Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/01

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] RE: LUG Digest, Vol 31, Issue 221
From: abridge at gmail.com (Adam Bridge)
Date: Wed Feb 1 11:48:59 2006
References: <8E304C968A1F6444B2F8B33150CE72C705A3DB73@NAEAWNYDEX17VA.nadsusea.nads.navy.mil>

When I first heard about hybrids I thought they would work as you
suggest: a prime mover driving a generator with batteries, the prime
mover able to start/stop as required. The current all-in-one setup is
a compromise - using less space. I don't know the idling fuel usage
for gas turbines but I suspect they are rather high. And they don't
solve the green-house gas problem that comes from buring hydrocarbon
fuels - a problem we simply must face. That's the real attraction to
fuel cells  -  one can envision a method of power production that is
renewable and which stores energy efficiently.

Adam

On 2/1/06, Mattheis, William G CIV <william.mattheis@navy.mil> wrote:
> On 30 Jan Adam Bridge wrote:
>
>
> "I don't believe I'll see even scientific break-even in fusion plant in
> my life-time let alone a full-scale fusion plant. I'm still a friend
> of fission plants - the new technologies are vastly safer than designs
> of 30-40 years ago - but I think nuclear in the United States is dead.
> People are afraid of anything technical and the anti-nuclear forces
> shout LOUDLY even if they are shouting FUD most of the time (at best.)"
>
>
> Adam you may well be correct about fusion, but we have made enormous 
> strides in my short lifetime so I continue to beleive.  I agree about 
> fission power.  It is clear, the required resources are abundant and safe. 
>  New reprocessing technologies not only make this resource more valuable, 
> but also help deal with the spent fuel issues.  Unfortunately, I also 
> agree with your sense of difficulty in winning public acceptance.  I guess 
> the huge volumes of acid rain and other pollutants from coal fired power 
> plants are less frightening than nuclear issue, but they should not be.
>
> I think small turbines in cars would make a nice hybrid without any 
> superconductor requirements.  Use the turbine to drive a generator to 
> power electric drive with high efficiency batteries as a "buffer" between 
> the generator and electric drive.  Batteries provide levels of current 
> required for acceleration and other high demand situations [steep grades, 
> etc.] and direct drive from generator for sustaining velocity as when 
> cruising the freeway at speed.
>
> Anyway, great exchanging thoughts.  I think that in our capitalist 
> economy, dollars will dictate the power source we will use in the future, 
> i.e., the cheapest alternative will prevail.  Now, if we find a way to 
> charge the full cost of systems to include cleaning up environmental 
> impact, then the "cheapest alternative" may not be hydorcarbon based.
>
> Bill
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


In reply to: Message from william.mattheis at navy.mil (Mattheis, William G CIV) ([Leica] RE: LUG Digest, Vol 31, Issue 221)