Posted on 09/21/2006 8:51:08 AM PDT by Malsua
Ever seen a gasoline tank explode catastrophically?
It doesn't seem like this would make cars any more dangerous than they already are.
Energy is energy. Look at all the BTU's burned on the road in the US on a daily basis and try to make that up with the equivalent amount of electrical energy to charge the capacitors.
It would require massive building of nuclear power plants, but I'm fine with that. The technology to produce abundant power for the next 1000 years is there in the fast breeder reactor. The only real barrier to going off oil is efficient energy storage devices. If this capacitor is for real, it could be the silver bullet that solves our problems.
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"Accumulator"
...as in those that powered Jules Verne's "Nautilus".
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(Joking aside, I do suspect that this a form of "supercapacitor" -- possibly made from thin sheets of "green" (flexible, unfired) ceramic "tape", metallized on both surfaces and, then, accordion-folded and fired,)
You have three choices,
1. Charge more slowly
2. Use Capacitor banks as the source tranfering at high voltage and very well insulated and thick conductors.
3. And finally the solution that will be the most preferable when the technology allows. A small solid oxide fuel cell to charge the capacitor as needed. Solid oxide fuel cells can "burn" gasoline, diesel, ethanol or even switch grass destructive distalate. It wouldn't have to be big, just enough capacity to cover the average power usage of the vehicle. With onboard recharging, the capacitor could be much smaller, it would only need to drive long enough for the fuel cell to heat up. If you are driving around town, you wouldn't even need to use the fuel cell. If you are driving across country, all you need is fuel. Just like cars now, no high amp connectors, just fuel up.
SOFC's run at high temp, it would be easy to superheat steam converting compressed grass, wood or even trash pellets into CO, H2 and ash. All of which oxidize in the fuel cell at about 60% efficiency. The electric drive is about 90% efficient. Over all about 50% efficient and able to use 100% Made In America fuel, no third world dictators need to apply. About 20% of the land in CRP would be enough to power every vehicle in the country, with no need to divert crop land. American farmers would be much less likely to spend the money developing nuclear weapons.
As you can tell, I''ve spent too much time thinking about this. I could spend hours going through all of the posibilities. The ability to store alot of power in a small, inexpensive, light weight package has the potential to change about everything we do.
Even if this thing doesn't pan out MIT has a carbon nanotube version that has potential,
I really want a car with a 10/1 pound to horse power ratio that gets 10 miles to the pound of compressed grass pellets. Remember that you read about it here first.
Sounds good if it works out but I just thought of something. How am I going to heat this when it is -20? (Maybe someone rought this up. I haven't read the middle posts.) If you use electical energy, your range will suffer. Larger capacitors for cold area? Or gas heaters like the old VWs had? Dress warm?
"IF" the technology works (and I admit to HIGH skepticism on that topic), the point of automotive use that will be revolutionized will be the daily commute. With an overnight recharge capability and even a 300 mile capacity, I think a LOT of people would buy vehicles based on the tech.
MOST auto use is not long-distance driving.
Oh I am skeptical of their claims as well... Like my original post said IF ITS TRUE its a big deal...
300 miles with an overnight charge might affect the commuter market some...
But personally I think the market there is limited... while it is true, most driving is local... its one thing to consciously know this.. and another to choose the local only car when its the same price or more as the go anywhere car..
A 5 minute charge electric with a 300+ mile range makes for a vehicle that is a viable alternative to the passenger IC engine vehicle in nearly all situations.
Extra bank of caps or as I said before, it won't elimate demand for gasoline engines in all situations. I can think of many reasons why you would still need a ICE. Offroading, range(jerry cans), unstable electricity(most of asia), etc.
For pure commuting this is a pretty good match.
http://www.nec-tokin.com/english/product/cap/chiptan/pic.html
looks like a fancy tantalum...
$9 worth of electricity today. But if we replace all of the cars in the world with these type, the electricity will cost more than $9.
ping
Wouldn't it take superconductor cables to move that much energy in only 5 minutes?
If you look back through the thread, you can see various calculations on it. It would probably be in the range of 800ish amps. That's heavy duty industrial cable. It is doable, certainly not from a home service though.
ping
Increase the voltage and decrease the amperage.
Although, in reality, I think you will see this technology in a "plug in hybrid" Electricity for local driving, fuel for cross country driving.
I'm working on a composite material that could be used to sail the earth's magnetic flux lines like a cloth sail does a steady breeze.
Only problem is when I begin to weave the materials together it flies out of my hands and I can't control it.
Do you know of any work space that is free from the effects of gravity and flux?
I don't have any figures on the energy or forces created by using 'FluxEx' because I can't make enough and hold on to it long enough to take measurements.
Think I might find some help from a venture capatalist or a government grant?
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