----- Original Message -----
From: RC Macaulay
"Pax's projects also take a cue from a design theory called
biomimicry, coined by Janine Benyus, who wrote a seminal book on
the subject in 1997. Biomimicry argues that nature uses only the
energy it needs, fits form to function, and recycles everything.
So why not design products the same way?"
http://www.pc-news.org/turning-natures-design-into-scientific-breakthrough/internet-news/
Yes, excellent insight. Richard (aka Mr. Watson, or is he the real
Sherlock?) did not state it explicitly - so at the risk of putting
words into his mouth, let me add that biomimicry is an apt analogy
in this particular case particularly because - just as nature uses
hydrogen peroxide as a key component of every human's energy
cycle - (and most plants and insects as well) - the automobile can
use an almost identical system, and benefit greatly.
That is because peroxide can be made continuously and economically
in small systems, using only water and oxygen and metal
catalysts - and ambient heat - and is not only a superior oxidizer
but also has fuel value of its own, allowing perhaps a doubling of
expected mileage under the same circumstances - and a ten-fold
increase in the optimized case (i.e. going from 15 MPG to 150 MPG
in a hybrid with small genset).
The obvious question you might ask: why don't manufacturers do
this now instead of the cumbersome anthraquinone process? The
answer is complex and historical. First there is no large market
of small users (as for gasoline); second, the large users
(papermills, chemical companies, etc) make their own peroxide and
are locked into existing plants; third: many of the newer
techniques are much better suited to making kilograms per hour
instead of megatons per hour; plus there is little economy of
scale in the newer techniques - in that there is simply not enough
"ambient heat" for megaton production - and the cost of adding
heat is a major problem for large quantities which does not exist
in the kilogram category.
Jones
Original posting:
Notwithstanding that major breakthrough, the hybrid car itself
will need no large engine, just a tiny genset - similar in size to
a present day turbocharger - except that the compressor-end is
gone and replaced with a high speed electrical generator -
operating at only one speed (100,000 RPM) and about 20 kW output -
used to keep the batteries charged for longer trips than the 10
miles they can go with no genset.
This is basically a tiny steam engine. A slightly larger radiator
is there, but it is used to condense some of the steam back to
water so that less need be carried. The steam is made mostly from
water which has been converted onboard into HTP (high test
peroxide), but zero HTP (which is dangerous) is carried aboard the
vehicle.
How can that be??? Simple, my dear Watson - it is all manufactured
and enriched continuously and "just in time" (as detailed in the
next posting).
