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Category: transportation – Page 23

Just as we mimicked birds and fish to model cars and planes, we may gain inspiration for deep dive vehicles.

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine.

The bottom of the ocean is cold, dark, and under extreme pressure. It is not a place suited to the physiology of us surface dwellers: At the deepest point, the pressure of 36,200 feet of seawater is greater than the weight of an elephant on every square inch of your body. Yet Earth’s deepest places are home to life uniquely suited to these challenging conditions. Scientists have studied how the bodies of some large animals, such as anglerfish and blobfish, have adapted to withstand the pressure. But far less is known about how cells and molecules stand up to the squeezing, crushing weight of thousands of feet of seawater.

“The animals that live down in the deep sea are not ones that live in surface waters,” said Itay Budin, who studies the biochemistry of cell membranes at the University of California, San Diego. “They’re clearly biologically specialized. But we know very little, at the molecular level, about what is actually determining that specialization.”

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A flow battery, also known as a reduction-oxidation (Redox) flow battery, is an electrochemical cell that uses two moving liquid electrolytes to generate electricity.

Ion transfer occurs across the cell membrane, accompanied by current flow through an external circuit, while the liquids circulate in their respective spaces. The liquids required are stored in separate tanks until required.

Flow batteries have existed for some time, but earlier versions had low energy density, making them impractical for cars. However, recent advancements in the technology have improved energy density, making it increasingly viable for long-duration energy storage and potentially for electric vehicles.

Various types of flow batteries, including inorganic and organic forms, have been demonstrated. Flow battery design can be classified into full flow, semi-flow, and membranesless variants.

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ORNL’s breakthrough boosts 3D-printed turbine blades, reducing carbon emissions.

Researchers have made significant efforts to enable additively manufactured turbine blades to better handle extreme temperatures. They have developed and 3D printed the lightest crack-free alloy capable of operating without melting at temperatures above 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit.

The milestone was achieved by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

The alloy is expected to enable additively manufactured turbine blades to effectively handle extreme temperatures and reduce the carbon footprint of gas turbine engines such as those used in airplanes.

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Following a concept world premiere in 2022 and a track demo at Le Mans a couple months ago, the Alpine Alpenglow is back, this time serving as a spectacular highlight of the 2024 Paris Motor Show. Alpine has equipped the latest Alpenglow with an all-new “Hy6” twin-turbo V6 engine developed from the ground up to run on hydrogen. The Hy6 doubles the power of the last Alpenglow so the new car not only looks like an extreme track-only supercar, it performs and sounds like one, too.

Alpine originally revealed the Alpenglow at the 2022 Paris Motor Show as a blueprint for its more sustainable sporting future. The concept appeared loosely derived from the extreme styling of the student-crafted A4810 Alpine had shown earlier that year, and came to Paris with the promise of a hydrogen-engine-based drive system of undisclosed size and layout.

The concept continued along as a stunning but mysterious piece of event jewelry right up until this past May, when Alpine officially turned concept car into “rolling laboratory” for a dynamic track debut at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and, a month later, Le Mans. Ahead of those demonstration runs, the French automaker finally threw some tender red meat to the starved gearhead masses, confirming a 340-hp 2.0-liter turbo-four hydrogen combustion engine powering the wheels.

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A recent demonstration by a YouTuber compared the performance of a hemp battery against a lithium-ion battery, and the results were astounding: the hemp battery was eight times more powerful. Tesla’s new million-mile battery, made from lithium-iron phosphate, is designed to last twice as long as conventional lithium-ion batteries. However, even this advanced battery cannot compete with the power and renewability of hemp-based batteries.

Implications for the Future

The development of hemp batteries offers a more sustainable and affordable alternative to lithium-ion and graphene-based batteries. By replacing lithium batteries with hemp, electric cars and other gadgets can become significantly more eco-friendly. The use of a renewable resource like hemp to create powerful and cost-effective batteries has the potential to revolutionize the battery industry, making our world more energy-efficient and sustainable.

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