Re: eer2

On 25 Nov 2003 18:02:14 GMT, FEerguy9 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Ms. Jones notices her "fuel gauge" as she starts her vehicle; it
> tells her that her microchip capacitor battery is 85% full. This means
> that of the vast number of microchip capacitors in her "battery", 85% are
> charged with their very small electric capacitance.
> She proceeds to the store, and returns home -- a quarter mile
> trip. As she pulls in her driveway, she looks again at her gauge. It
> reads 84%. She thinks that she used only 1% of her battery capacity for
> her trip.
> But, she is wrong.
> She used 10% of her available charged capacitors for the quarter
> mile trip. So, why didn't her gauge read 75% when she returned?
> There were several devices built into her vehicle which were
> replenishing used capacitors, almost as fast as she was using them. (All
> figures below are guesses -- just to make the point.)
>
> 1. The advanced solar panel on the roof of her vehicle was, as
> always during sunlight, continuously recharging at a slow, but
> steady rate. Because she had happened to drive and park in
> the sunlight, the solar panel recharged 5% of her capacitors.

A 1/2 mile round trip to visit the store for say, perhaps, 30 min.  That's 
enough power for 1 mile per hour on a nice sunny day.  I'd hate to see 
what happens on a cloudy day.

> 2. The air scoops arranged in her vehicle's design -- although
> accounting for some drag -- were directing the air through
> small dynamos, which recharged another 2%.

That energy generated by the dynamos must come from somewhere 
(conservation of energy, anyone?).  Where did it come from?  Hmm, let's 
see... Oh yeah!  That energy was created by the motor in the first place!  
So assuming perpetual motion (i.e. no losses), if you create one Joule of 
energy with your small dynamo, you have lost one Joule of energy from your 
prime mover.  You can't win that game.

> 3. The regenerative brakes on all four wheels replenished another
> 2% of the capacitors.

Yeah, if she drives downhill both ways.

My main mode of transportation is a bicycle.  There is *absolutely no way* 
that you can recover 20% of energy expended with regenerative braking.  If 
that were possible, bicycles would have energy storage devices.  Flywheels 
would be easy to implement on a bike, but they are a losing proposition.

And you will *never* be able to reclaim the energy spent with your wind 
drag dynamos.  These things will only serve to *waste* energy.

I can't believe I just wasted 10 minutes on that...

--
Dave
dvt at psu dot edu