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Re: [Phys-l] another crackpot idea from the California legislative assembly



I have flown in at least one aircraft that had a generator driven by a small
fan blade.

On Sat, Feb 26, 2011 at 12:58 PM, Bill Nettles <bnettles@uu.edu> wrote:

This reminds me of the biology professor at a former school who said that
we should have generators with fan blades attached to cars to generate
electrical energy to charge batteries making the car more efficient. I told
him that the fuel efficiency would be worse because "you can't get something
for nothing and you can't break even." After a careful explanation of the
dramtic increase in air resistance of the fan blades when you start letting
current flow through the generator, bringing up Lenz's law, ohmic losses,
bearing friction, he still didn't believe me. Then I handed him a Genecon,
told him to turn it quickly and then I shorted out the connections. He STILL
didn't believe me! If I had been the Dean, I would have banned him from the
classroom.

He was Canadian; does that explain it? :)
________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [
phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Bernard Cleyet [
bernardcleyet@redshift.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 11:30 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Cc: Sharing resources for high school physics; NorCal AAPT e-mail list;
PHYSLRNR@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: [Phys-l] another crackpot idea from the California legislative
assembly

Comments/questions on AB 306 (Gatto): Energy: piezoelectric transducers:
study.

This bill would require the Energy Commission to conduct research on the
feasibility of generating electricity using piezoelectric transducers under
major roadways as a renewable resource, by collaborating with the Department
of Transportation to establish a pilot project that would employ piezo-based
energy harvesting technology. The bill would allow the Energy Commission to
expend the moneys in the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle
Technology Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to implement this
research as part of the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle
Technology Program. The Energy Commission would be required to report its
findings in the integrated energy policy report adopted in 2013. These
provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2015.


my post:


The proponents of this suggested method, evidently, aren't physicists.
Physicists know that this is not a source of energy, but just a transfer of
energy from gasoline that powers the vehicle to electricity in the roadway
device. Such a method will decrease the efficiency of the vehicle by
increasing the rolling friction. Think about it by answering the question,
why do under inflated tires reduce fuel mileage, and visa versa?

bc

bc forgot to add: using gasoline to generate electricity directly would be
more efficient than this crackpot method!

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_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
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--
Clarence Bennett
Oakland University
Dept. of Physics, (retired)
111 Hannah
Rochester MI 48309
248 370 3418