Energy and Place
Essential Questions:
How does energy production impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions regarding energy production?
Joint Scientific Statement
Describe the design of a light water nuclear power plant.
Nuclear power has a multi step process in order to produce the energy we all value so much. The process of this energy production starts with many small, enriched, thumbnail sized pellets of Uranium also known as fuel rods. These pellets are held in control rods, a device that can forecast the amount of radioactive decay developed from the Uranium pellets. With many different amounts of power produced this device is put to use quite a bit. Similarly this device can cut any radioactive decay also acting as a safety feature, one needed with this type of hazardous material. The containment structure holds all of the radioactive ingredients needed to produce the power, also consisting of primary coolant. With the high temperatures produced by the nuclear reaction the cooling process is vital. The primary coolant is held within the contentment structure and this is the first line of defense against the high temperatures produced the refined area. The containment structure is a pressurized cabin, aiding the coolant by keeping it in liquid form.
The high temperatures in the containment structure transfer to the secondary coolant through a heat exchanger. As the heat is exchanged the coolant reaches the state of steam and forces its way through a turbine setting the energy production into gear. This production of energy is then fed into the electric grid for the use of the people. Now that the energy has been produced the process isn’t over, many steps of cooling and condensing follow. After the steam is condensed the tertiary coolant is cycled through cooling towers. Water falling the hot water down the towers airing out the molecules as much as possible, serving as the final step in the cooling process. Finally the coolant condenses from steam back into water, ready to be cycled back through the process.
This measure of energy production needs to ensure many safety requirements and devices in order to preform quality and safe energy. Advancements such as self-orchestrating control rods reduce the amount of human interaction. Refinements like gravity-aided tanks have been developed, supplying the primary coolant with enough coolant at all times after loss of coolant due to condensation.
Describe the science involved in global climate change and how it relates to emissions from nuclear power pants and fossil fuel power plants.
As we use energy in the form or transportation, production and consumption we produce a gas, which is regularly occurring, but not at the rate it is now. It all involves the greenhouse effect, a vital and delicate system for life on Earth.
As we receive light from the sun it is either reflected back to space of absorbed into the environment. The environment then releases this energy as infrared radiation, some of this radiation is again released some of it is contained to warm the Earth. But as this delicate filter that releases the infrared radiation becomes bombarded with more carbon dioxide more of the heat is contained, ultimately warming the atmosphere. If still confused think of the atmosphere as a shirt around the Earth. This shirt is breathable and moderates a temperature perfect for our comfort. But now the shirt becomes clogged and contains more heat then suitable for element such as ice caps.
Over time as man has the increases need for energy, the increase has also been found in the gases emitted into the atmosphere. Due to the warming of the environment vital elements of nature are becoming scarce, mainly elements involving a cooler climate conditions. Ice caps are receding into the ocean; Shorter and shorter winters have been recorded. These are the effects of climate change and they will only get worse in the future.
Cleaner efforts have been achieved to reduce this carbon footprint. The production of nuclear power shows the use in a highly efficient process. With mining and transportation emissions still present this method does still produce emissions but little at the tail pipe of the nuclear reactor. Posing a much more efficient production than coal or natural gas which both emit greenhouse gases after the combustion of the substance.
Opening Statement
The use of nuclear power should not be supported due to the radioactive waste made as a result of this energy production. The high costs associated with nuclear also prove that this method of energy production is long term and expensive to create and maintain. Money and incentives should be used to advance in more efficient methods of energy production. By supporting nuclear energy production you support an old school, teapot method of creating energy. The process of heat to boil to energy is not very efficient and adding in the transportation emissions does not make it any more appealing.
Energy productions in the fields of renewables have shown that there are more creative ways to produce energy. Solar shows that energy for a household can be produced right on top of the roof, this shows a close to home energy production.
These are the types of energy production we need to support. Many new and creative production methods have risen in the recent years, an example is harvesting energy from plants. These methods would provide locally made power from greener and closer to home methods.
There has not been one new nuclear plant in the US in over 20 years. If nuclear energy were the answer the lights above our heads would be powered of nuclear supplied energy. These lights are powered off 0% nuclear power. If we started now we would start producing nuclear energy in 20 years, is that were we want to be?
Although the radioactive waste from this method of energy production is in small amounts. The amount of energy we consume is large and this waste will add up quick. All of this waste is very dangerous for 100,000 years.
Closing Statement
With no tax on carbon emissions the lights will continue to power off coal fired power plants. With the large deposits of this material in the US it is a go to source.
I believe that the use of nuclear power should not be supported due to the fact that it is very similar to that of a coal powered plant. Tearing up the Earth with large strip mines does a number on the environment; this leaves a lasting effect and change to the environment. As for wind turbines or solar panels these rest on top of the Earth and do no lasting damage on the environment.
The use of radioactive substances means as a society we will become comfortable with it. Do we really want thousands of these plants placed all over the country containing material that is radioactive to 100,000 years? These plants are at most risk when natural disasters strike, what will happen when one hits us.
Why has this type of technology not already made its way to the top? Probably will never with how long the process is.
How does energy production impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions regarding energy production?
Joint Scientific Statement
Describe the design of a light water nuclear power plant.
Nuclear power has a multi step process in order to produce the energy we all value so much. The process of this energy production starts with many small, enriched, thumbnail sized pellets of Uranium also known as fuel rods. These pellets are held in control rods, a device that can forecast the amount of radioactive decay developed from the Uranium pellets. With many different amounts of power produced this device is put to use quite a bit. Similarly this device can cut any radioactive decay also acting as a safety feature, one needed with this type of hazardous material. The containment structure holds all of the radioactive ingredients needed to produce the power, also consisting of primary coolant. With the high temperatures produced by the nuclear reaction the cooling process is vital. The primary coolant is held within the contentment structure and this is the first line of defense against the high temperatures produced the refined area. The containment structure is a pressurized cabin, aiding the coolant by keeping it in liquid form.
The high temperatures in the containment structure transfer to the secondary coolant through a heat exchanger. As the heat is exchanged the coolant reaches the state of steam and forces its way through a turbine setting the energy production into gear. This production of energy is then fed into the electric grid for the use of the people. Now that the energy has been produced the process isn’t over, many steps of cooling and condensing follow. After the steam is condensed the tertiary coolant is cycled through cooling towers. Water falling the hot water down the towers airing out the molecules as much as possible, serving as the final step in the cooling process. Finally the coolant condenses from steam back into water, ready to be cycled back through the process.
This measure of energy production needs to ensure many safety requirements and devices in order to preform quality and safe energy. Advancements such as self-orchestrating control rods reduce the amount of human interaction. Refinements like gravity-aided tanks have been developed, supplying the primary coolant with enough coolant at all times after loss of coolant due to condensation.
Describe the science involved in global climate change and how it relates to emissions from nuclear power pants and fossil fuel power plants.
As we use energy in the form or transportation, production and consumption we produce a gas, which is regularly occurring, but not at the rate it is now. It all involves the greenhouse effect, a vital and delicate system for life on Earth.
As we receive light from the sun it is either reflected back to space of absorbed into the environment. The environment then releases this energy as infrared radiation, some of this radiation is again released some of it is contained to warm the Earth. But as this delicate filter that releases the infrared radiation becomes bombarded with more carbon dioxide more of the heat is contained, ultimately warming the atmosphere. If still confused think of the atmosphere as a shirt around the Earth. This shirt is breathable and moderates a temperature perfect for our comfort. But now the shirt becomes clogged and contains more heat then suitable for element such as ice caps.
Over time as man has the increases need for energy, the increase has also been found in the gases emitted into the atmosphere. Due to the warming of the environment vital elements of nature are becoming scarce, mainly elements involving a cooler climate conditions. Ice caps are receding into the ocean; Shorter and shorter winters have been recorded. These are the effects of climate change and they will only get worse in the future.
Cleaner efforts have been achieved to reduce this carbon footprint. The production of nuclear power shows the use in a highly efficient process. With mining and transportation emissions still present this method does still produce emissions but little at the tail pipe of the nuclear reactor. Posing a much more efficient production than coal or natural gas which both emit greenhouse gases after the combustion of the substance.
Opening Statement
The use of nuclear power should not be supported due to the radioactive waste made as a result of this energy production. The high costs associated with nuclear also prove that this method of energy production is long term and expensive to create and maintain. Money and incentives should be used to advance in more efficient methods of energy production. By supporting nuclear energy production you support an old school, teapot method of creating energy. The process of heat to boil to energy is not very efficient and adding in the transportation emissions does not make it any more appealing.
Energy productions in the fields of renewables have shown that there are more creative ways to produce energy. Solar shows that energy for a household can be produced right on top of the roof, this shows a close to home energy production.
These are the types of energy production we need to support. Many new and creative production methods have risen in the recent years, an example is harvesting energy from plants. These methods would provide locally made power from greener and closer to home methods.
There has not been one new nuclear plant in the US in over 20 years. If nuclear energy were the answer the lights above our heads would be powered of nuclear supplied energy. These lights are powered off 0% nuclear power. If we started now we would start producing nuclear energy in 20 years, is that were we want to be?
Although the radioactive waste from this method of energy production is in small amounts. The amount of energy we consume is large and this waste will add up quick. All of this waste is very dangerous for 100,000 years.
Closing Statement
With no tax on carbon emissions the lights will continue to power off coal fired power plants. With the large deposits of this material in the US it is a go to source.
I believe that the use of nuclear power should not be supported due to the fact that it is very similar to that of a coal powered plant. Tearing up the Earth with large strip mines does a number on the environment; this leaves a lasting effect and change to the environment. As for wind turbines or solar panels these rest on top of the Earth and do no lasting damage on the environment.
The use of radioactive substances means as a society we will become comfortable with it. Do we really want thousands of these plants placed all over the country containing material that is radioactive to 100,000 years? These plants are at most risk when natural disasters strike, what will happen when one hits us.
Why has this type of technology not already made its way to the top? Probably will never with how long the process is.
Check the link below to watch my debate about nuclear power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXa7R90bhx0&feature=youtu.be
Energy and Place Reflection
The motion that nuclear power is the future and that incentives should be used to produce it in the U.S. and four corners region is one that I opposed at the time of the debate. This position assigned by my Chemistry teacher is accurate to my own opinion. I believe that the production of nuclear energy is to similar to that of a coal fired power plant. From the environmental effects of the mining and radioactive waste, to the emissions of the transportation costs I think this method is too long term and old school. I think we should use the money, technology, and interest of nuclear for the advancement of different fields of energy production. Using waste water and plant power have shown to both be qualifying methods of energy production in the future, these types of emission free locally produced energy are what we need to support. Instead of pouring our money into nuclear sites that will be ready in 20 years, we should support creative energy schemes that move away from the traditional methods of producing energy. Humans need to support creativity, if that in the energy world right now is a solar panel it is what we need to support due to the easier and closer to home energy we can all produce. In 20 years these methods will become more and more creative and much more efficient, as well as becoming in harmony with the Earth unlike radioactive waste. This idea of using a more creative method of energy production, was my strongest argument against the opposing team. I knew that each of my opponents would deeply research facts such as emissions and efficiency, so I tried to surprise then with an argument that is hard to deplete. Using something other then what we have been learning about in class proved to be a good argument. I do not think we should implement more and more radioactive waste on our land as it will be nothing but problems. There are more creative, and innovative methods that need to be supported.
Don't forget to check out the joint Humanities portion of the energy and place project. Check below.
http://rwanzeksdp.weebly.com/humanities1.html
It's Not All About Freeing the Mind
As human beings, your methods of adaptation are much different than any other species. Using our technological advances we use it to produce products that carry us to the places we want to explore. The places we love, places such as the mountains. An unforgiving place, where men and machine test their ability to withstand the elements. Each field tested product has gone through many different prototypes each somewhat better than the last. Mountain gear has made many significant technological changes in the past 30 years, many new materials have been found to better suit the conditions at stake.
Due to its flexibility and durable nature, the material of choice to produce early day Telemark boots out of was leather. But just like any product users felt that modifications could be made to enhance this product. While making a Telemark turn the more tension exerted to the ski from the boot, and the easier it will be to set your edge. The tension that leather boots emit from the heel lift was not much, resulting in a difficulty to set edges. This often resulted in skiing at slower speeds with less control then ideal.
Boots such as the Merrell SuperComp or the Asolo Snowfield were commonly seen as the top of the line Telemark boots in the 1980's.
Telemark boots were doomed to the age of leather as many alpine boots made their way to the larger, more stable, plastic boots. Consisting of a hard outer shell with a smaller inner liner, the new age of plastic boots kept users warmer and added a layer of protection with the newly introduced plastic shell.
Why weren't these new and improved boots readily available for Telemark skiers? Considering the fact that a Telemark boot needs to have a flexible toe, the idea of making this product out of hard plastics seemed impossible.
Luigi Parisotto knew that the plastic Telemark boot was possible. Looking at products such as shock absorber covers on motorcycles, he knew the same idea could be used as a stress resistant bellow perfect for the most puzzling part of the plastic Telemark boot. He advocated his idea and soon, blueprints were created and plastic was molded into a boot that would change the game of Telemark skiing.
SCARPA then made a boot hitting the selves in the fall of 1992, a Telemark boot made of all plastic. The new Terminator boots give users a variety of new improvements that made their skiing better and recreated what one thought was possible on Telemark skis. From the flex enhancements users could feel between the heel and the ski gave many a chance to make larger turns at higher speeds. Much more control was felt through the stiffness of the toe, giving the user more edge control and smoother turns. These boots advancing to a plastic shell, were also more durable for what was thrown at them on and off the resort.
Although leather was a good material for early day Telemark boots, its ability to flex easily does not give skiers enough tension to control their edges.With plastic boots ranging from all different flex types this type of boot transformed the telemark turn into something bigger, longer, and more stable then it had ever been before. The Telemark turn went from a hopping choppy like motion to a more spread out fluid turn, featuring much more of a surfing like style.
So what is this new material, and why has it made such an impact on Telemark skiing?
Plastic Telemark boots are made out of a polymer called Pebax, a thermoplastic elastomer; meaning that this polymer is easy to mold and will return to its initial shape after being stretched to a different shape. It is made up of block copolymers consisting of both polyamide and polyether segments. Polyamides in the case of Pebax are made artificially through step-growth polymerization. These synthetic polyamides are used in sportswear due to their extreme durability and strength. Compared to other thermoplastic elastomers Pebax has a very low material density, Giving it the ability to be a solid product but at the same time making it lightweight. The rigidity of this material makes it perfect for ski boots, giving a solid construction while not making weight a huge factor.
One of the intrinsic qualities of Pebax is it's ability to dissipate a very small amount of energy by heat dissipation. Showing that this material is also poorly degraded by the fatigue of cyclic or repeated stress. In a case of low temperature Pebax has also shown to have great flexibility with no noticeable increase of fatigue.
With the lack of degrade produced by fatigue within this special thermoplastic elastomer it is an ideal material for a Telemark boots because of the frequent compressions at the toe flex. As no increase is found in fatigue as the temperature drops this copolymer ensures that not even the temperature will fatigue this polymer.
Hydrophillic grades of Pebax also have excellent permeability to moisture vapor while remaining waterproof. Making Pebax an ideal material to make ski boots out of given the need for moisture to escape from the boot, while not letting any moisture into the boot.
Due to the on and off piste terrain that the user might be skiing with a Telemark set-up these boots needed to be breathable. Along with the capability of keeping outside moisture out while giving the inside moisture a place to escape from the liner. This was a problem for skiers using leather boots. As they didn't have two separate pieces to displace the moisture, the boots made of this material were hard to keep dry. As boots advanced to plastic shells question of the breathability where at concern but due to the technological advances of the polymers at Pebax the material is now as breathable or even more then those old leather boots.
As humans continue to adapt, the gear we use continues to change making it more suitable for the conditions. As the chemical composition of these products we use changes, the sport itself changes. Once the material of a product that sets our limits is changed, suddenly the whole sport has changed. Forming into something new and beautiful as seen in Telemark skiing the advancement of a stronger boot changed the style of the turn completely.
Due to its flexibility and durable nature, the material of choice to produce early day Telemark boots out of was leather. But just like any product users felt that modifications could be made to enhance this product. While making a Telemark turn the more tension exerted to the ski from the boot, and the easier it will be to set your edge. The tension that leather boots emit from the heel lift was not much, resulting in a difficulty to set edges. This often resulted in skiing at slower speeds with less control then ideal.
Boots such as the Merrell SuperComp or the Asolo Snowfield were commonly seen as the top of the line Telemark boots in the 1980's.
Telemark boots were doomed to the age of leather as many alpine boots made their way to the larger, more stable, plastic boots. Consisting of a hard outer shell with a smaller inner liner, the new age of plastic boots kept users warmer and added a layer of protection with the newly introduced plastic shell.
Why weren't these new and improved boots readily available for Telemark skiers? Considering the fact that a Telemark boot needs to have a flexible toe, the idea of making this product out of hard plastics seemed impossible.
Luigi Parisotto knew that the plastic Telemark boot was possible. Looking at products such as shock absorber covers on motorcycles, he knew the same idea could be used as a stress resistant bellow perfect for the most puzzling part of the plastic Telemark boot. He advocated his idea and soon, blueprints were created and plastic was molded into a boot that would change the game of Telemark skiing.
SCARPA then made a boot hitting the selves in the fall of 1992, a Telemark boot made of all plastic. The new Terminator boots give users a variety of new improvements that made their skiing better and recreated what one thought was possible on Telemark skis. From the flex enhancements users could feel between the heel and the ski gave many a chance to make larger turns at higher speeds. Much more control was felt through the stiffness of the toe, giving the user more edge control and smoother turns. These boots advancing to a plastic shell, were also more durable for what was thrown at them on and off the resort.
Although leather was a good material for early day Telemark boots, its ability to flex easily does not give skiers enough tension to control their edges.With plastic boots ranging from all different flex types this type of boot transformed the telemark turn into something bigger, longer, and more stable then it had ever been before. The Telemark turn went from a hopping choppy like motion to a more spread out fluid turn, featuring much more of a surfing like style.
So what is this new material, and why has it made such an impact on Telemark skiing?
Plastic Telemark boots are made out of a polymer called Pebax, a thermoplastic elastomer; meaning that this polymer is easy to mold and will return to its initial shape after being stretched to a different shape. It is made up of block copolymers consisting of both polyamide and polyether segments. Polyamides in the case of Pebax are made artificially through step-growth polymerization. These synthetic polyamides are used in sportswear due to their extreme durability and strength. Compared to other thermoplastic elastomers Pebax has a very low material density, Giving it the ability to be a solid product but at the same time making it lightweight. The rigidity of this material makes it perfect for ski boots, giving a solid construction while not making weight a huge factor.
One of the intrinsic qualities of Pebax is it's ability to dissipate a very small amount of energy by heat dissipation. Showing that this material is also poorly degraded by the fatigue of cyclic or repeated stress. In a case of low temperature Pebax has also shown to have great flexibility with no noticeable increase of fatigue.
With the lack of degrade produced by fatigue within this special thermoplastic elastomer it is an ideal material for a Telemark boots because of the frequent compressions at the toe flex. As no increase is found in fatigue as the temperature drops this copolymer ensures that not even the temperature will fatigue this polymer.
Hydrophillic grades of Pebax also have excellent permeability to moisture vapor while remaining waterproof. Making Pebax an ideal material to make ski boots out of given the need for moisture to escape from the boot, while not letting any moisture into the boot.
Due to the on and off piste terrain that the user might be skiing with a Telemark set-up these boots needed to be breathable. Along with the capability of keeping outside moisture out while giving the inside moisture a place to escape from the liner. This was a problem for skiers using leather boots. As they didn't have two separate pieces to displace the moisture, the boots made of this material were hard to keep dry. As boots advanced to plastic shells question of the breathability where at concern but due to the technological advances of the polymers at Pebax the material is now as breathable or even more then those old leather boots.
As humans continue to adapt, the gear we use continues to change making it more suitable for the conditions. As the chemical composition of these products we use changes, the sport itself changes. Once the material of a product that sets our limits is changed, suddenly the whole sport has changed. Forming into something new and beautiful as seen in Telemark skiing the advancement of a stronger boot changed the style of the turn completely.
History of materials project reflection
As time goes on, the materials of the products that we produce continue to change. These products are made based off the needs of humans. Many of these needs have been met but the product that we produce to fulfill them are constantly changing and improving. The more we learn, the more we test each of these products the more we can refine them each improvement makes the product better and the user more happy. This system of test and improvement had shaped many of our products with alien technology. As seen in Telemark boots this refinement method has made leather Telemark Boots into knee high plastic boots made out of thermoplastic elastomers also known as Pebax.
What goes into a material used goes way more in depth then how it looks. The materials used are used because of the chemical make up. This vital component is what is the deciding factor if something is fit for the job. Different materials are used in order to find success in its process. A successful material is one that doesn't not much replacement after extended use. The parts of a material that make it successful as what it is made up of and how that performs. Through out this project I learn lots about how the chemical make up of a material affects its properties. The atoms a material is made up of shows its strengths and weaknesses, this is why many different materials are used for many different uses.
What goes into a material used goes way more in depth then how it looks. The materials used are used because of the chemical make up. This vital component is what is the deciding factor if something is fit for the job. Different materials are used in order to find success in its process. A successful material is one that doesn't not much replacement after extended use. The parts of a material that make it successful as what it is made up of and how that performs. Through out this project I learn lots about how the chemical make up of a material affects its properties. The atoms a material is made up of shows its strengths and weaknesses, this is why many different materials are used for many different uses.