Salman Zafar is the CEO of BioEnergy Consult, and an international consultant, advisor and trainer with expertise in waste management, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, environment protection and resource conservation. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biogas technology, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management.
Salman has participated in numerous national and international conferences all over the world. He is a prolific environmental journalist, and has authored more than 300 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. In addition, he is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability through his blogs and portals.
Salman can be reached at salman@bioenergyconsult.com or salman@cleantechloops.com.
Nowadays, we can get food from the four corners of the Earth. If you want tropical fruit during the winter, you can get it. You’ll never run out of oranges, mangoes, or bananas. While these fruits and other imported foods are delicious, it’s important to eat the foods local to your area.
Shopping for and eating locally grown food is stellar for the environment and your health. However, it’s a bit difficult to navigate these days when most common items are imported. Let’s go through some tips to become a responsible food consumer:
1. Research Food Local to Your Area
First things first, get to know what crops grow best in your area. Do some googling and go to the library to find resources. Talk to people at your local grocery store.
Figure out which foods grow during the specific seasons and tailor your diet to suit the standards. Buy some cookbooks that have recipes specific to your area if they’re available.
2. Go Into the Store With a Game Plan
Going into a grocery store can either be a terrible burden or a fun experience. Most of the time, we enter huge establishments that push certain products towards consumers due to profits. Those who consider grocery shopping burdensome should craft a plan of action.
You’ve already looked into local foods in your area. Now, you can craft recipes based on the ingredients. Plan what you’re going to cook for the week before you go shopping. Then, you can shop efficiently without succumbing to sales prices or food from far away.
3. Use Online Marketplaces Run by Farmers
While being responsible for your food choices involves eating mostly locally, some imported delicacies are hard to resist. Go easy on yourself. While you should avoid going into huge grocery chains and buying exclusively imported foods, you can splurge every once in a while.
If you want to buy certain foods that need to be imported, consider using online marketplaces. These stores are partnered directly with farmers. That way, you can enjoy imported foods while supporting farmers directly.
4. Go to Your Local Farmers Market
While grocery chains are great for certain products, there’s nothing like a farmers’ market. At a farmers market, you are directly exposed to the foods grown in your area. While farmers maintain a huge presence in these markets, you’ll also see other vendors as well.
Organic food is a modern, healthy part of a sustainable lifestyle.
You’ll be able to buy locally made dips, chips, and other snacks. Plus, you can also buy crops or plants from certain individuals if you have a green thumb.
5. Buy Less
When transitioning to the life of a responsible food consumer, you’ll have to adjust to buying less every week. A responsible consumer does not overbuy. The individual buys what they need, whether that can be accomplished in one trip to the store or several.
The more you minimize food waste, the better you’ll feel. However, take baby steps and don’t feel too down if you have waste.
Become a Responsible Food Consumer
The task of being a responsible food consumer seems impossible, but it isn’t. The journey will take a while since you’re changing your habits and mindset, but it’s worth it. When you follow the steps to be more responsible, your body, mind, and the earth will thank you.
Take your time, make small changes every day, and have fun in the process. Maybe a love for cooking or baking will pop up while you are in the process.
A 30,000-grain water softener by Morton is the System Saver M30. It removes calcium and other hardness minerals from hard water by ion exchange. More efficient use of soaps and detergents owing to greater lathering, brighter laundry, and clean and spot-free dishes are all possible outcomes. In addition, the plumbing system and appliances in your home will be safeguarded against scaling.
Key features
How many hardness granules may be treated per gallon? Water that is up to 95 gpg is extremely hard.
Morton water softeners, by the way, are built in the United States and may be used with both city and well water.
According to WQA test results, the M30 can even remove up to 7 parts per million of clear-water iron, which many homes on a private well struggle with. No, ferric, iron bacteria, or organic iron compounds are not affected.
The given flow rate of 7 gpm is enough for families with up to three occupants.
The minimum operating pressure for this device is 20 psi. 125 psi is the maximum pressure.
If you’re unsure about which salt to use, Morton advises System Saver II Pellets (of course). However, any high-grade softening salt in pellet form should suffice.
Performance
Because it can treat water with up to 95 grains of hardness, the Morton System Saver M30 softener is one of the higher performing salt-based water softeners on the market. As a result, the System Saver M30 may be used with water of virtually any hardness, even private well water.
During regeneration, all salt-based water softeners waste water, but this best Morton softening feature employs sophisticated technology to minimize this waste as much as possible. It evaluates your household’s average water consumption and forecasts how often the system will need to renew, saving water waste and salt replenishment.
The System Saver employs ion exchange to soften water as a salt-based softener. Ion exchange is a typical method for softening water that often delivers the greatest results. The system may also remove up to 7ppm of iron, preventing rust from forming. The system is designed to create soft water for four-person households and has a grain capacity of 30,000 grains.
Installation and Maintenance
The Morton M30 might be difficult to install. Many individuals prefer to hire a professional plumber instead of doing it themselves. Although the device comes with an installation instructions, if you don’t have much plumbing knowledge, you may find it difficult to set up the system on your own.
Outside installation is possible, but only if you live in an area where the temperature does not dip below freezing. With a height of 43 inches and a width of 17 inches, it’ll help you save room or fit neatly into a smaller space.
The System Saver’s maintenance consists of filling up the salt and cleaning up the tanks on a regular basis. Because the Morton system is dependent on salt to function, you’ll need to keep a check on the salt levels and replenish them as needed. You’ll also need to wipe out the interior of the tank and remove any sediment or slime, as directed in the user handbook.
System info
The Morton System Saver softens water with a single tank and ion exchange. Sodium (or salt) ions exchange places with hardness ions, resulting in calcium and magnesium ions when they flow through the tank’s resin. While the soft water exits the tank and travels through your home’s plumbing, the calcium and magnesium remain trapped in the resin.
With this Morton softener, you should be able to enjoy a variety of soft water perks. Because your soft water lathers better, you’ll be able to reduce your use of soaps and detergents. You won’t have to clean as often since your water won’t create limescale deposits, and your appliances will last longer. You should have whiter, fresher laundry as well.
The system also eliminates iron, and if your water is unusually rich in iron, the creators recommend using Morton® Rust Remover salt. Although there is some debate over whether a salt-based softener with a filter can genuinely remove iron, many customers have commended the Morton M30 for its rust-removal skills. If your water contains a lot of iron, you should probably invest in a separate iron filter.
Final verdict
Leaks were a problem for certain consumers. Morton customer service received diverse reviews, ranging from terrible to excellent.
Another disadvantage is the exorbitant cost of replacing parts, such as the control board. Finally, the installation instructions should be improved.
The Morton System Saver M30 softens water in the proper manner. It can even manage modest iron levels and is simple to set up. However, it appears that overall quality and customer service are a problem. Nonetheless, we believe it is a reasonably excellent water softener on the market.
Sufficient biomass storage is necessary to accommodate seasonality of production and ensure regular supply to the biomass utilization plant. The type of storage will depend on the properties of the biomass, especially moisture content.
For high moisture biomass intended to be used wet, such as in fermentation and anaerobic digestion systems, wet storage systems can be used, with storage times closely controlled to avoid excessive degradation of feedstock. Storage systems typically used with dry agricultural residues should be protected against spontaneous combustion and excess decomposition, and the maximum storage moisture depends on the type of storage employed.
Consistent and reliable supply of biomass is crucial for any biomass project
Moisture limits must be observed to avoid spontaneous combustion and the emission of regulated compounds. Cost of storage is important to the overall feasibility of the biomass enterprise. In some cases, the storage can be on the same site as the source of the feedstock. In others, necessary volumes can only be achieved by combining the feedstock from a number of relatively close sources. Typically, delivery within about 50 miles is economic, but longer range transport is sometimes acceptable, especially when disposal fees can be reduced.
Storage of biomass fuels is expensive and increases with capacity.
Agricultural residues such as wheat straw, rice husk, rice straw and corn stover are usually spread or windrowed behind the grain harvesters for later baling. Typically these residues are left in the field to air dry to moisture levels below about 14% preferred for bales in stacks or large piles of loose material.
After collection, biomass may be stored in the open or protected from the elements by tarps or various structures. Biomass pelletization may be employed to increase bulk density and reduce storage and transport volume and cost.
Biomass Storage Options
Feedstock is hauled directly to the plant with no storage at the production site.
Feedstock is stored at the production site and then transported to the plant as needed.
Feedstock is stored at a collective storage facility and then transported to the plant from the intermediate storage location.
Biomass Storage Systems
The type of biomass storage system used at the production site, intermediate site, or plant can greatly affect the cost and the quality of the fuel. The most expensive storage systems, no doubt, are the most efficient in terms of maintaining the high fuel quality. Typical storage systems, ranked from highest cost to lowest cost, include:
Enclosed structure with crushed rock floor
Open structure with crushed rock floor
Reusable tarp on crushed rock
Outside unprotected on crushed rock
Outside unprotected on ground
Subterranean
The storage of biomass is often necessary due to its seasonal production versus the need to produce energy all year round. Therefore to provide a constant and regular supply of fuel for the plant requires either storage or multi-feedstock to be used, both of which tend to add cost to the system.
Reducing the cost of handling and stable storage of biomass feedstock are both critical to developing a sustainable infrastructure capable of supplying large quantities of biomass to biomass processing plants. Storage and handling of biomass fuels is expensive and increases with capacity. The most suitable type of fuel store for solid biomass fuel depends on space available and the physical characteristics of the biomass fuel.
MySQL is a popular technology in the extensive data ecosystem. Anyone dealing with data or general IT must familiarize themselves with MySQL. It’s also essential to identify MySQL alternatives and competitors when considering circumstances and potential growth for your small business.
What Is MySQL?
This is a relational database management system (RDBMS) established by Oracle. This system is based on structured query language or SQL. A database is a collection of data. It could involve anything as simple as a picture gallery or shopping list. It’s a place where you hold vast amounts of information. A digital store collects data and organizes it according to a relational model.
MySQL is a crucial system for data classification. This analyzes data and organizes it into defined categories based on its contents, type, and other characteristics. Many organizations use MySQL for data classification because it allows them to answer queries about their data, and use this data to make critical business decisions. Analyzing data helps organizations mitigate risk by safeguarding data based on criteria like sensitivity, secrecy, and confidentiality.
Some popular organizations that have employed MySQL backends include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and Wikipedia. The following are some alternatives and competitors of MySQL.
1. Microsoft SQL Server
SQL Server 2017 supports Windows, Linux, and Docker containers. It allowsdevelopers to create applications using their preferred language. This system comes with innovative security features and built-in AI. SQL Server is also capable of delivering insights through mobile BI.
2. Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database uses the Microsoft SQL Server Engine. This relational database has a high-performance, secure database and is reliable. You can use this system to create data-driven websites and applications in the programming language of your choice without the need to manage infrastructure.
3. IBM Informix
IBM Informix is a database optimized for Internet of Things (IoT) and OLTP data. This system can integrate SQL, NoSQL, and JSON. It’s reliable, flexible, and easy to use. It’s also affordable. IBM Informix works with both structured and unstructured data. It’s a hybrid database system that allows flexibility and easier development. You can run OLTP queries and workloads and use the Informix warehouse accelerator for predictive analytics.
4. MariaDB
MariaDB was created by the same people who developed MySQL. The MariaDB foundation supports this open-source relational database. Some capabilities of this system include Galera Cluster 4, Temporal Data Tables, and Oracle Database.
5. SQLite
SQLite is a database library that implements a serverless, self-contained, transactional, and zero-configuration database engine. SQL lite is the most famous database in the world. The code used for SQLite is in the public domain and is free for use, whether for private or commercial purposes.
6. Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS)
Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) is a web service you can easily set up. Operating and scaling a relational database in the cloud is also easy. Some supported database systems include Amazon Aurora, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL.
7. SAP HANA Cloud
SAP HANA Cloud combines database and application platform capabilities to transform transactions, text analysis, analytics, and predictive and spatial processing. This allows businesses to operate in real time.
8. LibreOffice Base
This is a full-featured desktop front-end database that addresses the needs of different users. LibreOffice Base supports drivers for the most popular multi-user database engines. These include MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MS Access. Additionally, the built-in support for ODBC and JDBC standard drivers enables you to connect to virtually any existing database engine.
9. PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is an open-source and free object-relational database system. This database boasts many years of active reliability, robustness, development, and performance. PostgreSQL supports SQL and is designed for various workloads.
10. Firebird
Firebird is a relational database system offering ANSI SQL features. The system runs on Windows, Linux, and Unix platforms.
What To Consider When Choosing a Database Management System
When choosing a database management system, some essential features include data model, data consistency, and data security. When looking at the data model, you need to determine whether you are dealing with a relational model or unstructured data. Furthermore, consider how to retrieve and manipulate data. For example, it’s faster to analyze hierarchical data in sequential files in a NoSQL database than in a relational one.
Data consistency is another factor you must consider when choosing a database management system. Maintaining data consistency is essential as more sources tap into the database. You should consider consistency rules and define them when selecting a DBMS.
Lastly, you should think about the ability to back up and restore databases. Therefore, when choosing a database management system, you need to be able to set up a plan for data security to ensure minimal downtime in case of a security threat.
Wrapping It Up
The efficiency of any small business relies on the ability to store large amounts of crucial information securely and in an organized manner. This is why many corporations today have adopted MySQL and other related alternatives for database management. Choosing the appropriate system will ensure your data’s integrity and allow business processes to run smoothly.
Soil is a very important part of the preservation and continuation of life. Healthy soil is essential for growing healthy crops and plants for human and animal nutrition. Soil is usually uncontaminated, but due to human activities, toxic substances get into the soil, harming plants and animals.
Many people live in urban areas; hence more human activities affect the soil in these urban areas. Soil can get contaminated through illegal waste disposal, wastewater discharge, and acid rain, among others.
Here are some of the common contaminants that are present in contaminated soils in urban areas.
1. Pesticides
Pesticides are among the top soil contaminants in urban areas. When people try to control pests using chemical pesticides, most of the pesticide ends up in the soil. Contaminated soils can be harmful to animals that live underground. When it rains, the rainwater can be contaminated with the toxic pesticide and reach the groundwater, making it unfit for consumption.
2. Petroleum Products
Petroleum products such as oil and gas are among urban areas’ most common soil contaminants. Oil or gasoline can leak from cars and other moving machines and reach the soil. Contaminated soils usually contain harmful chemicals such as lead, which is present in some oil and gasoline products.
3. Radon
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that is harmful to human beings. Radon gas can cause lung cancer if you breathe it for an extended period. Most industries opt to build underground ventilation systems to prevent radon from escaping contaminated soils and reaching the surface.
4. Creosote
Another contaminated present in urban contaminated soils is Creosote, a chemical derived from Tar and is used for wood preservations. Creosote usually contaminates the soil when poles preserved by creosote are placed into the soil.
Even though Creosote is important in preventing termites and other pests from damaging timber, it can also cause harm to human beings and other animals.
5. Asbestos
Asbestos is a harmful substance that was used in the insulation of houses before it was phased out in the 1980s due to its potential danger to human life. Asbestos usually finds its way to the soil through poor demolition of houses and illegal dumping.
Call experts immediately if you suspect you are living close to asbestos-contaminated soil.
Protect the Soil from Contamination
Soil plays an important role in providing nutrition to humans and other animals and cleaning water. If the soil gets contaminated, the toxins can kill plants and animals and make groundwater unfit for consumption.
There are many easy ways to save money and electricity every month around your home. And as you will see from the following examples, they don’t all require you to downgrade your lifestyle or make major sacrifices in your everyday life. Some of these energy-saving measures will apply more during hot times of the year or cold times, but most will serve you well all year long.
save energy concept
And keep in mind that many of these energy-saving tips can apply just as well to businesses trying to save money as they do to homeowners.
1. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances
Your major household appliances use up a lot of electricity year-round, so when it comes time to repair or replace one of them, consider upgrading to a more energy-efficient model. Many manufacturers make refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, washing machines and dryers that meet or exceed EnergyStar guidelines and can save you hundreds of dollars per year in lower energy bills.
2. Eliminate Electricity “Leaks”
Most homeowners are aware of water leaks in their homes such as leaky faucets, cracked garden hoses and poorly sealed pipe fittings in the walls. But your home could also be leaking electricity every day.
A lot of electricity gets wasted needlessly due to so-called “energy leaks”. These could include appliances that draw power 24/7, even when not in use. Other energy leaks could be simple things like leaving the lights turned on in empty rooms or falling asleep with the television on.
Fortunately, there are easy ways to reduce energy leaks without putting a drain on your lifestyle, such as using power strips, timers and motion sensors to cut off these devices when nobody is using them.
3. Improve Your Home’s Insulation
Another factor that drives up your monthly electric bill is the hot or cold air outside making its way into your home. There are two main ways to address this:
If your doors or windows are old and have cracks or holes, then go ahead and get those replaced. Double-paned glass windows and sliding doors can add an extra layer of protection to regulate your internal temperature.
If there are any gaps around the perimeter or frame of your doors and windows, then replacing the weatherstripping should seal those off easily. This is actually good DIY project for beginners that will only cost you a few bucks and a few minutes per door/window.
Replacing your insulation can be a big job and will likely require some professional help, not only to get the job done right, but also to ensure compliance with all building codes and regulations. The main question for you to discuss with your chosen contractor will be to decide what type of insulation will work best for your needs and your budget. Common materials include natural fibers, plastics, foam, minerals and fiberglass insulation.
When hiring a contractor, be sure they include air-sealing services in the estimate, since leaks, gaps and cracks in the walls, ceilings and floors should be done prior to putting in the insulation. Some insulation types, such as fiberglass insulation, are installed using techniques that literally blow the materials into place and do an excellent job of sealing off leaks.
4. Properly Use and Maintain Your HVAC System
Your heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system can also make or break your power bill every month, especially during the winter or summer seasons. These heating and cooling systems are comprised of many motors and moving parts which are subject to wear and tear and will require ongoing maintenance.
While your HVAC system is designed to last for several years, some individual components can become worn out and create inefficiencies which overload the entire system, wasting energy and causing additional damage. So you do need to be diligent in maintaining or repairing these systems as needed. Many HVAC repair companies in your area offer free inspections of heaters, air conditioners and centralized ventilation systems, so take advantage of those when they are available.
5. Use Green Building Materials
When constructing a new home or adding on to your existing property, using green building materials can also help you save money on construction costs. Here are some examples of commonly-used green building materials:
Recycled steel and wood
Reclaimed doors, windows and lumber
Plant-based polyurethane foam
Bamboo
Wool
While you might not see much difference on your own personal utility bill, using building supplies made from recycled or reclaimed materials can save money on construction costs. And you can also save a lot of energy and resources on a larger scale – at the community level and eventually global level. Plus, many reclaimed material just a nice aesthetic to your home.
Saving energy at home can be easy, and with a little creativity and investment you don’t necessarily have to make any radical changes to your lifestyle either. Pick one or two of these energy-saving tips for homeowners and put them to use today.
Although we absolutely love our homes, there will be a day where we have to pack our belongings and find a new place to hang our hats. Homeowners who have older homes may experience a bit more of a challenge getting that “sold” sign because buyers aren’t too keen on buying a house that looks like it’s from the 70s and can become a money pit sooner than later.
Below is the list of common signs that will show prospective home buyers just how old your house is so if you have an older home, here are a few updated design tips for getting your home ready to sell:
1. Old appliances
One of the biggest tips from top agents we’ve come across is to update your appliances! Buyers do not want outdated appliances and that includes any appliances that aren’t stainless steel. Buyers love the look of the sleek metal and it just gives the kitchen a modern appeal.
2. Loud paint and/or wallpaper
Paint colors and wallpaper is a personal choice, but if you’re going to sell, you will appeal to a much broader base if you’re giving them a neutral base. Neutral colors will allow the buyers to envision their belongings in the home, rather than being put off because their traditional dining set would look odd in a deep purple dining room.
3. Brass hardware
When you walk into a home, you can tell it’s age by the color of the fixtures. Shiny brass or silver hardware and door knobs are fine and well, but polished nickel, matte black, and oil rubbed bronze are best.
4. Old windows
Older windows not only date the home, but they are also a drain on energy! Buyers want windows that are energy efficient – triple-pane glass windows are preferable as they are the most energy efficient, but they can be costly, ranging between $500 to $1,085 per window.
5. Popcorn ceilings
Whoever thought popcorn ceilings were a cool feature to have in a house must have been really into texture. Smooth ceilings are much more preferable simply because they look cleaner. If you have popcorn ceilings, you can remove it fairly easily, except it will be a big mess. Fortunately, you can hire a contractor to do the work and cleanup!
6. Tile or laminate countertops
When you bought your home, you probably didn’t mind tile or laminate countertops, but buyers aren’t going to be so charmed. Instead, buyers prefer granite, marble, concrete or custom epoxy countertops.
7. Wood paneling
Wood paneling was popular in the 70s and it makes your home look dark, old, and severely dated. You can remove the paneling, install drywall, and slap on a fresh coat of paint and you’d be amazed by how much more welcoming your home will feel!
8. Carpet in the bathroom
Water and carpeting are mortal enemies and carpeting has absolutely no place in the bathroom. Buyers know this and will avoid houses with this feature, unless they were already planning on renovating the bathroom. If you don’t want to keep your fingers crossed you’ll have a buyer who’s going to renovate, you can roll up your sleeves (or hire a contractor) to rip up the carpet and lay down new flooring, such as tile, vinyl flooring, or wood.
It can be hard to go through your house and see the areas where buyers may not appreciate. You may have loved the countertops you installed 10 years ago, or your ivory washer and dryer have never let you down… But buyers want homes that are updated, modern, and have as little fixing up to do as possible. If you do even a few of these changes and you may see the start to offers roll in.
If you are looking to sell your home or are just thinking about doing some upgrades to make it more attractive when you do finally sell it, studies show that making your property more eco-friendly will make it more attractive to potential buyers. If you want to get specific, there are some eco-friendly upgrades that not only help the environment by reducing the home’s energy consumption, but at the same time provide a return on the investment of more than 100%. This is not just an empty promise as every year sees an increase in home construction that includes the latest in environmentally friendly technology.
It is no secret that technology is helping every industry develop at supersonic speeds. With the continued threat that rapid urban development brings to the environment. it only makes sense to use new technology to create better construction methods that are less harmful to the environment and more affordable to the homeowner. Jump on the go green opportunities available today and commit to making a better tomorrow.
Be Both Ambitious and Realistic
As you might expect, some eco-friendly upgrades are going to cost more than others. Want to add solar panels on top of the roof? First you have to check with your HOA, if you have one. Then you need to check the financials of the project. The upfront cost will vary from one installer to the next, and the rebates and incentives that encourage you to change in the first place will also vary depending on your home state.
If installing solar panels on your roof is not in your budget, there are plenty of other options to choose from. Everything from changing your insulation to never buying bottled water can have an impact. Changing the number of days you water your lawn or the amount of time for each sprinkler. Try reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower by just a few minutes each day.
Using your home as a tax write-off is so obvious it’s a huge reason many people buy homes in the first place. The important thing to remember is that you aren’t the only one who has a vested interest in making your home eco-friendly. The IRS has entered the discussion and extends tax credits based on different upgrades made to the home for environmentally friendly purposes. And since employing a special tax attorney may not be in your budget, there are other feasible ways to examine your financial situation as it impacts your taxes, and whether or not there are any discrepancies that need to be taken care of.
Once you have your overall financial situation looking a little clearer, don’t just be content with the usual write-offs consisting of interest payments and the like; consider all of your options and make a home upgrade that pays for itself. The point is, being proactive and taking the initiative to make your home more eco-friendly is not only affordable, it is also rewarding.
Electric mobility is the newest trend in today’s highly competitive market. Electric vehicles have already been defined as the future of transportation, and are on the increase. They are predicted to inevitably take over the car industry by the next decade.
Through technical innovation, e-Mobility is prepared to address today’s concerns linked with climate change, fossil fuel dependency, and environmental protection. Today, a slew of big auto manufacturers have not only begun building their own electric vehicles — alongside the industry’s pioneer, Tesla — but have also planned to discontinue the production of gas-powered vehicles in the next decades.
Vacuum technology has been – and still is – essential in this process.
Vacuum technology and mobility: a lifelong interest
Vacuum technology is not new in the mobility sector: it has been around for more than 60 years to support the creation and production of vehicle batteries.
It began as an industry-wide innovation and has been in use for decades. Despite this, it will continue to be utilized for many years to come, as it is still playing a huge role in the most recent e-mobility innovation.
Agilent, a supplier of vacuum and leak detection equipment and services, is dedicated to providing concrete solutions in the approach to sustainable mobility. It assists manufacturers all over the world in both the core, fundamental procedures of developing renewable battery technology and the secondary processes that are equally significant. Vacuum and leak detection technologies, for example, are important components in new industrial processes for vehicle electrification.
Agilent is significantly involved in the development of electric mobility in general, with a variety of equipment and brilliant solutions. Examine the most recent vacuum technology by yourself at https://www.agilent.com/en/product/vacuum-technologies.
What is the role of vacuum technology in the development of electric vehicles?
Vacuum is already used in various functional stages and processes associated with electric mobility. From the electrolyte-filling stage of a lithium-ion battery (to ensure that the cell is evenly saturated with the electrolyte) to assisting in the shaping of the electric motor with constantly innovative generator technologies, to make them modular, lighter, more affordable, quieter, and more efficient. Agilent is involved in the development and production of a vast majority of electric vehicle components.
In addition to lithium-ion batteries, the most known and utilized rechargeable batteries, Agilent concentrates as well on the advancements in hydrogen fuel cells, one of the future trends for innovative technologies in electric vehicles.
What are lithium batteries?
Modern lithium-ion batteries are the favoured technology for electric vehicles right now. Unlike other batteries, lithium-ion batteries are among the most often used rechargeable batteries because they have a much higher energy density and a slow discharge rate, allowing them to maintain a charge for significantly longer.
They are innovative battery technologies that utilize lithium ions as a key component in the battery’s operation and electrochemistry.
Lithium-ion batteries, in addition to appearing in electric cars, can also be found in small portable electronics such as laptops and smartphones, and are frequently utilized in military and aerospace applications.
Vacuum Technology is driving electric mobility!
Vacuum is already used in various functional stages and processes associated with electric mobility. Let’s go deep together in the stages where vacuum is the dominant player.
1. Battery production: vacuum technology in more than half of the battery manufacture processes!
Agilent’s vacuum specialists assist lithium-ion battery manufacturers with their procedures and technological challenges in production processes, quality control, and safety measurements. As a result, they have been significantly involved in the development of electric mobility, with their vacuum tech currently accounting for more than half of the processes in battery creation.
Battery performance, longevity, and overall quality are all highly influenced by the quality of the manufacturing process. Agilent solutions and experience optimize resource usage and reduce process time while ensuring product quality goals are fulfilled.
2. Battery Cooling
As batteries get more efficient and powerful, car companies are being pressed to develop new heat management systems. Cooling systems must keep battery temperatures between 20 and 40 degrees Celsius. Liquid coolers have been shown to be the most efficient approach for keeping the battery pack at the proper temperature range.
The biggest disadvantage of liquid coolers is the potential of a leak or spillage. Undetected leaks significantly reduce the battery’s service life and/or allow highly reactive electrolytes to escape. Water leakage in battery coolers is a severe problem that affects battery durability and battery pack safety. To ensure long battery life, the cell must be completely leak-proof.
To confirm leak-proofness, a leak test is performed using a vacuum leak detection instrument, which can detect even the slightest leak using helium as tracer gas and detecting it by means of an embedded mass spectrometer. Highly sensitive helium leak detection systems play an important role in the production of lithium batteries and bear a significant amount of responsibility in terms of safety.
3. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems
There isn’t a heat-producing engine in an electric vehicle. Differently to low efficiency thermal engines, high-performance electric motors generate very little heat. The vehicle cabin temperature must be raised by other means. So, how do electric vehicles generate heat?
Well, it needs to produce interior heat using — you got it — electricity. Often via one or more resistive heating elements. Early electrical automobiles in fact employed basic resistive heaters, while contemporary vehicles have heat pump systems that transport thermal energy from the outside into the interior.
These technological HVAC systems necessitate extensive vacuum and leak detection solutions in order to create strong and dependable components capable of successfully capturing and directing heat. Look at how the leak-proofness is tested here.
4. Electric motor
Electric vehicle manufacturers research innovative motor/generator technology to make them more modular and efficient, lighter, quieter and even cheaper than typical electric motors. Water is the principal enemy of electric and electronic parts, hence leak detection and humidity tightness are an absolute priority in all of them. Agilent helium leak detectors enable faster and more exact leak location and monitoring for completely sealed electric vehicle motors.
5. Electric and electronic components
The operating range of an electric vehicle is not just determined by battery capacity. New materials and procedures are being applied to manage higher voltage, temperatures, and insulation difficulties in order to improve the efficiency of a car’s internal electrical distribution.
In propulsion-grade power electronics, inverters, connections, filters, busbars, and safety devices all play important roles.
Insulating or environmental coatings are required for all of these components. Agilent is proud to supply diffusion and turbomolecular pumps for innovative coating equipment. Browse the Agilent website to find the best turbopumps and turbomolecular pumps.
Fuel cells are another zero-emission alternative to combustion engines and even to lithium batteries. This intriguing technology works with hydrogen gas: hydrogen is employed in fuel cells to generate power through a chemical process instead of combustion, with just water and heat as byproducts. Hydrogen reacts electrochemically in fuel cells to produce electricity and power the car. Brake energy is also absorbed and stored in a battery to offer extra power during short acceleration occurrences.
To prevent leaks that could impair performance and safety, fuel cell generators, gas tanks, and distribution lines must be hermetically sealed and leak-checked by means of specific leak detectors. Vacuum technology and processes also play a key role here.
Future Trends for Green Technology in Vehicles
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, by 2040, more than half of all built and sold passenger cars will be electric. As public concern about climate change grows, governments throughout the world are stepping up efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Agilent is committed to supporting this change by providing the finest, more innovative and performing vacuum technology equipment and machinery.
Environmental concerns are more widespread than they ever have been, thanks to high-profile documentaries, a raft of alarming science, and some determined activism from green pressure groups. And these concerns are helping to shape the modern home, too.
There are myriad environmentally-friendly ways in which the environmental impact of your home can be lessened. Some of these involve major investment and upheaval; others, however, offer a considerable return on just a little bit of effort.
Swapping out older halogen-style light bulbs for newer LED-based ones can save enormous amounts of energy in the long-term. They’re more resilient, and they’ll pay for themselves within a few weeks. Of course, there’s also an environmental cost associated with manufacturing a new bulb – and thus it may be worth waiting for your old bulbs to fail before investing in a replacement.
2. Insulate
If you’re burning gas in order to replace the heat that’s escaping through your windows, doors and walls, then you’re imposing a burden on the environment. Anything you can do to improve the insulation situation will therefore confer an environmental benefit. Often, the best results can be had by improving the situation in the loft.
3. Install a compost bin
Your kitchen will produce food waste, which can be put to use in the garden. Install a compost bin, and use the results to grow yourself some quality vegetables. You’ll be slashing your food miles in the process, too.
3. Heat Pumps
A ground-source heat pump is a device which draws energy up from deep in the ground, and uses it to help heat your house. Despite the name, the heat-pump can actually help to cool your property, too. Plus, you won’t have the visual upheaval that comes with solar panels. With that said, they’re tricky to install into existing builds, and their efficiency can vary according to the type of soil heat is being extracted from.
4. Photovoltaic Solar Panels
If you can claim a little bit of the energy that strikes your roof, then you’ll reduce the amount of fossil fuels that you’re indirectly causing to be burned. Over the course of decades, again, the investment in solar panels will pay for itself – and you’ll get the benefit of solar grants to sweeten the deal still further.
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