Tidal Power

As time moves on, more and more power is consumed throughout the world.  Scientists are constantly looking for alternative power sources.  They are looking to sources of power that can last forever, known as renewable energy sources.

One up-and-coming renewable power source is known as tidal power.  Tidal power is produced by the surge of the ocean during the rising and falling of tides.

Tidal power is still in its' developing stages, there are very few commercial tidal power sources throughout the world.  There is a lot of politics involved with tidal energy.  First, the impact on the environment is not quite known.  The turbines that are placed in the water can affect the tide there, and therefore harm the environment.  Second, there are legal concerns with who owns the underwater land where turbines are placed to harness the tidal energy.

There are three ways to harness tidal energy: tidal streams, barrages, and tidal lagoons.  Tidal streams use a turbine placed in a fast moving body of water, which are used to turn a generator, generating power(Society, 2012).

Barrages use a dam to build up a body of water.  Once the body of water builds up, water can run over the top of the dam, which turns the turbines that are placed there.  This turns a generator, and generates power.  The downfall of barrages is that they are expensive, and significantly impact the environment around the dam(Society, 2012).

http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/images/stories/tidal/alt93.gif

This video gives a brief tutorial as to how barrages are used to generate tidal energy.

Finally, tidal lagoons use a man-made pool of water to generate energy.  Tidal lagoons function much like a barrage, but without harming the environment.  The downfall of tidal lagoons is how expensive it is initially, and the low power output it produces(Society, 2012).

This video gives a brief overview as to how tidal lagoons use the tide of the ocean to generate power.

Overall, tidal energy is an alternative energy source that is in the developing stages.  While showing promise, harvesting tidal energy can be difficult and does not result in a large power output.  Overall, tidal energy is not plausible as an alternative energy source.


Works Cited:

Society, N. G. (2012, October 09). Tidal energy. Retrieved April 14, 2017, from http://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/tidal-energy/

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power helps provide electricity for everyone located in the United States, and throughout the world.  While the process is extremely sensitive, and dangerous if not performed to perfection, nuclear power is the most efficient process to produce electricity.

Nuclear power is so efficient that it produces 3.7 million times as much power as coal generated power (Reasons for Using Nuclear Power).  In other words, if you take the same amount of Uranium-235 and coal, the Uranium-235 will generate 3.7 million times as much power.

So how does nuclear power work? It all begins with Uranium-235.  Uranium-235 is used because it is the heaviest natural element, and contains 92 protons.  Also, because Uranium-235 is so big, it does not require a lot of energy to to split the atoms(How Nuclear Power Works).

Uranium is placed into the core of nuclear reactors.  Neutrons are then sent in to collide with the Uranium atoms, causing them to split.  The splitting of these atoms, known as nuclear fission, releases an extreme amount of energy.  This energy is then used one of two ways in the United States. Either a pressurized water reactor or a boiling water reactor is used.  Nearly two-thirds of nuclear plants in the US use pressurized water reactors (How Nuclear Power Works).

In a boiling water reactor, the energy is used to directly heat up water, allowing it to boil and generate steam.  This steam is then sent through a turbine and generator, producing electricity.

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In a pressurized water reactor, the water around the core is held under pressure, not allowing it to boil.  The heat produced is then transferred outside the plant using a heat exchanger, where it is then allowed to boil.  This boiling water then generates steam, powering a turbine and generator, and in turn generating electricity (How Nuclear Power Works).  Pressurized water reactors are more commonly used due to the fact that the water boiled is separated from the fission process, preventing it from becoming radioactive.

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For every unit of nuclear power produced, 2 units of waste are produced.  This leads to the question, where are we going to store all of this radioactive waste?  Two techniques are commonly used.  First, it can be submerged into a cooling pool, where water is circulated and can store the waste without harming the environment or any person.  As these pools fill up, the waste can be transferred to large steel or concrete casks.

Overall, nuclear power is an extremely efficient way to generate an extremely high quantity of power.  However, there is radioactive waste produced that is extremely harmful and we have yet to find a way to completely rid of the waste without damaging the environment.
 

Works Cited:

How Nuclear Power Works. (n.d.). Retrieved April 03, 2017, from http://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear-power/nuclear-power-technology/how-nuclear-power-works#.WOJ47xIrLLE

Reasons for Using Nuclear Power As an Energy Source. (n.d.). Retrieved April 03, 2017, from http://www.nucleartourist.com/basics/reasons1.htm

Batteries

Every wireless device that requires electricity uses some form of a battery.  Whether it be your cell phone, calculator, car, or game-boy, all of them use batteries.

Batteries can be broken down into three main types: Household batteries, industrial batteries, and vehicle batteries.  Household batteries can be broken down into two sub-categories: rechargeable and non-rechargeable.  Rechargeable batteries include lead acid gel, lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, and nickel metal hydride batteries.  These batteries are often used in cell phones, handheld electronics, laptops, hybrid cars, and much more.  Non-rechargeable batteries include Alkaline & carbon zinc, lithium, mercury, silver oxide, and zinc air.  These batteries are often used in cameras, toys, watches, pacemakers, and much more (Battery Types).  

Industrial batteries include absolyte, large flooded cell, nickel iron, wet nickel cadmium, and steel case.  These batteries are often used in communication systems, solar arrays, forklifts, and many more(Battery Types).

Finally, vehicle batteries include hybride automotive, lead acid, and VRLA.  These batteries are used in vehicles, boats, motorcycles, emergency lighting, and much more(Battery Types).

All batteries function in a similar way.  They all consist of an anode, cathode, and electrolyte.  Chemical reactions within the battery cause a buildup of electrons at the anode.  This results in a difference of charge between the anode and cathode, and the electrons naturally want to rearrange themselves to account for this difference.  The only place they can go is to the cathode.  When nothing is connected to the battery, the electrolyte prevents the electrons from moving to the cathode.  When something is connected, the electrons are able to flow through the connected device to the cathode, and produce electricity(Power System).


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As the chemical reactions in the battery continue, it changes the chemicals within the battery, causing the supply of electrons to stop.  This is what limits a batteries power.  However, with rechargeable batteries, the direction of the flow of electrons is reversed.  This allows the anode and cathode to return to its original state, and the battery regains its ability to provide full power (Power System).

This video provides a clear explanation as to how rechargeable batteries work.  In the video, material A acts as the anode, while material B acts as the cathode.

In addition to my own post, I'd like to suggest another interesting blog by a friend of mine.  Chris is a computer engineering/computer science major who is extremely talented with computers.  His blog covers anything technology related that he finds interesting.  Last week, he wrote a blog that explained context-aware synonym suggester (CASS).  CASS is able to group synonyms together using the context of the target word, and is an extremely interesting software application.  If you are a nerd and love techie stuff, I highly suggest checking out his blog at Technology Musings. 
Works Cited:

Battery Types. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2017, from https://www.batterysolutions.com/recycling-information/battery-types/

Power System. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/power/2-how-do-batteries-work.html

Power in Haiti

Haiti is considered by most to be the poorest country in the world.  With nearly three-quarters of the population living in poverty, it is hard to imagine the living conditions that Haitians deal with on a daily basis.  I have been lucky enough to visit Haiti three times, and see this poverty with my own eyes.  This video shows the poverty specifically in one Haitian video.

 

Above are pictures I took when I was in Haiti, and it shows just how tough it is to live for some families.  The photo on the left is a home that housed a family of five, and the right is a home that housed a family of 8, along with serving as a store that the family owns.

As you can imagine, most areas of Haiti do not have access to power. Prior to the earthquake in 2010, roughly one quarter of the population had access to electrical power, and only about half of those people were connected to that power legally (Energy).

Even for those that have access to power, the reliability of that power is very unreliable.  The current method used is inefficient generators that cost a lot to install, maintain, and run.  The amount of power generated versus the cost of that power generation is extremely inefficient.

So what is being done to solve these issues?  The main solution thus far has been to introduce alternative energy sources.  With a large portion of the country living in extremely remote areas, these alternative energy sources could be the key to getting power to these people.  However, in the main cities of Port-Au-Prince and Cap Haiten, the solution approach has been different.  Currently, some organizations are trying to obtain the funds to build a 10 mega-watt power plant to power these cities(Addressing Haiti's Energy Challenges, 2012).  Once these funds are obtained and the power plant is built, training will be required so that the people of Haiti can provide the necessary upkeep.  From there, other power plants can be built throughout the country, with the end goal being that 100% of people have access to electrical power.

The main concept behind every solution is that the people of Haiti have to help.  These power plants can not be given to them, because they will not last.  If the people of Haiti are not helping this process, progress will never be made.




Works Cited:

Addressing Haiti's Energy Challenges: a Key Priority in the Years to Come. (2012, September 15). Retrieved March 24, 2017, from http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/09/25/energy-supply-haiti

Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2017, from https://www.usaid.gov/haiti/energy

Solar Power

Have you ever wondered how a solar panel takes sunlight and converts it into electricity?  The sun is a completely renewable resource(at least for now), and it is extremely efficient to power homes and small businesses via solar power.  While it is not realistically possible to power everything via solar power, the sun's energy can be used to power residential homes, which will certainly cause less harm to the environment.  So how does solar power work?

The process of obtaining energy from the sun begins with solar panels.  The solar panels function by letting particles of light, called photons, from the sun hit the panel.  These photons cause electrons to be knocked free from atoms.  When there are enough electrons freed, a direct current (DC) is generated and begins to flow (Dhar, 2013).  This is the process of converting sunlight into electrical energy.

Once a DC current is established, it needs to be converted into alternating current (AC).  This is due to the fact that the United States power grid solely uses AC power.  AC power was chosen primarily because it is much cheaper to transport over long distances (SunPower Solar, 2015). In order for the DC power to be converted to AC power, it is ran through an inverter.  This allows for the power to be used anywhere.

Once converted to AC power, the electricity can be used in residential homes, businesses, etc.  Typically, if a house has solar panels, the power generated from those solar panels is used for that house.  The excess power generated is then sent to the power grid to be used by other homes.  It is common for solar panels to generate more power than one home can consume.  Power companies will typically reimburse homes for generating excess electricity, so it is worth it to get them!

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This video gives a more detailed description as to how electrons are used to generate electricity.  The video also talks about the disadvantages of solar energy, and why today's world does not become completely reliant on solar power.

Works Cited:
Dhar, M. (2013, December 16). How Do Solar Panels Work? Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://www.livescience.com/41995-how-do-solar-panels-work.html

How does solar energy work? | SunPower Solar . (2015, June). Retrieved March 10, 2017, from https://us.sunpower.com/blog/2015/06/15/how-does-solar-energy-work/

Power Distribution to Your Home

Have you ever considered how easy it is to flip a switch or push a button and instantly have a light turn on?  You can simply grab the television remote and turn on the TV to watch the local news.  It seems so simple, but how does power get to your home from a power plant?

It all starts at a power plant.  Energy has to be generated here in order to be transferred to your home.  Steam is generated at the power plant by burning fossil fuels.  This steam powers a turbine, which spins a huge magnet that is inside a loop of copper wire.  This transforms heat energy into mechanical energy, which is then converted to electrical energy using a generator.

This energy is then sent to a step-up transformer, where the voltage from the generator is converted to an extremely high voltage.  Distribution voltages can range from 155,000 to 765,000 volts (Brain)! The reason for the extremely high voltages is so that the power can be transferred long distances.  After the voltage is amplified, the electricity is sent to transmission lines that transfer the energy.  After the electricity has neared its destination, it is sent to a substation(neighborhood transformer), where the voltage is stepped down, typically lower than 7,500 volts (Brain).

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The power is then sent to a distribution line, and eventually another transformer, where it is stepped down again to either 120 or 240 volts.  Standard voltage is american homes is 120 volts, while some countries around the world use 240 volts.  This power can then be used to turn on a light bulb, keep your refrigerator cold, or power your television.

Here is an extremely cheesy, but effective video that explains the process as to how electricity is distributed.



Works Cited:
Brain, M. (n.d.). How Power Grids Work. Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.science.smith.edu/~jcardell/Courses/EGR220/ElecPwr_HSW.html

Energy in Developing Countries

There are at least 1.6 billion people that live without electricity on a daily basis (Ahuja & Tatsutani, 2009).  That is nearly one-fourth of the world's population that doesn't have the necessary power to pump drinking water, power lights for homes, or charge a cell phone.

In a world that is growing more dependable on fuel and power consumption, developing countries are falling even further behind.  With many areas completely without power, these countries cannot make any progress in major categories that include: establishing a government, contributing to research, and advancing technology.  Without the proper funds to establish a power grid, developing countries are looking for ways to provide power while keeping costs to a minimum.  Many ideas have shifted towards alternative energy sources for third world countries.

For example, solar cooks have become extremely popular.  They are easy to build, cheap, and relatively efficient.  The goal of a solar cook is to direct sunlight into a small area, causing that area to get hot enough to cook food.  The obvious downfall of the solar cook is that it requires sunlight to work, and that cannot always be obtained.

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Another example of technology being used in developing countries is bioenergy.  Scientists are trying to genetically mutate crops to make them suitable for hot, arid conditions.  These crops can then be broken down into methane,  which can be stored to generate electricity, which can be used to power other energy devices (Oxford Energy).  This method is extremely plausible because many people in developing countries already know how to farm.  Bio-energy is also cheap, as the seeds for these plants can be obtained in large quantities. This video shows how natural gas (such as methane) can generate electricity.

In conclusion, technology continues to advance to help developing countries, but it takes time. Developing countries will catch up with the rest of the world, and eventually be able to stand on their own. Some day, 1.6 billion people will not have to live without electricity.

Works Cited:

Ahuja, D., & Tatsutani, M. (2009). Sustainable energy for developing countries. Sapiens,2(2), 1st ser. Retrieved February 24, 2017, from https://sapiens.revues.org/823.

(2014, January 20). Retrieved February 24, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOKAv_HKkas

Oxford Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2017, from http://www.energy.ox.ac.uk/wordpress/energy-in-developing-countries/