Hot Air Battery?

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Carbon Fluoride Battery

More Important Invention

than the Jet-Engine???

In 1980, Prof. Rachid Yazami of the French National Centre of Scientific Research in Grenoble, France, invented lithium-graphite anode technology, the same technology which forms the basis of all lithium-ion batteries used today in laptop computers, cars, and cell phones etc. Good CV you might say?

In 2008, Prof. Yazami and a colleague Prof. Grubbs were rumoured to have invented a carbon-fluoride battery so ahead of its time that it would completely revolutionize the idea of what a battery is. The discovery was mooted as being so advanced that it could rival the jet engine’s importance in science history.  Professors Yazami and Grubbs started a company called CFX Battery in Azsua, California.   CFX Battery is now called Contour Energy Systems.

Where are the Super Batteries?

Three years of development!!  - - So where is this revolutionary CFX carbon fluoride battery? 
I guess it is in the same place as EEstor’s super battery, and Ecolocap’s super duper battery, and Fluidic-Energy’s special battery.

Hot Air Battery??

It makes me wonder what is really happening here - is this all an illusion?

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Another new type of solar cell?

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Perhaps another new way 

to harvest sunlight

Professor Richard Watt ( yes I believe he is a descendant of the great man), at Bingham Young, the Mormon owned University in Utah, along with a team were looking for a “protein”, similar to chlorophyll, that could potentially react with sunlight and harvest its energy.

To shorten the story somewhat, they used citric acid, same stuff as in oranges, along with their unspecified type of protein, and mixed fine gold powder into the solution. They then exposed the yellow mixture to sun light hoping to see it turn colour. Turning colour would mean that the gold particles had received an extra atom. In turn, that would indicate that the unnamed protein had captured sunlight and along with the citric acid had facilitated a transfer of energy.

It did turn colour from yellow to purple after exposure to sunlight - so they had their clear, or rather coloured,  proof of an active protein agent.

So far - so underwhelming!!! - you may well say!

The next phase of this project will, I guess, be the hard bit. The job will be to bind their “protein” to an electrode and actually get the system to generate electrical current with some decent level of efficiency.

The BYU team will work with the National Institute of Aerospace for this next stage of the work.

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SEAI Great Window Dressers

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Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland

Excellent Window Dressers

I have to hand it to SEAI for presentation and public visibility. I was watching Irish TV RTE the other evening a programme called Eco Eye - it did a lot of pure window dressing in a couple of Irish towns where various public awareness schemes were active.

But what struck me out of the entire programme and "stuck in my craw" - so to speak, was an interview between the programme expert and a pensioner. In the piece the expert set about convincing the elderly gentleman of the benefits of replacing his open fire, the only means of heating he had, with a stove.

It was as if what the man said was somehow totally ignored. He said clearly that he could not afford the cost of installing a stove. It would save him a lot of money each winter and give him a much better level of comfort - BUT - he could NOT AFFORD THE COST OF INSTALLING IT.

SEAI are either Deaf or Stupid or possibly both!

SEAI will provide thousands of Euro in grants to the well off  - who can afford to install very expensive Geo-Thermal or Wood-Pellet heating systems. But they will not consider a loan and grant scheme for elderly pensioners living in very poorly heated houses, costing some 80% less. In other words, for the cost of ONE geothermal system, they would revolutionise the lives of 5 or more pensioners and save way more carbon credits by fitting simple stoves.

I feel sick when I consider the implications of what I have just outlined.

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Blacksmith Solid Fuel Stove review

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Blacksmith Solid Fuel Stove

As a wrap up on my Blacksmith Anvil solid fuel stove review, I made it my business to contact the manufacturers.

I learned from them that the grates are a high chromium metal and have a very high resistance to heat. According to the makers, this makes them suitable for the constant high temperatures associated with smokeless coals.

In my correspondence with Blacksmith Stoves, I asked for a spare parts price list no less than 5 times. Eventually - I was told that they do not publish a price list of parts and to contact the retailers.


I neglected to mention in my previous posts that the stoves come in both a matt or enamel finish. The enamel is a lot more expensive and offers just one advantage that I can see, they are easier to clean. Enamel though, as it ages and with constant heat shock, eventually does chip, craze and flake off.

Where I bought my stove. 

I bought my stove from McElligotts Hardware in Castleisland County Kerry about a year ago and paid just €400 at the time. This I consider a very good bargain indeed. In the last couple of days, I rang McElligotts to enquire about the cost of spare parts. I received some very helpful advice and information.

1.    I was told that in some 4+ years of selling the Blacksmith stove, they, McElligotts never once had to order a replacement set of grates.

2.    The front glass from the manufacturer costs approximately €75. However, if you were to contact a glass supplier with the EXACT measurements, you would get this glass for perhaps half that price.

3.    The newer version of the “Anvil” has the “vermiculite” back brick replaced with a cast-iron piece.

4.    The cost of the “Anvil” stove has now gone up to €450 from McElligotts - still a very good price.

5.    McElligotts also most helpfully told me that replacing the firebricks is really no problem with generic firebrick - you just have to have someone cut it properly to size and then seal well the joints with fire cement.

6.    I did not get a price for replacement grates - I will again endeavour to get this nailed down.

7.    McElligotts told me they have replaced flue baffles which tend to warp with heat.

I must say that Blacksmith were not as forthcoming on information as I might have hoped. On the other side, McElligotts of Castleisland were very helpful indeed and I recommend them personally as helpful and responsible retailers.

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My Cast Iron Stove

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Blacksmith "Anvil" Review

Part 2

In my post reviewing my new stove, I did neglect to give specific measurements of the stove, and a direct link to the dealers. I am correcting this omission here and now.

Above is a dimensioned drawing of the stove showing all relevant measurements in millimeters. As you can see it is a very tidy stove and will fit in just about any position. It has two possible flue outlets, one on top shown in my photograph above, and the other at the back as detailed in the drawing.

The stove comes with or without a boiler. I have the non-boiler version. The model fitted with the boiler is only good for heating a hot water tank or maybe one or perhaps two small radiators, but certainly not both, as the output to the boiler is just 2 Kw.

I did try to make contact with the dealer but they are so far unresponsive, I hope this does not indicate a general trend. I would like to think they would be helpful to customers but the initial response is not too promising.

I continue to be very happy with the performance of this great little stove. The dealer link is below:

http://www.blacksmithstoves.ie/product-anvilv2.html

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Messages for SEAI

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More messages 

of WoodPellet woes for 

SEAI

WE have a Prosolar Fireline pellet boiler which needs mending....but the company which installed it two years ago is gone bust....The problem is this is an expensive piece of machinery and we don't know how to find a properly qualified serviceman to repair it here in Co. Wexford...at the moment it is looking like a white elephant an expensive one! Any advice welcomed. M.F.

Gwen (who gives no identification) writes: We have a Prosolar Fireline boiler too which has broken down - any help from anyone would be great. GC


You sold them the idea - and officially listed the dealers now go sort these people out SEAI!!

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SEAI Promote Toy EV on Aran Islands

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SEAI sustainable energy

authority Ireland

Promotes 

A Tiny Electric Car

on a Tiny Island

The news story about SEAI promoting electric cars on the Aran Islands sounds like a joke but as far as I know, it is not a joke, nor is it the 1st of April!!

SEAI are promoting an electric car most inappropriately called the "Mega E- City" with the following statistics:

1.    Maximum Speed of 40 mph or 64 kph!
2.    Maximum range per battery charge of 40 Miles or 64 Km!!
3.    Charging time of 8 to 10 hours!!
4.    Lead Acid Battery over 150 year old technology!!
5.    Battery Life Guaranteed 2 years!!!!
6.    Maximum number of passengers 2!!
7.    Luggage space for??  (a carton of eggs)

The specification sounds more like a golf cart than a car. Even on a tiny island, you would need to keep track of the charge in the battery or you would have to borrow a donkey and hitch him to the car in order to get back home!

Cork to Dublin in just 40 hours

If you were to make a journey from Cork to Dublin, 160 miles, in this little beauty, it would take you an absolute minimum of 36 hours!!!!  Ahhh come on then  - - you must be joking this time?


No really - it's no joke. 

Here is how it works out:

• Charge the little toy car before the journey    8 hours
• Travel 40 miles at MAX speed        1 hour
• Charge the car again                8 hours
• Travel another 40 miles            1 hour
• Charge again                    8 hours
• Travel another 40 miles            1 hour
• Charge yet again                 8 hours
• Travel last leg of 40 miles            1 hour

The largest Aran Island "Inis Mor" literally "big island", is a whacking great 3Km 1.86 miles by 12Km 7.45 miles. Just as well SEAI chose this as a testing site - a football pitch or golf course might have been a safer bet!!

If I were the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland I would be greatly embarrassed by this crazy little scheme - but then they, SEAI, have not been embarrassed by several other equally crazy schemes in the past. Great job to be in do you think?? - but I couldn't live with myself playing out the game and acting the complete gobshite!!

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Solid Fuel Stove Review

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My New Stove
Blacksmith "Anvil" Review
part 1
ADDENDUM December 2015
(5years on and the stove is still in perfect order - I am well pleased with it)

I have been preaching the gospel of stoves, along with fireplace doors, for some time as a means of increasing the nations energy efficiency. My perspective has widened a little because I have installed both a fireplace door and a new stove. Today I am making a first assessment of the new stoves performance.

My name sake, SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland), in their great wisdom, have seen fit not to back simple methods of energy efficiency like stoves with any sort of grant aid. You know - that may be a good thing - coz they would probably just have attracted the cowboys to the scene and hyped the price of stoves.

Anyway what I am writing about is my own new stove. I replaced an old solid-fuel range in my kitchen about two months ago with a lovely little stove.


A Review of my New Stove

My stove is from Irish supplier Blacksmith Stoves (look it up) and is the "Anvil" non boiler model. It is rated at 6 Kw output or 21,000 BTU, and as having an efficiency of up to 80%.

It is cast in solid cast iron and thoughtfully designed by people who would seem to know stoves and combustion. I have seen several pretty looking stoves with badly designed technical features. To date I am well pleased with the design of this stove.

The single door closes and seals very well, with a well designed simple lock and insulated handle. The grates are good and heavy, and the ash box is very easy to lift out for emptying with the supplied handle.

I can vouch for the stoves heat output -  it is easily capable of putting out the rated 6Kw when fired up with smokeless coal. The problem, for us, is keeping the output down and steady, as the room can become like a sauna all too quickly. With some practice it is possible to get an even 2 or 3 Kw output.

Fuel

The stove happily burns just about anything you put into it. We have burned peat, different woods and smokeless coal, all giving good results. The smokeless coal puts out much more heat than the other fuels, if you want to push the stoves output than this is the fuel to go for.

It has a very precise air control, once you learn how to adjust it properly - takes a little practice. The ashes are easily removed and cleaning is a breeze.

I have found smokeless formed type coals are by far the best fuel to use. With this type of coal, it is possible for the stove to burn over night for up to 10 hours, and to give a reasonable heat output all through the night. All this on a couple of shovels of smokeless fuel. In the morning, open up the air vent and add some fuel and away she goes. In fact, the stove has not gone out in two whole months!!!

Cost

We paid €400 euro for this great little stove and consider it very good value for the money. I would recommend it, in the right settings, as efficient, multi-fuel tolerant, good value, easy to adjust and to clean, and easy to get 8 hours continuous burn overnight. I have seen other similar stoves in use but I much prefer this one.

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2 Giga Watt MagLev Wind Turbines

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More than 3 Years on,

No MagLev Turbines!

Just over three years ago I posted articles on some proposed giant 2 Giga Watt+ maglev wind turbines. 

The idea was very appealing to me - but even without the technical knowledge to assess the viability of the proposals, I had a strong feeling that these images would not soon be translated into reality. In other words, I would not be investing any money in the projects even if I had money to invest!

To the present time, and to the best of my knowledge, the notion had still not made it off paper, and "as time goes by" I wonder if it ever will.

Writing this blog has taught me that if 10% of inventions, widely reported and touted at their inception, ever make it to the real world, it would be great odds indeed.

The development of photocells, wind generators, water generators, and batteries, so far, have not substantially changed in three years.

The odd and wacky - over-unity type devices, while still touting for investors in the media, have not materialised either.

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Flashing Phenomenon of CFL Bulbs

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Flashing Phenomenon 

of CFL Bulbs

I am writing this post because I have not seen too many articles or posts about an unusual feature of the latest types of quick start CFL bulbs where the bulbs flash when switched off.

What I have seen in two of my fittings are the bulbs give a small and short duration flash of light about once every 30 seconds or so - this even though the main light switch is switched off!!

The type of CFL bulb in question is the newer generation rapid start, i.e. reach full brightness quickly,  the variety is usually of a spiral shape. The flashing is not generally noticeable by day, as the light output of the flash is quite small.

The first time this phenomenon was reported to me was when I received a late night phone call from my wife who was in the UK at the time and staying at a hotel. She called to ask if there might be some danger as the main light in the hotel room was flickering at regular intervals in the dark. As I was not sure of what might have been happening, I suggested she contact the staff and request a different room, if for no other reason than that the flickering would disturb her sleep. At that time I did not know about flickering CFLs, and the dangers of faulty wiring was on my mind.

The next time I came across the problem what when we had some house guests who awoke us worried about the light in their room flickering. I had just fitted a new rapid-start spiral CFL in the main fitting. I immediately removed the bulb and re-fitted the old 100watt filament bulb curing the problem.

Since then, I noticed the problem in a hall light with a similar type of CFL fitted. This time the flickering was causing no disturbance and I knew that it posed no danger - that light still flickers away all night.

The Cause?

I think that the cause of the flashing is induction in the wiring causing a tiny leakage of current into the bulb. When that leaked current builds up in the bulbs starter circuit, it tries to ignite the bulb, but there only being a very small current present, all you get is a weak little flash. The charge and discharge cycle happens all the time and the interval depends on the capacitors in the bulb circuit. Apologies if that does not sound very scientific - it is only an educated guess.

I have learned that you would need to consider this CFL flashing business in your choice of bulbs and in your choice of locations. A bedroom is about the last place you want one of these bulbs. The older slow start CFLs - the ones that take a while to brighten up - I have found - not to flash.

So my advice - choose your CFL bulb carefully and choose the place you install it with this flashing thing in mind!

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