Panasonic’s Li-ion Battery Can Store Electricity for One Week of Use
When we talk about energy storage and batteries, we often think of those devices which helps us to power our gadgets. So, we use batteries for mobile phones, laptops, but could we use batteries to power an entire building? Panasonic Company says “Yes”! They recently announced the launch of a lithium-ion storage battery for home use. After they bought 50% stake in Sanyo, Fumio Otsubo, president of Panasonic said: “We’ll be the first to bring to the market a storage battery for home use, which can store sufficient electricity for about one week of use.”.
Chinese Roll Charger Used for Recovery and Charging Batteries
Electric Harley Davidson Trunk Reaches 130 km/h
Regenerative Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
The stationary charger has more power and efficiency, but it reduces the vehicle independency.The requirements for a stationary charger are:the output voltage situated between 60 and 200 V and the current intensity from 20 to 200 Amps.
The charging stations require an infrastructure connected to existing electric supplying networks.This infrastructure must have some characteristics:
- The type of material to be used for terminals, protection, signalisation;
- The localisation of the charging plug;
- The connection between vehicle and clamps;
- The security related to electrotechnical installation.
The inductive charging eliminates the problem of wiring the vehicle to the charger (wear and crrosion, influence of water, ice, oil and dirt, vandalism).The inductive charger operates on the principle of a transformer.The primary windings are vertically located on the wall or horizontally, on the vehicle’s board, together with the actual charger.Charging process consists of driving the vehicle close to the primary windings (the clereance of 5 cm, between primary and secondary windings, is sufficient for an inductive coupling between both windings).
Regenerative energy supply is required to protect the environment in the transport sector.The wind and the sun are significant energy sources at the moment.Wind installations are generally limites to a hundred kilowatts.A solar station can be up to 1,5 kW.The cost of a recharging station is to high at this moment, but the installation is expected to be the future potential reimplacement of the conventional recharging stations supplied by the electric network distribution.
Air Car VS Car That Runs With Water
The first car that used compressed air to make the pistons move was named “Air Car” and was released 2 years ago, by a builder of India.This car powered by compressed air, was not producing CO2 emissions.But to produce the compressed air was needed fossil fuels combustion(which means that there is still a small loss).Anyway,CO2 emissions were lower than a diesel engine.
Then appears something that in my opinion is even more avantageous.The car that runs with water.This thing was possible by separating the elements of water (H20) in gas HHO.Watch the movie below to understand how it works:
Now,what do you think?Which is most convenient car for you?The “Air Car” or the “Water Car“?
How to Turn a Liquid to a Solid With Just a Touch(Hot Ice)
For this experiment you will need:Sodium Acetate(available online),water,pan.Dissolve the sodium acetate in near boiling water until no more absorbs into the liquid…Then stir constantly…when dissolved pour into glass…and cool in fridge.Make sure left over undissolved chemical stays in the pan…Pour into tray…Now just touch it…Ths reaction is exothermic, which means it gets warm(What you obtained is just some “Hot Ice“).
You can obtain this Hot Ice for $20(500 grams of sodium accitate).
The Most Advanced Way to Harness Ocean Energy
Nowadays we can see more and more often attempts to transform environment energy in electricity.With systems based on advanced technologies people are trying to achieve maximum efficiency of this energy conversion.
Recently NASA has developed a project aimed to transform the energy generated by water movement in electricity.
This system is based on the use of a special substance which passes through diferent thermal states(when passes through water).This substance expands due to ocean temperature, and creates a high pressure which is used to generate electricity (through some advanced turbines).
There are still some questions,but, if researchers manage to find answers,and the project will be practical and and will yield better, can be used to provide electricity to a large scale.
First Electric Car Charging Station
Nowadays we see that electric cars number is clearly growing,because this type of vehicles offers some important advantages, and people buy them without any delay.
We all know that the operation principle of these vehicles is based on batteries!These batteries are built with advanced technology, and are very efficient (have a high capacity of energy storage).Even so, sometimes these batteries should be charged for operate at normal parameters.
For this reason people are starting to build power stations for those hybrid, electric vehicles.Some days ago in Frankfurt, Germany was inaugurated a building of this kind,which is actually, The First Electric Car Charging Station from Germany(a loading station for electric cars).
This station is equipped with solar panels which distributes electricity for charging electric cars,small electric vehicles,scooters or other devices used on urban movement.This station was built in one of the crowded places from Frankfurt, in order to be available to anyone who passes and needs electricity for his electric vehicle.
Projects like this one will appear in a growing number becouse the electric vehicle production is also in growing number.
Alkaline Fuel Cell – Characteristics
This fuel cell is using a KOH solution in water as the electrolyte.The electrochemical reactions are:
-Anode: H2 + 2OH —> 2H2O + 2e ;
-Cathode: 1/2 O2 + H2O + 2e —> 2OH ;
-Overall: H2 + 1/2 O2 —> H2O
The electrodes’ high performances can be achived by adopting a good compromise between a high conductivity and their catalytical activity at 70 – 80 Celsius degrees.In a fuel cell, both gases, H2 and air system are circulated at low pressure: 2 – 4kPa.
In the ambient air, the content of CO2 is approximately 300 ppm;To avoid the chemical reaction of CO2 with electrolyte, the content of CO2 in the air must be diminished below 50 ppm.
The electrodes’ material is based on poly-tetra-fluor-etylene covered by a carbon layer and sustained on a Ni grid.The active material is crystals of platinum absorbed on carbon particles.
The gases entering the fuel cell and arriving on platinum crystals must be free of water vapor.A poly-tetra-fluor-elylene porous separator avoids the likeage of electrolyte into the gas compartement.
The efficiency of the standard fuel cell unity can be 69 percent (at 25 Amps)and declines to 52percent (at 120 Amps).
Advantages of Using Smart Grid Technology
Smart Grid is a new device which combines the 20th century consumers with 21st century technology resulting in a high efficiency in saving energy.Also ,this product,increases radically the reliability.Designers and engineers who developed this project can brag with the largest sales in 2009 on “Green market”.The U.S. government is about to impose the use of this smart grid in every house, because this is a great opportunity to reduce costs during the global economic crisis.Advantages of using Smart Grid Technology:
Electrical Vehicles Battery Charger Characteristics
Electric and hybrid vehicles using batteries for electrical energy storage have and access to an electrical distribution network to charge propulsion energy resources.The hybrid vehicle requires charging of batteries,in case of an inner city operation where internal combustion engine is not used to diminish the polluting emissions.
There are various type of battery chargers on the market, but this problem is not a simple one to solve, as, there is also a big number of battery-types needing specific charging characteristics in order not to damage it or to diminish its life-time.The battery charger can be located on tne vehicle board or it can be stationary, outside the vehicle.
The chargers located on board must be light and they must have a reduced volume.The power of these chargers is limited at 3.68 kVA, corresponding to a voltage of 230 V and a current of 16 Amps output.
The stationary charger has more power and efficiency, but it reduce the vehicle independency.The requirements for a stationary charger are: the output voltage situated between 60 and 200 V and the current intensity from 20 to 200 Amps.
For those who have electric cars, were inventedspecial parking places where batteries can be charged while leaving the car.
EV BlueCar Already has 3,000 Buyers
Electric Vehicle Powered by Fuel Cells
Electric vehicle endowed with a fuell cell can be considered a hybrid in which primary energy is obtained through a fuel cell.Fuel cell vehicle configuration is different from a serie hybride vehicle, but the traction and control elements are similar.
Fuel cells are electrochemical power sources, in which the chemical energy is directly converted into electric energy.The obtained electrical energy is a result of the fuel oxidation process occuring at one of the electrodes, one called the anode, and the other called cathode where the oxidant reduction process take place.
Using hydrogen as fuel for the fuel cell is the main advantage.The hydrogen can be stored on vehicle board:pressurised hydrogen gas, liquefied in cryogenic tanks or in metalic hydrides or can be obtained on vehicle board.
When hydrogen is stored on the vehicle board, the polluting emissions are zero.If the hydrogen is generated by a reformer system, than, emissions can occur, e.g. when obtaining hydrogen out of methanol, CO2 represents 25 volume percent of gas output from the reformer, which will be exhausted in the air.
Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion Principle
Hybrid propulsion principle consist of the association of two distinct energy sources(one is thermal engine with fuel tank, and the other source is an electric one, generator/motor and battery) on vehicle board.The hybrid technology combines the advantages of electric propulsion with vehicle internal combustion engine drive.
The morphological system of a vehicle can be divided into three main groups:body, chassis, and drive system.The drive system itself includes 5 functional groups:energy storage, energy converter, characteristic converter, the drive menagement and the type of power train.Furthermore, the accessories have to be included, because most of them are operated trough the drive system.Each of these component groups contains substituionable components.
The energy storage can be subdivided into four sub-groups:mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic and chemical storage devices.
Energy converters, include electric, hydraulic and chemical converters beneath the thermal converters, which are supplied with fuels.
Depending on their characteristics, the group of converters are subdivided into: speed and torque converters and differentials.
The chassis is to be described through four components groups:wheel suspension, type of spring, wheel-load distribution and steering.
The body of vehicles can be divided into three functional groups:the vehicle and body type and the boarding position.Vehicle types are e.g. passager cars, trucks and busses.
Characteristics of Electrical Vehicle Storage Batteries
The reduction of pollutant emissions for environmental preservation is the principle argument for the introduction of electrical driving in the means of transportation.Reduction of fossil reserves and the political and economical policies lead to finding new alternative energy sources.
The companies searching and building electrical vehicles offer a better image on the market, by means of improving the relationship between transportation and environment.
Electrical vehicles having batteries as energetic sources are free of pollutant emissions. The use of electrical vehicles is confronted with two major problems:
-Characteristics of storage battery;
-Charging battery infrastructure.
Batteries used on any electric vehicle must respond the following requests:
-High specific power;
-Reduced internal resistance;
-High energetic efficiency;
-Energy storage to keep the same autonomy similar to conventional vehicles;
-Facilities and reduced time of recharging;
-High number of charging-discharging cycles to offer a better durability;
-Material’s availability for battery building;
-Safety and reliability;
-Mechanical resistance;
-Availability and low costs.