In the U.S., gas is the short form of gasoline, while in many Commonwealth countries, it is known as petrol. Gas is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture that consists of hydrocarbons and is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. There are different types of gasoline in the fuel industry. Small aircrafts use specially formulated, high-octane aviation gasoline, which cannot be used for ground vehicles. Vehicles involved in racing use specially formulated racing gasoline that has very low levels of benzene and an anti-knock index of at least 100. Gasoline used for scientific research has unusual properties, which depend on the nature of the research. Cars with gasoline engines use E85 gasoline that is a blend of 85% fuel ethanol and 15% gasoline. The reason gasoline is added here is to provide a good start and warm up performance to the car, which is possible because of ethanol's low volatility. The diesel engine cars or cars with compression ignition engines use E95 gasoline that is a blend of 95% fuel ethanol and 5% gasoline. No more than 5% gasoline should be added because this may lower the flash point to unacceptable levels. E85 cannot be used in diesel applications, and neither can E95 be used in gasoline engines because of the different types of engines. It is always better to buy gas during the coolest times of the day, like early morning or late evening as this is when gas is found at its densest. Gas pumps measure according to volume of gasoline and not density of fuel concentration, so you have an advantage here. It is better not to fill your gas tank to the top as overfilling results in the sloshing over of the gasoline out of the tank. Gas has to be chosen wisely for use in vehicles because some brands have greater economy due to its better quality. It is always better to use brands that seem to be beneficial. To save gas, it is better to avoid too much warming up of the engine, even on cold mornings. About thirty or forty-five seconds of warming up is more than enough. Avoid unnecessary starting and stopping of the engine. You use the same amount of gas here as you would in idling the engine for one minute. Use gas wisely, as it is an unrenewable fuel source that will always be needed by mankind. Gas provides detailed information on Gas, Gas Stations, Gas Prices, Gas Scooters and more. Gas is affiliated with Propane Gas Prices. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Stith |
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Water For Fuel - Gas
Water For Fuel - An Inconvenient Truth - and a Convenient Answer
It is a debate that probably should have been going on when Henry Ford started mass producing motor vehicles and when Thomas Edison invented the light bulb around the early 1900s. Given that we have a growing number of people owning cars in more places around the world and then a finite resource in oil, it was inevitable that crisis of various forms would eventuate. Of all the technological challenges facing our world that affect our daily lives, this energy source dilemma along with maybe cancer treatment could be the biggest. The question is are their alternatives to things like oil and coal and then how advanced are we in finding a viable alternative. The short answer is yes there are alternatives but how far we are down the track of making them a reality is dependent on who you ask. One of the major options in regards to alternative fuel for powering things like cars is a hydrogen fuel cell. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity. So essentially you are producing energy in the form of electricity and the only by product is water which is good for the environment. This process has the potential to be up to 80% efficient meaning 80% of the resource chemicals initially are able to be converted into energy. Compare this with petrol for your car which is only about 20% efficient. Hydrogen fuel cells were one of the energy sources for Apollo 11 reaching the moon in 1969 so it is not a new concept but it was expensive. Also as hydrogen and oxygen are not limited to one or a few regions of the world like crude oil, political conflicts over this important resource can also be eliminated. What are the current issues with fuel cells? Well, while 90% of our universe is made up of Hydrogen, it is not readily available in any sort of useful way currently for this technology. Also current methods employed to extract hydrogen don't give a pure form meaning the energy efficiency drops to about 30-40%. This also increases the cost of the cell. Oxygen is of course readily available in our atmosphere. A recent discovery on the rings of Saturn of all places could be the major breakthrough for this technology. Scientists have discovered that as water comes off the rings, the hydrogen is lost from it, leaving the oxygen. The method is called electromagnetic bipolar separation; a method used in the laboratories and can be employed deep in earth's core using the earth's own electromagnetic field. If the method can be perfected, it can separate hydrogen from water almost free. If Hydrogen can be obtained free of cost, we can have abundance of energy with almost no cost and then the resultant water or steam is totally pollution free. In short we could have very cheap energy, remove fossil fuels like oil as a source of global political and social conflicts and clean up our environment. If this is the end result then we should all want something to happen now. Chris Jacob He is passionate about helping the youth in society and that is why methods as discussed above must be used to provide a better world for those following us. He also wants to help people financially as well which is why he is a co-founder of Credit Card Help which advises on the best deals for you from an independent perspective. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Jacob |
Water For Fuel - Market Barriers To Alternative Energy
Alternative fuels are our future. On this topic there is very little argument. We, as nations, cannot continue on the path we have been on if our future generations are to have a planet and infrastructure to sustain life and happiness as we have known it. Future generations will be dictated from what we do right now and over the next 2-3 years. We don't have the luxury of studying it anymore. In order for alternative fuels like bio or hydrogen fuel cells to become commercially viable we need a market. In order to have a market we must have a buyer and a manufacturing agent that provides a product. With fuel based products there is one more key ingredient. The infrastructure throughout the supply chain. So what is this you ask? The infrastructure is both the pumping stations and the physical plants to produce the products. Then you need the unique suppliers who build the parts unique to the new tanks both in the vehicles and in the ground or where ever the fuel is stored at the delivery station. So, how do we get there? Well, big business would say they don't see a buyer or thus a market to invest in the plants and tooling needed to produce the fuels. The buying public would hold off buying a product that is bleeding edge and thus limited support once they drive it off the lot of their auto dealership locally. In addition, its one thing to buy it it's a whole other question to answer as to where to re-fuel the tank which leads us to the true market barrier in our opinion. Today, there are very few if any non fossil fuel stations where someone can refill their alternative fuel vehicle. There are experiments in the field today albeit limited but they are out there and today their support is typically centrally located and thus limited at best to full functional testing. You wouldn't try a drive through the Mojave Desert from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on an alternative fuel vehicle today. However, if you had stations setup in Barstow, Baker and the border of Las Vegas you might reconsider your decision as the way points are much more conducive to you safety should something happen to your vehicle en-route. So, it's back to the chicken and the egg. All sides want the end result which in this case is a non polluting non fossil fuel vehicle. But who goes first? The United States is not the best country at launching ventures like this. We tend to offer grants and thus research environments but when it comes to the Commercial world we turn to private industry to solve it. Given the decades of build out of our current fossil fuel environment we do not believe that the government cannot be involved. If the USA funded the first 20% of the overall re-fueling stations across the USA the rest would follow and private industry would have its risk reward ROI (return on investment) all set up for venture capital to enter the fray. Not unlike what Germany has done with the financing of the solar industry in country. It can be done. We are entering a unique period whereby a new President will be voted in. Our current President will leave office due to our two term maximum. The time is now to find the candidate that understands this problem and get behind them. This election is all about fueling our Green Planet needs. Make no mistake. Irene has been servicing the Health and Wellness industry since graduating from Cal State Fullerton in 1982. Through her professional experiences in primarily the Physical Therapy field (presently working) she has gathered deep understandings on nutrition, exercise and overall healthy programs to share with her readers and clients of Planet Berry LLC. To learn more on Irene or Planet Berry please visit their corporate web site at http://www.planetberries.com or email at info@planetberries.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irene_Levy |
Water For Fuel - Ford Airstream Nears the Mainstream
The Ford Airstream is truly one-of-a-kind. Few vehicles elicit a mixed reaction of disbelief, fascination and a comedic giggle during auto shows but the Ford Airstream concept car might have successfully done just that. Conjuring up images of wacky road trips, the Ford Airstream looks like the birth child of a marriage between family vans, space capsules, Airstream trailers, and a Pimp My Ride episode. Launched at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, the Ford Airstream is the product of a collaboration between Ford Motors and Airstream that came about while the former was busy designing a concept vehicle centered around the idea of the American Journey. With Airstream holding a strong presence in American road travel, the two coming together was an ideal match. Can this be the future of road travel? Ford certainly designed this with a focus on what crossover vehicles might look like in the future. The Ford Airstream looks fun and comfortable, the technology is top-notch and, with partial funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, it might prove a great solution to our current fuel woes. Features The fuel cell serves to give juice to the battery and nothing more, a departure from previous fuel cell-powered vehicles, which used it to drive the wheels, allowing the Airstream fuel cell to be smaller and less prone to fluctuations. The Ford Airstream is designed to run using the battery's energy the whole time and boasts an equivalent fuel economy of 41 mpg. The exterior design borrowed heavily on Airtsream trailer. The doors are large and asymmetrical, allowing for unobstructed loading of large cargo. The passenger-side clamshell door is huge, allowing an opening that runs two-thirds the entire length of the van. How to open the doors while parked between two vehicles on either side will be another story though, perhaps to be attended to if this concept ever sees production. The futuristic theme extends to the car's interior, which features a plethora of high-end gadgets, including: The Future The sad reality is we have seen concept exotic cars like this for years, but very few have truly hit the streets in full production capability. With environmental awareness reaching all-time highs, a radical environment-friendly vehicle might see wide commercial-acceptance soon. Perhaps, even a tricked-out vehicle such as the Ford Airstream. ? 2007 All Rights Reserved. Tom Shanley writes about exotic cars including supercars, luxury vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for a variety of online resources. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Shanley |
Water For Fuel - China-made GM Hybrids Arriving In 2008
General Motors (GM) earlier announced its plan to build environment-friendly hybrids in China. Said manufacture plan is scheduled in 2008. In relation to this, the automaker further divulged an upcoming hybrid mass production at the Shanghai GM plant. The mass production will be a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The announcement was made the automaker parades its series of energy-saving cars, which include Saturn Vue hybrid and Chevrolet Sequel. Saturn Vue hybrid is a midsize crossover SUV that is first to use the GM Theta platform. Vue uses quality Saturn car parts that include Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery, electric motor, and 'eco' light that contribute to its fuel-economy aspect. Vue Hybrid's fuel savings are 20 percent up from the base vehicle's 22/27 mpg city/highway sticker to 27/32 mpg. Chevrolet Sequel, on the other hand, is a hybrid crossover SUV that is powered by a fuel-cell powertrain and improved Chevrolet performance parts. Its powertrain includes an electronic control unit and fuel cell stack. The fuel cell used by the vehicle combines oxygen with hydrogen fuel to produce electricity. The waste by-product of said process is water vapor hence; it is not risky to the environment. "The GM Hybrid System is flexible and cost effective and is ideal for high volume global applications, which include its introduction in China in 2008," said Martin Murray, head of GM's Asia Pacific hybrid engineering. The hybrid system is currently under development with the BMW Group and DaimlerChrysler. According to Rick Wagoner, GM head, "We believe fuel cell vehicles offer the best long-term solution for meeting the world's growing demand for automobiles in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner. From a China and Asia Pacific perspective, development of world-class fuel cells and the associated infrastructure are key initiatives that need the support of industry, government and the academic community." Auto parts GM are enhanced and upgraded to give quality ride and performance. This time around, some are manufactured to promote an environment-friendly vehicle. The only problem of building hydrogen vehicles is the production and storage of hydrogen as well as the building of the refueling stations. As a former news correspondent for an auto-related website, Stacey has gathered extensive knowledge and experience in the automotive industry. This 34 year old mother of two from Memphis is a genuine car lover. Check out http://www.fastbodyparts.com/parts/saturn/ for more information. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stacey_Wilson |
Water For Fuel - Local Energy Production Makes Sense
With the crisis in oil and natural gas prices, the continued violence in the Middle East, and the environmental concerns brought front and center by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, alternative fuels have managed to become a topic of conversation in the mainstream media. Unfortunately, not all proposals make sense environmentally. The energy crisis has given the nuclear industry a major boost, despite problems with nuclear waste and vulnerability to terrorist threats, and Republicans in Congress are pushing even harder for drilling on the ecologically fragile Alaskan slopes. Meanwhile the oil companies, in an attempt to keep a stranglehold on the production of energy, are the ones getting billions of dollars in support for developing new technologies, including hydrogen fuel cell and ethanol development. Let's face it: If Standard Oil or Exxon could figure out a way to put a meter on the sun, we'd have solar energy in abundance tomorrow. Meanwhile, we really need to challenge this notion of having multinational, multi-billion-dollar companies the ones responsible for doling out our energy needs. Bringing energy production back to our shores from the Middle East, Venezuela, and other political hotspots is only the beginning of a solution. We need every region in this country, and every community in each region, to make energy production a priority. In the Midwest, that can mean a combination of wind, solar, and ethanol or biodiesel production. Farmers particularly vulnerable to a rise in fuel to run their farm equipment could have their own small ethanol or biodiesel plants on-site, growing the raw material and then producing the fuel they need to operate their tractors, combines, and other machines. The Southeast could adopt solar technology on a house-by-house basis; just retrofitting every mobile home in the Sun Belt with solar air-conditioning capability could save billions in fuel demands every year. In the Northeast, a combination of solar energy and wind power in the summer and wind and biodiesel use in the winter, with family farms growing much of the raw material for the biodiesel, could cut the region's dependency on heating oil, propane, and natural gas during the coldest months of the year. And all over the country, using sustainable farming and foresting methods to product corn and wood pellet products would provide still another efficient, low-emissions fuel. Even hydrogen technology makes more sense produced on a local basis as part of a comprehensive energy plan. Hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules into its component hydrogen and oxygen atoms; the hydrogen is then burned, producing more water. Using up massive amounts of water in centralized plants would put a tremendous demand on a locality's water supply, and then would affect the environment in ways not now known as the fuel is burned and the water redistributed around the country. Locally, hydrogen could be produced using solar energy on a building by building basis, and then could be stored and used to fuel cars or for household energy use. The water produced by burning the hydrogen could also conceivably be collected and reused, limiting the demand on the water supply. Thinking locally in terms of energy production and use could serve not only to break our dependence on foreign oil but could eventually free us from relying on corporate entities for our energy needs. That is true energy independence. ldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aldene_Fredenburg |
Water For Fuel - An Overview Of The Green Car Revolution
For the past years, the global community has been troubled with the threat of the greenhouse effect. While this phenomenon is of no threat to the planet, increased production of greenhouse gases has led to what is now called global warming. The abundance of greenhouse gas produced by the different industries has also increased the warming effect of the greenhouse phenomenon. One of the most blamed sectors is the auto industry because of the sheer number of vehicles on our roads today. The increasing awareness about the threat of global warming has led car manufacturers to develop and produce environment friendly cars known simply as green cars. While these cars are designed to burn less fossil fuels, one should not only look at its environment friendliness in this way. One should also consider the entire lifetime of these vehicles to find out which vehicles are really "green". The first thing that should be considered in assessing the "greenness" of a vehicle is the matter by which it is produced. To put things in simple ways, consider the Toyota Prius and the Ford F-150. Just by looking at these vehicles, one would definitely point out that the Prius is the more environment friendly vehicle of the two. This is true in the sense that the Prius is a hybrid vehicle and therefore consumes less petroleum fuel. On the other hand, the bigger F-150, of course, needs more power to drive it therefore more fuel needs to be burned. But in the manufacturing process, this assumption that the Toyota Prius is greener than the Ford F-150 pickup can be proven to be false. The Toyota Prius is a hybrid car which means that it is powered by a small internal combustion engine and an electric motor. This electric motor needs a highly efficient battery pack to draw power from. The battery pack used in the Prius is a nickel-metal hydride kind and the nickel used in the manufacturing of these batteries comes from a mining plant located in Ontario, Canada. The mining plant produces harmful sulfur dioxide fumes which harm the environment. In fact, the surrounding landscape now resembles the barren surface of the moon and NASA astronauts are using the place as a testing ground for moon buggies. This shows that while the end product may have a positive impact on the environment, the production is quite another horrid story. On the other hand, the Ford F-150 is known to be a gas-guzzler. Because of its size, the vehicle needs a bigger engine which consumes more petroleum fuel. This amount fuel being burned means that the vehicle also produces more greenhouse gas than the Prius. But in terms of production, the factory that produces the F-150 is considered as one of the most environment friendly assembly facility. Ford's River Rouge, Michigan assembly plant has a "living roof". This roof is estimated to cover 10 acres and is covered with Sedum plant. These plants have water absorbing qualities which Ford takes advantage of. The Sedums filter rainfall and converts carbon dioxide to oxygen. Aside from this, the facility also harnesses solar energy by using solar panels. The solar energy helps provide energy to the plant as well as hot water. Additionally, the assembly plant is surrounded by over 100,000 flowering plants and shrubs and hundreds of trees. This shows that while the end result for the F-150 may be a gas-guzzling vehicle, the manufacturing facility where it is made is environment friendly. After the production of the vehicle, the "greenness" of these vehicles is measured by their gas mileage rating. This means the number of miles that a vehicle can cover on a given amount of fuel. In this sense, hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius are more environment friendly than larger vehicles such as the Ford F-150 even if these trucks are fitted with aftermarket parts such as the AEM cold air intake systems. The number of green vehicles on our roads is increasing and is not only confined to using hybrid technology. Green vehicles also include flex-fuel vehicles. These vehicles are designed to run not only on gasoline but on a combination of gasoline and alternative fuel such as bio-ethanol. For diesel engines, biodiesel is offered as a more environment friendly alternative. Another technology being developed by car manufacturers is the fuel cell technology. This technology aims to use hydrogen as fuel. The abundance of hydrogen and the absence of greenhouse gas emissions are reasons why this alternative is the most promising green car technology as of today. After the use of the vehicle, one should look at the way these vehicles are disposed of. No matter how clean the production and operation of a car is, it is not environment friendly if the car is disposed of indiscriminately. That is why car manufacturers are implementing recycling programs for used cars. These recycling programs ensure that the used cars will not cause harm to the environment. For instance, the cooling agents use in a vehicle's air conditioning unit should be taken care of properly and not be released in the atmosphere. Some car manufacturers reported that they are recycling metals to be used on new vehicles. Plastics used on automobiles poses a tougher problem since these are known to be of complex structure. Nevertheless, car companies are looking for ways to make plastic wastes useful. Mike Bartley, 49, is a professional automotive journalist domiciled in Irvine, CA. He travels from one state to another to cover the hottest auto shows, racing events and automotive revelations. His penned compositions cover press releases, reviews, and suggestions. Where the auto action is, that's exactly where you can find Mike. You can visit AEM for more information. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Bartley |
Water For Fuel - Natural Gas Origins
Natural gas is one of the world's most important fossil fuels. The denotation of "fossil fuel" comes from the belief that most scientists share, that natural gas and other "fossil fuels" were formed from the remains of tiny sea animals and plants that perished 200-400 million years ago. Scientists believe that when these tiny organisms died, they sank to the bottom of the ocean, where over many years, the pressure created by the ever-thickening layers of ocean floor combined with the earth's heat to change the molecular structure of the organic remains into deposits of petroleum and natural gas. Natural gas only occurs in the areas of the earth where this built up pressure and volcanic heat combine to produce the necessary chemical reaction for production. Geologists are able to locate natural gas deposits by studying the types of rock and formations that usually occur where gas is present. Raw natural gas is a mixture of gases whose main ingredient, methane, is a natural occurring compound formed when plant and animal matter decays. It is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, so companies like Triple Diamond Energy Corp add a chemical with a sulfuric smell like rotten eggs so that leaks can be detected quickly, otherwise the volatile fuel leaking could rapidly lead to dangerous situations within the home or industrial environments. Ancient peoples of the world from China to Greece were curious of the fires that were created when lightning struck natural gas seepages and were ignited. Often times, temples or shrines were built around these seepages so that the mystically occurring fires could be worshipped. The earliest recorded instances of drilling for natural gas comes from ancient China. The Chinese, in their search for salt wells, pioneered a technology of driving bamboo poles into the earth to depths of up to a kilometer. Often this drilling for brine pierced deeply buried natural gas reservoirs and was captured and stored in barrels to be burned as fuel. This fuel was burned to evaporate the water from the brine leaving only the salt intact. In America, natural gas was first used to light the streets of Baltimore in 1816. It was shortly after this, that a man named William Hart dug the first natural gas well in Fredonia, New York, in 1821. The nation's first natural gas company, the Fredonia Gas Light Company opened for business in 1858, marking only the beginning of the soon to spread usage throughout America that has resulted in natural gas accounting for about a quarter of the energy used in America every year. About the Author: Bob Jent is the president of Triple Diamond Energy Corp. Triple Diamond Energy specializes in acquiring the highest quality prime oil and gas properties. For more information, visit http://www.triplediamondenergycorp.blogspot.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_K._Jent |
Water For Fuel - Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle with Ford Automotive Replacement Parts at Parts Train
The Focus FCV is one of the industry's first hybridized fuel cell vehicles combining the improved range and performance of hybrid technology with the overall benefits of a fuel cell. Using a fuel cell powertrain supplied by Ballard Power Systems, the world leader in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology, the FCV is hybridized with the addition of a nickel metal-hydride battery pack and a brake-by-wire electro-hydraulic series regenerative braking system. The fuel cell engine converts chemical energy into electric energy using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from air. The electric energy then powers the vehicle's electric drive motor, producing only water vapor and heat as by-products. Just like Honda's Insight and Civic hybrids, the new battery 'assists' the main powerplant by adding extra power when accelerating or climbing hills, and is charged by regenerative braking system when braking or decelerating. Of course, the Civic and Insight use a small gasoline internal combustion engine instead of a fuel cell, but the principle is the same. "This Focus FCV is the most sophisticated environmental vehicle Ford has developed," said Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Ford Motor Company vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering. "As such, is a critical success in our long-term strategy to move toward high volume production of hydrogen powered cars and trucks." The Focus FCV has onboard sensors, which constantly monitor the fuel cell stack, trunk and the passenger compartment. If trace amounts of hydrogen are detected, the system will warn the driver. If a slightly higher level is detected, the system will transition to a limited operating strategy and then begin shutting down vehicle operations. Its new battery pack, regenerative braking system and improved hydrogen gas storage tank help increase the driving range of the four-passenger Focus FCV to between 250 km (160 miles) and 320 km (200 miles) - about 30% better than the previous version, The new Hydrogen Storage Tank Technology in the Focus FCV stores four kilograms of hydrogen, which is equivalent to four gallons of gasoline. It also features an in-tank pressure regulator, which lowers the pressure so the gas leaves the tank at approximately 150 psi to work its way through the fuel cell. Ford is working closely within the industry and with fuel providers to help develop government codes and standards for a hydrogen-fuelling infrastructure and to help improve the commercial viability of fuel cell technology by bringing all stakeholders together in an effort to eliminate barriers to mass production and implementation. "The launch of this Ford fuel cell demonstration fleet, together with the previously announced DaimlerChrysler deployments of cars, vans, and buses powered with Ballard? fuel cells clearly demonstrates the strength and leadership of our fuel cell alliance," said Dennis Campbell, president and Chief Executive Officer, Ballard. "This unique collaboration between Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Ballard Power Systems is fielding the most extensive fuel cell vehicle demonstration ever undertaken. With years of combined experience in selling premium quality auto parts, Partstrain has been the trusted and most reliable source of superb quality engine parts, electrical body parts and other auto parts. Shopping for excellent quality automotive parts here in Partstrain is easy and hassle-free. You can browse our accessible user-friendly online parts list at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/FORD either by make or part type. Ordering is a breeze, simply select the premium car parts you want and fill in your particulars at its secure checkout page. Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_McLane |
Water For Fuel - The Evolution of the Auto Industry
Of course the idea of an automobile can be dated all the way back to when the wheel was first invented; however, I am going to place you back to when major progress was made to the auto industry. The first automobile was built in France by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot in 1769. Not long after came the first automobile patent in the United States which was granted to Oliver Evans in 1789. Evan produced his first self-propelled automobile in 1805. Although self-propelled, this vehicle wasn't anything like how our vehicles work today. Finally, in 1870 an inventor by the name of Seigfried Marcus put an internal liquid fuel engine in a horse carriage which made him the first man to propel a vehicle by means of gasoline. As were finding out today this may have been our biggest mistake as a civilization due to global warming concerns. However, when directly eyeing the auto industry, this was necessary to jump start the idea that has effects each and every one of us everyday. Karl Benz built his first automobile in 1885, was granted a patent in 1886, and began producing automobiles in 1888. Notice the last names if you are not familiar with the history of the auto industry. In 1889 Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach designed a vehicle from scratch rather than using a horse carriage fitted with an engine. By the 1900s, mass production on vehicles was under way in France and the United States. The first company formed to exclusively build cars was Panhard et Levassor in France. Next came the United States auto industry startup called Duryea Motor Wagon Company founded by brothers Charles and Frank Duryea. Oldsmobile had a production line up and running in 1902 and would dominate this era of automobile production. By 1903, Cadillac, Winston and Ford were all producing cars in the thousands. A few years later in 1908 the Ford Model T was introduced and became the most widely produced and available car of the era. In 1910 the Mercer Raceabout debuted as the world's first sports car. Slightly over a decade later the Austin debuted and was the most widely copied vehicle ever and served as a template for cars around the world. Later in 1934 the Citroen Traction Avant was the first mass produced vehicle with front wheel drive. Finally, Oldsmobile introduced the first automatic transmission in 1940 and no longer than 10 years all automobile manufactures were offering the same technology. 1950 and 60's was when the auto industry had the ability to really focus on the wants rather than the needs of consumers. The classics we love to see are in prototypes. 1962 hits and the first super car was introduced as the Ferrari 250 GTO. 1964 sets a mark and Ford releases the Mustang that became the best selling and most collected car of its era. In 1977 Honda introduced the Accord and it went on to become the most popular car of 1990s. A huge win for Chrysler, their 1983 release of the minivans were introduced and pushed station wagons out of the market. Many of these vehicles lasted decades and many can still be found today. More recently, Toyota has recently surpassed General Motors in leading worldwide auto sales and now holds the number one selling brand in the world. As for the future of vehicles, manufactures are moving towards hybrid and hydrogen automobiles. Hybrid automobiles use a mix of technologies such as combustion engines, electric motors, gasoline, and batteries. Normally, the vehicles run on batteries that are found in a pack in the vehicle, and once the battery is dead the gasoline kicks in. Hydrogen automobiles generally use the hydrogen in one of two methods; combustion or fuel-cell conversion. Hydrogen can be obtained through various methods utilizing natural gas or coal. One can almost say history repeats itself, simply with a different goal. As noted at the beginning of this article, a gasoline powered engine was a major jump start to the auto industry. Now we have most everything else we can want and need, and the main focus is finding the best way to power the vehicle again that can both be environmentally safe and cost effective. This is because fossil fuels have been the number one proven cause of global warming, the supply is inevitably going to diminish, and the price is definitely not going down. This article was written for our friends at Premier Dash. Article written and distributed by Steve Cancel, IT Manager of Michigan Web Site Hosting. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Cancel |
Water For Fuel - How Green is Your Car?
Soaring oil prices and concerns over the environmental impact of car emissions is surely going to bring about a huge change in consumer preference when it comes to choosing a new car. But what are the options available to us now, what information is there, and what does the future hold? According to Toyota, one of the leaders in developing vehicles driven by alternative fuels, there are approximately 740 million cars on the planet today. It is estimated that this number is likely to almost double to 1.2 billion by 2020. That's a lot of cars. The main by-product of burning both petrol and diesel is carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that pollutes the atmosphere and is believed to contribute to climate change. It is estimated that the average car emits around 4.5 tonnes of this gas every year. Ok, so a lot of cars and a lot of CO2. Just to put into perspective how worrying this figure is we can look at the principle of Contraction and Convergence, which is generally regarded as the way forward for reducing global CO2 emission. Using this principle to find an amount of CO2 that our planetary system will be able to cope with, it has been calculated that each person in the world should have an allowance of two tonnes of CO2 per year. I'm sure you've already worked out that just by driving your car around, without even starting breathing, you've already gone over your allowance, by more than double! There are many ways in which to reduce the amount of CO2 we release into the atmosphere. When it comes to cars for example we can do simple things like set up lift clubs to get us to and from work. In this article though I'm going to concentrate on how to choose a car with environmental concerns in mind and what choices we'll be able to make in the future. Fuel consumption and CO2 Emissions Reducing the amount of fuel a car consumes to get from A to B is not only going reduce the amount of CO2 it emits but considering current rumours of the price of oil reaching $100/barrel some day soon it will also help your wallet to breathe a little easier. The size of the car is one of the biggest factors affecting its fuel economy. The general trend is simple; the bigger the car the bigger the engine, which in turn means a bigger thirst for petrol. To give you an example the gargantuan BMW X5 with its 4.4 litre engine averages around 16 litres/100km. Compare this to one of the most efficient small cars around, the Polo 1.4 TDi which achieves a lless than 5 litres/100km. Any decent car magazine will give you a list of stats to let you compare the fuel efficiency of the cars you're interested in buying. You may not of course be able choose the most efficient car around due to constraints like living on top of an extremely rocky mountain where the roads are particularly prone to flooding but you can at least choose the most efficient car that suits your needs. A beastly juggernaut 4x4 monster may make you nice and comfortable (and maybe a little superior with your elevated view) but do you really need it to get from Bryanston to Sandton and back again everyday. Last time I checked all the roads were covered in tarmac. Apart from looking in car magazines to find useful stats there are also a number of good websites around that can give you a reasonably accurate measurement of how much CO2 your car will emit. I'd recommend checking out www.smmtco2.co.uk. It is a UK site so not all the models that we get here are covered, at least not always under the same name, but with a little imagination and research you should be able to find the equivalent. Why don't you use that website to compare your car to the two that I mentioned above and see where you fit in? How green are you right now? And if you're looking to buy a new car why don't you check out its fuel economy and CO2 rating and make a choice that suits the environment more than your ego. Alternative Fuels The car industry is almost completely dominated by the petrol and diesel engine. There are however some alternatives already available and many others coming in the not too distant future. Hybrid Cars - These cars have two engines and use a combination of alternative and traditional fuels. A petrol engine is used when the car needs power to pull away from a stop or for high speeds, and an electric motor running off a battery (which is charged when the car brakes and decelerates) is used at all other times such as cruising around a city. Hybrid cars are extremely quiet and are particularly beneficial due to their low emissions in cities. The most popular hybrid and the only model available in South Africa is the Toyota Prius (see above) which boasts an extremely impressive fuel efficiency of under 5 litres/100km. Electric Cars - There are two great benefits of electric cars; they are extraordinarily cheap to run and they have zero emissions, not a C or an O to be seen anywhere. It is of course important to bear in mind that the electricity that they're using may have been generated by a highly polluting coal powered station, but hey we can't have it all. Although electric cars are not commercially available in South Africa there a few models buzzing around the streets of Europe. One of the most intriguing, and bizarre looking, is the G-Whiz (see right). This little car, developed by GoinGreen, can be plugged into standard electrical wall sockets and takes 6 hours to recharge. According to GoinGreen the cost of the electricity to run this car for one year is the equivalent cost of just one tank of petrol. There are however a few major drawbacks with this technology. First is a question of range; the G-Whiz for example can only travel for 70km before needing to be recharged. The second issue is one of power; electric cars are simply no match in terms of top speeds, to petrol and diesel powered vehicles (the G-Whiz has a top speed of just 70km/hr). Despite these significant drawbacks this car, with its suitability for short commuter trips, could I believe have a major impact in South African cities. We can look to London for example of what can be achieved, there commuters are encouraged to adopt the G-Whiz with owners exempt from road tax, congestion charges and parking costs. With these savings in mind the G-Whiz is not only the cleanest form of commuter transport but it's also the cheapest. Hydrogen Fuel Cells - Although still a relatively new technology it is thought that this will be the future fuel of choice. Fuel cells work by making electricity via a chemical reaction between hydrogen (stored in liquid form in the fuel cell) and oxygen (from the air). The only by-product of this reaction is water, CO2 emissions are zero. There are of course still some significant drawbacks to this technology which need to be addressed before we see the demise of the petrol engine. These include; range - which, accordingly to Toyota, is currently limited to 300km; cost - until economies of scale come into play this will continue to be an expensive technology; refueling network - current petrol stations will need to install hydrogen tanks and pumps. Parting Words So there we have it, if you're thinking of getting a new car and want to go as green as possible you now know where to go to get the information you need. Buy small or buy hybrid, import a G-Whiz from the UK or maybe just sit on your hands for a few more years and wait for the technology to catch up with your needs, both financial and vehicular, the choice is yours. Ceri Balston is the editor of online alternative lifestyle portal Harmonious Living. Visit http://www.harmoniousliving.co.za. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ceri_Balston |
Water For Fuel - I 'm a Fool For Hybrid Fuel and the Hybrid Car
The future of the hybrid battery car is so bright you have to wear shades. Some would say the interest in the plug in hybrid is down right electrifying. The hybrid battery car got a huge boost when President Bush featured it in a speech on his energy policy. It's part of the plan to replace over three-quarters of Mideast oil imports by the year 2025. The location the President chose to give the speech is also significant. He spoke at Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee auto parts company that is making lithium-ion battery cells for the next generation of the hybrid battery car. The race for hybrid technologies continues as the U.S. Energy Department pushes for hydrogen fuel cells to replace gasoline in cars. The department has targeted the year 2024 as a time when those fuel cells will be widely used in hybrid vehicles of all kinds. There are really two forces driving the development of hybrid technologies. Number one is the uncertain Mideast sources of fossil fuels. The other is the cost per barrel of oil. As the cost of oil increases the race for information on hybrid cars becomes even more important. Because hydrogen fuel is very expensive to transport some predict that the hybrid battery and ethanol technologies will precede any hybrid fuel based on hydrogen. Government support means that plug in hybrid cars are on the horizon. These vehicles would get a battery charge from an ordinary electric outlet. Lithium-ion batteries will make this possible. These batteries will be large versions of the lithium-ion battery you use in your cell phone. You could be driving a plug-in hybrid by the year 2010. The energy density of lithium-ion is typically twice that of the standard nickel-cadmium battery. There is even a growing potential for higher energy densities with these power source. Lithium-ion is a low maintenance battery, an advantage that most other battery types can't match. Self-discharge is less than half compared to nickel-cadmium, making lithium-ion well suited for modern fuel gauge applications. They pose no threat to the environment for lithium-ion cells cause little harm when discarded. Like most hybrid technologies, this one has its draw backs. Chief among them is that the lithium-ion batteries are fragile and require a protection circuit to maintain safe operation. All short comings are expected to be overcome as research and development continue. To be successful hybrid fuel technologies must include petroleum alternatives. Right now ethanol would lessen the need for oil if mixed with gasoline. Here in the U.S we already make nearly 4 billion gallons of ethanol from corn. The irony is that a great deal of energy is needed to manufacture ethanol and that energy often comes from fossil fuel and natural gas. Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel that is produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugars. Feed stocks for this fuel include corn, barley, and wheat. Ethanol has a better chance of surviving as an important hybrid fuel when it is made from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and grasses. These produce a hybrid fuel called bioethanol. Ethanol is used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline. Ethanol is blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even higher concentrations of ethanol qualify as alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act. Vehicles that run on E85 are called flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and can currently be purchased from several vehicle manufacturers. There will be one surviving hybrid fuel in the future. What is your guess on which it will be? Or are there some surprise hybrid technologies in our future? Mark Walters follows hybrid technologies and recommends that you learn more about the Hybrid Battery Car Here. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Walters |