Hydrogen Fuel Cells Innovation for the 21st Century

In 1839, the first fuel cell was conceived by Sir William Robert Grove, a Welsh judge, inventor, and physicist. He mixed hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of an electrolyte and produced electricity and water. The invention, which later became known as a fuel cell, didnt produce enough electricity to be useful. Early Stages of the Fuel Cell   In 1889, the term â€Å"fuel cell† was first coined by Ludwig Mond and Charles Langer, who attempted to build a working fuel cell using air and industrial coal gas. Another source states that it was William White Jaques who first coined the term fuel cell. Jaques was also the first researcher to use phosphoric acid in the electrolyte bath. In the 1920s, fuel cell research in Germany paved the way for the development of the carbonate cycle and solid oxide fuel cells of today. In 1932, engineer Francis T Bacon began his vital research into fuels cells. Early cell designers used porous platinum electrodes and sulfuric acid as the electrolyte bath. Using platinum was expensive and using sulfuric acid was corrosive. Bacon improved on the expensive platinum catalysts with a hydrogen and oxygen cell using a less corrosive alkaline electrolyte and inexpensive nickel electrodes. It took Bacon until 1959 to perfect his design when he demonstrated a five-kilowatt fuel cell that could power a welding machine. Francis T. Bacon, a direct descendant of the other well known Francis Bacon, named his famous fuel cell design the Bacon Cell. Fuel Cells in Vehicles In October of 1959, Harry Karl Ihrig, an engineer for the Allis - Chalmers Manufacturing Company, demonstrated a 20-horsepower tractor that was the first vehicle ever powered by a fuel cell. During the early 1960s, General Electric produced the fuel-cell-based electrical power system for NASAs Gemini and Apollo space capsules. General Electric used the principles found in the Bacon Cell as the basis of its design. Today, the Space Shuttles electricity is provided by fuel cells, and the same fuel cells provide drinking water for the crew. NASA decided that using nuclear reactors was too high a risk, and using batteries or solar power was too bulky to use in space vehicles. NASA has funded more than 200 research contracts exploring fuel-cell technology, bringing the technology to a level now viable for the private sector. The first bus powered by a fuel cell was completed in 1993, and several fuel-cell cars are now being built in Europe and in the United States. Daimler-Benz and Toyota launched prototype fuel-cell powered cars in 1997. Fuel Cells the Superior Energy Source Maybe the answer to Whats so great about fuel cells? should be the question Whats so great about pollution,  changing the climate  or running out of oil, natural gas, and coal? As we head into the next millennium, it is time to put renewable energy and planet-friendly technology at the top of our priorities. Fuel cells have been around for over 150 years and offer a source of energy that is inexhaustible, environmentally safe and always available. So why arent they being used everywhere already? Until recently, it has been because of the cost. The cells were too expensive to make. That has now changed. In the United States, several pieces of legislation have promoted the current explosion in hydrogen fuel cell development: namely, the congressional Hydrogen Future Act of 1996 and several state laws promoting zero emission levels for cars. Worldwide, different types of fuel cells have been developed with extensive public funding. The United States alone has sunk more than one billion dollars into fuel-cell research in the last thirty years. In 1998, Iceland announced plans to create a hydrogen economy in cooperation with German carmaker Daimler-Benz and Canadian fuel cell developer Ballard Power Systems. The 10-year plan would convert all transportation vehicles, including Icelands fishing fleet, over to fuel-cell-powered vehicles. In March 1999, Iceland, Shell Oil, Daimler Chrysler, and Norsk Hydroformed a company to further develop Icelands hydrogen economy. In February 1999, Europes first public commercial hydrogen fuel station for cars and trucks opened for business in Hamburg, Germany. In April 1999, Daimler Chrysler unveiled the liquid hydrogen vehicle NECAR 4. With a top speed of 90 mph and a 280-mile tank capacity, the car wowed the press. The company plans to have fuel-cell vehicles in limited production by the year 2004. By that time, Daimler Chrysler will have spent $1.4 billion more on fuel-cell technology development. In August 1999, Singapore physicists announced a new hydrogen storage method of alkali doped carbon nanotubes that would increase hydrogen storage and safety. A Taiwanese company, San Yang, is developing the first  fuel cell  powered motorcycle. Where Do We Go From Here? There are still issues with hydrogen-fueled engines and power plants. Transport, storage and safety problems need to be addressed. Greenpeace has promoted the development of a fuel cell operated with regeneratively produced hydrogen. European car makers have so far ignored a Greenpeace project for a super-efficient car consuming only 3 liters of gasoline per 100 km. Special Thanks goes to H-Power, The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Letter, and Fuel Cell 2000

Renting And The American Dream Essay - 1500 Words

Owning a property has long been a gateway to the American dream. Individuals have possession of the house if they have enough money to afford the payment on a home, and be willing to purchase it. As the owners, they have the power to make decisions about the property. Other people who rent have limited control and have to depend on the ruling of the owners even though they pay the rent monthly. Advocates of house renting may claim that renting seems to be a better option than buying in the aspect of cost. However, they often overestimate the benefits of renting and lack consideration of the time factor. Instead, many people argue that buying a house is better than renting since it brings tremendous advantages to individuals and the community. In the United States, there are 56% of people own a house, and 25% of non-homeowners are looking to acquire their home in next 25 years, while only 11% of non-homeowners do not hope to own a home in the future (Newport, 2013, p.1). Therefore, pu rchasing a property is the desirable and the best option since it generates financial benefit, build self-confidence for owners, and profits the construction of the community harmony rather than renting a house. Some prefer renting to buying because they believe that the renting might seem to cost less than buying a house. The tenants can possess a stable shelter without a high-cost per month, which provide the benefit to the renters within 10 years (Andriotis, 2014, p.4). Renting aShow MoreRelatedAdvantages of Buying a Home1532 Words   |  7 PagesPurchasing a Home Buying a house for most is the American dream, but with today’s economy many people are unsure if the dream can be obtained. The main concern for most people would be the financial responsibility. Many people believe that the financial responsibility is overwhelming and they are just not ready. 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Now that the once plummeting economy has begun to level off, the recovering people are seekingRead MoreThe American Dream For A Long Time Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pages House, a shelter for people which is one of a basic requirement for human survival in today’s world. According to Andriotis (2014) and Shlay (2006), homeownership is regarded as an aspect of the American dream for a long time (p.1). The American dream, a pursuit that a large number of US citizens seek, require individuals work hard to achieve it. In other words, there are a vast of people hard work in order to afford their property. People has possession of the house if they have enough money

The Inability to Step Outside Oneself

Question:. Write an essay onThe inability to step outside oneself is one of the main objections of the use of personas. Answer: With a brief encounter with Carlos Acosta, it was understood that prior to make any kind of purchase, a person usually faces certain challenges with own. Certain psychological factors like basic assumptions of the particular thing, cognitive biasness, cognitive dissonance, heuristics and certain other mental models comes to play. It was known that Carlos had recently made a purchase of a wearable tech device E-Trace that is used to trace the dancing movement of the ballet dancer. It is for obvious reason that before making the purchase decision, Carlos would have fought a little battle with self. As stated by Davies, Gary and Rosa, (2003), every person has some kinds of thoughts, beliefs or other positive or negative attitude towards a purchasing factor, this is known as cognitive dissonance. It was known from the interview of the ballet dancer that he had to face a lot a challenge at the point of finalising his purchase. There were many options available at the store. It usually happens that one makes certain plans mentally and tried to stick to the same decision, but right at the moment of making purchase sudden changes takes place and the person has to re think about his plans. As commented by Mourali, Mehdi and Zhiyong, (2013), when people face an absurd situation, their mind rationalizes the decision by inventing illusions that would comfort them. People are left in dilemma in deciding which particular thing that they should buy. However, a powerful motivation might help the person to stick to the decision of making the purchase. In this respect, cognitive biasness somet imes creates a diplomatic situation for the buyer. By the means of a systematic pattern of deviation from basic judgements, people are often deviated from their paths and sometimes even cause a failure in the purchasing decision (Pfarr, Nikki Judith, 2010). Heuristics is the way of solving any kind of problem or discovering any optimal or practical method of dealing with various problems. The method might not be a perfect solution but is believed to be best suitable for the particular situation (Pronin et al., 2004). For instance, it was known that when Carlos was in utter dilemma of purchasing E-trace, he made a quick judgemental decision by asking one of his colleagues and trusting on his words of mouth. Thus, from this it can be understood that a personal touch or a word from a known person also helps in making certain decisions. These factors are related to metal approaches of an individual as well (Pronin Emily, 2007). Carlos mentioned at after analysing a variety of wearable, final decision was made only when he wore the same and found it comfortable enough to carry on with his dance activities. Thus, a personal likeness and mental satisfaction are also important factors of ones psychology. By analysing the various factors, it is evident that mental model of a person is responsible for making any kind of assumptions or intuitive approach towards making any kind of decision. Depending on the cognitive as well as heuristics approaches, behaviour of a person can be determined. Reference list: Davies, Gary, Rosa Chun. 2003. "The Use of Metaphor in the Exploration of the Brand Concept " Journal of Marketing Management 19:45-71. Mourali, Mehdi, Zhiyong Yang. 2013. "The Dual Role of Power in Resisting Social Influence." Journal of Consumer Research 40 (3):539-554. Pfarr, Nikki, Judith Gregory. 2010. "Cognitive Biases and Design Research: Using insights from behavioral economics and cognitive psychology to re-evaluate design research methods." Pronin, Emily, Thomas Gilovich, Lee Ross. 2004. "Objectivity in the eye of the beholder: divergent perceptions of bias in self versus others." Psychological review 111(3):781. Pronin Emily. 2007. "Perception and misperception of bias in human judgment." Trends in cognitive sciences 11 (1):37-43.

King Lear Essays (1223 words) - King Lear, Goneril, Edmund, Cordelia

King Lear Every situation in life has an appearance, and a reality. The appearance of a situation is usually what we want to see. The reality, what is really going on, is not always as obvious to the observer. People who cannot penetrate through the superficial appearance of a situation will see only what they want to believe is true; often, the reality of a situation is unappealing to the perceiver. These are the circumstances surrounding the conflict that occurs in William Shakespeare's King Lear. As an audience, you find that there is a major character flaw in the characters King Lear and the Earl of Gloucester. In the story, neither of these two men are able to establish the difference, in their minds, between what people are saying and doing, and what these people's true motives are behind their actions. This enables Lear and Gloucester to be betrayed by their own blood, and become isolated from those who have their interests at heart. It is the inability to differentiate between appearance and reality that causes Lear and Gloucester to fall. It seems, that in King Lear, appearance, or reputation defines character. Edgar says as much in soliliquy, when he disguises himself as Poor Tom. As soon as he changes out of his expensive clothing, and into his beggar drab he decides Edgar I nothing am.(II.iii.21). Although he is still Edgar beneath his disguise, when he is encountered by his own father Gloucester and his godfather Lear, neither of the two recognise him. It becomes apparent that as soon as Edgar's costume changed, all perceptions of his character did as well. This same situation is paralleled when Kent, also banished, returns in disguise as Lear's servant Caius. When Lear first sees his long time confident he asks How Now? What art thou?(I.iv.9). One wonders how, after forty years of service, Lear would not recognize his good servant Kent, even in disguise. With this in mind, we can conclude that Lear and Gloucester are both very quick to accept people at face value, without any attempt to gain a deeper understanding of them. Similarly, we learn in King Lear, that how we perceive ourselves, may not be how we are perceived by others. Lear, for example, believes himself to be a great and respected King, who is wealthy and powerful. Nevertheless, he is constantly reminded by the actions of Goneril, and Regan, that he is an old man who has lost his kingdom, his only faithful daughter, and his wits. O, sir, you are very old! Nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine. You should be ruled, and led by some discretion that discerns your state (II.iv.146-148.) this is reason and way that Regan feels her father should be removed from power. Lear, ever blinded, doesn't see that his two daughters are trying to steal his kingdom. Consequently, when Goneril and Regan are cutting down his train, he still believes that their love can be measured in words and numbers Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty, and thou art twice her love (II.iv.261-262). Lear believes that because Goneril will allow him twice as many servants in her home, she must love him twice as much as Regan does. This constant want of praise and lauding makes Lear very susceptible to persuasion by his evil daughters, and ultimately leads to his losses. Gloucester, also perceives himself differently than the people around him. He sees himself as a loyal, respected man holding some power and status. On the contrary, Regan, and her co-conspirators decide in act three that Gloucester is such a traitor (III.vii.36) because he has warned Lear and his party to escape to Dover. Gloucester, however, believes himself to be loyal, because he is loyal to the King. But, at the same time, Edmund and his party believe allegiance to the King is a betrayal to their cause. Hence, when Gloucester admits to having warned Lear of the enemy's plans, his eyes are gauged out by Cornwall and Regan as punishment for his betrayal. It is interesting, however, that although Lear and Gloucester were both blinded by their own self-image, it was only in real blinding that Gloucester was able to see Edmund in his true role as the bad seed. Lear, unfortunately took much longer to make this realisation and suffered greatly for it. So much of the turmoil