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This might be a good time to revisit Buckminster Fullers work on geodesic structures. He designed techniques to get maximum structural strength from a minimum of material. He was also one of the earliest "harmonialists" seeking ways that man could...
Profile Information
- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- Yes
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- I was part owner in a wind energy company about 20 years ago. We were ahead of our time I guess. I am a retired NASA scientist and Vice President and Director of Research and Development at Skyvolts inc. a wind energy company. You can find us on the web at www.skyvolts.com
- What excites you about this campaign?
- Mr. Pickins is headed in the right direction in many different ways. There is enough right about his approach that it deserves support.
With current technology there are four basic sources of energy available to civilization. Solar, nuclear, geothermal,and astro-gravitational. (the source of tidal energy)
Fossil fuel is stored solar energy as is, wood and other forms of vegetation such as corn and sugar.
Wind and hydroelectric are also driven by the sun so they are also a form of solar.
Nuclear poses challenges regarding safety and spent fuel element disposal but is an ideal long term goal. Other countries such as France are pursuing this technology and appear to be successful.
Geothermal energy is derived from two sources, nuclear isotope decay in the mantel, and the gravitational self energy of the earth resulting from the heat of compression as the earth gradually shrinks in its own gravitational field.
The potential for tidal and other astro-gravitational energy sources is huge but the technology still requires much development to be practical.
The technology for wind energy is nearly as mature as hydroelectric. This is a technology that is with us today and is already providing a significant input to the power distribution grid.
- What do you want to do to help?
- As a retired scientist and educator I have certain technical and scientific skills that may be useful to the project.
Comment Wall (51 comments)
- At 7:44am on January 30, 2009,
Felicia Y. Sweet said… - Amazing!
- At 3:09pm on December 28, 2008,
Eric Koch said… - Tank You....and welcome aboard.
- At 5:28pm on November 13, 2008,
Steve Gruhn said… - Charles,
I found your comments on NH3 on the site interesting. I think you will find what we are working very exciting as well, wind generated ammonia. I have some information on my pickens page but a lot more on our website www.freedomfertilizer.com. Lots of links to information and people we are working with on sustainable ammonia for fertilizer and fuel. Also check out www.ammoniafuelnetwork.org and a local company here that is producing NH3 fueled ice engines. The link to HEC is on both sites. They are all friends of mine and doing fantastic work
Steve Gruhn
Freedom Fertilizer
- At 10:18am on October 29, 2008,
Bill Tucker said… - Charles,
Thank you for the support. Please allow me a few days to figure out the best course for the new group, I like the name "ask a scientist". I think it will be a good thing.
Bill
- At 6:16am on October 29, 2008,
Bill Tucker said…
- Charles Ivie and all other Scientists, Engineers, and Designers,
Over the course of the past few months I have found myself embroiled in debates that range from politics to the best type of heat exchangers. I will say now that I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer especially when compared to people such as your selves.
The Pickens Plan has provided a place for us all to come together, to voice our opinions, push our ideas, argue for a better future, and pool our collective talents.
My talents are a long story but my story is necessary to a theme, so I would ask you to listen. When I was young like many children I had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I grew up on Florida’s Space Coast in the midst of monumental human achievement in technology and science. My parents encouraged me to take “the hard subjects” in school, calculus, physics, and chemistry. I did well in my studies, but was unfulfilled something was lacking. Eventually I would leave my studies and join the Army. I traveled the world, was exposed to many different ideas, peoples, and philosophies. After a decade plus of serving King and country I came home and decided to return to my studies. I listened to opinion of family and friends and decided on Electrical Engineering as the course I would pursue. Once again I did well, and thoroughly enjoyed my studies. Alas I found myself once again unfulfilled and left college just short of completing my senior year and obtaining my degree. I opted to enter the construction industry where I have worn many hats over the years.
Now that I have completely bored you allow me to come to the point. My life’s experiences have given me (at least in some small ways) the tools I need to understand at least at basic levels what you are putting forth on the forums in terms of technology and the mechanics there of. In my humble opinion I am one of the few that can follow (even if it takes a lot of work on my part) what it is you are proposing and why that it might be the way to go. My talent has always been in the form of leadership to make a failing system work as intended. Systems not made of technology but of people. I do not do well with all people, but I have had over thirty years of experience in leading people to do all kinds of things. But that is my talent. Your talents are something that you understand.
But here on the Pickens Plan where people of all walks of life and all experience and educational levels want to affect change and want to understand, are your arguments really having the effect that you want?
I would propose to the Scientists, Engineers, and Designers, that collectively you all get together and develop a basic guide line of terms and processes that speak at a level that everyone can understand. I am not talking about educating everyone to your level, but providing a basic set of tools that allow everyone to fully grasp those things that are the most important. Facts, figures, base loads, graphs, infrastructures that can not handle significant increase to the grids, ammonia generation, and rising sea levels are all well and good but if they do not reach the lay person what good are they? News papers write at 8th grade levels so that they reach far more people with the news than if they were written at advanced degree level.
If many of the things that the Scientists, Engineers, and Designers discuss on the forums here were broken down like “science fair projects” more people would actively embrace these things and more pressure could be brought to bear to expedite change.
I do not profess to have all the answers and I certainly do not have you all’s background or expertise, but I do know that knowledge is power. If you want broader base support more people have to understand (at least at basic levels) what you are talking about.
Here on the Pickens plan there are many teachers and public speakers and such that could help. I just jumped way out on a limb there. We should consider as part of the plan,
Forums that discuss and teach in as non technical as possible how solar power works, how the electrical grid works, where natural gas comes from, how ocean thermal power is turned into electricity, how hydrogen is produced, how fuel cells work, and such.
I am not saying that the people here are uneducated, but if you look at many profiles you will find a recurring theme, “I don’t know much about renewable energy but I am trying to learn”. Many of you have been involved in your various areas for several decades; please allow the rest of us to benefit from your experience and knowledge.
- At 9:50pm on October 27, 2008,
Derek Edmondson said… - Hi, Chuck!
Check out my new pix...
-Derek
- At 9:17am on October 14, 2008,
Michael said… - William Engwer said…
Regarding your question having to do with CNG and fuel injected engines, I'll answer as well as I can. I've done gaseous fuel conversions on older mechanical-fuel-injected GASOLINE vehicles, and the mixer / carburettor commonly installs upstream in the intake manifold, and completely bypasses the injection pump. Fuel (gasoline) flow to the injection pump is shut off with a solenoid valve when the gaseous fuel system is engaged. I always thought there might be problems from the injection pump running essentially dry, but I personally followed the progress of a late 60s Mercedes converted this way, and problems never developed. Current multi-point fuel injection systems now in most vehicles don't have an injection pump as such, only a high pressure liquid fuel pump that delivers fuel to the fuel-rail loop. Timing of fuel delivery, specifically the firing of the individual injectors, is completely handled by the electronic engine management system EEMS, whereas in the mechanical system, the injection pump itself controls the fuel delivery timing.
Many duel fuel systems for modern vehicles commonly install like the older ones, bypassing the EEMS, sometimes tricking the computer, and with hardware that is separate from the OEM system. Dedicated CNG-OEM systems use application specific hardware and software.
I personally have no experience with CNG conversions of diesel vehicles that use mechanical fuel injection, but I've seen some posts from people who seem to know what they're talking about. William Engwer
- At 2:55pm on September 27, 2008,
Walt Barrett said… - Thanks Chuck,
I'm going to look at the article now.
Walt
- At 10:23am on September 27, 2008,
Walt Barrett said…
- Hi Chuck,
I would really like to read those papers you mentioned. Also, we get both Pop Sci and Pop Mechanics. I will have to get off the computer and start to read!
If you need any video footage from the New England area just let me know and I will be happy to go and shoot it for you for free. We will be out there anyway shooting foliage for my next extravaganza, lol!
Thanks,
Walt
- At 9:07am on September 27, 2008,
Walt Barrett said…
- Hi Chuck,
Nancy and I went to visit the wind farm in Princeton, Massachusetts. The town put the system in several years ago. We were very impressed with the site. It is a wonderful Idea It is one of the oldest in the area and expanding. We do a lot of filming in the area.
We have also seen the ones in Vermont and in New York State. We will put a Link up for you this coming week on our chinadepot web site. I am a big believer in wind technology.
Do you have a video on YouTube?
Walt
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