How to Pick the Best Fuel for Cutting Metal – Welding Resources and Tips

August 19, 2011 By

For many years acetylene has been the cutting fuel of choice for cutting metals, but there are many alternative fuels that can be mixed with oxygen for oxy-fuel cutting that offer their own advantages. Propane and propylene have been popular fuels that cut at a temperature slightly below acetylene. HGX is a relatively new additive for propane that allows it to cut at 5400 degrees F, a temperature that is comparable to acetylene, while using less oxygen. there are a variety of factors that may make alternative fuels a better choice than acetylene, but which fuel is the right one for you?

How to Pick the Best Fuel for Cutting Metal Welding Resources and TipsImage Source: Miller Welds

Here are some factors to consider when deciding between acetylene and an alternative fuel. 

Supply of Cutting Fuels

One of the most important factors to consider lately with cutting fuels is the availability of each fuel. After an explosion at a facility that produces acetylene, the supply of that particular fuel has decreased significantly, causing prices to rise and many cutting operations to seek alternatives.

Cost of Cutting Fuels

The cost of using acetylene before the current shortage was significantly higher than other cutting fuels. In addition, many factories and home shops already have propane on hand. therefore, it makes sense in many cases to use propane or propane with the HGX additive in order to save on cutting costs.

The Cutting Speed of Cutting Fuels

Acetylene has been particularly popular with cutting operations because it heats the metal quickly, allowing workers to make their cuts much faster without a long preheating time. However, fuels such as propane, propylene, and HGX can achieve significantly high temperatures when used with torches and tips specifically designed for them.

Propane, propylene, and HGX all concentrate their heat on the exterior of the flame, and therefore, they heat and cut best by moving the torch further from the metal—something counter-intuitive for many familiar with acetylene. by making slight modifications to the cutting technique and equipment, many cutting operations and home users will not notice a significant slow down in cutting speed.

The Volume of Metal to Cut

Tied closely to cutting speed and cost factors is the volume of metal you plan on cutting. If you’re only cutting the occasional piece of metal at home, then you may want to just use whatever fuel is cheapest or is most convenient.

However, if you’re cutting on a larger scale for a major project or at a production plant, you will need to weigh how much metal you plan to cut, whether you have the right torches for alternative fuels, and whether your fuel supply and storage situation can accommodate what you need.

While alternatives such as propane, propylene, and HGX are generally cheaper and easier to store, be sure to review your options for your particular situation before investing in a setup. If you have a lot of metal to cut, all alternative fuels will make a cleaner cut than acetylene, and if you have a lot of metal to clean off after cutting, that may be a good reason to switch from acetylene.

The Safety of Cutting Fuels

All cutting fuels can be hazardous and require safety measures such as storing them in secure, upright positions where they can’t be knocked over, punctured, or set alight with a spark if a tank leaks. out of all the cutting fuels, acetylene is the most flammable, and therefore this safety factor alone has been significant in convincing many cutting operations to switch to a less flammable alternative fuel.

More about Alternative Fuels

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flukeluke.com » Blog Archive » Why Kids Love Step2 Waterwheel Activity Play Table?

August 16, 2011 By

flukeluke.com » Blog Archive » Why Kids Love Step2 Waterwheel Activity Play Table?August9

Step2 Waterwheel Activity Play Table is a great plaything both for educative requirements and for fun. It’ll offer more fun for your children to play with in open air or perhaps in terrace.

The dropping waters action from this Waterwheel Play Table encourages creative exploration with cause and effect learning. this creative water play center stimulates hours of outdoor fun. Pour water into the wide funnel, and activate the water wheel which in turn spills into the inner and outer harbors.

Two molded-in sections function as canals, boats, lakes, harbors plus much more. A rapid design keeps water at baby level and also keeps ground dirt clear of water and mud from forming on children’s foot. it accommodates around three kids to encourage group play. two built-in drain plugs allow for easy water removing.

The four piece accessory set includes: one cup, two sailboats, and one water wheel tower. Features decorative molded-in fish designs on legs. it can holds up to four gallons of water.

Step2 Waterwheel Features

  • Wide receptacle funnels water over spinning wheel, in to inner and outer harbors
  • Molded-in parts create moats, lakes, canals, and harbors
  • Elevated design makes play accessible while keeping children out from the dirt and mud
  • 4-piece accessory set with boats, cup, and water wheel tower

Through the research we have performed, a customer who purchased this Step2 Waterwheel activity play table six month ago and its play value have not dropped at all. it is short enough that her 16 month old kid has always been able to participate comfortably, and interesting enough that it still attracts her 4 and six year old kids also.

The water wheel is excellent fun, and the kids love scooping water into its reserve to make it spin. The two levels of the table give the kids individual play space if two children are playing. The easy-to-open plugs built into the basin is very well loved, as it makes it simple to remove waters. The toy, though sturdy, is also lightweight enough for an adult to pick out up and simply pour water out, if desired. Children cannot, however, easily move or turn the table over.

The drain does leak a little bit, but it’s not a big deal. when we’re done playing with the water, it gets dried off and brought inside as an additional play table. We stick toys in it and she walks around the edges playing with the toys in the middle.

This toy is very simple to assemble. Simply no tools needed and assembly, from box to completion, took less than 5 minutes.  also it’s very light-weight and compact. The table is easy for an adult to lift (without the water) but it is still sturdy enough for a toddler.

Click Here for more Cool Toy Reviews, before you buy Toys for gifts or for your collection.

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Wind Power Generator: Helping People Reduce Expenditures

August 15, 2011 By

Wind Power Generator: Helping People Reduce Expenditures

Wind Power Generator: Helping People Reduce Expenditures

How do you measure the effectiveness when using a wind power generator? here are some tips you can take when using one.

1) Greatly reduce Electricity Costs – you can actually spare a lot of money every year derived from one of wind generator alone. It all is determined by how big your actual windmill, the typical a blowing wind efficiency locally, in addition to elements. you are able to reduce 100% of your Electricity charge simply by constructing a number of wind generators. Consider, there are a lot of tips on the net that relate you the way to set up the entire homemade windmill unit for as low as 0 – 0, so that it is pretty cheap to set up 2, 3, or 4 units. On the other hand, you might also construct a solar generator for around 0 which would operate in combination with your own home wind generator in eliminating your power bill.

2) you Can Forget Power Failures – By having a home wind generator will make sure that you simply have always adequate electric power so that you can at at a minimum drive ones most important items throughout a electric power failure the effect of a natural disaster, tornado, or even technical breakdown. For example, my own grandparents are living in a place in which will lose power 1-2x each and every month during the monsoon season through the very warm summer time. Until they then finally built a wind turbine they will squander substantial food anytime the fridge/freezer would be without electrical power for more then 12 hours. after this transpired on 2 occasions they in the end installed a wind generator so they haven’t endured the trouble ever since.

3) Off-the-Grid Source – Benefiting from windpower gives you free and free from depending on the government and its agencies pertaining to electricity. no more having to worry concerning upcoming federal government programs like “Cap and Trade”, that can cause your energy bills to go through the roof.

4) Eco-friendly – Wind generators tend to be enviromentally friendly beneficial in a manner that they won’t discharge carbon dioxide or even affect the ecosystem at all. It’s a satisfying feeling learning you are doing your part to save the planet!

5) Tax Refunds & Incentives – Obtain a Tax Rebate, Incentive, or Credit for doing your part in generating energy-efficient enhancements to your home. you will possibly not understand it, but most states will offer some kind of tax relief for setting up a windmill to your residence.

Mitch is a freelance web content writer who supports alternative energy options for households.

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SonicStar Supersonic Business Jet By HyperMach

August 12, 2011 By

1313118908 78 SonicStar Supersonic Business Jet By HyperMachTraveling can be quite a pain, especially if it consumes a lot of time. but, how about traveling from New York to Sydney in just 5 hours? HyperMach, a UK based aerospace company, is about to bring such a revolution in air travel. the company recently revealed its SonicStar supersonic business concept at the Paris Air show.The concept looks quite promising and speedy. It will not only save precious time, but will burn a hole in your pocket too. It is 226 ft. (68.8 m) in length and can fly at an altitude of 60,000 ft. (18.9 km) at Mach 3.5. to make its aristocratic passengers feel all the more special, it comes draped with ultra-comfortable interiors. 10-20 super rich can enjoy the sumptuous experience at one time. the aircraft comes with a flexibility to customize all fittings that will inject passengers with a special feeling. It will have cargo compartments (cabin-sized) that will easily house extravagant items of superior quality.Two 54,700 thrust class Supersonic-Magnetic Advanced Generation Jet Electric Turbine (S-MAGJET) engines will lend all the muscle to make it touch unbelievable speeds. the fuel-efficient engines will be electrically driven. They will be produced by SonicBlue (HyperMach’s sister company), and claim to come wrapped with 30 percent more fuel efficiency than the Rolls Royce engine fitted in Concorde. High velocity exhaust thrust will power the superconducting ring generators, which will, in turn, produce sufficient on-board power.

The independently running bypass fans pump the overall efficiency of the engine by almost 70 percent. these counter rotating fans run at a lower speed than the compressor, which generates a much efficient RPM complimenting the fan blade design of the engine. They are also responsible for commendable fuel efficiency even below .05 lbs. of fuel per lb. of thrust per hour. the supersonic jet can gulp down 75,000 lb. of fuel and will provide an impressive range of 6,000 nautical miles. the luxury aircraft will have a 74 ft. (22.5 m) wingspan. the titaniumwings will be coupled with structural carbon composite panels, irregular edges made from titanium nickel-cobalt alloy.

SonicStar supersonic business concept is coated with comfort, luxury and speed. It will prove a boon for people who are rolling in money and like to utilize time in a fruitful way.Designer: HyperMachSource: DesignBuzz.com

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Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It

August 11, 2011 By

Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It

Lower Body Mechanics:  the Foundation of the Swing

The lower body swings the bat.  Many coaches under appreciate this fact.  they teach hitting from the top down, emphasizing the hands, the hands, the hands — teaching lower body mechanics as an afterthought, a timing mechanism. it is understandable, then, that even the world’s best hitters sometimes describe their own mechanics in hands first/top down language.  but game footage of these players tells a different story: an elite swing is a lower body movement.

The Rear Foot:  the Anchor of the Swing

Many coaches talk about the back foot in one of two ways:  as an object that turns and ‘squishes the bug’ or as spring that ‘pushes’ the body forward so that the hitter can ‘get to his back toe.’  both of these ideas are stunting or stopping the growth of power and consistency in hitters today.

Whether you teach a ‘sway’ or ‘shift’ load, where the weight moves from centered to back towards the catcher, or a ‘coil’ load, where the front hip rotates inward while the shoulders stay straight, there is one constant.  the constant is that the hitter must keep the rear knee inside the instep of the rear foot and the top of the kneecap inside the shoe line.  the double inside load drives the rear foot big toe and ball into the ground, creating your anchor.

1313064110 73 Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It 1313064110 95 Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It

(Image 1: Alex Rios in the double inside load position.  the Yellow line shows the vertical plane and the red dots are the outside of the rear knee and the inside of the rear foot.  Image 2:   Albert Pujols also using a double inside load.)

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexrios/2723175329/in/photostream/

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39552096@N00/467681349/

Rios and Pujols, in these pictures, are anchored to the ground with the rear ball of their back feet and the rear big toe, there is not weight on the outside of either of their back foot pinky toe.  both guys’ back hip is loaded and supporting of the upper halves.  This load allows lower body mechanics to work correctly and is the linchpin in allowing the shoulders to support the hands and create a whipping action of the bat around the body and around the hands.

Lower body mechanics allow for a top level swing to be supported, efficient, coordinated, and suddenly explosive.  Load into the back hip with a double inside load and create the super strong support structure that all elite swings are built on.  Many common misconceptions in upper body mechanics are spawned from poor and incorrect lower body mechanical teaching.

Lower Body Mechanics Myths:  Squish the Bug

Talking about the back foot ‘turning’ or ‘squishing the bug’ is a common problem.  This teaches players to turn the rear foot inward, to turn the rear knee, to turn the rear hip.  Stand up and try something for me.

Load however you like, sway/shift or coil inward.  Now, spin your back foot so that the shoelaces are forward facing. This will turn your knee without turning your hips…feel powerful?  I Didn’t think so.  Even if you kept your shoulders facing the pitcher, you never were ‘forced’ to turn the hips because the hip socket is a ‘ball’ socket giving our legs more freedom of movement.  This load as a way to get the back foot to ‘turn’ does not create the needed torque for a maximum power/bat speed swing.

Joey from Swing Smarter’s two cents: I used to teach “squish the bug” lower half mechanics because it gave kids an easy way to rotate the back foot.  But what was happening was these young hitters were getting into the bad habit of putting too much emphasis on back foot & ankle activation, which can result in a more dominant role of the upper body because the hips aren’t optimally swinging the bat.  As a result, the upper body has to chip in, thanks to poor hip engagement.  So, like Chas is saying, we turn the hip, which turns the knee, which turns the ankle, NOT the other way around.  Double loading and anchoring the back foot helps set the hips up for optimal thrust in the swing.

Lower Body Mechanics Myths:  get to the Toe

The idea that the back calf muscle does much more than support the weight of the hitter at contact is also an issue.  How many times have we heard a coach tell a hitter to ‘push’ with his back foot, or ‘drive his knee to the pitcher’? If the answer to that question is more than once…then really the answer is ‘too many’.   Trial two will consist of the ‘get on the toe’ position to see if we can generate rotational power

This time, after loading however you like, use your rear leg calf muscle to ‘push’ your weight forward onto your front foot while turning the hips.  Do you feel strong and balanced?  Did your head stay still?  Are you in an athletic position?  the answer to all these questions is ‘no’.  Also, if you’re gaining ground with your spine in the swing motion, how are you generating any torque within the core muscles of the body?

Now: make an adjustment.

This time, either coil or sway into your load, but this time, keep the rear knee inside the instep of the rear foot and the kneecap inside the tips of your toes.  This action, a D.I.L., weights the instep of the rear foot, creating a strong, immobile anchor, to allow the rear hip to turn the knee.  While doing this, keep the back foot straight.  you can lift the back foot heel, but do not turn the laces of your shoe.  Do this without turning the shoulders…so the hips are turned, the back foot is not…and the shoulders are still straight, with the lead shoulder pointing at the pitcher.  Feel that stretching torque inside your core?  Congratulations, you have found the thrusted position – the first step to unlocking the powerful and explosive force of lower body swinging.

1313064110 50 Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It 1313064110 23 Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It 1313064110 49 Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It

(Images 3-5 above: these are Chas Pippitt (me) using the Drive Developer and the I.T.S. Baseball Hitting system to build and improve the load and thrusted positions within the top level baseball swing.  I didn’t include a side view of my ‘Thrusted Position’ because it was blurry…so I used a slightly better player instead…)

1313064110 94 Anchoring the Back Foot & Hip Thrust: Why YOUR Swing Won’t Succeed Without It

(Image 7: Josh Hamilton’s beautiful lower body mechanic:  (1) Anchored Rear Foot (2) Hips turned, knee and foot still with the toes pointing towards the dugout with weight on instep of back foot)

Image Source: http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/06/hamilton-ab-4.html

The bottom line?

Never let your mechanics limit you.  Anyone can learn this, but few take the time to understand the truth about hitting. instead, many take the advice of people who ‘should know,’ instead of people who spend their lives researching, teaching, and theorizing about the art of hitting.

I look forward to talking more hitting in the future.  If you have questions, comments, or concerns please comment down below.  Chas Pippitt’s Baseball Hitting Rebellion Blog and SwingSmarter.com‘s mission is about uncovering the truths of hitting, improving ourselves as coaches, and our players as hitters.  Join the rebellion against conventional wisdom and help us at Swing Smarter continue our own education in the quest for the Holy Grail of Hitting: truly excellent and efficient swing mechanics.  Rebel with us, and welcome to the Movement!

**Numerous orthopedic surgeons were consulted in the writing of this article**

**Tim Coffield, former ACC player and CSCS certified strength coach contributed to this article.**

Chas Pippitt Bio

Chas Pippitt, owner of I.T.S. Baseball, LLC is the inventor of the Drive Developer (US Patent Pending) and the I.T.S. Baseball Hitting system philosophy.  Chas has done 8,000 individual lessons since 2006 and has devoted his life to hitting mechanics research and teaching as his full time job.  For more information, feel free to follow I.T.S. Baseball, LLC. on Facebook to get current hitting advice, posted videos, and new developments in the I.T.S. Baseball product line of hitting aids.  You can find the Drive Developer in The Starting Lineup.

Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name and do not put your website in the comment text, as both come off like spam. have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch & Tim Ferris for the inspiration)

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Manson man runs pickup truck on apple ethanol

August 8, 2011 By

Manson man runs pickup truck on apple ethanolWENATCHEE, Wash. —

Instead of fueling his truck at the gas station, Tim Bombaci is getting his fuel from his neighbors. his neighbors who own orchards, that is.

Over the past year, the Manson Middle School teacher developed and tested his own method of making ethanol out of apples that were slated for burial.

Using a wood splitter, a washing machine and a still, Bombaci produced enough ethanol in his backyard to drive his 1990 Ford pickup in Manson’s Apple Blossom Parade in may.

His goal now is to fuel the truck entirely with ethanol for a full year – or about 2,000 miles that he usually puts on the rig he uses as a farm truck. He also plans to enter it in Wenatchee’s Apple Blossom Parade next year, as well as Manson’s.

You’ll recognize his little blue Ranger by the Apple Powered logo on the door – a picture of an apple with flames shooting out.

Bombaci said his first tank of gas cost him about $200 a gallon – because of all the equipment he bought to make it. but now that he has all the machines and hoses and five-gallon buckets that he needs, all it takes to make his own fuel is a free bin of apples, a couple of cups of yeast, and enough electricity to keep a hot water heater going for a week.

That, plus about four hours of time gets him four gallons of pure, apple-grade ethanol.

It all started a few years ago, when Bombaci and a few friends were sitting around trying to figure out a use for all those cherries going to waste in orchards around Manson. there was a glut on the market, and some growers weren’t even picking them.

They talked about turning the wasted fruit into ethanol, which appealed to Bombaci on a few different levels. “There’s all kinds of reasons that this makes sense,” he said.

First, it creates a use for cherries, apple culls or other fruit that orchardists and packing houses can’t use. Eventually, if enough people want it, there would be a market for this waste, he said.

Second, compared to gasoline, ethanol releases very little carbon dioxide, so using it helps reduce greenhouse gases.

And third, the process is simple enough that anyone with a few thousand dollars to invest – or a few simple household machines – can do it.

“I was initially trying to make it so anybody anywhere in the world could do this,” he said. That’s why he used a wood chipper and a washing machine.

Bombaci said serving on a statewide committee that set standards for environmental education two years ago helped inspire him to actually follow through on the idea of turning orchard waste into fuel.

“I think that geared my thinking toward sustainability,” he said. “It made me think about interacting with my world, and thinking locally.”

He initially hoped it would be a school project, but there were too many roadblocks – such as putting a distillery on school property. Instead, he decided if Manson teachers want to use his project for their chemistry or business development classes, they’ll come to him.

Bombaci said the national discussion over use of ethanol includes both positive and negative consequences. He’d like to find out which are true for himself, and whether any of the obstacles can be overcome.

He noted that using fruit that would be otherwise wasted instead of corn already counters one of the biggest arguments against ethanol, because valuable cropland will not be turned over to ethanol production.

“Part of my goal is to open people’s eyes to what the possibilities are,” he said.

And while he may not develop his ideas into a business venture, he hopes one day to see local orchards selling their fruit culls to an ethanol production facility.

At the very least, he said, turning his 20-year-old pickup into an apple-burning vehicle seems worth a science experiment, especially if it leads to a new local industry, and a market for waste from one of the region’s oldest industries.

“This may not be the future, but I hope it’s pointing to the future,” he said.

Information from: the Wenatchee World, http://www.wenatcheeworld.com

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Two scouts want palm oil out of famous cookies

July 5, 2011 By

Two Michigan teenagers are spearheading a charge to remove palm oil from Girl Scout cookies in an effort to reduce environmental damage caused by growing palm trees. But the girls, who are scouts themselves, are facing push back from both palm plantations and Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

A lot of adult environmentalists have been trying for years to focus attention on tropical rain forests in southeast Asia, but it took two teenagers to get the issue on the front page of a national newspaper and on the network news.

Four years ago, Rhiannon Tomtishen and Madison Vorva started studying orangutans for a Girl Scouts project. What they learned inspired them to start a campaign to raise awareness of the damage that palm plantations are causing the great apes.

“I liked them at first because they are such a cute animal,” says Rhiannon, 15. “But they are also helpless. their rain forest, their home, is being cleared for these palm oil plantations and they have no say in it.”

In two decades, companies have cut down millions of acres of rain forest to plant palm trees and meet the skyrocketing demand for oil and biofuel. This releases huge amounts of greenhouse gases and shrinks habitat for rare animals like tigers, elephants, rhinoceroses and orangutans.

The girls decided to stop eating food with palm oil in it. That’s when they started looking at ingredient lists and learned that Girl Scout cookies are part of the problem.

“It was Girl Scout cookie season,” says Madison, 16. “And so we checked the ingredients and palm oil was an ingredient in Girl Scout cookies. I remember being so shocked and upset.”

Girl Scout cookies have lots of company. Palm oil is in baked goods, margarine candy and all kinds of packaged food. it became ubiquitous in U.S. supermarkets a few years ago, when companies were looking for alternatives to hydrogenated oils that contain trans-fat. That’s not to say palm oil is a health food — it’s full of saturated fat, a risk factor for heart disease. But it’s cheap. in many countries it has become the staple cooking oil.

Making The Sale To Change Oils

Rhiannon and Madison have their work cut out for them. for years they have been holding information sessions at their school, recruiting other scouts to their cause, working with environmental groups and talking to lots of media. their online petition to get palm oil out of Girl Scout cookies has 67,000 signatures.

Finally, a few weeks ago, they got a sit-down meeting with leaders of Girl Scouts of the United States of America. The girls shared their research and urged the leaders to take palm oil out of Girl Scout cookies.

“I kind of teared up during the meeting because I care about this so much. we showed them pictures of orangutans killed for the palm oil industry,” Madison says. “I think those pictures really resonated with me as a young kid but also today.”

The girls were frustrated to hear that palm oil will stay in the cookies.

Amanda Hamaker, who manages cookie sales for the organization, told them it’s too late to change the recipe for next year’s cookies.

“I mean, the cookie boxes have been printed,” Hamaker says.

She says her bakers tell her they need palm oil to make the cookies taste great and resist crumbling and spoiling. And so far, there is no affordable source of sustainable palm oil. Hamaker says she won’t do anything to jeopardize cookie sales because scouts need the money for camp, trips and charity projects.

But because of Rhiannon and Madison’s dedication, she’ll investigate changing future batches.

“We’re definitely researching palm oil and we’re going to continue to keep contact with the girls,” Hamaker says.

Pushback From The Palm Industry

The girls aren’t giving up, and there’s no question their campaign has resonated. in fact, they have even drawn attention across the globe in Southeast Asia.

The top officials overseeing palm plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia recently visited Washington, D.C., to improve the image of palm oil, and they disputed the girls’ positions. Malaysian Plantation Minister Bernard Dompok said his country protects orangutans and has pledged to keep half its land forested.

“We have enough laws in the country to prevent all this,” he said. “I think it’s time, perhaps, that some of these little girls get better informed on these things.”

Indonesia Agriculture Minister Suswono added that his country set up a conservation area for orangutans a few years ago and just announced a moratorium on converting primary forests to palm plantations.

Conservation groups say these policies still allow harmful destruction of rain forests but do indicate that Malaysia and Indonesia are being compelled to adopt more sustainable practices.

And the food industry is feeling the pressure, too.

For example, Kellogg’s says for every ton of oil it uses around the globe, it will subsidize sustainable palm oil by purchasing something called a GreenPalm certificate. The company owns the biggest baker of Girl Scout cookies, little Brownie Bakers.

Kellogg’s says when an affordable source of sustainable palm oil becomes available, the company will buy it.

Environmentalists who have worked on the issue for years are impressed with Rhiannon and Madison’s dedication and effectiveness.

“I think things will change, but I think they’ll change because of this pressure,” says Doug Boucher, a tropical forests expert for the Union of Concerned Scientists. “I’m one of those grown-ups that hasn’t been as successful as they have.” Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Two scouts want palm oil out of famous cookies

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A few new details regarding Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid

July 1, 2011 By

1309490411 61 A few new details regarding Toyota Prius plug in hybrid

Final details regarding the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid are still not fully clear, but the production version of the plug-in Prius will have some new features compared to the conventional Prius, as well as the prototype plug-in.

For example, instead of the 4 driving modes found in the current Prius, the new plug-in Prius will only have 3.

While today’s Prius starts in the normal/default mode with Eco, Power and EV options, the new Prius will start in EV mode with Eco and Power options. According to MotorTrend this could enable the plug-in Prius to save EV range for city driving, while functioning like a 50 mpg Prius when hitting the highway.

Additionally, the prototype plug-in Prius functions just like a conventional Prius once EV range is expired. consequently, until recharged, full EV mode was no longer possible.

The production plug-in Prius, however, can use regenerative and engine braking to recharge the battery pack enough so that EV range can be restored if conditions, such as stop-and-go traffic, enable such recharging. consequently, total EV range becomes a somewhat fluid number.

Unfortunately, no new details on the key issue, price.

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Powerful Performance

June 25, 2011 By

1308991217 47 Powerful PerformanceJoseph Noronha, Goa SP Aviation June 16, 2011

Over the decades, the military aviation industry has developed a bewildering array of advanced engines, each claiming to be of superior performance. However, as engines become more powerful, environmental concerns are correspondingly growing. Apart from raw power, military aero engine designers will increasingly need to pay attention to green parameters.

When it comes to military aircraft, whether meant for high-intensity combat or air transport, there’s a premium on performance. and the power plant is the very heart of performance. But for sheer power, look no further than the Pratt & Whitney F135. It is an afterburning turbofan specially developed for the keenly-awaited Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The F-35 is a family of stealthy, single-engine, fifth generation, multi-role fighter, under development in the United States. while the F-35A is a conventional take off and landing variant, the F-35B is a short take off and vertical-landing aircraft, and the F-35C is a carrier-based option. The same F135- claimed to be the world’s most powerful fighter engine- will power all three F-35 variants.The F135 is derived from the Pratt & Whitney F119- PW-100 that powers the US Air Force’s (USAF) battle-proven F-22 Raptor. It has a thrust of 43,000 lbf (191.3 kN) with afterburner and 28,000 lbf (128.1 kN) dry. It is a two-shaft engine featuring a three-stage low pressure (LP) fan and a sixstage high pressure (HP) compressor. The hot section has a short annular combustor with a single-stage HP turbine unit and a two-stage LP turbine. The F135 has approximately 40 per cent fewer parts than legacy engines, which contributes to its improved reliability. It includes advanced prognostics and health management systems. All line-replaceable components can be removed and replaced using a set of six common hand tools.The futuristic F135 engine originally had a close competitor-an engine designated the F136 and produced by the Fighter Engine Team (FET) comprising GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce. The F136 has a twin-spool, counter-rotating, low aspect ratio, axial flow compressor, an annular combustor, and an axial flow, counter-rotating turbine. Its claimed maximum thrust range is 40,000 lbf. Lagging behind the F135 in development, this capable engine is now in the doldrums-a victim of massive cuts in the US defence budget. But so high are the stakes that the FET recently sought the Pentagon’s permission to resume development of the F136, offering to spend a cool $100 million of their own money for the purpose.Fighter DuelsIn India, the hardware headlines have been dominated by the planned acquisition of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The longrunning MMRCA saga began with six contestants but four were dropped after failing to meet technical requirements, leaving only two aircraft-the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale-in contention for the $10.4 billion deal that could be inked by December.The front-running Typhoon’s twin EJ200 engines are manufactured by EuroJet Turbo GmbH consortium which comprises Rolls-Royce, MTU, Avio and ITP. These powerful turbofan engines, aided by the aircraft’s excellent aerodynamics, reportedly allow it to super-cruise (i.e. to cruise supersonically without the use of reheat) at between 1.2 and 1.5 Mach for long periods. The EJ200 is a lightweight engine with high strength and high temperature capability. It is a twin-shaft, afterburning turbofan, with three LP and five HP compressor stages, powered by two singlestage turbines (LP and HP). rather unusually for an advanced turbofan, the fan lacks variable camber inlet guide vanes (IGV). The combustor is annular with air-spray injectors. Engine control is by an integrated full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system. Each EJ200 has a dry thrust of 13,500 lbf (60 kN) while the thrust with afterburner is 20,250 lbf (90 kN).The Typhoon’s fierce rival, the French Rafale, also has twin engines-Snecma M88-2 turbofans. Each engine has a dry rating of 11,250 lbf (50 kN) while the thrust with afterburner is 17,000 lbf (75.6 kN). The M88-2 comprises a three-stage LP compressor with IGV, an annular combustion chamber, singlestage HP and LP turbines, a radial afterburner chamber, variable- section convergent flap-type nozzle and FADEC. It was designed with easy maintainability and reduced operating costs in mind. It consists of twenty-one modules for interchange and replacement repairs without the need for recalibration.then there are the four “also-rans” of the MMRCA shoot out, beginning with the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Lockheed Martin offered India the customised F-16IN Super Viper, which is based on the F-16E/F Block 60. It has one enhanced highthrust engine, the General Electric F110-GE-132A which can produce 32,500 lbf (144 kN) maximum thrust. This engine is derived from GE’s highly successful F110 engine family that powers the bulk of F-16C/Ds worldwide.The other American offering, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has twin General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans, each with dry thrust 14,000 lbf (62.3 kN) and thrust with afterburner 22,000 lbf (97.9 kN). Sweden’s contender was the Saab JAS 39 Gripen IN, an India-specific version of the Gripen NG, fitted with a single GE Aviation/Volvo Aero F414G engine. India’s own Tejas Mk II light combat aircraft is planned to be powered by one GE F414-GE-INS6 engine.Lastly, the Russian Mikoyan MiG-35 has twin Klimov RD-33MK afterburning turbofans with dry thrust 11,900 lbf (53.0 kN) each and thrust with afterburner 19,800 lbf (88.3 kN) each. The RD-33MK is the latest version of the RD-33 and is seven per cent more powerful than the baseline model. The engines can be fitted with vectored-thrust nozzles, which enable the MiG-35 to remain controllable for sustained periods in zero-speed and “negative-speed” (tailforward) situations without angle-of-attack limitations.Transport TrackingThe other massive current IAF deal is for the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III-a large multirole military transport aircraft. The C-17 is powered by four fully-reversible Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines. The F117-PW-100 is the same as the commercial PW2040 fitted on the Boeing B757. It has an axial compressor, an annular combustor and an eight-stage axial turbine. Each engine is rated at 40,440 lbf (179.9 kN) of thrust. The thrust reversers direct air upward and forward, reducing the chance of foreign object damage and providing the ability to back the aircraft on the ground.The IAF has already begun inducting the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules-a four-engine military transport aircraft. It is fitted with Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines with Dowty R391 composite scimitar propellers. The engine is a two-shaft gas turbine with a 14-stage HP compressor driven by a two-stage HP turbine. The LP shaft, driven by a two-stage power turbine, drives the compound planetary reduction gearbox connected to the propeller. The engine was the first to use dual FADECs to control both engine and propeller. Each engine produces 3,458 kW (4,637 shp). The Rolls-Royce AE 2100D2 powers the new Lockheed Alenia C-27J Spartan medium airlifter.The Airbus A400M is a large military transport aircraft under development, slated for first delivery in early 2013. It is fitted with four EuroProp TP400-D6 turboprop engines, manufactured by EuroProp International (EPI), a consortium formed by Rolls-Royce, ITP, MTU and Snecma. The compressor has five intermediate pressure (IP) stages and six HP stages.The turbine has one HP, one IP and three LP stages. Designed for optimum maintainability, a complete engine replacement can be done within four hours. The propellers on each wing turn in opposite directions, with the tips advancing from above towards the midpoint between the two engines. This is in contrast to the majority of multi-engine propeller-driven aircraft where propellers on the same wing turn in the same direction. It allows the aircraft to produce more lift, while lessening the torque and propeller wash on each wing. It also reduces yaw in the event of an outboard engine failure. Each engine develops 8,250 kW (11,000 shp). EPI claims that these are the largest turboprops ever made in the West. The world’s most powerful turboprop is the Russian dual-turbine Kuznetsov NK-12MP that drives huge eight-bladed (four per propeller) contra-rotating propellers with maximum power output 11,033 kW (14,795 shp).Green CombatOver the decades, the military aviation industry has developed a bewildering array of advanced engines, each claiming to be of superior performance. However, as engines become ever more powerful, environmental concerns are correspondingly growing. until now, combat aircraft have largely escaped the noise and emissions restrictions that civil aircraft are subject to, and their designers were free to concentrate on performance. But that’s changing. Now that the era of cheap oil seems well and truly over, even military aero engine designers are keen to pursue more fuel-efficient designs.in 2007, the USAF Research Laboratory awarded contracts to GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce to start developing new “green engine” technology. although still in its early stage, the programme involves the adaptive versatile engine technology (ADVENT) and the highly efficient embedded turbine engine (HEETE) concept. It is now more commonly known by its joint name AD-HEETE and is intended to give the military’s nextgeneration jet aircraft the ability to fly farther with less fuel. Its variable cycle core with an ultra-high pressure ratio combustor allows more air to bypass the engine during flight, letting the plane cruise without burning additional fuel. By controlling the airflow, the pilot can quickly shift from supersonic flight to subsonic cruising. a demonstration engine is expected to be ready for testing in 2013. If all goes according to plan, it could deliver an efficiency jump of as much as 30 per cent.Pratt & Whitney, whose star is in the ascendant following its F135 success, is also keen to develop a new family of military aero engines in the 20,000 to 35,000 lb class. Though information on the subject is still sketchy, these high-performance engines are likely to be based on a gearless version of the Pure- Power PW1000G geared turbofan series which is now under development for civilian aircraft like the Bombardier CSeries, Irkut MS-21 and Mitsubishi MRJ regional jet. Code named PW9000, a 30,000 lb thrust future engine could be developed for the fighter market. Among other possibilities, it would come in use to upgrade thousands of Boeing F-15s and Lockheed Martin F-16s. The new engine is expected to provide 18 per cent better fuel economy than the latest F100 series engines powering these fleets. Looking to the future, a PW9000 variant could also power the US Navy’s next-generation air dominance fighter, projected to enter service after 2025.Whatever else jet engines may be famous for, they are not quiet. indeed the experience of a large fighter jet taking off with maximum afterburner engaged is not recommended for the faint-hearted. in 2008, it was rumoured that the F-35 would be twice as loud at take-off as the F-15 Eagle and up to four times as loud during landing. This alarmed residents near some proposed F-35 bases and they requested the USAF to conduct environmental impact studies concerning the plane’s noise levels. It was later clarified that the F-35 noise levels are comparable to that of the F-22 Raptor and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Similarly, in response to criticism of its smoky predecessor engine, the Klimov RD-33MK engine is smokeless and includes systems to reduce infrared and optical visibility. in fact, with growing emphasis on stealth, efforts are on to reduce the aural and infrared signatures of other large military engines as well.for its part, EPI has secured civil type certification for the EuroProp TP400-D6 turboprop powering the A400M transport aircraft. Reportedly, it is the first large turboprop engine to have been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the first military engine to have been certified by EASA to civil standards from the outset. This is a trend that is likely to continue. Apart from raw power, military aero engine designers will increasingly need to pay attention to green parameters. after all, the more fuel-efficient an engine is, the farther its reach and the longer its time on station- both crucial indicators of combat aircraft performance.

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GM Begins Work On Electric Motor Factory

May 27, 2011 By

By Jonathan Welsh1306494609 11 GM Begins Work On Electric Motor FactoryGetty ImagesGeneral Motors’ new enthusiasm for electric cars comes too late for the EV1, which it phased out nearly a decade ago.

General Motors Co. says it broke ground today on an electric motor plant in White Marsh, Md., near Baltimore, where it will manufacture major components used in electric cars. GM says the plant, which is scheduled to open in 2013, will be the first by a big U.S. automaker to be dedicated to vehicle electrification.

The announcement shows a commitment to electric vehicles that is a far cry from the auto giant’s position a decade ago when it was phasing out the EV1, arguably the most advanced electric car available.

The project involves building an addition to a facility where the company currently builds two-mode hybrid powertrains and heavy-duty transmissions. General Motors described the planned design and production of electric motors at the plant as “a core business” in the production of electric and hybrid vehicles.

“We believe the future of sustainable transportation is electrically driven vehicles and this facility will help us maintain a leadership position within this category,” said Mike Robinson, GM’s vice president of energy, environment and safety policy.

Of course it is a stretch to say GM is leading the electric-car business today, but it certainly was a decade ago. back then the company’s battery-powered EV1 could go more than 130 miles on a charge (I drove one), and that was with old-fashioned nickel-metal hydride batteries.

I can only imagine how the departed car would perform today if GM has continued to develop it. Modern lithium ion cells could roughly double its range to somewhere around 250 miles. That’s enough for a trip from new York to Boston.

GM famously phased out and crushed its fleet of EV1s for reasons I still can’t quite fathom. Today the plug-in-hybrid Volt and its Nissan rival the Leaf are neat but really can’t hold a candle to the EV1. At least the new plant shows that GM has changed its approach to electric cars. But its previous leadership position is probably gone for good.

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