15 Eco-Friendly Cars: You Can Afford to Go Green Today

Many people believe that they simply cannot afford to go green. Not everyone lives in an area where they can walk to work, or even drive less, and most are under the impression that any car able to make a difference is just too expensive to consider. While it’s true that many eco-friendly practices can be difficult to implement, it’s not all glamor and glitz. These 15 green cars are all currently available, not one of them over the $17,000 range. If you’re one of the millions who are forced to commute day after day but can only afford half the nearly $30,000 price tag that comes with a hybrid, this is for you.

Even sources of clean energy can get dirty when they sit around for ten, twenty or fifty years. More often than not, renewable energy power plants are upgraded—or their equipment replaced—because their locations were selected for their excellent renewable resource. But stuff happens: businesses go under; policies and incentives change; more efficient technologies are discovered, etc. And as a result, relics of a renewable past are left scattered across the global landscape.

7 Alternative Fuels and Fuel-Powered Vehicles

With $4.00/gallon gas prices a not-so-distant memory, alternative fuels are all the rage. But what about the vehicles that run on them? Between hydrogen fuel cells, bio diesel, electricity and compressed air, the industrialized world is hard at work creating the next generation of non-oil consuming vehicles. These new, eco-friendly chariots deserve at least as much attention and fanfare as the fuels that power them, especially these 7 models.

Burning Green: 15 Cutting-Edge Biofuel Sources

Last year’s record high oil prices have renewed mainstream interest in alternatives to fossil fuels. Current products like corn-based ethanol, with its quick-burning consistency and negative effect on global food prices, might soon be seen as a hiccup in the story of sustainable, green fuels. A new generation of bio-fuels, as well as new approaches to established fuel sources, are making a cleaner, greener future seem like more than a mere pipe dream.

Clean Coal? 10 of the World’s Dirtiest Power Plants

Coal is the undisputed leader in dirty fuel sources. But beyond the issue of global warming/climate change (burning coal is the number one source of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide), coal-fired power plants also release dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, arsenic, lead, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, creating environmental hazards both near the plants (i.e smog, respiratory complications, fouled water from coal-slurry impoundments), and far from the plants (i.e acid rain, mercury pollution in rivers and oceans, etc.). And that is only the burning of coal, to say nothing of the mining and transportation of it.

10 of the World’s Most Vital Rivers for Survival

The era when rivers acted as the world’s highways is past. However, some major waterways still have plenty of significance. They still hold religious and mythological value for those who make their living on or near the water. They still act as major transportation corridors, especially in areas where roads and rails cannot go. And, they may hold the key to putting a major dent in the problem of pollution.

Armed To The Teeth: Africa’s Terrifying Goliath Tigerfish

The Goliath Tigerfish may be the most fearsome fish you’ll ever see – and you’d better hope it doesn’t see you first! Ferocious in temperament, armed to the gills with 32 razor-sharp teeth and accustomed to hunting in packs, the Terror Of The Congo makes piranhas seem like pussycats and The Incredible Mr. Limpet look, well, limp.

Berry Nice! 12 Amazing, Odd and Unusual Fruits

Fruits: they’re delicious foods, superb anti-oxidants and if you’re a Monty Python fan, formidable weapons. They’re also available in many more varieties than ever before, some of them decidedly odd. Are you up for some strange fruit? Here are a dozen, ripe for the picking.

Sick Slicks: Counting Down The 13 Worst Oil Spills

The ongoing (at press time) environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform is certainly an eco-disaster of epic proportions, but how does it rank with the worst oil spills in history? Counting down the past half-century’s 13 biggest oil spills – on land and sea – reveals a stunning succession of sick slicks along with the likelihood of more to come.

Fan-Tastic! 10 Cool Colorful Wind Turbine Designs

Thousands of bats and birds die each year pursuing insects that are attracted to wind turbines but a new study out of the UK suggests that painting the supports, blades and turbines purple will deter insects from congregating. Why just purple, though? Adding a little color to wind farms could attract “fans”, repel bugs, and save bats & birds.

Boiler Operator's Exam Preparation Guide

If the exam is on boiler operation, this guide is your fast track to acing the test! It was written by a licensed professional engineer specifically for those who work with boilers and want to pass licensing exams. With this results-oriented review guide, you'll save study time. The Boiler Operator's Exam Preparation Guide focuses right in on exactly the kind of problems you will find on your exam. It's packed with practice multiple choice, problem-solving, and essay questions to help you prepare-plus this guide shows you how to answer, step by step. Working at your own pace, you'll polish up your problem-solving skills and build up your knowledge of the underlying theories of thermodynamics and mechanics. 369 pp.

Boiler Operator's Exam Preparation Guide - Table of Contents:

• Heat
• Boilers
• Boiler Trim
• Combustion
• Fuel-Burning Equipment
• Fuel-Saving Equipment
• Steam Traps and Pipes
• Water Treatment
• Turbines
• Pumps and Motors
• Bearings
• Sample Multiple Choice Questions
• Essay Questions
• Answers to Multiple Choice Questions
• Essay Answers
• Various Steam Tables
• Glossary
• Index

Standard Boiler Operators Questions and Answers (Elonka & Kohan)

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This book attempts to look inside boilers, beyond the pressure switches that cycle a boiler on and off, and into the many factors such as types of boilers, methods of construction, Code requirements, fuels, firing, programs of operation, safety controls, safety devices, possible causes of malfunction, methods of repair, maintenance, feedwater treatment, state laws, and the many other features that can affect a boiler, and the operator or owner-user involved with boilers, in his daily business.

Preface Chapter 1. Usage and Application
Chapter 2. Heat Transfer and Design
Chapter 3. Fire-Tube Boilers
Chapter 4. Water-Tube Boilers
Chapter 5. Cast-Iron and Heating Boilers
Chapter 6. Special Boilers
Chapter 7. Construction: Methods of Joining
Chapter 8. Pressure, Stresses, and Forces
Chapter 9. Boiler Strength Calculation
Chapter 10. Fuels, Firing, and Combustion
Chapter 11. Combustion Safeguards and Controls
Chapter 12. Instruments and Controls
Chapter 13. Safety Appurtenances
Chapter 14. Boiler Operation
Chapter 15. Boiler-Water Treatment
Chapter 16. Maintenance, Inspection, and Repair
Chapter 17. Nuclear Power Reactors
Chapter 18. Boiler-Room Management
Index

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Standard Boiler Operators Questions and Answers (Elonka & Kohan)

DOWNLOAD

This book attempts to look inside boilers, beyond the pressure switches that cycle a boiler on and off, and into the many factors such as types of boilers, methods of construction, Code requirements, fuels, firing, programs of operation, safety controls, safety devices, possible causes of malfunction, methods of repair, maintenance, feedwater treatment, state laws, and the many other features that can affect a boiler, and the operator or owner-user involved with boilers, in his daily business.

Preface Chapter 1. Usage and Application
Chapter 2. Heat Transfer and Design
Chapter 3. Fire-Tube Boilers
Chapter 4. Water-Tube Boilers
Chapter 5. Cast-Iron and Heating Boilers
Chapter 6. Special Boilers
Chapter 7. Construction: Methods of Joining
Chapter 8. Pressure, Stresses, and Forces
Chapter 9. Boiler Strength Calculation
Chapter 10. Fuels, Firing, and Combustion
Chapter 11. Combustion Safeguards and Controls
Chapter 12. Instruments and Controls
Chapter 13. Safety Appurtenances
Chapter 14. Boiler Operation
Chapter 15. Boiler-Water Treatment
Chapter 16. Maintenance, Inspection, and Repair
Chapter 17. Nuclear Power Reactors
Chapter 18. Boiler-Room Management
Index

DOWNLOAD..

Steam Turbines Design, Application, and Re-Rating

The latest design and manufacturing details in mechanical drive steam turbines

Steam Turbines shows how to select, improve, operate, and maintain high-quality mechanical drive steam turbines-with maximum efficiency and minimum downtime. This new Second Edition offers authoritative information on the operating characteristics, design features, reliability, and maintenance of all steam turbines. A complete sourcebook, Steam Turbines delivers the expertise required to capitalize on the latest steam turbine and intermediate transmission unit innovations--and improve a plant's efficiency, availability, and profitability.

Steam Turbines, Second Edition covers:

• Variable speed drives and intermediate gearing used for major process machinery and cogeneration drives-- with completely updated content
• Arrangement, material composition, and basic physical laws governing design of steam turbines
• How to select optimum configurations, controls, and components
• Options and ways to upgrade existing steam turbines

Boilers for Power and Process

Summary Boiler professionals require a strong command of both the theoretical and practical facets of water tube-boiler technology. From state-of-the-art boiler construction to mechanics of firing techniques, Boilers for Power and Process augments seasoned engineers’ already-solid grasp of boiler fundamentals. A practical explanation of theory, it delivers a balanced analysis of the conceptual and functional aspects of boiler design and evolution. Project managers, consultants, and graduate students will also benefit from this handy desk book, which: - Describes boiler theory - Elaborates on the parts and sub-assemblies of the boiler and its essential auxiliaries - Explains firing systems, including FBC and HRSG Insights from a Professional with Decades of Experience Take advantage of the author’s rare techno-commercial perspective and decades of hands-on international experience with industrial and utility boiler systems. Boilers for Power and Process builds on fundamentals – heat transfer, fluid flow, combustion, and fuels – using hundreds of illustrations and tables, a glossary of key terms, and appendices outlining essential calculations required for common processes. Ruthless Optimization Leads to Evolution Examining the latest breakthroughs in boiler technology, this reference details the evolution and what the author calls “ruthless” optimization of firing systems and boilers in the last 150 years. It explains why only the most fuel-flexible, dynamically responsive, best-constructed boilers are used today. This company-neutral text discusses competing designs and why different systems are particularly useful and cost-effective for certain business sectors and global regions. Succinct and easy to navigate, this text illustrates the practical business value and applications of different boilers, distilling the essential information, creating a must-have reference for an intimate understanding of boiler technology.

Section I: Boiler Fundamentals Boiler Basics Introduction Classification of Boilers Boiler Specifications Scope of Boiler Plant Heat Balance for Boiler Efficiency Performance Testing of Boilers Boiler Evaluation Boiler Design for Optimum Performance Designing Boiler Codes Capturing the Basic Design Data Heat and Flow Steam and Water Properties Heat Transfer Fluid Flow Circulation Combustion Utilization of Steam Fuels and Ash Introduction Solid Fuels Liquid Fuels Gaseous Fuels Ash Water Conditioning Introduction Water and Boiler Deaeration and Oxygen Scavenging Water and Steam Conditioning Carryover Boiler Materials Introduction Boiler Parts Boiler Steels Structural Steels Fundamentals of Metallurgy Properties of Steel in Brief BRIL Wear-Resistant Refractory Ceramic Materials Section II: Boilers Parts and Auxiliaries Heating Surfaces Introduction Evaporator Surfaces Superheater and Reheater Back-End Equipment Economizer Airheater Fabricated Parts Introduction Unheated Pressure Parts Draft Plant Items Structure Boiler Auxiliaries Introduction Fans Dust-Collecting Equipment Mechanical-Dust Collectors Dry Electrostatic Precipitator Fabric Filters Wet Scrubbers Valves and Mountings Soot Blowers Water-Level Indicators Section III: Boilers and Firing Industrial and Utility Boilers Water Tube Boilers for Industry and Power Industrial Boilers Utility Boilers Burner Firing Oil and Gas Firing Burners and Combustion Duct Burners Burner Management and Safety System Oil- and Gas-Fired Boilers Stoker Firing Mechanical Stokers Mass Burning Spreader Burning Stoker-Fired Boilers Fluidized Bed Combustion An Overview of Fluidized Bed Combustion Fluidized Bed Combustion Fundamentals Fluidized Bed Combustion Process—Pros and Cons Bubbling Fluidized Bed Combustion Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion Utility Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion Range Boilers Ignifluid Boilers Pulverized Fuel Firing An Overview of Pulverized Fuel Firing Types of Firing Milling Plant Burners Pulverized Fuel Boilers Waste Gas Firing (Heat Recovery Steam Generators) Waste Heat Boilers Gas Turbines Heat Recovery Steam Generators

THE BOILER OPERATORS HANDBOOK

Practical Guide to Industrial Boiler System Handbook

This volume covers the fundamentals of boiler systems and gathers hard-to-find facts and observations for designing, constructing and operating industrial power plants in the United States and overseas. It contains formulas and spreadsheets outlining combustion points of natural gas, oil and solid fuel beds. It also includes a boiler operator's training guide, maintenance examples, and a checklist for troubleshooting.

Fin Day For A Stroll: Seven Amazing Walking Fish

Walking Catfish-Ikan Keli

Snakehead- Ikan Toman

Climbing Gourami- Ikan Puyu

Mudskipper- Ikan Belacak

more..
http://webecoist.com/2010/11/23/fin-day-for-a-stroll-seven-amazing-walking-fish/

20 Amazing Futuristic Hydrogen Vehicle Design Concepts

Ronn Motors Scorpion Roadster

Volkswagen Splinter

BlitzenBenz

Pholeum

and more...
http://webecoist.com/2010/04/29/20-amazing-futuristic-hydrogen-vehicle-design-concepts/

Wave and Tidal Hydroelectric Plants

Generation of tidal energy

Tide and Tidal acceleration

Tidal power is the only form of energy which derives directly from the relative motions of the Earth–Moon system, and to a lesser extent from the Earth–Sun system. Tidal forces produced by the Moon and Sun, in combination with Earth's rotation, are responsible for the generation of the tides. Other sources of energy originate directly or indirectly from the Sun, including fossil fuels, conventional hydroelectric, wind, biofuels, wave power and solar. Nuclear energy makes use of Earth's mineral deposits of fissionable elements, while geothermal power uses the Earth's internal heat which comes from a combination of residual heat from planetary accretion (about 20%) and heat produced through radioactive decay (80%).^[3]

Tidal energy is extracted from the relative motion of large bodies of water. Periodic changes of water levels, and associated tidal currents, are due to the gravitational attraction of the Sun and Moon. Magnitude of the tide at a location is the result of the changing positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth, the effects of Earth rotation, and the local geography of the sea floor and coastlines.

Because the Earth's tides are ultimately due to gravitational interaction with the Moon and Sun and the Earth's rotation, tidal power is practically inexhaustible and classified as a renewable energy resource.

A tidal generator uses this phenomenon to generate electricity. Greater tidal variation or tidal current velocities can dramatically increase the potential for tidal electricity generation.

The movement of the tides causes a continual loss of mechanical energy in the Earth–Moon system due to pumping of water through the natural restrictions around coastlines, and consequent viscous dissipation at the seabed and in turbulence. This loss of energy has caused the rotation of the Earth to slow in the 4.5 billion years since formation. During the last 620 million years the period of rotation has increased from 21.9 hours to the 24 hours^[4] we see now; in this period the Earth has lost 17% of its rotational energy. While tidal power may take additional energy from the system, increasing the rate of slowdown, the effect would be noticeable over millions of years only, thus being negligible.

Generating methods

The world's first commercial-scale and grid-connected tidal stream generator – SeaGen – in Strangford Lough.[5] The strong wake shows the power in the tidal current.

Top-down view of a DTP dam. Blue and dark red colors indicate low and high tides, respectively.

Tidal power can be classified into three generating methods:

Tidal stream generator

Main article: Tidal stream generator

Tidal stream generators (or TSGs) make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar way to wind turbines that use moving air. This method is gaining in popularity because of the lower cost and lower ecological impact compared to tidal barrages.

Tidal barrage

Main article: Tidal barrage

Tidal barrages make use of the potential energy in the difference in height (or head) between high and low tides. Barrages are essentially dams across the full width of a tidal estuary, and suffer from very high civil infrastructure costs, a worldwide shortage of viable sites and environmental issues.

Dynamic tidal power

Main article: Dynamic tidal power

Dynamic tidal power (or DTP) exploits an interaction between potential and kinetic energies in tidal flows. It proposes that (for example: 30–50 km length) dams be built from coasts straight out into the sea or ocean, without enclosing an area. Tidal phase differences are introduced by the presence and dimensions of the dam, which is not negligible in size compared to the local tidal wavelength. This leads to hydraulic head differences across the dam. Turbines in the dam are used to convert power (6–15 GW per dam). In shallow coastal seas featuring strong coast-parallel oscillating tidal currents such as found in the UK, China and Korea, a significant water level differential (of at least 2–3 meters) would appear across the dam.

from..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power
http://webecoist.com/2008/11/09/hydroelectric-wave-tidal-power/

Microturbines

Luxury Hotel Green Energy

Four Seasons Hotel first Philadelphia business to install energy-efficient microturbines. To gain control of energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia installed three Capstone C65 ICHP MicroTurbines®. The natural gas microturbines are located on the roof of the five-star hotel. Within the first two months of operation, the hotel reduced its energy cost by more than US$80,000. The microturbines’ combined heat and power (CHP) technology allows the hotel to generate nearly 200kW of electric power, which fulfills 30% of the hotel’s overall electricity needs. Heat from the microturbines is used to heat water for laundry and other hotel operations. The energy-efficient CHP system provides 100% of the building’s day-to-day domestic hot water and satisfies 15% of its heating needs. The project is expected to reduce the hotel’s annual energy costs by 30%.

Microturbines..more

The Power Plants Around the World

The Power Plants Around the World Photo Gallery is a collaborative project undertaken with electricity companies, individual power stations, equipment and service suppliers, photographers, and power plant enthusiasts.

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conventional steam-electric plants (coal and lignite),
conventional steam-electric plants (other fuels),
combined-cycle and gas turbine plants,
conventional hydroelectric plants,
pumped-storage hydroelectric plants,
nuclear power plants,
waste-to-energy plants,
biomass power plants,
diesel and gas-engine power plants,
wind energy plants,
geothermal power plants,
solar power plants,
other plants

Water Chemistry Industrial and Power Plant Water Treatment

Study of water and steam chemistry transcends the traditional barriers between chemistry, engineering and physics. On account of its multi-disciplinary nature, the study of water chemistry has become technologically significant. This book is an attempt to bring to the attention of academic and professional chemists, various facets of water chemistry.

It blends basic and applied knowledge in this field. The subject matter covered includes properties of water at elevated temperatures, the characteristics of natural and industrial cooling waters as well as purifications by ion exchange and reverse osmosis. Several chapters are devoted to water and steam chemistry in thermal and nuclear power stations and in the utilisation of geothermal energy. Effluent treatment and water conservation have been dealt with briefly to provide a better and comprehensive study of the subject.

About the Author(s):

Dr. K.S. Venkateswarlu

had his early education in Andhra Pradesh, India. He joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Bombay in 1955. He obtained a D.Sc. degree in 1961 for his work on, Chemical Consequences of Nuclear Transformations. During his stay at the Argonne National Laboratory, USA, he worked on the chemistry of transplutonium elements and radiation damage in graphite. Later his research interests encompassed solvent extraction, ion exchange, metal complexes, super conductivity and cold fusion. A large number of students have taken their Ph. D. degrees under his supervision.

From 1970 onwards, Dr. Venkateswarlu was closely involved with the development of water chemistry in all its aspects. He established a Division of Water Chemistry in BARC with a specialised Water and Stream Chemistry Laboratory at Kalpakkam near Madras. He was Chairman of the Committee on Steam and Water Chemistry, Dept. of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India and was nominated to be the Chief Scientific Investigator of the Coordinated Research Programme on Water Chemistry in Nuclear Power Reactors conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. He was also the Expert Coordinator for the study on Water Chemistry in Thermal Power Stations carried out by the Central Board of Irrigation and Power, New Delhi. He has attended a number of national and international conferences in this field. Dr. Venkateswarlu is the author of over a 100 publications.



Contents:

Introduction

Physico

Chemical Characteristics of Natural Waters

Properties of Water at high Temperatures and Pressures

Water Chemistry, Material Compatibility and Corrosion

Treatment of Natural Waters for Industrial Cooling

Demineralisation by Ion Exchange

Water Chemistry in Fossil Fuel Fired Steam Generating Units

Steam Quality Requirements for High Pressure Turbines

Special Problems of Water Chemistry and Material Compatibility in Nuclear Power Stations

Geothermal Power and Water Chemistry

Analytical Techniques for Water Chemistry Monitoring and Control

Desalination, Effluent, Treatment and Water Conservation

Index.

The Top 100 - World's Largest Power Plants

The Power Plants Around the World Photo Gallery is a collaborative project undertaken with electricity companies, individual power stations, equipment and service suppliers, photographers, and power plant enthusiasts. Some operating costs are offset by purchases of Power Plant Trading Cards, paid or in-kind sponsorship by members of the electric power community, and Google ads. New photographs are always welcome!

Top 100 - Part l
Top 100 - Part II
Top 100 - Part III
Top 100 - Part IV