| We have heard a whole lot of talk about fuel cells | | | | quite a while to decompose rendering it's half life |
| and of course it is a worthy endeavor. Portable | | | | closer than that of uranium to lead, then from |
| generators, cars, transportation industry, Power | | | | Ceramic filter to dirt? Will future archeologists dig up |
| generators, Ships, etc. can benefit. However in a | | | | these nifty ceramic filters in old garbage dumps in the |
| mobile application such as a shuttle bus, car, truck, | | | | decomposed semi-crude oil remenance and wonder |
| train, tractor, motor scooter or even a Segway | | | | what on Earth we used them for and proving that |
| air-cushioned platform mover, there is the problem of | | | | we were indeed a species of significant cognitive |
| heat. The heat occurs on transfer of fuel. So if we | | | | worth? As we look at ceramic coatings such as Adsil |
| are talking about a portable application the heat can | | | | (google it to learn more) and others we realize that |
| make steam and the steam can be used for | | | | they decrease corrosion from things like the nasty |
| additional power needed also. In an off road | | | | Magnesium Chlorides put on roads in the North during |
| application when we are in places of drought and | | | | ice and snowstorms. |
| extreme fire hard there is a significant problem which | | | | Will we need to coat the entire car with glass to |
| needs to be better addressed with the material | | | | prevent fire? Will this mean you will wash your car |
| sciences to control the heat. Everyone knows that | | | | with Windex? Is glass cleaning services a future |
| 2-cycle motorcycles get hot and can cause fires if | | | | growth industry then, since more things will be made |
| you are not careful. | | | | from glass including much of the coating on a car. Will |
| The hydrogen cell problem with it's temperatures | | | | this foil the efforts of GM, Ford, Honda and Toyota |
| could be significantly worse. In larger vehicles there | | | | in planned obsolescence? In other words whoever is |
| have been ways to mitigate this, with additional | | | | making the cars, whether it is GM-Ballard partnership, |
| insulation panels, however in a small off road vehicle | | | | Eaton-Ford Partnership or a Multi-National Foreign |
| or ATV, the problem becomes more significant. | | | | Conglomerate of China, Japan, Korea, US then will |
| When I speak of ATV, I mean All-terrain vehicle, not | | | | cars last so long people will buy fewer of them or will |
| the Fuel Cell term of Advanced Technology Vehicle. | | | | the Chinese demand for oil drive the prices of crude |
| At Texas A and M. they are working on just such a | | | | up so fast and furious that the whole world will begin |
| project. | | | | to switch to fuel cells at once during a last hurrah of |
| When we are talking motorcycles, and ATVs the | | | | overbearing gas and diesel prices. Cars which last too |
| cooling system is the major obstacle, wouldn't you | | | | long mean consumer will not continue to buy new |
| know it. There is always some hitch and it does | | | | cars which on average now is 3.1 years in the middle |
| appear that this small obstacle is in fact being taken | | | | class of America. Now do not go out and buy |
| care of through new material sciences and it is critical | | | | Windex Stock right now. No matter what this is still |
| indeed as we have seen urban heat of five plus | | | | many years off. |
| degrees within various regions of the US due to | | | | You will see in the future that many companies and |
| concrete and asphalt without one fuel cell car and we | | | | even military, NASA and others use ceramic coatings |
| know that reciprocal engines of gasoline motors run | | | | on equipment to prolong life. Corrosion issues are |
| about 300 or so degrees, which is a lot less than the | | | | serious in all sectors, including shipping containers, |
| conversion rate to pure hydrogen? Well these | | | | truck chassis, braking systems, railroad, automotive, |
| engineering barriers are being pummeled currently as | | | | even a rusty lawn-mower with many plastic parts |
| the innovators in America accept the challenge and | | | | from your local Home Depot, Lowes or Wal*Mart. |
| refuse to go back, such is the nature of the | | | | Ceramic coatings even applied at 5 mils are enough |
| American Spirit, Never ever, ever, ever Give Up. | | | | to seal the aluminum pores enough to solve basic |
| Winston Churchill could have been an American, he | | | | corrosion problems. Corrosion control is especially |
| certainly talked like one and this current situation | | | | important to military equipment after wartime. Sure it |
| could have used such talk. And of course he comes | | | | provides jobs to make new tanks, humvees and |
| from the same stock as many of us do. Well it | | | | armored personnel carriers, but there maybe budget |
| appears many University Researchers in this country | | | | concerns as well to think about. After all some of the |
| may just beat President Bush's cautious commitment | | | | T-34 tanks used by our enemy were how old? Still |
| to bring this technology to the forefront by 2012. | | | | running, perhaps with corrosion controls of ceramics, |
| We are now seeing the strides of innovation take | | | | the ones left could be put in museums forever? A |
| hold. From the Spinglass Scooters to potential | | | | remainder of the Human Species and her need to |
| Segway Models. | | | | wage war, perhaps an innate characteristic which |
| Now then, the components of these vehicles cannot | | | | may eventually be bread out of our genome, but |
| be made of lightweight composite. Some types of | | | | probably not likely soon. Hydrogen cell tanks, yes |
| composite unfortunately give off Cyanide Gas when | | | | there are many such projects going on now. |
| they burn. We of course have been learning this | | | | What will the routine maintenance service companies |
| from the F-117 Stealth crashes and the potentiality of | | | | look like in the future? How will they maintain their |
| the 7E7 half composite airliners. So what material do | | | | ROIs and Proformas, forward looking statements and |
| you make these units out of which is safe for | | | | spreadsheets, Warren Buffet style balance sheets, |
| anything from a ride on lawn mower to a laptop | | | | quarterly profits and shareholder’s equity? |
| computer 90 watt power system. Even Plastics melt | | | | These companies to harvest continued cash flow in |
| and give off some pretty toxic substances? Ceramic | | | | these cleaning, maintenance and coating industries will |
| Coatings or glass coatings on top of other materials, | | | | need to drastically modify their procedures. As we |
| indeed may be one solution. As a matter of fact this | | | | see from this weeks devastating Hurricane Charley, |
| is just about the only known solution for the exhaust | | | | we need to pay attention to the global warming |
| and catalyst systems (which run extremely hot and | | | | problems as they are real and when you turn up the |
| glow inside) in current exhaust systems. Many think it | | | | heat, the surrounding atmosphere will notice and |
| can be applied to the heat issues of hydrogen cells as | | | | when it comes to mother nature, she is quite sure of |
| well and of course after reading many articles and | | | | what she is doing. |
| studies in the Ceramics Industry, I believe there is | | | | I hope you have enjoyed this provocative topic and |
| ample opportunity there. | | | | interesting study on Fuel Cells for motorcycles, |
| [ | | | | trucks, trains, tanks, ATVs, ships, etc. as it pertains |
| We have been studying these situations for our | | | | to global warming, urban heat, Fire Hazards from heat |
| company in the Mobile Oil Change Business figuring if | | | | exchanges and risks associated with these new |
| we cannot change the oil in the future as a business | | | | technologies. |
| we can replace filters and membranes with re-usable | | | | The future is going to be a most excellent place to |
| ceramic materials which maybe found in the new | | | | live as long as we pay attention to what we are |
| technologies associated with fuel cells. But where will | | | | doing on the way to get there. |
| all these filters be discharged? After all Glass takes | | | | |