Horse owners own horses for many reasons like for transportation, as a hobby or for racing purposes.
However not many people have really known that horse waste can be the base for an invaluable and renewable source of energy too.
With the need for new sources of energy to fuel vehicles and provide electricity growing everyday, researchers have found some good news in being able to produce energy from horse muck.
It is the company Global Greeven Solutions Inc., and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association that have been conducting negotiations to start the company Florida Greensteam Equine Energy LLC.
This is proposed to be an energy producing company that converts horse biomass into energy with the help of straw and wood chips. The resultant energy that is produced from horse muck is used to form electrical energy that can be sold in the local grid of Florida for its use.
However there have not been any definitive agreement signed upon for the government of the formation and operations of the joint venture of Equine Energy.
This is because the current agreement that has been signed only reflects the intention of the two parties, and nothing more than that.
horse-muck
It is the Global Greensteasm’s high-efficiency cyclonic burner and its heat recovery steam generator that have been specially designed and formulated. This speical formulation is to ensure that the burner and generator can handle and generate energy from horse muck.
In fact, the chief operating officer of the company states that the ecotechnology used in the Global Greensteam process helps in generating renewable energy.
This energy that is produced from horse muck is actually produced while complying with the most stringent of air quality regulations.
The main reason the generation of energy from horse muck takes place in Florida is because Florida is a state that has over 600 thouroughbred horse farms and training centers for horses. With so many horse farms and training centers, there are quite a few horses found here, which tend to generate much more animal waste that can be eliminated and taken care using normal means.
So instead of letting all this waste go to waste, researchers have found a means of using this humongous amount of horse muck in creating energy, and electricity that proves to be useful to the people of Florida. According to records, there are about 50,000 thoroughbreeds and other breeds found in the Ocala region that produce more than 400,000 tons of animal waste in a year.
Though most of this horse muck; about 60 – 70% can be land applied or composted to get rid of it. However there still remained a need of finding out an earth-friendly method of effectively removing the remaining 30 – 40% of horse muck from the surfact of the earth.
And this is, and how horse muck and straw or wood chips have been used to help in creating a new, and renewable source of energy that the world is looking for.
www.thinksolarenergy.ne
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
8 Signs that Solar Power will Change the World
The solar power is increasingly becoming economically feasible as the new mode of power generation, the solar power is eco friendly and very economical as compared to the other methods of power generation. Investment has started making its way to the solar power generation projects and the technology is continuously evolving, becoming more and more efficient. It looks as if it shall become the major source of power generation in a short time.
Solar Power Generation Prices are getting Competitive
The factor that till a few years back kept solar power from overtaking the power generation as a major production source was it being expensive. When compared with the coal generated power, the coal generated power was a remarkable 90% cheaper than the solar power generation. Now the changed and recession hit economy of the world has played a major role in bringing down the prices of solar panel from 10%—30% in the last six months. Contributed to this lowered price is also the investment that is making its way in this power generation means, an example being the 3 times lowered prices since May, of the Sharp solar panel from a $5/watt last year to $4/watt. Many of the projects which previously could not be considered would now become feasible because of this price decrease.
The Introduction of Solar Films:
Solar films also known as thin-film solar have finally arrived and it is expected to revolutionize the solar power generation, companies like FirstSolar, Nanosolar and Sharp are bringing the solar film to the market. This revolutionary product usually comes in rolls and is manufactured in a way that is similar to that of printing, in this technology the solar cells are produced more efficiently than the traditional solar panel approach. In the traditional solar panel the solar cells manufacturing is more like the microchip production as a result of this new technology the initial pricing is as low as $1—$2/watt range.
The Solar Efficiency (a measure) is increasing
Solar efficiency is a measure of the power that is produced, compared to the sun’s energy that hits the panel, now the new panels including the Sun Power’s have solar efficiency as far as 22% while previously an average between 15% —20% was considered quite efficient, while the 15% was good enough.
Solar Film (thin-film) Efficiency is also getting better:
Along with the solar energy the solar film efficiency is also increasing, as compared to the usual 10% efficiency area which the film previously had, which according to a rough estimate was almost half the efficiency of crystalline panels. However the Industry professional are finding that the actual production may be higher, the film is believed to deliver better than the panels in diffused light and partially shaded conditions. In a project based in Israel it was found that the thin film solar as compared to the crystalline panels required 25% more surface area to produce the same amount of energy. This could go to prove that the actual efficiency is probably closer to 15% for films.
Utility Scale Solar
Utility scale solar which is transmitted through the traditional power lines is the PV power for the consumers. The solar power plants are usually located in the desert area where the sunshine travels unhindered and there are no buildings or anything to block it. Here a technology called the concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) that makes use of mirrors, tracking devices and the advanced solar panel technology to be able to absorb maximum possible energy from sun rays. Now with the new federal rules favoring the installment with tax credits etc this can be installed very favorably, many projects are already under way in Colorado, California and Arizona.
Alternative Energy Production getting More and More Expensive
With the alternative, current and prevailing ways of power generation getting more expensive, solar power generation will definitely emerge as the most efficient way of power generation. A very economic option as compared to other means of power generation and a very efficient one too.
Research Will Further Make the Solar Power More Efficient and Economic
Now the research, technology and funds all directed towards the development of this eco-friendly, very economical and efficient mode of energy production, this mode of Power generation will see a definite boost. University programs are now increasingly encouraging the use of this mode of energy.
Massive Investment making its way to this sector
A massive investment is making its way to this sector because of its profitability and its high potential to grow and become the major source of power generation.
http://www.solarpowerwindenergy.org
Solar Power Generation Prices are getting Competitive
The factor that till a few years back kept solar power from overtaking the power generation as a major production source was it being expensive. When compared with the coal generated power, the coal generated power was a remarkable 90% cheaper than the solar power generation. Now the changed and recession hit economy of the world has played a major role in bringing down the prices of solar panel from 10%—30% in the last six months. Contributed to this lowered price is also the investment that is making its way in this power generation means, an example being the 3 times lowered prices since May, of the Sharp solar panel from a $5/watt last year to $4/watt. Many of the projects which previously could not be considered would now become feasible because of this price decrease.
The Introduction of Solar Films:
Solar films also known as thin-film solar have finally arrived and it is expected to revolutionize the solar power generation, companies like FirstSolar, Nanosolar and Sharp are bringing the solar film to the market. This revolutionary product usually comes in rolls and is manufactured in a way that is similar to that of printing, in this technology the solar cells are produced more efficiently than the traditional solar panel approach. In the traditional solar panel the solar cells manufacturing is more like the microchip production as a result of this new technology the initial pricing is as low as $1—$2/watt range.
The Solar Efficiency (a measure) is increasing
Solar efficiency is a measure of the power that is produced, compared to the sun’s energy that hits the panel, now the new panels including the Sun Power’s have solar efficiency as far as 22% while previously an average between 15% —20% was considered quite efficient, while the 15% was good enough.
Solar Film (thin-film) Efficiency is also getting better:
Along with the solar energy the solar film efficiency is also increasing, as compared to the usual 10% efficiency area which the film previously had, which according to a rough estimate was almost half the efficiency of crystalline panels. However the Industry professional are finding that the actual production may be higher, the film is believed to deliver better than the panels in diffused light and partially shaded conditions. In a project based in Israel it was found that the thin film solar as compared to the crystalline panels required 25% more surface area to produce the same amount of energy. This could go to prove that the actual efficiency is probably closer to 15% for films.
Utility Scale Solar
Utility scale solar which is transmitted through the traditional power lines is the PV power for the consumers. The solar power plants are usually located in the desert area where the sunshine travels unhindered and there are no buildings or anything to block it. Here a technology called the concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) that makes use of mirrors, tracking devices and the advanced solar panel technology to be able to absorb maximum possible energy from sun rays. Now with the new federal rules favoring the installment with tax credits etc this can be installed very favorably, many projects are already under way in Colorado, California and Arizona.
Alternative Energy Production getting More and More Expensive
With the alternative, current and prevailing ways of power generation getting more expensive, solar power generation will definitely emerge as the most efficient way of power generation. A very economic option as compared to other means of power generation and a very efficient one too.
Research Will Further Make the Solar Power More Efficient and Economic
Now the research, technology and funds all directed towards the development of this eco-friendly, very economical and efficient mode of energy production, this mode of Power generation will see a definite boost. University programs are now increasingly encouraging the use of this mode of energy.
Massive Investment making its way to this sector
A massive investment is making its way to this sector because of its profitability and its high potential to grow and become the major source of power generation.
http://www.solarpowerwindenergy.org
House Passes 15% Renewable Energy by 2020
The United States House of Representatives has passed an Energy Bill requiring utility companies to produce 15 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2020.
The Bill passed in the House on a 241-172 vote, despite strong opposition from electric utility companies and the White House, which has threatened to veto the measure. Twenty six Republicans voted in favor and nine Democrats opposed the bill.
The renewable electricity standard applies only to investor-owned utilities and exempts rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the state of Hawaii from the mandate.
The bill also calls for stronger energy efficiency standards for appliances and lighting and incentives for building more energy-efficient buildings. The bill bans the sale of 100-watt incandescent light bulbs by 2012 and requires that all bulbs be 300% more efficient than today’s ordinary bulbs by 2020. The bill also includes a range of loan guarantees, federal grants and tax breaks for alternative energy programs. These include building biomass factories, research into making ethanol from wood chips and switch grass and producing better batteries for hybrid cars.
The bill will repeal a tax break for oil companies from 2004, and another tax break relating to income from foreign oil production. Critics of the two tax breaks called them loopholes that the industry had taken advantage of.
The 786-page House energy bill does not include an increase in fuel-efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. That issue, as well as whether to force major increases in the use of E85 fuel as a substitute for gasoline, were left to be negotiated when the House bill is merged with energy legislation the Senate passed in June.
"There's a war going on against energy from fossil fuels" said Representative Ralph Hall, Republican-Texas. Representative Joe Barton predicted the bill "isn't going to go anywhere" because President Bush would veto it if it reaches his desk.
In a somewhat surprising comment from the White House, they accused the bill of making "no serious attempts to increase our energy security". This defies commonsense as by producing more electricity from domestic renewable sources rather than with imported natural gas by definition increases the United States' diversity and security of energy supply.
As with all legislation the details (such as a subsidy for installing gas pumps for expensive and inefficient E85 fuel) need to be checked carefully. Regardless a 15% renewable energy standard is good news.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Fears of radioactive seawater grow near nuclear plant despite efforts
Japan is stepping up its efforts to restore power and enhance cooling efficiency at the crisis-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant Saturday, but fears of contamination intensify as levels of radioactive materials are skyrocketing in the sea near the station.
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) has turned on the lights in the control room for the No. 2 reactor at the plant on the same day, while analyzing the water containing radioactive materials detected in the turbine building of the reactors and trying to remove the pools of water.
Meanwhile, abnormally high levels of radioactive materials have been found in the sea near the troubled plant, the government said, fanning concerns over fishery products in northeastern Japan.
TEPCO said the radiation level at the No. 1 reactor of the plant has reached 200 microsieverts per hour, suspending work to pour seawater into its spent fuel pool. But its Fukushima office corrected the announcement later, saying no such high radiation level was detected.
Japan’s top government spokesman Yukio Edano said at a press conference Saturday he finds it difficult to predict when the ongoing crisis at plant would end.
Asked about the prospects of the crisis, Edano said, ‘‘the current situation is that we are preventing it from worsening,’’ adding that the situation still requires ‘‘an enormous amount of work’’ before it settles down.
Earlier in the day, radioactive iodine-131 at a concentration 1,250.8 times the legal limit was detected Friday morning in a seawater sample taken around 330 meters south of the plant, near the drain outlets of its troubled four reactors, the government’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said.
The level rose to its highest so far in the survey begun this week, after staying around levels 100 times over the legal limit. It is highly likely that radioactive water in the plant has disembogued into the sea, the utility said.
Radioactive materials ‘‘will significantly dilute’’ by the time they are consumed by marine species, the agency said, adding that it will not have a significant impact on fishery products as fishing is not conducted in the area within 20 kilometers of the plant because the government has issued a directive for residents in the area to evacuate.
If people ingest 500 milliliters of water containing the same level of radioactive iodine, the radiation levels would reach the 1 millisievert limit which people can be safely exposed to in one year, the agency said.
TEPCO is planning to inject fresh water into pools storing the spent nuclear fuel at the plant to prevent crystallized salt from seawater already injected from forming a crust on the fuel rods and hampering the smooth circulation of water, thus diminishing the cooling effect. It has begun injecting fresh water into reactor containers of the No. 1 and No. 3 as well as No. 2.
At the same time, the firm is trying to remove the pools of water containing highly concentrated radioactive substances that may have seeped from either the reactor cores or the spent fuel pools.
On Thursday, three workers were exposed to water containing radioactive materials 10,000 times the normal level at the turbine building connected to the No. 3 reactor building. On Friday, a pool of water with similar high concentration of radioactive materials was found in the No. 1 reactor’s turbine building, causing some restoration work to be suspended.
Similar pools of water were also found in the turbine buildings of the No. 2 and No. 4 reactors, measuring up to 1 meter and 80 centimeters deep, respectively. Those near the No. 1 and No. 3 reactors were up to 40 cm and 1.5 meters deep.
While it will try to analyze the radioactivity levels of the pools from the water found in the No. 2 and No. 4 reactors, TEPCO will remove such water in all four reactor units to reduce the risk of more workers being exposed to radioactive substances, said.
The risk hinders their efforts to restore the plant’s crippled cooling functions, which are crucial to overcoming the crisis, the government’s nuclear safety agency said.
source:japantoday
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) has turned on the lights in the control room for the No. 2 reactor at the plant on the same day, while analyzing the water containing radioactive materials detected in the turbine building of the reactors and trying to remove the pools of water.
Meanwhile, abnormally high levels of radioactive materials have been found in the sea near the troubled plant, the government said, fanning concerns over fishery products in northeastern Japan.
TEPCO said the radiation level at the No. 1 reactor of the plant has reached 200 microsieverts per hour, suspending work to pour seawater into its spent fuel pool. But its Fukushima office corrected the announcement later, saying no such high radiation level was detected.
Japan’s top government spokesman Yukio Edano said at a press conference Saturday he finds it difficult to predict when the ongoing crisis at plant would end.
Asked about the prospects of the crisis, Edano said, ‘‘the current situation is that we are preventing it from worsening,’’ adding that the situation still requires ‘‘an enormous amount of work’’ before it settles down.
Earlier in the day, radioactive iodine-131 at a concentration 1,250.8 times the legal limit was detected Friday morning in a seawater sample taken around 330 meters south of the plant, near the drain outlets of its troubled four reactors, the government’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said.
The level rose to its highest so far in the survey begun this week, after staying around levels 100 times over the legal limit. It is highly likely that radioactive water in the plant has disembogued into the sea, the utility said.
Radioactive materials ‘‘will significantly dilute’’ by the time they are consumed by marine species, the agency said, adding that it will not have a significant impact on fishery products as fishing is not conducted in the area within 20 kilometers of the plant because the government has issued a directive for residents in the area to evacuate.
If people ingest 500 milliliters of water containing the same level of radioactive iodine, the radiation levels would reach the 1 millisievert limit which people can be safely exposed to in one year, the agency said.
TEPCO is planning to inject fresh water into pools storing the spent nuclear fuel at the plant to prevent crystallized salt from seawater already injected from forming a crust on the fuel rods and hampering the smooth circulation of water, thus diminishing the cooling effect. It has begun injecting fresh water into reactor containers of the No. 1 and No. 3 as well as No. 2.
At the same time, the firm is trying to remove the pools of water containing highly concentrated radioactive substances that may have seeped from either the reactor cores or the spent fuel pools.
On Thursday, three workers were exposed to water containing radioactive materials 10,000 times the normal level at the turbine building connected to the No. 3 reactor building. On Friday, a pool of water with similar high concentration of radioactive materials was found in the No. 1 reactor’s turbine building, causing some restoration work to be suspended.
Similar pools of water were also found in the turbine buildings of the No. 2 and No. 4 reactors, measuring up to 1 meter and 80 centimeters deep, respectively. Those near the No. 1 and No. 3 reactors were up to 40 cm and 1.5 meters deep.
While it will try to analyze the radioactivity levels of the pools from the water found in the No. 2 and No. 4 reactors, TEPCO will remove such water in all four reactor units to reduce the risk of more workers being exposed to radioactive substances, said.
The risk hinders their efforts to restore the plant’s crippled cooling functions, which are crucial to overcoming the crisis, the government’s nuclear safety agency said.
source:japantoday
Friday, March 25, 2011
Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant:
Japan's largest ongoing threat is at this nuclear power plant. There have been explosions at four of its six reactors and all four have released some radioactive material.
Before:
North of Sendai:
This area, which includes Minamisanriku and the Onagawa nuclear plant, was closest to the epicenter of the quake. In Minamisanriku alone, more than 10,000 people are missing.
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
Sendai
Sendai's city center, about 7 miles inland, remained largely intact after the quake, but there was massive damage along the coast. Much of the airport, which is less than a mile from the water, was also destroyed.
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
Iwaki area:
Whole neighborhoods were in ruin and cars and debris were piled high around Iwaki.
Before:
After:
source:nytimes.com
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Chumby 8 set to ship on April 5th for $199 and Chumby 8 is world’s first stand-alone app player just got bigger and better.Chumby 8 is ith that sum netting you an 8-inch (800 x 600) touchscreen, access to over 1,500 free apps and a multifaceted personality that handles digital photos and music.
Chumby industries announced the release of the chumby8, the much-anticipated next generation chumby device. Officially launching on April 5, the chumby8 is priced at $199 and available for pre-orders at chumby.com/store. With a sleek new design, an 8-inch LCD touchscreen, enhanced features and over 1,500 free apps, the chumby8 delivers a personalized stream of your favorite apps in addition to serving as a digital photo frame and music player.“The chumby8 truly marks an evolution of the chumby device and software platform, creating a more personalized and user-friendly Internet streaming device that will complete any connected home or office,” said Derrick Oien, CEO of chumby industries. “We’ve taken the time over the past year to listen to chumby fans and owners and incorporate their feedback into the new chumby8 and created a great multi-purpose connected device capable of tailoring to all.”The chumby8 has access to over 1,500 free applications- ranging from music and social networking sites, news and entertainment gossip to video clips and sports scores. Content is available from well-known media sites including: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, MTV Networks, Groupon, People.com and many others. Users can monitor their social networks, view and share their photos from sites like Flickr and Photobucket, watch sports clips, play games or choose from a multitude of clock applications to display on the touchscreen device.
Features :
- New, modern industrial design available in black and red. Customized skins available from Skinit
- 8-inch 800×600 touchscreen LCD
- Two USB ports, CF and SD slots make it possible to upload pictures, music and other personal media of your choosing turning your chumby8 into a personalized digital photo frame and music player
- New web browser support, allows you to access links within apps
- Revamped UI and streamlined navigation allows you to manage apps and channels directly from the device. The chumby8 comes preloaded with ready-to-play themed channels showcasing the best chumby apps in entertainment, news, humor, games, kids, sports and more
- Updates to share features make it easier to send photos, videos and apps to friends and family
- Robust Internet radio offers over 10,000 internet radio and podcast stations, including Napster, Pandora, SHOUTcast, iheartradio, Mediafly, New York Times and CBS with more to come
- Full alarm system allows you to wake up to your favorite music stations and apps
- Task scheduler allows you to perform a routine task on your device like entering night mode at a certain time or playing music.
- Flash Lite 4 update to support AS3 coming soon
Monday, March 21, 2011
Engineering Facts
Check out our interesting engineering facts and get some cool trivia related to amazing structures, famous landmarks and other impressive engineering achievements.
Learn about different types of engineering such as civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical and aerospace while enjoying all the incredible information related to famous bridges, buildings, dams, trains, tunnels and more.
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Engineers solve practical problems by applying mathematical and scientific knowledge.
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The word engineer comes from a Latin word meaning ‘cleverness’.
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Learn about different types of engineering jobs such as civil, mechanical and electrical with our engineering job facts.
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As of 2010, the tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE. It reaches an incredible 828 metres (2717 feet) in height. Check out more building facts or our list of the tallest buildings in the world.
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The building of the Panama Canal, which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was one of the most difficult engineering projects ever. It is estimated that over 25000 workers lost their lives during the long and dangerous project, with most dying from disease and landslides.
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Golf balls have dimples because they help reduce drag, this allows the ball to fly further than a smooth ball would.
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As of 2010, the longest suspension bridge in the world is the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Kobe, Japan. Opened in 1998, it spans an amazing 1991 metres (6529 feet). Check out more interesing bridge facts or our list of the longest bridges in the world.
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Used for water distribution, the Delaware Aqueduct in New York, USA is the longest tunnel in the world (as of 2010). Drilled through solid rock, it reaches a staggering 137 kilometres (85 miles) in length. More tunnel facts.
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The Hoover Dam, built along the Colorado River between 1931 and 1936 reaches 726 feet in height (221 metres). More interesting dam facts.
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High speed passenger trains in China reach speeds of up to 350 kph (220 mph).
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The London Eye in England is the largest Ferris wheel in Europe, standing at a height of 135 metres (442 feet).
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The tallest wind turbine in the world has rotor tips that reach over 200 metres (656 feet) above the ground.
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Branches of engineering include aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, forensic, genetic, mechanical, military, nuclear, reverse, software and structural.
Japan's disaster toll rises to 18,000
FUKUSHIMA, Japan - The toll of Japan's triple disaster came into clearer focus today after police estimates showed more than 18,000 people died, the World Bank said rebuilding may cost $235 billion and more cases of radiation-tainted vegetables and tap water turned up.
Japanese officials reported progress over the weekend in their battle to gain control over a nuclear complex that began leaking radiation after suffering quake and tsunami damage, though the crisis was far from over, with a dangerous new surge in pressure reported in one of the plant's six reactors.
The announcement by Japan's Health Ministry late Sunday that tests had detected excess amounts of radioactive elements on canola and chrysanthemum greens marked a low moment in a day that had been peppered with bits of positive news: First, a teenager and his grandmother were found alive nine days after being trapped in their earthquake-shattered home. Then, the operator of the overheated nuclear plant said two of the six reactor units were safely cooled down.
"We consider that now we have come to a situation where we are very close to getting the situation under control," Deputy Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama said.
Still, serious problems remained at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex. Pressure unexpectedly rose in a third unit's reactor, meaning plant operators may need to deliberately release radioactive steam. That has only added to public anxiety over radiation that began leaking from the plant after a monstrous earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan on March 11 and left the plant unstable. As day broke Monday, Japan's military resumed dousing of the complex's troubled Unit 4.
The World Bank said in report Monday that Japan may need five years to rebuild from the catastrophic disasters, which caused up to $235 billion in damage, saying the cost to private insurers will be up to $33 billion and that the government will spend $12 billion on reconstruction in the current national budget and much more later.
The safety of food and water was of particular concern. The government halted shipments of spinach from one area and raw milk from another near the nuclear plant after tests found iodine exceeded safety limits. Tokyo's tap water, where iodine turned up Friday, now has cesium. Rain and dust are also tainted.
Early Monday , the Health Ministry advised Iitate, a village of 6,000 people about 30 kilometres northwest of the Fukushima plant, not to drink tap water due to elevated levels of iodine. Ministry spokesman Takayuki Matsuda said iodine three times the normal level was detected there - about one twenty-sixth of the level of a chest X-ray in one litre of water.
In all cases, the government said the radiation levels were too small to pose an immediate health risk.
But Tsugumi Hasegawa was skeptical as she cared for her 4-year-old daughter at a shelter in a gymnasium crammed with 1,400 people about 80 kilometres from the plant.
"I still have no idea what the numbers they are giving about radiation levels mean. It's all so confusing," said Hasegawa, 29, from the small town of Futuba in the shadow of the nuclear complex. "And I wonder if they aren't playing down the dangers to keep us from panicking. I don't know who to trust."
All six of the nuclear complex's reactor units saw trouble after the disasters knocked out cooling systems. In a small advance, the plant's operator declared Units 5 and 6 - the least troublesome - under control after their nuclear fuel storage pools cooled to safe levels. Progress was made to reconnect two other units to the electric grid and in pumping seawater to cool another reactor and replenish it and a sixth reactor's storage pools.
But the buildup in pressure inside the vessel holding Unit 3's reactor presented some danger, forcing officials to consider venting. The tactic produced explosions of radioactive gas during the early days of the crisis.
"Even if certain things go smoothly, there would be twists and turns," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters. "At the moment, we are not so optimistic that there will be a breakthrough."
Growing concerns about radiation add to the overwhelming chain of disasters Japan has struggled with since the 9.0-magnitude quake. The resulting tsunami ravaged the northeastern coast. All told, police estimates show more than about 18,400 died. More than 15,000 deaths are likely in Miyagi, the prefecture that took the full impact of the wave, said a police spokesman.
"It is very distressing as we recover more bodies day by days," said Hitoshi Sugawara, the spokesman.
Police in other parts of the disaster area declined to provide estimates, but confirmed about 3,400 deaths. Nationwide, official figures show the disasters killing more than 8,600 people, and leaving more than 13,200 people missing, but those two lists may have some overlap.
The disasters have displaced another 452,000, who are living in shelters.
Fuel, food and water remain scarce. The government in recent days acknowledged being caught ill-prepared by an enormous disaster that the prime minister has called the worst crisis since World War II.
Bodies are piling up in some of the devastated communities and badly decomposing even amid chilly rain and snow.
"The recent bodies - we can't show them to the families. The faces have been purple, which means they are starting to decompose," says Shuji Horaguchi, a disaster relief official setting up a center to process the dead in Natori, on the outskirts of the tsunami-flattened city of Sendai. "Some we're finding now have been in the water for a long time, they're not in good shape. Crabs and fish have eaten parts."
Contamination of food and water compounds the government's difficulties, heightening the broader public's sense of dread about safety. Consumers in markets snapped up bottled water, shunned spinach from Ibaraki - the prefecture where the tainted spinach was found - and overall expressed concern about food safety.
Experts have said the amounts of iodine detected in milk, spinach and water pose no discernible risks to public health unless consumed in enormous quantities over a long time. Iodine breaks down quickly, after eight days, minimizing its harmfulness, unlike other radioactive isotopes such as cesium-137 or uranium-238, which remain in the environment for decades or longer.
High levels of iodine are linked to thyroid cancer, one of the least deadly cancers if treated. Cesium is a longer-lasting element that affects the whole body and raises cancer risk.
Rain forecast for the Fukushima area also could further localise the contamination, bringing the radiation to the ground closer to the plant.
Edano tried to reassure the public for a second day in a row. "If you eat it once, or twice, or even for several days, it's not just that it's not an immediate threat to health, it's that even in the future it is not a risk," Edano said. "Experts say there is no threat to human health."
No contamination has been reported in Japan's main food export - seafood - worth about $1.6 billion a year and less than 0.3 per cent of its total exports.
Amid the anxiety, there were moments of joy on Sunday. An 80-year-old woman and her teenage grandson were rescued from their flattened two-story house after nine days, when the teen pulled himself to the roof and shouted to police for help.
Other survivors enjoyed smaller victories. Kiyoshi Hiratsuka and his family managed to pull his beloved Harley Davidson motorcycle from the rubble in their hometown of Onagawa. The 37-year-old mechanic said he knows it will never work anymore. "But I want to keep it as a memorial."
Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo, as did Associated Press writers Elaine Kurtenbach, Kelly Olsen, Charles Hutzler and Jeff Donn. Associated Press writer Jay Alabaster contributed from Natori, Japan.
- AP
By Mari Yamaguchi and Eric TalmadgeSaturday, March 19, 2011
Tallest tree in the world: Coast redwood
Tallest tree in the world: Coast redwood
The coast redwood, the world's largest tree is one of three redwood trees, along with the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) grows in natural stands in a long, thin coastal strip along the Pacific Ocean in the west and northwest of the USA (especially California). It is the tallest tree in the world.
can grow with its relatively slim silhouette of this tree as much as 20 meters higher than the tallest redwoods, which are still the largest trees in the world, when the volume of the hull. The largest known living tree named Hyperion, is 115.55 m or 379.1 m (measured in 2006) high! This approach, 120 to 130 m, that after a 2004 biological study, the maximum attainable height is a tree.
Foggy coastal forests of the Pacific:
Throughout the year, it rains a lot in this thin coastal strip and it is very foggy most of the time. In this way the tree can absorb enough water and not suffer that much from evaporation stress. Most of the tallest trees in the humid river valleys on fertile, alluvial soil to find, although unexpectedly appeared a few recently discovered record trees growing on the valley slopes. The coast redwood forests have a rich undergrowth (including, it is a lot of ferns). However, provided the greatest diversity of species can be dozens of meters: different types of plants, lichens, salamanders, ... live high in the sky between the complex systems branch of the mammoth trees. Prof. Steve Sillett, these studies Redwood canopies, compares them with "hanging gardens".
They get an idea of the size of these mammoth trees: The images above show some of these trees. On the left is the "Del Norte Titan" in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California (© Bob Van Pelt). Observe the people in the lower left corner. The tree on the right side is called "Screaming Titans," Jedediah Smith Redwoods also in State Park
The Del Norte Titan has a height of 93.6 m and a trunk circumference at breast height of 22.7 m. He is definitely not the highest coastal redwood or the thickest, but has the second largest boot volume ("The Lost Monarch" is in the first, depending on the definition of a single "tree"). However, he is in the volume of the Sequoias (Sequoiadendron), of which about fifteen samples a larger volume of "General Sherman" on top of the list have outperformed.
At first glance, the needles of coast redwood not resemble those of giant sequoia: they are large and flat, similar to that of a yew tree. The crown is like a redwood of the conical, with an almost equally large trunk with a red-brown, smooth bark. The egg-shaped cones are small (2 to 3 cm). In contrast to most other conifers, the coast redwood starts to grow again after it cut. The maximum age is probably around 2500 years.
Strongly threatened by logging companies
This fast growing tree is just trunks and wood quality is excellent, which in serious out - and ongoing - loggers. The wood of Sequoia sempervirens was and is described in detail in construction. About 96% of the original redwood forests have been logged and the logging continues, however. Fortunately, most of the few remaining stands are preserved in the National and State Parks, which are probably essential for the long-term conservation of these species.
The forests outside the park (with many trees over a thousand years old) are still "managed commercially ".... This is source of constant protests, like the famous action of the employee Julia Butterfly Hill (photo). For over two years she lived in the canopy of a coastal redwood named "Luna", which does not keep the old tree growth registered by the Pacific Lumber Company, and for sustainable forest management instead of clear-cutting entire forests (which has devastating effects on supplicate the natural balance and causing extreme soil erosion). Finally, she succeeded: As a result of the massive press coverage (and the attention for the old trees clear cuttings brought it with him) "Luna" and some other redwoods were saved from the chain saw. What is remarkable for a woman!
It is very likely that without measures such as these and protests by organizations like Save the Redwoods League, "" Sempervirens Fund "," Sierra Club "and others, there would be no remaining ancient redwood forests. These organizations receive their money from gifts and donations to buy privaty property to them on the State Parks and National Parks.
The following pictures were taken by Nick Sabadosh in the foggy redwood forest near Crescent City, California is a used here with permission [6]. This holiday photos show samples of Sequoia sempervirens in their natural habitat, the misty forests near the Pacific Ocean.
the scenes with the Ewoks in the Star Wars films were shot in these woods, as well as several parts of the Jurassic Park films: Because of the dramatic atmosphere of these forests were used as a backdrop in movies was. For the last films of this election is not very illogical: During the Cretaceous, the period was up for the North American dinosaurs, these forests are found throughout the continent.
These trees (especially young) are very sensitive to winter frost and not grow well on the east side of the Rocky Mountains and in most parts of Europe. Biggest limiting factor is drought: it's just not wet enough. In the wettest parts of Europe, in England and Wales, this is already planted redwoods up to 45 meters and more are en seed.
The visit itself?
Most of the groves in the coastal region of California. The largest populations are in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (Del Norte County), Redwood National Park and Humboldt Redwoods State Park (Humboldt County).
The grove is the most visited stands at Muir Woods National Monument, one of the last remaining in the immediate San Francisco Bay Area.
The highest tree in the world
Hyperion, the world's tallest living tree is a coast redwood and is not less than 379.1 ft (115.55 m) high!
This huge tree was discovered in August 2006 in a remote part of the Redwood National Park, California.
The coast redwood, the world's largest tree is one of three redwood trees, along with the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) grows in natural stands in a long, thin coastal strip along the Pacific Ocean in the west and northwest of the USA (especially California). It is the tallest tree in the world.
can grow with its relatively slim silhouette of this tree as much as 20 meters higher than the tallest redwoods, which are still the largest trees in the world, when the volume of the hull. The largest known living tree named Hyperion, is 115.55 m or 379.1 m (measured in 2006) high! This approach, 120 to 130 m, that after a 2004 biological study, the maximum attainable height is a tree.
Foggy coastal forests of the Pacific:
Throughout the year, it rains a lot in this thin coastal strip and it is very foggy most of the time. In this way the tree can absorb enough water and not suffer that much from evaporation stress. Most of the tallest trees in the humid river valleys on fertile, alluvial soil to find, although unexpectedly appeared a few recently discovered record trees growing on the valley slopes. The coast redwood forests have a rich undergrowth (including, it is a lot of ferns). However, provided the greatest diversity of species can be dozens of meters: different types of plants, lichens, salamanders, ... live high in the sky between the complex systems branch of the mammoth trees. Prof. Steve Sillett, these studies Redwood canopies, compares them with "hanging gardens".
They get an idea of the size of these mammoth trees: The images above show some of these trees. On the left is the "Del Norte Titan" in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California (© Bob Van Pelt). Observe the people in the lower left corner. The tree on the right side is called "Screaming Titans," Jedediah Smith Redwoods also in State Park
The Del Norte Titan has a height of 93.6 m and a trunk circumference at breast height of 22.7 m. He is definitely not the highest coastal redwood or the thickest, but has the second largest boot volume ("The Lost Monarch" is in the first, depending on the definition of a single "tree"). However, he is in the volume of the Sequoias (Sequoiadendron), of which about fifteen samples a larger volume of "General Sherman" on top of the list have outperformed.
At first glance, the needles of coast redwood not resemble those of giant sequoia: they are large and flat, similar to that of a yew tree. The crown is like a redwood of the conical, with an almost equally large trunk with a red-brown, smooth bark. The egg-shaped cones are small (2 to 3 cm). In contrast to most other conifers, the coast redwood starts to grow again after it cut. The maximum age is probably around 2500 years.
Strongly threatened by logging companies
This fast growing tree is just trunks and wood quality is excellent, which in serious out - and ongoing - loggers. The wood of Sequoia sempervirens was and is described in detail in construction. About 96% of the original redwood forests have been logged and the logging continues, however. Fortunately, most of the few remaining stands are preserved in the National and State Parks, which are probably essential for the long-term conservation of these species.
The forests outside the park (with many trees over a thousand years old) are still "managed commercially ".... This is source of constant protests, like the famous action of the employee Julia Butterfly Hill (photo). For over two years she lived in the canopy of a coastal redwood named "Luna", which does not keep the old tree growth registered by the Pacific Lumber Company, and for sustainable forest management instead of clear-cutting entire forests (which has devastating effects on supplicate the natural balance and causing extreme soil erosion). Finally, she succeeded: As a result of the massive press coverage (and the attention for the old trees clear cuttings brought it with him) "Luna" and some other redwoods were saved from the chain saw. What is remarkable for a woman!
It is very likely that without measures such as these and protests by organizations like Save the Redwoods League, "" Sempervirens Fund "," Sierra Club "and others, there would be no remaining ancient redwood forests. These organizations receive their money from gifts and donations to buy privaty property to them on the State Parks and National Parks.
The following pictures were taken by Nick Sabadosh in the foggy redwood forest near Crescent City, California is a used here with permission [6]. This holiday photos show samples of Sequoia sempervirens in their natural habitat, the misty forests near the Pacific Ocean.
the scenes with the Ewoks in the Star Wars films were shot in these woods, as well as several parts of the Jurassic Park films: Because of the dramatic atmosphere of these forests were used as a backdrop in movies was. For the last films of this election is not very illogical: During the Cretaceous, the period was up for the North American dinosaurs, these forests are found throughout the continent.
These trees (especially young) are very sensitive to winter frost and not grow well on the east side of the Rocky Mountains and in most parts of Europe. Biggest limiting factor is drought: it's just not wet enough. In the wettest parts of Europe, in England and Wales, this is already planted redwoods up to 45 meters and more are en seed.
The visit itself?
Most of the groves in the coastal region of California. The largest populations are in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (Del Norte County), Redwood National Park and Humboldt Redwoods State Park (Humboldt County).
The grove is the most visited stands at Muir Woods National Monument, one of the last remaining in the immediate San Francisco Bay Area.
The highest tree in the world
Hyperion, the world's tallest living tree is a coast redwood and is not less than 379.1 ft (115.55 m) high!
This huge tree was discovered in August 2006 in a remote part of the Redwood National Park, California.
Friday, March 18, 2011
The Seven Wonders of Japan
Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto:
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto Tendi, and is one of the oldest and most famous temple in a historic town filled with temples. The current building in 1633 by Tokugawa shogun and the third temple on the site was built back on 798th Located on the mountain Otowa Kiyomizu offers a magnificent view of the surroundings.
Kiyomizu takes its name from a nearby waterfall 13m. People would often jump into the water below the temple (a practice that is now banned). "Jumping from Kiyomizu Temple" is a saying in Japan to be doing something daring.
Himeji Castle, Himeji:
Himeji Castle (Himeji-jo) is one of the best preserved castles in Japan. Construction originally began in 1331, Himeji was unaffected by the destruction of World War II, in contrast to Osaka and Hiroshima locks. Himeji is one of the three great castles of Japan considered, along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle.
Castle has a commanding view of all the surrounding flat surface, which made it ideal for a military fortress. In addition to keeping his big and thick walls, the paths within a maze of connections are designed to confuse potential attackers.
Heaven can be visited on the day trip on the Shinkansen from Kyoto and Hiroshima, and the castle is a short walk from the station.
A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Park, Hiroshima:
On 6 August 1945, Hiroshima, Japan was the first city to ever be destroyed with a nuclear bomb. As Hiroshima rebuilt after the war, the decision was taken to the ruins of the Dome Genbaku (A-Bomb Dome) stands as a reminder of the destruction and the heart to hold the Hiroshima Peace Park. The dome and the area of ??the park was zero for the explosion that killed over 100,000 people ground.
The park attracts visitors from all over the world who come not only to remember killed in the war, but hope for future peace.
In addition to the A-Bomb Dome, there are monuments to the children in the explosions, a peace library and a museum, an eternal flame of peace, and killed several acres of parkland. Visitors should take the time to ring the Peace Bell.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto:
The Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) is one of the most beautiful buildings in Japan. Built on the site of the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397, the pavilion has been created to hold relics of Buddha. The top two floors of the building is coated in gold leaf, which gets its distinctive name where he is.
The pavilion burned down in 1950 by a disturbed monk and rebuilt in 1955. The pavilion and surround a pond and garden are one of the most photographed scenes in Japan.
Shinkansen Kagoshima The Shinkansen:
No trip to Japan would be complete without a trip to the Japanese high speed train, the Shinkansen.
The Shinkansen is the heart of Japan's extensive rail system. While most trains in Japan are regular trains, the Shinkansen are kept on a separate track designed for S-Bahn. The Shinkansen has a top speed of 300 km / h (180 mph). There is no road or rail crossing on the Shinkansen tracks. The speed of the train would have a devastating accident.
High-speed Shinkansen trains can be taken from Kagoshima in the south to the north Hachinohe that most of the country.
Fuji-san (Mount Fuji):
Unable to complete list of the Seven Wonders of Japan without Mount Fuji? Mount Fuji is not only the highest point in Japan, but is a symbol of the country that has been used in countless pieces of artwork. Fuji is an active volcano, but has not erupted since 1707.
About 200,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year, and visit Mount Fuji is a popular destination for tourists. On a clear day, the summit of Mount Fuji from Tokyo to see. The most popular months for climbing Fuji is July and August.
A visit at the foot of Mount Fuji can be easily performed on a day trip from Tokyo.
If you do not think pasta may be a miracle, you havent been to Japan
If you do not think pasta may be a miracle, you will not see Japan
Ramen in Fukuoka:
Japanese cuisine is one of the best in the world. While sushi often gets the attention, one of the staple food in Japan is Ramen.
Originally a Chinese dish, ramen was first popular in Japan during the Meiji period 19th Century. Japanese Ramen is far cry from the instant noodles, which many Westerners think of when they hear ramen.
Ramen was believe to Japan were from the Chinese merchants brought in Fukuoka. Fukuoka ramen for its rich, pork ramen Tonkotsu based, with a pork cutlet known occupied.
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto Tendi, and is one of the oldest and most famous temple in a historic town filled with temples. The current building in 1633 by Tokugawa shogun and the third temple on the site was built back on 798th Located on the mountain Otowa Kiyomizu offers a magnificent view of the surroundings.
Kiyomizu takes its name from a nearby waterfall 13m. People would often jump into the water below the temple (a practice that is now banned). "Jumping from Kiyomizu Temple" is a saying in Japan to be doing something daring.
Himeji Castle, Himeji:
Himeji Castle (Himeji-jo) is one of the best preserved castles in Japan. Construction originally began in 1331, Himeji was unaffected by the destruction of World War II, in contrast to Osaka and Hiroshima locks. Himeji is one of the three great castles of Japan considered, along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle.
Castle has a commanding view of all the surrounding flat surface, which made it ideal for a military fortress. In addition to keeping his big and thick walls, the paths within a maze of connections are designed to confuse potential attackers.
Heaven can be visited on the day trip on the Shinkansen from Kyoto and Hiroshima, and the castle is a short walk from the station.
A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Park, Hiroshima:
On 6 August 1945, Hiroshima, Japan was the first city to ever be destroyed with a nuclear bomb. As Hiroshima rebuilt after the war, the decision was taken to the ruins of the Dome Genbaku (A-Bomb Dome) stands as a reminder of the destruction and the heart to hold the Hiroshima Peace Park. The dome and the area of ??the park was zero for the explosion that killed over 100,000 people ground.
The park attracts visitors from all over the world who come not only to remember killed in the war, but hope for future peace.
In addition to the A-Bomb Dome, there are monuments to the children in the explosions, a peace library and a museum, an eternal flame of peace, and killed several acres of parkland. Visitors should take the time to ring the Peace Bell.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto:
The Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) is one of the most beautiful buildings in Japan. Built on the site of the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397, the pavilion has been created to hold relics of Buddha. The top two floors of the building is coated in gold leaf, which gets its distinctive name where he is.
The pavilion burned down in 1950 by a disturbed monk and rebuilt in 1955. The pavilion and surround a pond and garden are one of the most photographed scenes in Japan.
Shinkansen Kagoshima The Shinkansen:
No trip to Japan would be complete without a trip to the Japanese high speed train, the Shinkansen.
The Shinkansen is the heart of Japan's extensive rail system. While most trains in Japan are regular trains, the Shinkansen are kept on a separate track designed for S-Bahn. The Shinkansen has a top speed of 300 km / h (180 mph). There is no road or rail crossing on the Shinkansen tracks. The speed of the train would have a devastating accident.
High-speed Shinkansen trains can be taken from Kagoshima in the south to the north Hachinohe that most of the country.
Fuji-san (Mount Fuji):
Unable to complete list of the Seven Wonders of Japan without Mount Fuji? Mount Fuji is not only the highest point in Japan, but is a symbol of the country that has been used in countless pieces of artwork. Fuji is an active volcano, but has not erupted since 1707.
About 200,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year, and visit Mount Fuji is a popular destination for tourists. On a clear day, the summit of Mount Fuji from Tokyo to see. The most popular months for climbing Fuji is July and August.
A visit at the foot of Mount Fuji can be easily performed on a day trip from Tokyo.
If you do not think pasta may be a miracle, you havent been to Japan
If you do not think pasta may be a miracle, you will not see Japan
Ramen in Fukuoka:
Japanese cuisine is one of the best in the world. While sushi often gets the attention, one of the staple food in Japan is Ramen.
Originally a Chinese dish, ramen was first popular in Japan during the Meiji period 19th Century. Japanese Ramen is far cry from the instant noodles, which many Westerners think of when they hear ramen.
Ramen was believe to Japan were from the Chinese merchants brought in Fukuoka. Fukuoka ramen for its rich, pork ramen Tonkotsu based, with a pork cutlet known occupied.
Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan)
The Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) (????, kikaiisan?) is a list of sites, landmarks, machines, and documents that made significant contributions to the development of mechanical engineering in Japan. Items in the list are certified by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) (??????, Nihon Kikai Gakkai?).
The Mechanical Engineering Heritage program was inaugurated in June 2007 in connection with the 110th anniversary of the founding of the JSME. The program recognizes machines, related systems, factories, specification documents, textbooks, and other items that had a significant impact on the development of mechanical engineering. When a certified item can no longer be maintained by its current owner, the JSME acts to prevent its loss by arranging a transfer to the National Science Museum of Japan or to a local government institution.
The JSME plans to certify approximately a hundred items of high heritage value over ten years.
Categories
Items in the Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) are classified into four categories:
1. Sites: Historical sites that contain heritage items.
2. Landmarks: Representative buildings, structures, and machinery.
3. Collections: Collections of machinery, or individual machines.
4. Documents: Machinery-related documents of historical significance.
Each item is assigned a Mechanical Engineering Heritage number.
Items certified in 2007
* No. 1: Steam engines and hauling machinery at the Kosuge Ship Repair Dock, (built in 1868). - Nagasaki Prefecture
* No. 2: Memorial workshop and machine tools at Kumamoto University, (built in 1908). - Kumamoto Prefecture
Collections
* No. 3: Forged iron treadle lathe (made in 1875 by Kaheiji Ito). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 4: Industrial steam turbine (Parsons steam turbine), (made in 1908). - Nagasaki Prefecture
* No. 5: 10A rotary engine (made in 1967). - Hiroshima Prefecture
* No. 6: Honda CVCC engine (first engine to meet emission standards of Clean Air Act (1970)). - Tochigi Prefecture
* No. 7: FJR710 jet engine (made in 1971). - Tokyo
* No. 8: Yanmar small horizontal diesel engine, Model HB (made in 1933). - Shiga Prefecture
* No. 9: Prof. Inokuchi's centrifugal pump, (made in 1912). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 10: High frequency generator (made in 1929 by German AEG). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 11: 0-Series Tokaido Shinkansen electric multiple units (operated 1964–1978). - Osaka
Prefecture
* No. 12: Class 230 No.233 2-4-2 steam tank locomotive (made 1902–1909). - Osaka Prefecture
* No. 13: YS11 passenger airplane (flown 1964–2009). - Tokyo
* No. 14: Cub Type F, Honda bicycle engine (1952). - Tochigi Prefecture
* No. 15: Chain stitch sewing machine for the production of straw hats (made in 1928). - Aichi
Prefecture
* No. 16: Non-stop shuttle change automatic loom, Toyoda Type G (made in 1924). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 17: Hand operated letterpress printing machine (made in 1885). - Tokyo
* No. 18: Komatsu bulldozer G40 (made in 1943). - Shizuoka Prefecture
* No. 19: Olympus gastrocamera GT-I (made in 1950). - Tokyo
* No. 20: Buckton[1] universal testing machine (installed in 1908). - Hyogo Prefecture
* No. 21: Mutoh Drafter manual drafting machine, MH-I (made in 1953). - Tokyo
* No. 22: Myriad year clock, (made in 1851). - Tokyo
* No. 23: The Chikugo River Lift Bridge (opened in 1935). - Between Fukuoka and Saga
Prefecture
Documents
* No. 24: JSME publications from the early days of the society, (published in 1897, 1901 and 1934). - Tokyo
* No. 25: "Hydraulics and Hydraulic Machinery", lecture notes by Professors Bunji Mano and Ariya Inokuchi at Imperial University of Tokyo (1905). - Tokyo
Items certified in 2008
* No. 26: Sankyozawa hydroelectric power station and related objects, (operating since 1888). - Miyagi Prefecture
* No. 27: Hydraulic lock (made in United Kingdom, operating since 1908) and floating steam crane (operated 1905–2008), Miike Port. - Fukuoka Prefecture
Collections
* No. 28: “Entaro” bus (Ford TT type), (1923, adapted from chassis imported from United States). - Saitama Prefecture
* No. 29: Mechanical telecommunication devices (made in 1947 by Shinko Seisakusho Co.). - Iwate Prefecture
* No. 30: Mechanical calculator, (Yazu Arithmometer, patented in 1903). - Fukuoka Prefecture[2]
* No. 31: Induction motor and design sheet (made in 1910, in the earliest days of the Japanese electrical machinery industry). - Ibaraki Prefecture
Items certified in 2009
* No. 32: Mechanical Device of Sapporo Clock Tower, (clock mechanism imported/installed from E. Howard & Co. in 1881, moved in 1906). - Hokkaido
Landmarks
* No. 33: Minegishi Watermill, (installed in 1808, in operation till 1965). - Tokyo
Collections
* No. 34: The Master Worm Wheel of the Hobbing Machine HRS-500, (machining by Hobbing machine of Rhein-Neckar from Germany in 1943). - Shizuoka Prefecture
* No. 35: Locomobile, The oldest private Steam Automobile in Japan, (one of eight imported from Locomobile Company of America in 1902, failured in 1908, discovered in 1978 then only boiler was replaced and operable in 1980). - Hokkaido
* No. 36: Arrow-Gou, The oldest Japanese-made Car, (one of Japanese fundamental vehicle technology made in 1916). - Fukuoka Prefecture
* No. 37: British-made 50 ft Turn Table, (imported from Ransomes & Rapier made in 1897, but installed location was unknown before moved in 1941 then further moved to Oigawa Railway in 1980, in operation. Two others are deemed also imported and still in operation in other locations, these historical details is not known). - Shizuoka Prefecture
Items certified in 2010
Landmarks
* NO. 38: Carousel El Dorado of Toshimaen, the oldest in Japan and oldest class in worldwide, produced by Hugo Haase (German, 1857-1933) in 1907, travelled in Europe, then moved to Steeplechase Park of Coney Island, New York in 1911, operated till 1964, then purchased, refurbished and operate in Toshimaen (?????, Toshimaen?) since 1971. - Tokyo[3][4]
* No. 39: Revolving stage and its slewing mechanism of old Konpira Grand Theatre. - Kagawa
Prefecture
Collections
Electric vehicle TAMA, Heritage No. 40.
* No. 40: Electric vehicle TAMA (E4S-47 I), produced by Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd in 1947, to overcome oil shortage after World War II. The car is with single motor of 36V, 120A, run 65km by single charge, max. speed 35km/h. The second model in 1949 run 200km. Used as taxi in Tokyo. Production had quitted due to cost up of battery by Korean War. - Kanagawa Prefecture
* No. 41: The first made in Japan forklift truck with internal combustion engine, max. load 6,000 pound, in 1949, learned from Clark Material Handling Company's 4,000 pound type. - Shiga Prefecture
* No. 42: Takasago and Ebara type Centrifugal Refrigerating machine. - Kanagawa Prefecture
* No. 43: Automated Ticket Gate (Turnstile), OMRON and Kintetsu jointly studied from 1964, model PG-D120 operated from 1973 after prototype evaluation from 1967. - Kyoto Prefecture
source:wikipedia.com
The Mechanical Engineering Heritage program was inaugurated in June 2007 in connection with the 110th anniversary of the founding of the JSME. The program recognizes machines, related systems, factories, specification documents, textbooks, and other items that had a significant impact on the development of mechanical engineering. When a certified item can no longer be maintained by its current owner, the JSME acts to prevent its loss by arranging a transfer to the National Science Museum of Japan or to a local government institution.
The JSME plans to certify approximately a hundred items of high heritage value over ten years.
Categories
Items in the Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) are classified into four categories:
1. Sites: Historical sites that contain heritage items.
2. Landmarks: Representative buildings, structures, and machinery.
3. Collections: Collections of machinery, or individual machines.
4. Documents: Machinery-related documents of historical significance.
Each item is assigned a Mechanical Engineering Heritage number.
Items certified in 2007
* No. 1: Steam engines and hauling machinery at the Kosuge Ship Repair Dock, (built in 1868). - Nagasaki Prefecture
* No. 2: Memorial workshop and machine tools at Kumamoto University, (built in 1908). - Kumamoto Prefecture
Collections
* No. 3: Forged iron treadle lathe (made in 1875 by Kaheiji Ito). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 4: Industrial steam turbine (Parsons steam turbine), (made in 1908). - Nagasaki Prefecture
* No. 5: 10A rotary engine (made in 1967). - Hiroshima Prefecture
* No. 6: Honda CVCC engine (first engine to meet emission standards of Clean Air Act (1970)). - Tochigi Prefecture
* No. 7: FJR710 jet engine (made in 1971). - Tokyo
* No. 8: Yanmar small horizontal diesel engine, Model HB (made in 1933). - Shiga Prefecture
* No. 9: Prof. Inokuchi's centrifugal pump, (made in 1912). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 10: High frequency generator (made in 1929 by German AEG). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 11: 0-Series Tokaido Shinkansen electric multiple units (operated 1964–1978). - Osaka
Prefecture
* No. 12: Class 230 No.233 2-4-2 steam tank locomotive (made 1902–1909). - Osaka Prefecture
* No. 13: YS11 passenger airplane (flown 1964–2009). - Tokyo
* No. 14: Cub Type F, Honda bicycle engine (1952). - Tochigi Prefecture
* No. 15: Chain stitch sewing machine for the production of straw hats (made in 1928). - Aichi
Prefecture
* No. 16: Non-stop shuttle change automatic loom, Toyoda Type G (made in 1924). - Aichi Prefecture
* No. 17: Hand operated letterpress printing machine (made in 1885). - Tokyo
* No. 18: Komatsu bulldozer G40 (made in 1943). - Shizuoka Prefecture
* No. 19: Olympus gastrocamera GT-I (made in 1950). - Tokyo
* No. 20: Buckton[1] universal testing machine (installed in 1908). - Hyogo Prefecture
* No. 21: Mutoh Drafter manual drafting machine, MH-I (made in 1953). - Tokyo
* No. 22: Myriad year clock, (made in 1851). - Tokyo
* No. 23: The Chikugo River Lift Bridge (opened in 1935). - Between Fukuoka and Saga
Prefecture
Documents
* No. 24: JSME publications from the early days of the society, (published in 1897, 1901 and 1934). - Tokyo
* No. 25: "Hydraulics and Hydraulic Machinery", lecture notes by Professors Bunji Mano and Ariya Inokuchi at Imperial University of Tokyo (1905). - Tokyo
Items certified in 2008
* No. 26: Sankyozawa hydroelectric power station and related objects, (operating since 1888). - Miyagi Prefecture
* No. 27: Hydraulic lock (made in United Kingdom, operating since 1908) and floating steam crane (operated 1905–2008), Miike Port. - Fukuoka Prefecture
Collections
* No. 28: “Entaro” bus (Ford TT type), (1923, adapted from chassis imported from United States). - Saitama Prefecture
* No. 29: Mechanical telecommunication devices (made in 1947 by Shinko Seisakusho Co.). - Iwate Prefecture
* No. 30: Mechanical calculator, (Yazu Arithmometer, patented in 1903). - Fukuoka Prefecture[2]
* No. 31: Induction motor and design sheet (made in 1910, in the earliest days of the Japanese electrical machinery industry). - Ibaraki Prefecture
Items certified in 2009
* No. 32: Mechanical Device of Sapporo Clock Tower, (clock mechanism imported/installed from E. Howard & Co. in 1881, moved in 1906). - Hokkaido
Landmarks
* No. 33: Minegishi Watermill, (installed in 1808, in operation till 1965). - Tokyo
Collections
* No. 34: The Master Worm Wheel of the Hobbing Machine HRS-500, (machining by Hobbing machine of Rhein-Neckar from Germany in 1943). - Shizuoka Prefecture
* No. 35: Locomobile, The oldest private Steam Automobile in Japan, (one of eight imported from Locomobile Company of America in 1902, failured in 1908, discovered in 1978 then only boiler was replaced and operable in 1980). - Hokkaido
* No. 36: Arrow-Gou, The oldest Japanese-made Car, (one of Japanese fundamental vehicle technology made in 1916). - Fukuoka Prefecture
* No. 37: British-made 50 ft Turn Table, (imported from Ransomes & Rapier made in 1897, but installed location was unknown before moved in 1941 then further moved to Oigawa Railway in 1980, in operation. Two others are deemed also imported and still in operation in other locations, these historical details is not known). - Shizuoka Prefecture
Items certified in 2010
Landmarks
* NO. 38: Carousel El Dorado of Toshimaen, the oldest in Japan and oldest class in worldwide, produced by Hugo Haase (German, 1857-1933) in 1907, travelled in Europe, then moved to Steeplechase Park of Coney Island, New York in 1911, operated till 1964, then purchased, refurbished and operate in Toshimaen (?????, Toshimaen?) since 1971. - Tokyo[3][4]
* No. 39: Revolving stage and its slewing mechanism of old Konpira Grand Theatre. - Kagawa
Prefecture
Collections
Electric vehicle TAMA, Heritage No. 40.
* No. 40: Electric vehicle TAMA (E4S-47 I), produced by Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd in 1947, to overcome oil shortage after World War II. The car is with single motor of 36V, 120A, run 65km by single charge, max. speed 35km/h. The second model in 1949 run 200km. Used as taxi in Tokyo. Production had quitted due to cost up of battery by Korean War. - Kanagawa Prefecture
* No. 41: The first made in Japan forklift truck with internal combustion engine, max. load 6,000 pound, in 1949, learned from Clark Material Handling Company's 4,000 pound type. - Shiga Prefecture
* No. 42: Takasago and Ebara type Centrifugal Refrigerating machine. - Kanagawa Prefecture
* No. 43: Automated Ticket Gate (Turnstile), OMRON and Kintetsu jointly studied from 1964, model PG-D120 operated from 1973 after prototype evaluation from 1967. - Kyoto Prefecture
source:wikipedia.com
Thursday, March 17, 2011
New Seven Wonders Of World
Wonders of the World
Pyramids of Giza El, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Colossus of Rhodes, Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Pharos of Alexandria. The seven men made wonders of the world are beautiful display of architecture.
New Seven Wonders Of World
To revive the spirit of the Seven Wonders of the World, with a modern list that includes the ancient wonders, the New Seven Wonders in Lisbon on 7 July 2007, the Middle Age Wonders, the Civil Engineering Wonders, the Man-made Wonders, the wonders of nature and the underwater wonders. New Seven Wonders Of World Chichen Itza are all the more astonishing is the religious center of Mexico's history and one of the strongholds of the Maya older.
Related Coverage
* Seven Wonders of the World - New Seven Wonders of the World
The New Seven Wonders are Chichen Itza in Mexico, The Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), in the Colosseum (Rome), The Great Wall of China (China), Machu Picchu in (Peru), Petra ( Jordan) and Taj Mahal (Agra).
* The new seven wonders
An article about the seven wonders of the world from those who were selected in part to a recent Internet survey.
* The new seven wonders
Recently asked a survey of over a hundred million people, more than two hundred countries has revealed a comprehensive list of the seven wonders of the New World, as listed below.
* The Seven Wonders of Malaga
Malaga in southern Spain is considered by many travelers as a mere stepping stone for the hedonistic pleasures of the Costa del Sol. In fact, this is a sophisticated city of culture and history that is well worth a visit steeped ...
Christ the Redeemer, the most important monument of the Catholic parish is waiting for the visitors from around the world with open arms. Great Wall of China One of the most famous buildings in the world and unique human structure that is visible from space. Machu Picchu One of the new seven wonders of the world's most beautiful city and the most important Inca archaeological site of America. Petra, the huge red rocks and large mausoleums are estimated to work as one of the greatest wonders of nature and man. An elliptical Colosseum amphitheater, the Colosseum is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. Taj Mahal or the epitome of love is a beautiful monument that reflects an immense love.
World Seven Wonders of the World
The Modern World Seven wonders of the world are Panama Canal is one of the largest and longest man actually made the building in the world.
Delta Works is a complex network of structures in the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta in the Netherlands. Itaipu Dam is probably the epitome of "modern" of all the seven modern wonders of the world, they also produce power for our millions of electric lights, showers, stoves, TVs and other devices that we rely so much today. Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge was designed to make it easily possible to drive from the county of Marin to San Francisco City. CN Tower in the south of the province of Ontario is Canada's provincial capital and most populous region of the country. Channel Tunnel was a 20th Century venture, the idea of the United Kingdom leads with France, was an order for 192 years, before it was actually built. Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street in a battle to join to become the tallest building in the world.
Article Source: http://travel.ezinemark.com/new-seven-wonders-of-world-world-seven-wonders-7d2da2058e62.html
Read more: http://travel.ezinemark.com/new-seven-wonders-of-world-world-seven-wonders-7d2da2058e62.html # ixzz1GvTUmahA
Pyramids of Giza El, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Colossus of Rhodes, Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Pharos of Alexandria. The seven men made wonders of the world are beautiful display of architecture.
New Seven Wonders Of World
To revive the spirit of the Seven Wonders of the World, with a modern list that includes the ancient wonders, the New Seven Wonders in Lisbon on 7 July 2007, the Middle Age Wonders, the Civil Engineering Wonders, the Man-made Wonders, the wonders of nature and the underwater wonders. New Seven Wonders Of World Chichen Itza are all the more astonishing is the religious center of Mexico's history and one of the strongholds of the Maya older.
Related Coverage
* Seven Wonders of the World - New Seven Wonders of the World
The New Seven Wonders are Chichen Itza in Mexico, The Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), in the Colosseum (Rome), The Great Wall of China (China), Machu Picchu in (Peru), Petra ( Jordan) and Taj Mahal (Agra).
* The new seven wonders
An article about the seven wonders of the world from those who were selected in part to a recent Internet survey.
* The new seven wonders
Recently asked a survey of over a hundred million people, more than two hundred countries has revealed a comprehensive list of the seven wonders of the New World, as listed below.
* The Seven Wonders of Malaga
Malaga in southern Spain is considered by many travelers as a mere stepping stone for the hedonistic pleasures of the Costa del Sol. In fact, this is a sophisticated city of culture and history that is well worth a visit steeped ...
Christ the Redeemer, the most important monument of the Catholic parish is waiting for the visitors from around the world with open arms. Great Wall of China One of the most famous buildings in the world and unique human structure that is visible from space. Machu Picchu One of the new seven wonders of the world's most beautiful city and the most important Inca archaeological site of America. Petra, the huge red rocks and large mausoleums are estimated to work as one of the greatest wonders of nature and man. An elliptical Colosseum amphitheater, the Colosseum is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. Taj Mahal or the epitome of love is a beautiful monument that reflects an immense love.
World Seven Wonders of the World
The Modern World Seven wonders of the world are Panama Canal is one of the largest and longest man actually made the building in the world.
Delta Works is a complex network of structures in the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta in the Netherlands. Itaipu Dam is probably the epitome of "modern" of all the seven modern wonders of the world, they also produce power for our millions of electric lights, showers, stoves, TVs and other devices that we rely so much today. Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge was designed to make it easily possible to drive from the county of Marin to San Francisco City. CN Tower in the south of the province of Ontario is Canada's provincial capital and most populous region of the country. Channel Tunnel was a 20th Century venture, the idea of the United Kingdom leads with France, was an order for 192 years, before it was actually built. Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street in a battle to join to become the tallest building in the world.
Article Source: http://travel.ezinemark.com/new-seven-wonders-of-world-world-seven-wonders-7d2da2058e62.html
Read more: http://travel.ezinemark.com/new-seven-wonders-of-world-world-seven-wonders-7d2da2058e62.html # ixzz1GvTUmahA
How does the direction of approach to impact speeds of ships mooring?
One of the main effects of the angle of the approaching speeds of ships, the influence of energy that are absorbed by the fender system. Consider some of the ships berth at the same pier at the same speed but with different slope angle, although their kinetic energies are equal, is different, the amount of energy absorbed by fenders. The amount of energy is absorbed by fender:
approaching velocities of ships
where W = energy absorbed by the fender
m = mass of ship
v = velocity of the vessel
k = radius of gyration of the ship
r = distance of center of gravity of the vessel to the point of the fender
So if the direction of the approaching speed of a ship is normal, the wings (ie, phi = 90), the quantity of energy absorbed less if it is a vessel whose tangential velocity is compared to the coast.
A Self Learning Guide - - mastering different areas of civil engineering (VC-QA method) by Vincent TH CHU This question has taken the name of book.
approaching velocities of ships
where W = energy absorbed by the fender
m = mass of ship
v = velocity of the vessel
k = radius of gyration of the ship
r = distance of center of gravity of the vessel to the point of the fender
So if the direction of the approaching speed of a ship is normal, the wings (ie, phi = 90), the quantity of energy absorbed less if it is a vessel whose tangential velocity is compared to the coast.
A Self Learning Guide - - mastering different areas of civil engineering (VC-QA method) by Vincent TH CHU This question has taken the name of book.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Japan nuclear crisis: 50 brave men the last hope in crisis
AN elite team of engineers who represent Japan's desperate last line of defence against a nuclear catastrophe was last night making another bid to bring the Fukushima power plant under control.
The skeleton crew of 50 returned to ground zero after white smoke earlier belched from one reactor and fire was doused in another.
Radiation levels at the plant soared to dangerous levels before dropping later in the day.
Authorities fear the containment vessel at the plant's No. 3 reactor has ruptured, spewing radioactive steam into the atmosphere.
Japanese citizens have accused the government of withholding information in a futile attempt to avoid panic.
More than 200,000 people have been evacuated from a 30km radius of the plant, and anyone still in the area has been warned to stay indoors amid growing concerns about radiation levels.
As the nuclear crisis worsened, Japanese authorities turned to Korea and the US for help.
The container of the No. 3 reactor is feared to have been damaged and leaking high-level radiation.
The radiation level briefly topped 6.4 millisieverts per hour at the plant.
A second fire at the No. 4 reactor is believed to have been brought under control last night.
The mayor of a town near the nuclear plant said thousands of evacuees sheltering there desperately need help.
"We have received many people who were evacuated from the area near the plant," Masao Hara, mayor of Koriyama city, about 50km west of Fukushima.
"Right now some 9000 people are at shelters in Koriyama," he said, including 200 at a baseball stadium.
"What we urgently need now is fuel, heavy and light oil, water and food. More than anything else, we need fuel because we can't do anything without it. We can't stay warm or work the water pumps. I really would like to appeal to the world: We need help."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the Government expects to ask the US military for help. He did not elaborate.
The surge in radiation was apparently the result of an explosion in the complex's Unit 4 reactor on Tuesday.
That blast is thought to have damaged the reactor's suppression chamber, a water-filled pipe outside the nuclear core that is part of the emergency cooling system.
Officials had originally planned to use helicopters and fire trucks to spray water in a desperate effort to prevent further radiation leaks and cool down the reactors.
"Not so simple that everything will be resolved by pouring in water. We are trying to avoid creating other problems," Mr Edano said.
"We are actually supplying water from the ground, but supplying water from above involves pumping lots of water and that involves risk. We also have to consider the safety of the helicopters above."
Plant operator, the Tokyo Electric Power company, said it was considering spraying boric acid by helicopter to cool the No. 4 reactor's spent nuclear fuel rods.
Korean authorities have pledged to ship 52 tonnes of boric acid because Japan's own stockpiles have already been used up.
On Tuesday, the company said water in a pool storing the spent fuel rods may be boiling and that its level may have dropped, exposing the rods.
But high radiation levels have meant workers have been unable to pour water into the troubled pool.
An estimated 70 per cent of the nuclear fuel rods have been damaged at the plant's No. 1 reactor, and 33 per cent at the No.2 reactor, the firm said.
The cores of both reactors are believed to have partially melted.
With agencies
Herald sun
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