10-22-2002, 07:58 AM | #11 | |
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10-22-2002, 09:18 AM | #12 | |
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That depends on the fuel. All a stirling needs is a heat differential, and sunlight is pretty clean "burning" (at least from 93000000miles) as are geothermal and some others that can be used in home generation systems. Solar power currently requires very large cells, but just as batteries are tiny compared to the original wet cells, I have a feeling solar cells will be downsized to the point of being practical for small transportation devices. Of course that is speculative, but I have yet to see new technology that didn't improve a lot over a short period of time. Calculators, computers and battery development are good examples of that. My point was more that we have seen about as much improvement as we are going to in cleaning up fossil fuel power generaation (including running cars). |
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10-22-2002, 10:41 AM | #13 | ||
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I did a junior high science fair project on solar energy in 1963. I was pretty excited by it because it looked like practical uses of solar energy were right around the corner. Now, please excuse me while I go back to sleep for another 40 years. Wake me when the world changes. |
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10-22-2002, 11:26 AM | #14 |
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Well now lets see.
Today--------2002 Univac-------1943 Lapsed Time--59 years I didn't say "overnight". I said "improve a lot over a short period of time. Calculators, computers and battery development are good examples of that." Relax, there's still a remote chance something might replace fossil fuels. |
10-22-2002, 11:46 AM | #15 | |
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10-22-2002, 01:20 PM | #16 | ||
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As for automobiles being efficient... I've never heard anything far from the truth. The internal combustion engine is far from efficient. If you calculate the energy released from the combustion of gasoline, with the actual energy used to propel your automobile and used by the alternator, you have extreme amounts of energy wasted as heat. The current gasoline engine is, at best 50% efficient. Current small engines are 15% efficient, with automobile engines being 30% efficient. Less than 15% actually makes it to driving the wheeels. There exists 43 MegaJoules of energy per every kilogram of gasoline. There is approximately 3 kg of gas in every gallon. Do the math. |
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10-22-2002, 01:49 PM | #17 | |
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A Stirling only requires a "heat differential" not a physical fuel. With the help of catalysts automobile engines do indeed emit cleaner air under some circumstances than they take in. I am not debating fuel efficiency. The subject is cleanliness, ie pollution. |
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