A rather quiet week. Some highlights include an old one already on the "Best of" list:
The Atomic Bomber Five Part YouTube Series That one was about molten-salt reactors. The molten-salt reactor could have kept America at the very top of the heap, but that opportunity was lost.
It follows a train of thought that I've had about why our society is failing. The molten-salt reactor and the end of the Apollo Program are major clues as to why we are failing--- there was no good reason for it at all, just a sudden reversal in philosophies. One that would have led to the stars versus the one that will take us back to the swamps. A turn of phrase there, in case you didn't follow it. Reverse that and you get nearly a word for word quote from one of Ronald Reagan's speeches--- "from the swamps to the stars", he said.
Al Fin: "Cowboy Commentary", aka "Eat your veggies" The Flag banner is posted in order to defy those who would make patriotic symbols illegal or disreputable.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Incredible videos
At least I think so. This dude appears to know how to make biodiesel and biogasoline out of his apparatuses. First video is over an hour long, and is not a complete project. It's the second system and video that makes the gasoline. I would have liked to have seen the completed project on the first video. He shows in the second video that he can also run a generator off the system and a propane powered fridge.
As for what I want to do, I just want power out of the thing. I want to produce algae and mix it up with sawdust that I make with a wood chipper, that will utilize all of the available wood all my property. No, I won't be chopping down trees. Anyway, the sawdust and algae mixture will produce pellets that will run the gasifier.
As for what I want to do, I just want power out of the thing. I want to produce algae and mix it up with sawdust that I make with a wood chipper, that will utilize all of the available wood all my property. No, I won't be chopping down trees. Anyway, the sawdust and algae mixture will produce pellets that will run the gasifier.
Yes, it's water filtration time again
This thing is bugging me so much that I can't quit, it seems. So, I am trying it again with new sand. The good news is that the filtration is definitely faster. But I can't claim that it is any better. No clear water, but it isn't far from it.
I tried a real test with soapy water used to wash my hands. The suds don't go away. The water does get fairly clear. A run with the charcoal shows a yellowish tint again, which is annoying. To be honest, the charcoal is probably not properly set up for filtering. Although my results aren't anywhere near acceptable, the apparatus really is quite crude.
I'm becoming a bit skeptical of these videos which show different results than what I'm getting. It is a bit sobering to realize that a lot of this stuff is not going to be as easy as it is claimed to be. That's why I continue to try to get better results. If the results cannot get a lot better than this, I may have rethink the entire project. There's going to be a lot of things that have to be mastered in order to make this project succeed. If the water project can't succeed, then that leaves me wondering about how many other aspects of this project may not succeed either. It is sobering.
Update:
Just to see what would happen, I ran the resulting yellowish water through the humidifier and got some water output from it. As expected, the water is clear, but I don't know if it is potable. I won't be tasting any such water to see if it is. The amount of water lost during the process was way too high. I estimate maybe over 90% of the water is lost. For example, I poured a little over 6 ounces of the water into the dehumidifier, and got back a little under 4 ounces. Two ounces of water was not produced from condensation. As a matter of fact, just enough water to fill a small part of the bottom of the jar was collected. Less than an ounce. Much less, in fact.
Watching the entire operation of the humidifier gave me some ideas of how to improve upon this output. I'm thinking of a tweety bird cage and lining the outside with aluminum foil. The apparatus goes inside the bird cage. The water will leave the apparatus, condense around the inside of the foil, and finally drip down in a collection container.
What may make this thing work well, maybe, is the fact that the water cools its surroundings, which in turn aids the condensing process. The foil may need to cover only the bottom half of the bird cage.
I tried a real test with soapy water used to wash my hands. The suds don't go away. The water does get fairly clear. A run with the charcoal shows a yellowish tint again, which is annoying. To be honest, the charcoal is probably not properly set up for filtering. Although my results aren't anywhere near acceptable, the apparatus really is quite crude.
I'm becoming a bit skeptical of these videos which show different results than what I'm getting. It is a bit sobering to realize that a lot of this stuff is not going to be as easy as it is claimed to be. That's why I continue to try to get better results. If the results cannot get a lot better than this, I may have rethink the entire project. There's going to be a lot of things that have to be mastered in order to make this project succeed. If the water project can't succeed, then that leaves me wondering about how many other aspects of this project may not succeed either. It is sobering.
Update:
Just to see what would happen, I ran the resulting yellowish water through the humidifier and got some water output from it. As expected, the water is clear, but I don't know if it is potable. I won't be tasting any such water to see if it is. The amount of water lost during the process was way too high. I estimate maybe over 90% of the water is lost. For example, I poured a little over 6 ounces of the water into the dehumidifier, and got back a little under 4 ounces. Two ounces of water was not produced from condensation. As a matter of fact, just enough water to fill a small part of the bottom of the jar was collected. Less than an ounce. Much less, in fact.
Watching the entire operation of the humidifier gave me some ideas of how to improve upon this output. I'm thinking of a tweety bird cage and lining the outside with aluminum foil. The apparatus goes inside the bird cage. The water will leave the apparatus, condense around the inside of the foil, and finally drip down in a collection container.
What may make this thing work well, maybe, is the fact that the water cools its surroundings, which in turn aids the condensing process. The foil may need to cover only the bottom half of the bird cage.
Compressing Woodgas for future use.
After making the woodgas, you can burn it immediately, or you could store it. Here's a way to store it.
Arc Welding Lessons
Build it yourself or buy it? If I want a gasifier, I may have to build it myself. As noted earlier, those things cost a bunch. If I build it myself, I will have to do some welding. A new skill that has to be learned. Well, that's what I got myself into.
Probably not for everyone
Continuing to browse through my eBook authored by LeMar Alexander. The next link he provides is pretty interesting because I've been giving it some thought in these last few days.
That is to say, living in my van. After all, that's what building the carport is all about. The carport makes the RV livable. It shields from the sun and the rain, and can shield against the wind, too. All this for a minimum of effort and expense.
There will be work to be done on the van to make it into an RV and then there will be work to build a carport. After that, life will be rent free and a lot cheaper. Extend the idea into growing your own food, and the requirements for living just got even cheaper. Use an algal based system to generate biomass, and stop paying for energy. Now life has become dirt cheap.
That is to say, living in my van. After all, that's what building the carport is all about. The carport makes the RV livable. It shields from the sun and the rain, and can shield against the wind, too. All this for a minimum of effort and expense.
There will be work to be done on the van to make it into an RV and then there will be work to build a carport. After that, life will be rent free and a lot cheaper. Extend the idea into growing your own food, and the requirements for living just got even cheaper. Use an algal based system to generate biomass, and stop paying for energy. Now life has become dirt cheap.
Step by step of Shipping Container Home Design and Construction
PART 1
And I thought this was an original idea. Shucks.
And I thought this was an original idea. Shucks.
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