using practical and replicable methods, verified the predicted electrical properties of this type of carbon configuration.
Graphene is a flat, two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms bonded in a hexagonal lattice. The graphite commonly used as pencil lead is made up of stacks of graphene.
Isolated single layers of graphene are cheaper and 100 times more conductive than silicon. For these reasons many people think that graphene will replace silicon as the conductive material of the future. Multiple layered graphene has unique conductive properties that might make it preferable to single layer graphene for electronics applications.
The band gap is a property of atoms that determines how freely electrons move across a material. If the band gap is large, the material is an insulator; it does not conduct electricity. In good conductors there is no band gap; electrons are free to move.
Single layer graphene is like a superconductor in that it has a very small band gap. In multi-layer graphene, the band gap can be adjusted by a magnetic field. This means that multi-layer graphene, unlike the usual superconductors, can be changed from a good conductor to an insulator without changing the temperature. In electronics applications, this means that multi-layer graphene can conduct a high current, which can be turned on and off.
Tri-layer graphene was used in these experiments. Three sheets of carbon were stacked on one another in an ABC configuration where each sheet (A, B and C) is offset from the one below it.
To obtain samples of this kind, the team used mechanical exfoliation, peeling off a mixture of different graphene samples from graphite using an adhesive tape and identifying which was tri-layer ABC. They verified the number of layers using Raman microscopy by shining a laser on the sample and measuring reflectivity.
They then tested the magnetoresistance, the changing electric properties of the samples, in the presence of magnetic fields. The Landau level quantization refers to the discrete energies that electrons can obtain. In a magnetic field the Landau levels change. From the magnetoresistance, they found that the Landau level quantization that occurs in ABC tri-layer graphene is atypical.
This phenomenon is explained by the presence of exotic quasi-particles, interactions of electrons that can be treated as particles. Fermions are a class of subatomic particles that includes protons, neutrons and electrons, among others. Dirac fermions are stable particles because they are not their own antiparticle. Physicists know that ‘spin' is a property of fermions that is conserved when they interact.
The quasi-particles found in graphene are fermions, such as protons or electrons. In monolayer graphene, the quasi-particles are massless; in bilayer graphene they are massive, but in ABC tri-layer graphene the quasi-particles' masses depend on their energies. When the energy is very low and the particles are at rest, the mass of the quasi-particles goes to infinity.
Electron interactions would make these quasi-particles unstable, but their spin characteristics prevent them from decaying and, therefore, they are stable; they obey the Dirac equation. The unique quasi-particles present in ABC tri-layer graphene and its resistive variability, when they are better understood, could make graphene an even more powerful conductor.
As research on graphene continues, the rigorous techniques used in this experiment may make it easier to collect graphene samples and test electronic properties of the material.
Graphene is a flat, two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms bonded in a hexagonal lattice. The graphite commonly used as pencil lead is made up of stacks of graphene.
Isolated single layers of graphene are cheaper and 100 times more conductive than silicon. For these reasons many people think that graphene will replace silicon as the conductive material of the future. Multiple layered graphene has unique conductive properties that might make it preferable to single layer graphene for electronics applications.
The band gap is a property of atoms that determines how freely electrons move across a material. If the band gap is large, the material is an insulator; it does not conduct electricity. In good conductors there is no band gap; electrons are free to move.
Single layer graphene is like a superconductor in that it has a very small band gap. In multi-layer graphene, the band gap can be adjusted by a magnetic field. This means that multi-layer graphene, unlike the usual superconductors, can be changed from a good conductor to an insulator without changing the temperature. In electronics applications, this means that multi-layer graphene can conduct a high current, which can be turned on and off.
Tri-layer graphene was used in these experiments. Three sheets of carbon were stacked on one another in an ABC configuration where each sheet (A, B and C) is offset from the one below it.
To obtain samples of this kind, the team used mechanical exfoliation, peeling off a mixture of different graphene samples from graphite using an adhesive tape and identifying which was tri-layer ABC. They verified the number of layers using Raman microscopy by shining a laser on the sample and measuring reflectivity.
They then tested the magnetoresistance, the changing electric properties of the samples, in the presence of magnetic fields. The Landau level quantization refers to the discrete energies that electrons can obtain. In a magnetic field the Landau levels change. From the magnetoresistance, they found that the Landau level quantization that occurs in ABC tri-layer graphene is atypical.
This phenomenon is explained by the presence of exotic quasi-particles, interactions of electrons that can be treated as particles. Fermions are a class of subatomic particles that includes protons, neutrons and electrons, among others. Dirac fermions are stable particles because they are not their own antiparticle. Physicists know that ‘spin' is a property of fermions that is conserved when they interact.
The quasi-particles found in graphene are fermions, such as protons or electrons. In monolayer graphene, the quasi-particles are massless; in bilayer graphene they are massive, but in ABC tri-layer graphene the quasi-particles' masses depend on their energies. When the energy is very low and the particles are at rest, the mass of the quasi-particles goes to infinity.
Electron interactions would make these quasi-particles unstable, but their spin characteristics prevent them from decaying and, therefore, they are stable; they obey the Dirac equation. The unique quasi-particles present in ABC tri-layer graphene and its resistive variability, when they are better understood, could make graphene an even more powerful conductor.
As research on graphene continues, the rigorous techniques used in this experiment may make it easier to collect graphene samples and test electronic properties of the material.
2011年11月6日星期日
Hyderabad techie makes fibre from thermocol waste
A city-based engineer has developed a process that produces fine and flexible low-cost fibre from polystyrene and thermocol waste. The fibre thus produced can be used as a thermal insulator, packing material, raw material for soft toys, art and crafts and so on.
The engineer, Mr Subrata Dutta, who works for a private firm, said, “There is some awareness about the harm caused by plastic, but awareness about (the ill-effects) of thermocol or packing material is still limited. This polystyrene recycle process to prevent soil pollution from uncontrolled disposal of thermocol (polystyrene) uses a simple technology.”
Mr Dutta from Institute of Engineering and Mana-gement is also credited with other innovations for practical use such as a virtual inverter and mini refrigerator.
Mr Dutta says the fibre extraction process requires very little power as the heat required is less than that of boiling water. The entire process can be operated using electrical power, kerosene or appropriate solar heater.
The fibre produced is a crude replacement for jute and glass wool, but it has better thermal insulation properties and is lighter. Though the fibre is not as strong as jute and is difficult to use in weaving, it is cheaper and easier to manufacture.
Recycling it in the way Mr Dutta has demonstrated turns it into a green product that does not harm the environment.
The engineer, Mr Subrata Dutta, who works for a private firm, said, “There is some awareness about the harm caused by plastic, but awareness about (the ill-effects) of thermocol or packing material is still limited. This polystyrene recycle process to prevent soil pollution from uncontrolled disposal of thermocol (polystyrene) uses a simple technology.”
Mr Dutta from Institute of Engineering and Mana-gement is also credited with other innovations for practical use such as a virtual inverter and mini refrigerator.
Mr Dutta says the fibre extraction process requires very little power as the heat required is less than that of boiling water. The entire process can be operated using electrical power, kerosene or appropriate solar heater.
The fibre produced is a crude replacement for jute and glass wool, but it has better thermal insulation properties and is lighter. Though the fibre is not as strong as jute and is difficult to use in weaving, it is cheaper and easier to manufacture.
Recycling it in the way Mr Dutta has demonstrated turns it into a green product that does not harm the environment.
2011年11月3日星期四
Cobalt Technology Cuts Electric Consumption by Computers
A researcher at Kyoto University has developed a way to save electricity by using cobalt, and his work is already drawing interest from companies which make magnetic devices used in a variety of applications, such as hard disks, computers and speakers.
Daichi Chiba, an assistant professor, told Cobalt Investing News that in his research, conducted with other experts, he covered a 0.4-nanometer-thick layer of cobalt with an insulating film and applied 10-volt electricity to it to record changes in its magnetic poles. He found that the cobalt completely lost its magnetism when minus voltage was applied.
He explained that electric current is passed through magnets in hard disks so that they can register and process data. Using cobalt – an iron group element with magnetic properties like iron and nickel – to create a technology that can basically turn computer memory devices on and off without virtually any electrical power is “significant,” he said.
“In conventional magnetic devices, such as an electromagnet, we have to apply electric current to it to generate magnetic force,” he said, adding that this makes the device hot as it consumes “consumes wasteful energy as thermal energy. In our device, we don’t need to apply electric current. Only voltage is applied between a gate electrode and the cobalt layer. There is an insulator layer between them, so almost no electric current flows.”
According to Energy Star, an initiative of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy, if every home office product purchased in the United States this year met its requirements, the country could save $100 million in energy costs and more than 900 million kilowatt hours of electricity. The amount of energy saved would prevent 1.4 billion pounds of greenhouse gases – equivalent to emissions from 125,000 cars – from being emitted into the atmosphere.
Chiba said using cobalt allows the structure of a magnetic device to be similar to that of a capacitor. “Current flows only when electric charge is discharged and charged, but this is negligibly small. Thus, we can electrically switch on and off magnetic force generated from cobalt without applying electric current at room temperature. When information is written, we have to apply electric current to generate magnetic field and to switch the magnetization direction of an element. Our technology may open up an entirely new route to realize electrical writing method without using electric current.”
Chiba, whose findings were published in British science journal “Nature Materials” in early October, worked with three other researchers from Kyoto University and two from NEC Corp., a Japanese multinational which operates in the IT and network solutions and electronic devices sectors.
The findings of this study could help companies, such as NEC, which develop hard disks, random access memory, semiconductor memory, and other magnetic devices such as speakers and electric transformers, create devices which could help consumers save money through reduced power usage.
Asked whether any investors or companies have shown any interest in acquiring this technology, he said: “No, not yet. But we are collaborating with NEC. Several persons from company called me, but just asked some questions about the mechanism of our result.”
Daichi Chiba, an assistant professor, told Cobalt Investing News that in his research, conducted with other experts, he covered a 0.4-nanometer-thick layer of cobalt with an insulating film and applied 10-volt electricity to it to record changes in its magnetic poles. He found that the cobalt completely lost its magnetism when minus voltage was applied.
He explained that electric current is passed through magnets in hard disks so that they can register and process data. Using cobalt – an iron group element with magnetic properties like iron and nickel – to create a technology that can basically turn computer memory devices on and off without virtually any electrical power is “significant,” he said.
“In conventional magnetic devices, such as an electromagnet, we have to apply electric current to it to generate magnetic force,” he said, adding that this makes the device hot as it consumes “consumes wasteful energy as thermal energy. In our device, we don’t need to apply electric current. Only voltage is applied between a gate electrode and the cobalt layer. There is an insulator layer between them, so almost no electric current flows.”
According to Energy Star, an initiative of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy, if every home office product purchased in the United States this year met its requirements, the country could save $100 million in energy costs and more than 900 million kilowatt hours of electricity. The amount of energy saved would prevent 1.4 billion pounds of greenhouse gases – equivalent to emissions from 125,000 cars – from being emitted into the atmosphere.
Chiba said using cobalt allows the structure of a magnetic device to be similar to that of a capacitor. “Current flows only when electric charge is discharged and charged, but this is negligibly small. Thus, we can electrically switch on and off magnetic force generated from cobalt without applying electric current at room temperature. When information is written, we have to apply electric current to generate magnetic field and to switch the magnetization direction of an element. Our technology may open up an entirely new route to realize electrical writing method without using electric current.”
Chiba, whose findings were published in British science journal “Nature Materials” in early October, worked with three other researchers from Kyoto University and two from NEC Corp., a Japanese multinational which operates in the IT and network solutions and electronic devices sectors.
The findings of this study could help companies, such as NEC, which develop hard disks, random access memory, semiconductor memory, and other magnetic devices such as speakers and electric transformers, create devices which could help consumers save money through reduced power usage.
Asked whether any investors or companies have shown any interest in acquiring this technology, he said: “No, not yet. But we are collaborating with NEC. Several persons from company called me, but just asked some questions about the mechanism of our result.”
2011年11月2日星期三
IBM, ABB study enhancement to grid material
IBM and ABB scientists have collaborated on using supercomputers to enable reduction of energy loss in power grids.
The study involves the development of a new type of high-voltage insulator that has the ability to transform the power grid by reducing energy loss and outages caused by material deterioration when exposed to weather thereby improving the efficiency of transmitting electricity.
Once electricity is generated it is transmitted from the power station to the end user via underground cables or overhead power lines. Up to seven per cent of energy loss during transmission can be attributed to the insulation system. This waste happens for a number of reasons including the quality conditions of the grid as well as by environmental influences such as humidity, high winds and/or pollution.
"It's like going to the market and buying a full container of milk and then arriving at home to see a glassful has disappeared," explains Philip Shemella at IBM Research—Zurich. "Using supercomputers we can simulate at the molecular level how the insulators are damaged by the environment and design them to be more efficient and reliable."
Started more than two years ago, IBM and ABB scientists in Switzerland formed a joint project to simulate the molecular dynamics of the insulators, which are made of silicon rubber, scientifically known as Polymethylhydrosiloxane or PDMS. The goal of the project was to better understand the physical processes and potential for improved design methods of high-voltage insulation materials.
"IBM brings its extensive expertise in complex computer simulation and we bring over 125 years of experience with electricity," said Oliver Fritz, ABB researcher, based in Baden-Dattwil, Switzerland. Using an IBM Blue Gene/P supercomputer and massively parallel algorithms, the scientists were able to simulate and study the individual molecules used in the silicon rubber to better understand how it reacts to damage caused by the environment. With advanced simulations and the computing power available, the scientists were able to simulate realistic models of the material comprising approximately one million atoms. These simulations will lead to testing new materials in the silicon rubber composition to improve their resiliency to damage.
"Currently, we are running simulations to study how a drop of water affects the reliability of the insulating material. Surprisingly, this is very significant, particularly when it is extrapolated across the entire power grid," adds Shemella.
The study involves the development of a new type of high-voltage insulator that has the ability to transform the power grid by reducing energy loss and outages caused by material deterioration when exposed to weather thereby improving the efficiency of transmitting electricity.
Once electricity is generated it is transmitted from the power station to the end user via underground cables or overhead power lines. Up to seven per cent of energy loss during transmission can be attributed to the insulation system. This waste happens for a number of reasons including the quality conditions of the grid as well as by environmental influences such as humidity, high winds and/or pollution.
"It's like going to the market and buying a full container of milk and then arriving at home to see a glassful has disappeared," explains Philip Shemella at IBM Research—Zurich. "Using supercomputers we can simulate at the molecular level how the insulators are damaged by the environment and design them to be more efficient and reliable."
Started more than two years ago, IBM and ABB scientists in Switzerland formed a joint project to simulate the molecular dynamics of the insulators, which are made of silicon rubber, scientifically known as Polymethylhydrosiloxane or PDMS. The goal of the project was to better understand the physical processes and potential for improved design methods of high-voltage insulation materials.
"IBM brings its extensive expertise in complex computer simulation and we bring over 125 years of experience with electricity," said Oliver Fritz, ABB researcher, based in Baden-Dattwil, Switzerland. Using an IBM Blue Gene/P supercomputer and massively parallel algorithms, the scientists were able to simulate and study the individual molecules used in the silicon rubber to better understand how it reacts to damage caused by the environment. With advanced simulations and the computing power available, the scientists were able to simulate realistic models of the material comprising approximately one million atoms. These simulations will lead to testing new materials in the silicon rubber composition to improve their resiliency to damage.
"Currently, we are running simulations to study how a drop of water affects the reliability of the insulating material. Surprisingly, this is very significant, particularly when it is extrapolated across the entire power grid," adds Shemella.
2011年11月1日星期二
Habitat blesses new Leavenworth house
Saturday had been a long time coming for Patricia Johnson.
The Leavenworth resident said she had been looking for a house for herself for about a year. But, frustrating as the search for a home sometimes was, she said the right house never seemed to present itself. Another opportunity did — when she was directed by a pastor toward an item on the bulletin board at her church, Faith Evangelistic Center, about Heartland Habitat for Humanity’s newest house.
“It had been hanging there on the wall for about two months and nobody checked it out,” she said.
Heartland Habitat serves Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas. Like its national counterpart, the organization serves to provide “simple, decent” homes for low-income families.
Johnson’s house, at 1524 Shawnee Street in the city, was already mostly finished when she learned about it. Johnson said she turned in an application to be the owner and in the meantime did some more waiting.
“I came here one night and I saw it,” she said of the house. “I laid my hands on it and I claimed it. I said ‘if it is your will lord, this is my home.’ Maybe, I’d say a week or two after that, they called.”
Johnson said since then she has worked to complete paperwork and perform the needed 350 hours of “sweat equity,” which included both physical improvements like painting and homeowner education courses in Kansas City. With a full-time job at Walmart — the overnight shift — Johnson said meeting those requirements was sometimes difficult.
“Some days you think you’re not going to make it,” she said.
Some days, Johnson said she slept in her car outside of the house for an hour to gather the strength to work that day. The culmination of all of that work came during a house blessing Saturday.
Brenda Mortell, family services coordinator for Heartland Habitat, said Patricia never missed a beat when it came to the required paperwork — frequently, she did it with a smile on her face.
“She has been a blessing to us all,” she said.
Tom Lally, executive director for Heartland Habitat, said the process of homeowner education and “sweat equity” help the owners of Habitat houses make the transition to “homeowner.”
“Living in a structure, renting is so much different than owning a house because you are the responsible party” he said. “That gives you that sense of ownership and pride.”
David Bryant, the project manager for Leavenworth’s Habitat homes, said he and four volunteer crew members — John Morris, Donley Brothers, Bill Wood and Forrest Holdeman — worked three and a half to four hours a day four days a week for the last nine months in order to finish the home.
Lally said the approach of the Leavenworth operations — using a small group of volunteers — is a unique one within the organization.
The result of the group’s efforts, Bryant said, will be a home for Johnson, her daughter Bianca and her children — built on a concrete slab with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It is built with concrete walls, formed with rebar reinforcement and styrofoam on the inside and outside. This style of construction was used in two previous Habitat homes in Leavenworth and Bryant said it’s an efficient insulator.
While the four walls are no doubt solid, Lally said perhaps one of the most important pieces to completing the process is still to come.
“I do think that home is the family, the love, the traditions, the holidays, the faith,” he said. “And that becomes ingrained in the very fabric of the structure.”
Bryant said the economy has made it somewhat difficult to embark on a new project and Heartland Habitat is still looking for land donations for another home. In the meantime, Lally said the organization is preparing for a new program — the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, which will provide funds for homeowners to make minor repairs to their homes, sponsor clean up efforts and weatherization.
The Leavenworth resident said she had been looking for a house for herself for about a year. But, frustrating as the search for a home sometimes was, she said the right house never seemed to present itself. Another opportunity did — when she was directed by a pastor toward an item on the bulletin board at her church, Faith Evangelistic Center, about Heartland Habitat for Humanity’s newest house.
“It had been hanging there on the wall for about two months and nobody checked it out,” she said.
Heartland Habitat serves Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas. Like its national counterpart, the organization serves to provide “simple, decent” homes for low-income families.
Johnson’s house, at 1524 Shawnee Street in the city, was already mostly finished when she learned about it. Johnson said she turned in an application to be the owner and in the meantime did some more waiting.
“I came here one night and I saw it,” she said of the house. “I laid my hands on it and I claimed it. I said ‘if it is your will lord, this is my home.’ Maybe, I’d say a week or two after that, they called.”
Johnson said since then she has worked to complete paperwork and perform the needed 350 hours of “sweat equity,” which included both physical improvements like painting and homeowner education courses in Kansas City. With a full-time job at Walmart — the overnight shift — Johnson said meeting those requirements was sometimes difficult.
“Some days you think you’re not going to make it,” she said.
Some days, Johnson said she slept in her car outside of the house for an hour to gather the strength to work that day. The culmination of all of that work came during a house blessing Saturday.
Brenda Mortell, family services coordinator for Heartland Habitat, said Patricia never missed a beat when it came to the required paperwork — frequently, she did it with a smile on her face.
“She has been a blessing to us all,” she said.
Tom Lally, executive director for Heartland Habitat, said the process of homeowner education and “sweat equity” help the owners of Habitat houses make the transition to “homeowner.”
“Living in a structure, renting is so much different than owning a house because you are the responsible party” he said. “That gives you that sense of ownership and pride.”
David Bryant, the project manager for Leavenworth’s Habitat homes, said he and four volunteer crew members — John Morris, Donley Brothers, Bill Wood and Forrest Holdeman — worked three and a half to four hours a day four days a week for the last nine months in order to finish the home.
Lally said the approach of the Leavenworth operations — using a small group of volunteers — is a unique one within the organization.
The result of the group’s efforts, Bryant said, will be a home for Johnson, her daughter Bianca and her children — built on a concrete slab with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It is built with concrete walls, formed with rebar reinforcement and styrofoam on the inside and outside. This style of construction was used in two previous Habitat homes in Leavenworth and Bryant said it’s an efficient insulator.
While the four walls are no doubt solid, Lally said perhaps one of the most important pieces to completing the process is still to come.
“I do think that home is the family, the love, the traditions, the holidays, the faith,” he said. “And that becomes ingrained in the very fabric of the structure.”
Bryant said the economy has made it somewhat difficult to embark on a new project and Heartland Habitat is still looking for land donations for another home. In the meantime, Lally said the organization is preparing for a new program — the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, which will provide funds for homeowners to make minor repairs to their homes, sponsor clean up efforts and weatherization.
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