The Peltier Effect

The Peltier effect is something that was discovered on accident. It was discovered by Jean Charles Athanase Peltier while he was investigating electricity in 1834. Peltier took copper wire and bismuth wire and connected them and then to a battery. When it was turned on one junction became hot and the other became cold. He then realized that if he put the cold junction in an insulated bag it could be a portable refrigeration device. It then occurred to him that this was simply the reversal of the Seebeck effect. This was discovered in 1821 by Thomas Johann Seebeck. He discovered that if two dissimilar metals made a circuit it would conduct electricity if the two metals had different temperatures at the connection point. This information helped him in the full development of his device. Peltier became known as the first inventor of the refrigerator, and he may not have even known.
         For the peltier effect to work the direction of the heat transfer is dependent upon current polarity. The peltier effect happens due to a electric current and heat current being together in a homogeneous conductor staying even at a constant temperature. Once this was studied and perfect the cooler was created. The peltier cooler is a heat pump that transfers heat from one side of the cooler to the other working against the temperature gradient by using an electric current. The device can be used as both a heater and a cooler. Many people that use this device today use it for its cooling properties. The device has been used by many cooler companies. They put it inside one of their insulated coolers and people can take cold food or drink with them wherever they go. Another thing it is used for is to keep instruments at a steady temperature. Certain instruments are made out of special wood and materials and need to stay at a specific temperature in order to work properly, and have the best sound quality. The military uses it to help with certain electronic devices that need to stay cool. They are also put in dehumidifiers to help with water extraction from air. Even spacecraft uses this device. It balances the effects of direct sunlight by transferring the heat form that side of the craft to the shaded side. One of the great things bout this device is that it does not have any moving parts; so maintenance is not an issue.
       The down side is that they are inefficient. Unfortunately to dissipate the heat coming from the device a fan is also needed. This adds more cost to the product. Due to the level of electricity used the device can cause overheating and in some cases condensation. The issue at the moment is creating peltier coolers that are both efficient and affordable.

Sources:

Graham, Christopher Fox, and Lindsay D. "What Is the Seeback Effect ?" WiseGeek. Conjecture, 07 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Ratliff, Jen. "What Is the Peltier Effect?" WiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, 04 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

"The Peltier Effect." TechFAQ The Peltier Effect Comments. Memebridge, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Froboese, Klaus. "The Peltier Effect." The Peltier Effect. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Pandoras Promise

This blog is about the documentary called '' Pandora's Promise". It is about nuclear energy. The belief is that it could possibly save the earth from global warming. The energy that it provides could bring many, many people out of poverty; especially in developing countries. The documentary interviews scientists who have gone from extremely anti- nuclear to pro-nuclear. It also looks at peoples fears and concerns with the use of nuclear energy. The documentary itself is looked at as very controversial. Many people feel that our world should stay away from nuclear power because if it is used more the access to it will increase. This could create a rise in nuclear weapon activity.

        Many people feel that the nuclear industry is a killer industry. All that come out of it are killing utensils, bombs for example. This is what a protest is saying at the start of the film. They feel that we have so many other options like solar, wind, geothermal etc.. nuclear simply isn't a necessity.No other energy source leaves a visible presence that can be deadly. It makes sense why people are frightened.  It then switches to the people who were anti and have now switched to pro. At first they felt the same as the protesters. They would be in a panic mode just talking about nuclear power plants. It was not until they studied what it is really all about that they switched their stance. Two scientists who are pro nuclear went to Fukushima in Japan to see what really went on there. Many know about the disaster there where the plant was pretty much destroyed due to an earthquake and tsunami. After going there one of the scientists says that he is not sure if he will be pro nuclear by the end of the trip. Seeing the devastation really surprised and terrorized him. What helps put nuclear energy in a negative light, is that it originated for the purpose of making the atomic bomb during WWII. Right away people think of bombs and devastation, when associated with nuclear power. People think of it mostly as a weapon rather than an energy source. People living in the 50s had nightmares of their towns being blown up. That generation wants nothing to do with anything nuclear. Cartoons like "The Simpsons" showed the evil or danger stenotype of nuclear energy by making the evil character the owner of a nuclear power plant. Radioactivity can be a cause of cancer, which is probably the number one fear. There are many people however, that do believe that nuclear energy is the best solution.

Len Koch is a pioneering nuclear engineer. He talks about how when he worked for the nuclear business it was brand new. Nuclear energy was just starting to be discussed as a possibility. This was in the 1940s. He learned that one pound of uranium, which is the size of a fingertip, its energy is equivalent to 5,000 barrels of oil. That is pretty amazing. It is a clean source of energy. It really has nothing to do with weapons. The problem is getting society to believe and understand that. Richard Rhodes, a science and activism journalist was extremely anti-nuclear like many of his fellow journalists. It was not until he talked to the experts in the field that he understood what they were really doing and changed his outlook. He then understood that nuclear energy is not what the activists think it is. There was a movie called the "China Syndrome", which said that if the core was exposed for any reason the plant would melt and create a whole from the U.S through to China. It would essentially be an apocalyptic event. One issue with this theory is that china is on the other side of the world and the whole would not even get there. It was not a logical or plausible theory. People didn't realize how power plants really worked. Whether people like it or not nuclear most likely is going to be a part of the global warming efforts because it does not produce CO2. Civilizations without a normal amount of electricity have a lower life span. It is needed for cooking and bathing and keeping things fresh. Energy always has to be there and in a strong way. That is why other alternatives of production are necessary. If poor countries become wealthier more energy will be needed. There has not been a death resulting from commercial nuclear reactors in the United States. Tritium is being released from the plants. Eating one banana however, will give more radiation than drinking all the tritium water that may come from the plants in one day. Tritium is natural occurring hydrogen isotope.

The myths are what creates the most issues. The biggest argument is that the united nations covered up Chernobyl. They say that a million people were effected and died due to this event. They say that all of the world health corporation and united nations and many more health corporations created the biggest cover up. The document released says that 4.000 were effected. For people to believe that this cover up took place is pretty unrealistic. The reason is because it would have taken several groups and organizations to agree on this cover up and plan it. It is pretty impossible and the film says "ridiculous".
At the end of the day it really is a back and forth battle. I do not know if nuclear energy will ever be our main source but I will not pick a side until I feel I know a good amount about both sides.

MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory

This week the class visited the Nuclear Reactor created by MIT. It is a research reactor. This means that it is used simply for experimental reasons. If it was working reactor it would be used to power buildings and homes. We were given a lecture first, to explain what we were about to see. It was interesting to learn about why they reactor is in use.

       The reactor is a cooling reactor used with light water. The reactor is a research reactor made up of light and heavy water. The light water runs through the core and tank the reactor. Light water is compared to the water we use in everyday life. The heavy water is on the bottom, or the core, and I used as a reflector. They put a thick layer of concrete around the core that's a barrier around the heavy water. They use stainless steel and aluminum. The issue is that if there were to be some sort of natural disaster that could bump up the heat in the room it can cause the reactor to melt letting out the radiation which is very dangerous for the staff and the public. They have been working hard at MIT to find a new material that can withstand higher temperatures than steel. There is one material in the process of being made but it will take a lot of testing and finding enough of the material to build a reactor. However, steps are being made.
       When the reactor was first being used for testing and experiments, studies were being worked on to see if the reactor could help with cancer somehow. The scientists came up with Boron neutron capture therapy. This is when a non radioactive isotope is injected into the cancer patient that Is supposed to locate the tumor. This isotope it supposed to capture neurons. Then the patient goes through radiation with neutrons which is supposed to destroy the damaged tissue and keep the healthy tissue untouched. It was targeted for brain cancer patients. The problem was that in the process of killing the bad tissue it would also kill some of the healthy tissue. This eventually shut down. So far there hasn't been too many developments in this study. The tour guide said that there hasn't been a doctor doing medical studies at the lab for years.
         It is used to train people on how a reactor works, if they are going to work at a plant. It is used for many testing's and experiments. It has been used for medical studies having to do with different types of radiation therapy. They also use it for fission engineering. I enjoyed going through the lab and getting a real perspective on all that goes on in the lab. The room that was very interesting was the control room. Everything is set at specific levels and cannot be changed. I wondered what it would take to know what level it needed to be. It showed me how smart these scientists and workers really are. It seemed like a complicated process. The security of the reactor was very interesting. Someone physically has to sit and watch a couple screens of security throughout the day and make sure there is not a problem. This could be long and tiring. The man that runs the control room told us that he brings projects and work with him to keep busy so that sleep isn't a thought. If no one were to keep an eye on the reactor and there was an issue it would be detrimental to everyone inside and the public.
       I really enjoyed the tour and was fascinated by almost everything. It was out of my comfort zone, so it was difficult to understand some things but I tried my best to.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

Many places around the world have nuclear power plants. They are used to create steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator in order to produce electricity. All this is done using a nuclear reactor as the main heating source. Japan has a huge plant called Fukushima Daiichi. In 2011 something terrible happened there that effected not only the plant but the citizens of japan as well.

         On March 11, 2011 an earthquake hit the east coast of northern Japan. It was said that it was one of the largest earthquakes in the history of the world. This was devastating enough for japan but this was not the only natural disaster to strike that day. The earthquake was so large it generated a tsunami. The tsunami is what effected the power plant. It disabled the power and cooling supply of three of the Fukushima reactors. They melted after three days. High radioactive material was released from the plant into society. It was the largest accident since Chernobyl. It measured a 7 on the international nuclear event scale. The tsumani went over the plants seawall and flooded the room where the emergency generators were located. The diesel generators failed, thus stopping the power to the pump that was circulating coolant water to the Generator II reactor for many days to keep it from melting. The emergency pumps ran out a day later and the reactors started to overheat. Then numerous hydrogen-air chemical explosions occurred. In Unit 1-3 of the plant zirconium fuel cladding-water reaction was producing 800-1000kg of hydrogen gas and when everything began to melt and be released from the reactor pressure vessel it was mixed with air creating the explosions. Although no one died due to the plant disaster, scientists and doctors believe that the risk of cancer is at a much higher rate in the areas surrounding the plant, due to the release of radioactive material. there was a major evacuation of the area after the incident. Due to transportation, new living arrangements, and hospital closures due to the earthquake, 1,600 people died as of August 2013. World Health Organization did a report after the event. They stated that people living in the areas surrounding Fukushima now have a higher risk of thyroid cancer for women, and some cancer risks for babies and infants. Not many for men or children due to the type of radiation. tFemale babies exposed are now at a 6% chance of breast cancer and a 70% chance of thyroid cancer. Male babies are at 7% chance of getting leukemia.
              After this all occurred, Japan elected a commission group to investigate what went on at Fukushima. What they found was surprising. They believe that the whole disaster could have been avoided. The commission says that Fukushima was not built to withstand earthquakes or tsunamis properly. Nothing was done to prepare. They said three things needed to be done. 1. asses the probability of damage 2. prepare for collateral damage from a disaster and 3. set up evacuation plans for the towns surrounding Fukushima in the event of a disaster. In 2013 a report that water was being contaminated by nuclear radiation came to the attention of the government. The water near the plant was searched and sure enough a few storage tanks were leaking. It was studied and proven to be a very low amount that as of right now will not be a threat.
            Japan is now strategizing new ways to power the country. They are trying to ease off of nuclear power to diminish the probability of more incidents. Japan has working on switching over to renewable energy generation. This has increased 2.08 million kw in 2012. This is the amount that three power plants would produce. Wind energy has become more prominent. Near shore and off shore turbines have been established. In 2012 the wind power generation capacity was 63,000kW. Biomass generation capacity has also been used and is growing. In 2013 it has increased 38,000 kW. They are using hydroelectric power plants. They are being set up in mountain streams, rivers, and public water supplies. Water goes into pipes and turns small turbines. It is a small amount of electricity produced, but comes in handy when powering mountain offices and restrooms for hikers and tourists. Solar power has also gone up. Geothermal and hydropower however have been little to none. Right now Japan is relying on thermal energy as the main source; but are working to have renewable energy as the main source. The plan however is going to take 30-40 years. Japans next step is to find ways to keep these alternative sources going and make them stronger.


Sources:

 

"Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

"Workers Reconnect Fukushima Pipe." Fukushima Accident. World Nuclear News, 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

Connel, Sean. "Checking In on Japan's Renewable Energy Capacity." Green Conduct News. Green Conduct, 27 Aug. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

News, Penza. "Alternative Energy Sources Won’t Fully Cover Japan’s Energy Needs – Analysis." Eurasia Review. N.p., 26 July 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

"Japan's Alternative Energy Initiative - Wind Power Generation & Technology." Japan Alternative Energy Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

How does a solar cell work? Experiment

The experiment this week focused on solar cells. How it works is by generating a voltage on the two wires by shining light onto them. Sunlight hits the material and the lights energy is absorberd by the material. Then the material extracts the electron flow out, creating a voltage. Solar cells are 21% efficient. They are more efficient than a light bulb, but not by much. A light bulb is only 10% efficient. I was very surprised by this. Light bulbs is everyone's main source of light in their homes, I figured there would be a higher efficiency. The point of the experiment was to measure the voltage produced by the light, that would shine on the solar cell. We would study light intensity as well. The higher the energy the higher the voltage. The ultimate goal of the experiment was to look at the amount of voltage that would generate by the provolatic effect in a silicon solar cell. How? By looking at light vs. Distance. The farther away the light will be the lower the intensity. We used a small cell, flashlight, and colored filters. The colors were to block certain wavelengths. So we took the solar cell and first calculated the voltage at 0cm without light; directly against the flashlight. Next it was 0cm with light. Then 4cm, 8cm, 12cm, and 16cm. As predicted, the farther away the flashlight was, the lower the number was. Next was the color filters. We had yellow, blue, green, and red. Blue, green, and red all had a similar number but yellow's was higher. This is because more light was able to get through yellow. Yellow is a close color to what the sun is. Therefore, the amount of light that will get through is greater than other colors. Here are the two graphs created for the experiment:

Solar Energy efforts around the world

Science has been working hard to find solutions to the greenhouse emissions dilemma. Solar energy is something that has been studied for years. It is the process where the light and heat that come off of the suns rays are absorbed in solar panels and converted into energy. This innovation has been sweeping the globe. Many countries are becoming aware of this new energy process and are putting it to use. The issue of course is the fact that the sun is not always out. This means that the energy may lessen when it is a cloudy day. Places where sun is almost always out, like California, have been using this system. But California is not the only place. More and more states and countries are getting involved. Some are even tweaking and fine tuning the system.
           Dr. Sivananthan has been working for the United States for many years. He has studied energy and solar energy very closely. He has come up with a new method that will assist solar panels. He worked hard and came up with a crystal called cadmium telluride. This crystal is used as a high semiconductor that is used to turn sunlight into electricity. His work is helping to improve the SunShot incubator initiative. This is what has been established in order, to try and find ways to lower solar costs. The new crystal will give a more efficient guarantee to the panels. In California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Arizona a company called Sun Number exists. Their website is easy to use and allows customers a chance to see if they qualify for solar paneling. What I mean is that they can go on this site, put in their address, and the company will tell them how much money they would be saving if they switch to solar.
         In Quatar, Hamad Suleiman al-Ghafiri  is honored for his solar efforts. He is just a simple resident of Quatar, but thought that solar energy would be a more efficient way to power his home. He decided to harness the suns energy, with that he has been able to work electrical appliances, grow his corn and barley and lighting his house. Quatar is trying hard to get more people in the state involved in the solar movement. If more people think like Hamad, then many problems could be solved. In the U.S the department of agriculture and the department of commerce are trying hard to get utility companies on board in creating a solar energy infrastructure in the deserts of the southwest. Another U.S development is using mirrors or focus lenses to increase sunlight on cloudy days. This would keep the energy going like normal. England has created a system called FIT. FIT is set up to reduce the ROI for solar PV systems. A resident will receive a monthly payment by the utility company for every kilowatt- hour generated and used at the home. The excess is paid by the utility company in a high fixed rate.  Spain and Italy however did not anticipate how popular solar energy would become. They are working to have enough supplies and companies that are able and willing to set the system up. Spain is struggling to get enough materials and had to decrease solar use. India, like the U.S, has large areas of land that could set up solar infrastructures. China is by far one of the most popular when it comes to solar use. They used 50% of the worlds solar electricity in 2010. China is trying to have solar power facilities more than residential areas. These buildings use a lot of energy and it would be more efficient to switch them over first.
          Clean energy subsidies are happening in most countries, but Sweden has done the most. They have a policy where they require utility companies to supply fixed levels of power that is renewable or buy credits that can be traded to make up if their is a difference. Germany is subsidizing clean power generators, which they need to stop doing because it is actually costing more money for consumers. Germany is having a difficult time switching energy policies without amping up the cost. Sweden was able to do this smoothly, without a price leap. What is needed now is for Germany, and other countries to find a way to subsidize their energy without hurting consumers pockets.
         
Sources:

Nicola, Stefan. "Germany Urged to Copy Sweden's Clean-Energy Subsidies." Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 05 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

"Energy.gov." Solar. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

"Ministry Honours Qatari for Solar Energy Efforts." Gulf-Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

 

"World.eduNewsBlogsCoursesJobsPartners." Worldedu Solar Energy Incentives around the World Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing

Lately it seems like the hottest topic is Global Warming. It should be something that everyone takes seriously, because it effects all of us ! The government and scientists have been working hard to figure out ways to slow down global warming by reducing fossil fuel emissions. This has not been easy. There have been numerous ideas and experiments. It seems like we are getting closer to finding a solution but are not quite there yet.  However, many scientists believe strongly in Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing or "Hydro-fracturing". Some believe that this system could be exactly what me need.

        Hydro-fracturing is the process in which people can safely recover natural gas and oil from the ground. Sand, water and other elements are mixed together. they create a paste. This goes down what is called a wellbore; it is simply a tube. Then the mixture goes into different parts of the wellbore and fracturing it, the rest goes into areas that have cracks that need keep it open. A plug is then used to generate energy and add pressure to the foundation,, this maximizes the fractures. After the plug is removed the pressure is released. The mixture stays in place and this allows the fractures to open and natural gas and oil can go through. Oil and natural gas then reach the surface and can be stored. It is somewhat of a complex well system. Water and sand are 98% of the mixture needed. This is excellent because these are two ingredients we have a significant amount of.
       What makes it safe is the fact that the fracturing is being done thousands of feet below. The main focus is that the process be done far enough down that there would not be air contamination. Another concern is well water. Many people use the well system for their houses. The areas that are being used for fracturing, due to law, have to be thousands of feet away from each other and protected by huge rock barriers. The EPA have been working closely with the fracturing companies and the government to assure the health and environmental safety of the citizens in the fracturing areas. Right now EPA is doing a study to see if hydraulic fracturing would effect drinking water. This study will not be available for full view unfortunately until 2014.
        This method would be a cheaper alternative to what we are doing now. The natural gas itself is a cheap kind. This would allow for cheaper utilities and an eventual cheaper pricing for consumers. With this new method and the production of the natural gas ethane, jobs would be forming. It is said that this has the potential to create over 400 thousand new jobs. The economy would be making 132 billion dollars. The production would be domestic rather than imported. That would also created a cheaper cost for consumers; and because it would be a U.S product it would boost our economy at the same time.
        Well with most things there is a positive and a negative. In this case there are many positives. But unfortunately there are some negatives.  In 2011 it came about that there was an increased amount of methane in drinking water near the fracting sites. This is an obvious problem because many people use tap water. People began switching to bottled water for almost all water needs. This was in northern Pennsylvania and New York. In Wyoming, many people were becoming ill after the fracting site in Casper was established. There were reporting's of rare cancers, seizer disorders and other diseases. After the wells were tested 11 out of the 39 had traces of arsenic and cobalt in them. This of course was a scare for the residents, however the fracturing company EnCanna Corp. believes that this is not the cause of the rise in illness. The next step would have to be more research. As it seems the fracturing process is a great concept, but if the effects are going to effect human health than what good is it. The whole reason behind this invention is to help with the slowing of global warming, which is helping save us. But if this process is hurting us anyway then maybe we need to rethink our plan.


Sources:

"EPA." 's Study of Hydraulic Fracturing and Its Potential Impact on Drinking Water Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2013.

 

Groff, David. "Davidngroff." Davidngroff. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2013.

 

Buchanan, Russ. "The Negative Effects of Hydraulic Fracturing | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 31 May 2011. Web. 03 Oct. 2013.

Voltage Experiment

This weeks experiment was difficult for me. At first I had difficulty figuring out how the amounts were to be calculated. After a quick review, me and my group were ready to go. The experiment was to plug in a device and shake it. The energy created could power devices. We learning in class about alternate ways of receiving energy. We needed to pick a speed and shake it while counting how many shakes we were making in 30 seconds. The lab view application would calculate the voltages of energy. The next step was putting our data into an excel sheet. The number of shakes, sum of the shakes, voltages, and sum of the voltages. Here is our data.
First Attempt: we had calculated 10 shakes in 30 seconds. Then we had to do the sum of the squares. We used the formula SUMSQB1,B30 this gave us 97.38186506. The next amount was the sum of the voltages with the same formula just different squares we got 0.383325203.
Second Attempt: we had 30 shakes. The sum of the squares came out to be 97.38186506. Then the sum of the voltages came out to be 0.825472058.
Third Attempt: this attempt we had 50 shakes, the sum came out be 97.38186506, and the sum of the voltages is 53.80326587.
Fourth Attempt: we had 60 shakes, 97.38186506 is the sum of the shakes, and 72.50162075 is the sum of the voltages.
Fifth Attempt: we had 70 shakes, the sum of the shakes came out to 97.38186506 and the sum of the voltages was 58.29262387.

One thing I did notice was that the sum of the squares always came to the same number, which could have been because seconds were always 30.