Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Hydrogen- For Fuel
HYDROGEN - AN ENERGY CARRIER
An energy carrier is a substance or system that moves energy in a usable form from one place to another. Electricity is the most well-known energy carrier. We use electricity to move the energy in coal, uranium, and other energy sources from power plants to homes and businesses. We also use electricity to move the energy in flowing water from hydropower dams to consumers. It is much easier to use electricity than the energy sources themselves.
Like electricity, hydrogen is an energy carrier and must be produced from another substance. Hydrogen is not widely used today but it has great potential as an energy carrier in the future. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of resources (water, fossil fuels, biomass) and is a byproduct of other chemical processes. Unlike electricity, large quantities of hydrogen can be easily stored to be used in the future. Hydrogen can also be used in places where it’s hard to use electricity. Hydrogen can store the energy until it’s needed and can be moved to where it’s needed.
HOW IS HYDROGEN MADE?
Since hydrogen doesn't exist on earth as a gas, we must separate it from other elements. We can separate hydrogen atoms from water, biomass, or natural gas molecules. The two most common methods for producing hydrogen are steam reforming and electrolysis (water splitting). Scientists have even discovered that some algae and bacteria give off hydrogen.
Steam reforming is currently the least expensive method of producing hydrogen and accounts for about 95 percent of the hydrogen produced in the United States. It is used in industries to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane(CH4). Because methane is a fossil fuel, the process of steam reforming results in greenhouse gas emissions that are linked with global warming.
Electrolysis is a process that splits hydrogen from water. It results in no emissions but it is currently a very expensive process. New technologies are being developed all the time. Hydrogen can be produced at large central facilities or at small plants for local use. Every region of the country (and the world) has some resource that can be used to make hydrogen. Its flexibility is one of its main advantages.
USES OF HYDROGEN
About 7.8 million metric tonnes (17.6 billion pounds) of hydrogen are produced in the United States today, enough to power 20-30 million cars or 5-8 million homes. Nearly all of this hydrogen is used by industry in refining, treating metals, and processing foods. Most of this hydrogen is produced in just three states: California, Louisiana, and Texas.
An energy carrier is a substance or system that moves energy in a usable form from one place to another. Electricity is the most well-known energy carrier. We use electricity to move the energy in coal, uranium, and other energy sources from power plants to homes and businesses. We also use electricity to move the energy in flowing water from hydropower dams to consumers. It is much easier to use electricity than the energy sources themselves.
Like electricity, hydrogen is an energy carrier and must be produced from another substance. Hydrogen is not widely used today but it has great potential as an energy carrier in the future. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of resources (water, fossil fuels, biomass) and is a byproduct of other chemical processes. Unlike electricity, large quantities of hydrogen can be easily stored to be used in the future. Hydrogen can also be used in places where it’s hard to use electricity. Hydrogen can store the energy until it’s needed and can be moved to where it’s needed.
HOW IS HYDROGEN MADE?
Since hydrogen doesn't exist on earth as a gas, we must separate it from other elements. We can separate hydrogen atoms from water, biomass, or natural gas molecules. The two most common methods for producing hydrogen are steam reforming and electrolysis (water splitting). Scientists have even discovered that some algae and bacteria give off hydrogen.
Steam reforming is currently the least expensive method of producing hydrogen and accounts for about 95 percent of the hydrogen produced in the United States. It is used in industries to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane(CH4). Because methane is a fossil fuel, the process of steam reforming results in greenhouse gas emissions that are linked with global warming.
Electrolysis is a process that splits hydrogen from water. It results in no emissions but it is currently a very expensive process. New technologies are being developed all the time. Hydrogen can be produced at large central facilities or at small plants for local use. Every region of the country (and the world) has some resource that can be used to make hydrogen. Its flexibility is one of its main advantages.
USES OF HYDROGEN
About 7.8 million metric tonnes (17.6 billion pounds) of hydrogen are produced in the United States today, enough to power 20-30 million cars or 5-8 million homes. Nearly all of this hydrogen is used by industry in refining, treating metals, and processing foods. Most of this hydrogen is produced in just three states: California, Louisiana, and Texas.
GEMMOLOGY - WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Gemstones have intrigued us throughout history and are desired for beauty, rarity, durability, tradition, and portability. Some believe minerals and gems possess magical powers, which accounts for their reputation as symbols of wealth, power, healing, and love. This course will not emphasize the magic, but will give an introduction to gems and gemology. Gemology is a branch of mineralogy that is concerned with the study of gem materials, including identification and testing methods, cutting and polishing, synthetically manufactured gems, precious metals and alloys, sources and origins, and grading and appraising.
Gemstones have intrigued us throughout history and are desired for beauty, rarity, durability, tradition, and portability. Some believe minerals and gems possess magical powers, which accounts for their reputation as symbols of wealth, power, healing, and love. This course will not emphasize the magic, but will give an introduction to gems and gemology. Gemology is a branch of mineralogy that is concerned with the study of gem materials, including identification and testing methods, cutting and polishing, synthetically manufactured gems, precious metals and alloys, sources and origins, and grading and appraising.
Future Food
Want to see a predication fly clean over the mark, veer to the left and auger into a stone wall? Then consider the case for future food. Look at any of the prognostications about what the Dinner of Tomorrow would be like and you'd probably find something on the order of the Soylent Green factory on the left. Whether the raw material was people, soy, or chemicals, the end product was something that looked suspiciously like floppies and tasted about the same.
Granted, there are any number of microwave meals that are indistinguishable from the packaging, but that's the fault of convenience rather than necessity and it's equally possible to get a meal that's more like the dinner above that used to be served aboard Concorde. In fact, if you walk into any supermarket you'll see something that just about everyone missed: overwhelming abundance and staggering choices. Whether the future was going to be one of rationing or full bellies, the one thing that both the optimists and pessimists agreed on in the area of food was that the exploding population of the Earth would mean that even in the wealthiest countries people would be relying on synthetic foods for most of their calories. I mean, once the United States reached a population of 200 million what choice would they have but to make steaks out of coal tar? No one imagined that the 21st century would be a time when obesity would be a major public health issue, food shortages would be more a matter of corrupt governments instead of absolute shortages, or that the average shopper in industrialised nations would be faced with sixteen varieties of apples to select from year 'round.
Granted, there are any number of microwave meals that are indistinguishable from the packaging, but that's the fault of convenience rather than necessity and it's equally possible to get a meal that's more like the dinner above that used to be served aboard Concorde. In fact, if you walk into any supermarket you'll see something that just about everyone missed: overwhelming abundance and staggering choices. Whether the future was going to be one of rationing or full bellies, the one thing that both the optimists and pessimists agreed on in the area of food was that the exploding population of the Earth would mean that even in the wealthiest countries people would be relying on synthetic foods for most of their calories. I mean, once the United States reached a population of 200 million what choice would they have but to make steaks out of coal tar? No one imagined that the 21st century would be a time when obesity would be a major public health issue, food shortages would be more a matter of corrupt governments instead of absolute shortages, or that the average shopper in industrialised nations would be faced with sixteen varieties of apples to select from year 'round.
Flower Therapy
Flower Therapy
These medicines are prepared by putting flower in a pot of water exposed to noon sunlight for about three hours. Essence thus ready is mixed with alcohol for preservative purposes and dispensed in liquid or pill forms.Flower medicines treats the "negative feelings" like anger, fear guilt, inferiority complex, lack of confidence, negative expectancy, envy, jealousy etc. by flooding the consciousness with positive feelings. In flower medicines "disturbed" feelings, moods, attitudes are taken as base for the selection of medicine. Bach found these "imbalances" in the personality as the "core element of disease".
These medicines are prepared by putting flower in a pot of water exposed to noon sunlight for about three hours. Essence thus ready is mixed with alcohol for preservative purposes and dispensed in liquid or pill forms.Flower medicines treats the "negative feelings" like anger, fear guilt, inferiority complex, lack of confidence, negative expectancy, envy, jealousy etc. by flooding the consciousness with positive feelings. In flower medicines "disturbed" feelings, moods, attitudes are taken as base for the selection of medicine. Bach found these "imbalances" in the personality as the "core element of disease".
- Agrimony - for those who hide worries behind a brave face
- Aspen - for apprehension for no known reasons
- Beech - for those who are critical and intolerant of others
- Centaury - for those who are weak-willed, exploited or imposed upon
- Cerato - for those who doubt their own judgement, seeking confirmation of others
- Cherry Plum - for uncontrolled, irrational thoughts
- Chestnut Bud - for those who refuse to learn by experience and continually repeat the mistakes
- Chicory - for those who are over possessive - (self-centered) - clinging and over-protespecially of loved ones
- Clematis - for those who are inattentive, dreamy, absent-minded, for mental escapism
- Crab Apple - the 'Cleanser' - for self-disgust/detestation - for those who are ashamed of ailments
- Elm - for those who are overwhelmed by inadequacy and responsibility
- Gentian - for despondency
- Gorse - for pessimism, defeatism, 'oh what's the use!'
- Heather - for those who are talkative, (obsessed with own troubles and experiences)
- Holly - for hatred, envy, jealousy, suspicion
- Honeysuckle - for those living in the past - nostalgic - for home-sickness
- Hornbeam - for 'Monday morning' feeling - procrastinationImpatiens - for impatience and irritabilityLarch - for lack of self-confidence, feeling of inferiority, fear of failure
- Mimulus - for fear of known things, shyness, timidity
- Mustard - for 'dark cloud' that descends, making one saddened and low for no known reason
- Oak - for those who are normally strong/courageous, but no longer able to struggle bravely against illness or adversity
- Olive - for those who are fatigued, drained of energy
- Pine - for guilt complex - those who blame themselves even for mistakes of others and are always apologizing
- Red Chestnut - for those obsessed by care and concern for others
- Rock Rose - for those who are suddenly alarmed, scared, panicky
- Rock Water - for those who are rigid-minded, self-denying
- Scleranthus - for uncertainty/ indecision/ vacillation - for fluctuating moods
- Star of Bethlehem - for all the effects of serious news, of fright following an accident, etc.
- Sweet Chestnut - for utter dejection, bleak outlook
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