Summer 2005 Newsletter
East Michigan
Association of
Energy Engineers
DATES: 2nd Tuesday of September, November, February, and April.
NEXT PRESENTATION: September 13th – Presentation by Chuck Petruccio of GE
Lighting, on Hi-Bay HID fixture replacement with T-8 or T-5
fixtures. Pro and cons of T-8 vs T-5 fixtures with real case
examples will be presented.
November 8th Field Trip: (to be confirmed) – 1. Election meeting (and) 2. Tour of GM
Livonia Powertrain plant’s Hi-Pressure Sodium fixture upgrade to
T-8 fixtures with motion sensors. Plant still has HPS fixtures in
section next to installed T-8s so this will be an excellent example of
technology change out. MUST RSVP for security access.
February 7th Presentation: (to be confirmed) – Presentation on energy savings and Cooling
Tower water conservation from water treatment.
April 11th Presentation: (to be confirmed) – Presentation on energy savings associated
with compressed air compressor controls upgrading.
MEETING LOCATION: University Technology Learning Center (UTLC) Gallery at
Lawrence Tech located 100’~ west of the Lodge freeway and on the
north side of 10 mile road. The UTLC is building 7, center
structure, immediately north of main parking lot A.
COST: FREE for Chapter Members Guests = $25 Students/Seniors = $19
AGENDA: 4:30 p.m. -- Board Meeting (closed session)
5:00 p.m. -- Social Time (Cash Bar)
6:00 p.m.-- Dinner
6:45 p.m.-- Chapter Business
7:00 p.m -- Presentation/Questions
7:30 p.m.-- Adjourn (additional Social time available)
High School and College Students and seniors are welcome to attend all EMAEE meetings at a reduced dinner fee of $19. This i nvitation will be for
all meetings this year. An accurate count is needed for the dinner. Please respond as directed on the attached registration form. Thanks!
G U E S T S A R E A L W A Y S W E L C O M E A T O U R M E E T I N G S
Notes from the Editor! Bits and Pieces!
Shame, shame, shame, shame on you, Mr. President for We are looking for energy/environmental projects that
supporting and allowing to pass an Energy Bill that pays deserve promotion for results achieved. Tell me your
billions of dollars in subsidies for drillers along with an story and we will publish in our newsletter. If your
undisclosed amount of favors and tax credits for energy project is truly notable, we will nominate for a chapter
producers. or regional award. Note regional awards get
international attention.
Dropped from the final Energy bill are:
a requirement for utilities to increase the amount of Know someone in school that could use a few bucks?
electricity generated from renewable sources Tell David Everest (Chapter VP) and that person may
a requirement that the administration figures out how qualify to earn one of our scholarships.
to cut back on oil use by 2025
notable research programs and sizeable conservation Does your company want attention in the industry?
incentives Sponsor one of our meetings or advertise in our
newsletter. Contact me for further information.
Do you have a customer that needs funding? Does your
company have an energy project that didn’t get budgeted
this year? Do you need help developing a project?
Contact me for sources of available energy funds and
contract/project development help.
The following links are for AEE Member Services: see
http://www.aeevshow.com/classifieds for job
opportunities http://www.aeecenter.org/Chapters for
reviewing local chapter Web pages. The web at
www.aeecenter.org also lists several new on-line courses
Chapter Vice President and Treasurer Officers elections to for your further education or refresher-use.
be held at the November 8th meeting.
Some of the results from the recent Energy Engineers'
2005 Market Survey of the Energy Industry are: April 12th Meeting
81% of the survey respondents believe global
warming must be addressed in a National Energy
Policy Site visit to the Ford Rouge factory tour. The first
93.9% of survey respondents believe investment tax Model Ts took 11 days to roll off the assembly line.
credits and accelerated depreciation should be The Rouge factory changed assembly to less than 90
implemented to encourage adoption of efficient end- seconds a vehicle and did so with green energy and
use technologies resource conservation. Through video tapes and tours,
98% of survey respondents indicated the National we saw how Ford’s soybean conversion plant turned
Energy Plan should identify new energy supplies soybeans into plastic auto parts. We learn how the 1920
from a multitude of sources and promote energy power plant supplied both heat and electricity making it
efficiency one of the first combined heat and power distributed
92% of survey respondents indicated the National generation plants in the country. We witness glimpses
Energy Plan should encourage investment in new of several other technological innovations including the
power transmission and new transmission lines. use of a green roof and rain water collection for
recycling, that this plant implemented into daily use and
Complete details of the survey are available free of charge finished with a tour of the actual assembly of the F-150
at www.aeecenter.org. Simply select the topic 2005 vehicles.
Market Survey of the Energy Industry to review the
results. Thank you David Everest for setting up and paying for
this factory tour and to the chapter Treasurer (Paul) for
See you at the September 13th meeting! picking up the bar tab for this thirsty-crowd!
Keith A. Willis
2
Who's really benefiting?
Does Energy Bill Provide a Much-Needed Jolt? "Big energy lobbyists may be cheering the bill's
enactment, but ordinary Americans had better hold fast to
their wallets," says Anna Aurilio, legislative director of
U.S. Public Interest Research Group, as reported in this
Condensed from an article by Katrina C. Arabe, found in Reuters story. "As gasoline prices careen out of control,
ThomasNet, 8-15-05 issue the bill keeps America speeding down the wrong road
toward more oil consumption, more drilling, and more
Critics charge that the newly signed bill will do little to pollution."
reduce current gas prices or reliance on foreign oil while
proponents point out that it will benefit the environment. Currently, the country relies on foreign oil to meet 60% of
Who's right? its daily petroleum demand of almost 21 million barrels.
Gasoline use accounts for 2 out of every 5 barrels
Last week, President Bush signed the country's first consumed.
comprehensive energy bill (it's 1,724 pages long) in more
than a decade. While he called it vital to the U.S. Most Americans will feel the impact of the new law in
economy, he acknowledged that it offered no short-term 2007 when daylight-saving time is extended by three
relief from surging gasoline costs. The $14.5 billion weeks in the spring and a week in the fall to save energy.
legislation, passed by Congress after four years of debate, Consumers will also be able to get tax breaks for installing
seeks to increase oil, natural gas and electricity supplies more energy-efficient windows and solar panels on their
and encourages the use of alternative energy sources. homes and purchasing hybrid vehicles.
Supporters of the energy bill say it will... Columnist Tom Teepen has this to say about the
• provide environmental benefits from incentives to legislation: "The best that can be said of the final bill is
electric utilities to curb coal emissions and from tax that its giveaways are not as wanton or its policies as
breaks for reducing foreign oil dependence through the irrelevant as in earlier versions."
use of fossil-fuel alternatives such as biodiesel and nuclear What do you think of the newly passed bill?
energy.
• boost oil drilling to reduce reliance on foreign sources Trackback Pings
(for example, it streamlines federal requirements to make TrackBack URL for this entry:
it easier for producers to drill for oil and natural gas in the http://news.thomasnet.com/mt/rst.cgi/158
Rocky Mountains).
• make coal into a cleaner-burning fuel.
• stretch gasoline supplies through the increased use of
home-grown, corn-based ethanol (though critics counter
that the call for a boost in ethanol production is nothing
more than a farm subsidy and will not help ease
Sci-Fi Gadgets becomes Real!
dependence on foreign oil).
Environmental groups and some Democrats are critical
of... 1. First Fuel-Cell Motorbike is Snazzy but Silent
• its extensive tax breaks, subsidies and loan guarantees
which are seen as massive giveaways to big energy
companies already posting near-record profits.
• its failure to curtail oil imports with more stringent fuel A revolutionary new motorcycle is
mileage requirements for gas-guzzling SUVs and other powered by a high-pressure
vehicles. This op-ed piece points out that "energy experts, hydrogen fuel cell! Dubbed the
at least the ones who aren't sucking industry sugar, agree Emissions Neutral Vehicle (ENV),
that better mileage efficiency offers the fastest, cheapest the bike derives its power from a
and most productive way to displace a notable portion of briefcase-sized
our oil use and our dependence on sources abroad." fuel cell unit
• its over-emphasis on oil and gas recovery and lack of that is
focus on conservation and the development of alternative completely
sources of energy. detachable. The
• its blatant big-energy favoritism. According to this compact fuel
opinion piece, "Federal support for developing and cell is even
marketing new energy sources, which are struggling to get capable of
established, is boosted, but still only to about a third of the powering
largess that's to be lavished on the traditional energy anything from a
industries." motorboat to a small house, says the builder. The
3 Summer 2005 Newsletter
lightweight aerodynamic bike has no gears and a top batteries for plug-ins would mean several thousands of
speed is about 50 miles per hour. but with further dollars on top of that. These more advanced batteries also
refinements, it's expected to top that. The nearly zero- take up more space and add several hundred pounds.
emission hybrid bike can travel for about 100 miles
without refueling. The ENV is light, fast and fun, has Still, plug-ins are winning support from high levels. For
good ground clearance, great off-road suspension travel instance, the bipartisan National Commission on Energy
and a very carefully considered power to weight ratio. Policy made plug-ins a key component of its energy
strategy last December. Also the Set America Free
But it might not appeal to many traditional motorcycle coalition, a group of conservatives and environmentalists,
aficionados, who thrill to the roar of the engine and the is lobbying for $2 billion in incentives, asserting that "if
speed of the ride. The cycle is about as loud as a all cars on the road are hybrids and half are plug-in hybrid
personal computer fan. Additionally, hydrogen vehicles, U.S. oil imports would drop by 8 million barrels
refueling stations are hard to find. DTE Energy and the per day."
DOE are building a hydrogen refueling station in the Sources: Condensed from “Giving Hybrids A Real Jolt”
Southfield-10 mile area but will not open until late 2006. by John Carey, BusinessWeek, April 11, 2005
The technology is here and available for resale but the www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_15/b39281
infrastructure needs to catch up! 03.htm and “Hybrid-Car Tinkerers Scoff at No-Plug-In
Rule” by Danny Hakim, The New York Times, April 2,
2. 180 MPG --- available today! 2005
Many enthusiasts are "rewiring" their plug-in hybrid www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/business/02plug.html?inca
electric vehicles (PHEV) cars claiming to get up to 180 mp=article_popular_5
mpg. Enthusiasts are already building such cars in their
garages by adding more batteries and a plug to 3. Best Way to Make Mars Habitable: Inject
conventional hybrids. "I've gotten anywhere from 65 to Greenhouse Gas (condensed from an article written by
over 100 miles per gallon," Ron Gremban, an engineer at Robert Roy Britt, as appeared on Yahoo)
CalCars, a small nonprofit group based in Palo Alto,
California, tells The New York Times. In comparison, The best way to make Mars habitable would be to inject a
Gremban gets 40 to 45 miles per gallon on his unmodified synthetic greenhouse gases into its atmosphere. The stuff
Toyota Prius. Meanwhile, EnergyCS, a small company could be shipped to Mars or manufactured there.
that has worked with CalCars, has converted another Scientists and science-fiction authors have long pondered
Prius, installing more sophisticated batteries. They say terraforming Mars, melting the vast stores of ice in its
they get an astounding 180 miles per gallon and can go for polar caps to create an environment suitable for humans.
more than 30 miles on battery power alone. That means Another point of view holds that Mars was likely warmer
that many people could stay away from the filling station and wetter in its distant past, and it might have harbored
for months, given that most Americans drive fewer than life, so bringing it back to a previous state makes sense.
30 miles a day. The topic is highly controversial.
Some companies are already working to capitalize on
PHEV technology. EnergyCS, who "green-tuned" the The Polar Regions contain vast stores of water ice and
Prius by replacing its 1.3-kilowatt-hour nickel metal carbon dioxide, or dry ice. Theorists have said in the past
hydride battery with an advanced 9-kWh lithium ion that melting the poles might thicken the atmosphere,
battery pack, would like to market conversion kits, which like a blanket would insulate the surface and
weighing about 170 lbs., to Prius owners. Additionally, eventually create a more Earth-like climate. Studies
large companies are exploring plug-in technology. suggest Mars had surface water and bouts of rain in its
DaimlerChrysler, for instance, is crafting a fleet of up to early history.
40 PHEV delivery vans--a project sponsored by the
Electric Power Research Institute, several utilities, Artificially created gases could be 10,000 times more
government agencies and the carmaker itself. The vans effective than carbon dioxide in warming up the Red
will start undergoing tests this year. Planet, the study determined. The gases that would work
the best are fluorine’s and could be made from elements
But Prius manufacturer Toyota Motor Corp. isn't too keen readily available on Mars. Adding 300 parts per million
on the idea--yet. "We keep looking at the concept, and at of the gas mixture into the Martian air would trigger a
some point it might be feasible, but it isn't there yet," runaway greenhouse effect, according to the models. The
David Hermance, Toyota's executive engineer for polar ice sheets that would slowly evaporate. The newly
environmental engineering, tells BusinessWeek. Even released carbon dioxide would cause further warming and
DaimlerChrysler is not exactly rushing into plug-ins, melting. Atmospheric pressure would rise. The process
saying that its first hybrid models will be conventional-- would take hundreds or thousands of years to complete,
with plug-ins as possible options down the line. Another the scientists report.
roadblock--it remains uncertain how much extra people
are willing to pay for the cars. Hybrids already add
$2,000 to $5,000 more to production costs, and the larger
4
4. THERMAL 5. TINY METALS, BIG EXPLOSIONS
DEPOLYMERIZATION or how to turn
any carbon-based feedstock into oil!
"Nanotechnology is grabbing headlines for its
Condensed from a Discovery article, there
potential in advancing the life sciences and computing
sits a machine in an industrial park in
research," Defense Tech pal John Gartner notes in
Philadelphia that can change anything into
Technology Review. "But the Department of Defense has
oil. It can supplement our dwindling supplies of oil while
found another use: a new class of weaponry that uses
slowing down global warming.
energy-packed nanometals to create powerful, compact
bombs."
The Thermal Depolymerization Process or TDP is
designed to handle almost any waste product imaginable Sandia National Laboratories, the Los Alamos National
including, tires, plastic bottles, old computers, wetland Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National
muck, garbage, cornstalks, oil-refinery wastes, red-bag Laboratory are researching how to manipulate the flow of
medical wastes (yes, body parts and fluids), and even energy within and between molecules, a field known as
biological weapons such as anthrax spores. For example: nanoenergentics, which enables building more lethal
if a 175-pound man fell into one end of the machine, he weapons such as "cave-buster bombs" that have several
would come out the other end as 38 pounds of oil, 7 times the detonation force of conventional bombs such as
pounds of usable gas for fuel, 7 pounds of minerals, as the "daisy cutter" or MOAB (mother of all bombs).
well as 123 pounds of sterilized water; imagine being the Researchers can greatly increase the power of weapons by
first to have a drink from that source! adding materials known as superthermites that combine
nanometals such as nanoaluminum with metal oxides such
If the process works as well as its creators claim, not only as iron oxide, according to Steven Son, a project leader in
would most toxic waste problems become history, so the Explosives Science and Technology group at Los
would imported oil. Converting all the U.S. agricultural Alamos.
waste (alone) into oil and gas would yield the energy
equivalent of 4 billion barrels of oil annually. Note that "The advantage (of using nanometals) is in how fast you
the U.S. imported 4.2 billion barrels of oil in 2001. Is it can get their energy out," Son says.
possible that the Thermal Depolymerization Process could
be the first step towards the repair of our planet? Son says that the chemical reactions of superthermites are
faster and therefore release greater amounts of energy
more rapidly.
"Superthermites can increase the (chemical) reaction time
by a thousand times," Son says, resulting in a very rapid
reactive wave.
6. WHY CHINA & INDIA WILL BE “STEALING”
WORLD COAL & OIL PRODUCTION condensed
from an article by Addison Wiggin, found in The Daily
Reckoning
With the world population adding 250,000 new people
every day...or 1 million new people every four days...even
the minimum amount of electricity needed to sustain an
exploding population is a heck of a lot of juice. No energy
crisis is more critical to a society than one in which the
lights go out. Over 95% of the demand for coal over the
next three decades will come from the electricity market.
And China and India will be responsible for 70% of that
new demand. There's enough coal just in the known
reserves to burn - at current rates - for another 300 years.
I've wondered if and when future generations would not In North America alone, we've got 254 billion tons of
only recycle their own waste, but go back and clean up the proven coal reserves - more than 25% of the world total
messes left by previous generations (including ours). (compare that to Saudi Arabia, with 24% of the world's
Could thermal depolymerization be a first step toward the oil).
repair of our planet?
But there are a few problems with coal. With three-
quarters of China's 400,000 megawatts of installed
electrical power capacity coming from coal, China's skies
are also turning black with coal smoke. Seven of the
5 Summer 2005 Newsletter
world's ten most polluted cities are in China. Acid rain is a could harness half of the sun’s spectrum not previously
serious problem. So Chinese and U.S. companies are both accessed. Calculations show that, with further
making huge leaps with clean-coal technology. It's coal, improvements in efficiency, combining infrared and
but reprocessed in different ways to burn clean. With so visible photovoltaics could allow up to 30% of the sun’s
much coal in the ground...every breakthrough in clean- radiant energy to be harnessed, compared to six per cent
coal technology could be worth billions to energy in today’s best plastic solar cells.
investors.
What does that mean for a typical fully air conditioned
One of the ways to burn coal cleanly that's getting a lot of manufacturing plant of 1,000,000 sqft? This technology
attention is called coal liquefaction, or liquid coal. The could be applied to the roof, creating an energy savings of
coal gets crushed into tiny particles, mixed with hydrogen >$1,000,000 a year while extending the roof life, lowering
and certain liquids and comes out as synthetic oil that the air conditioning load, and doing so without creating
burns much cleaner than regular coal. Almost any coal- any Greenhouse gases!
burning power plant can also burn oil. But liquid coal is
also getting a lot of attention for another reason... Dry coal 8. NASA BUILDING NANOBOT SWARM -- April
is hard to transport. You can move it in trucks. You can 26, 2005 By Katrina C. Arabe
move it on trains and barges. You can even do it by
conveyor belt. But one thing you cannot do is move it It's something you only see in cartoons--shape-shifting
through a pipeline. clusters of microscopic robots with amazing powers. But
it's not pure sci-fi after all. NASA is already testing the
Most of China's huge stash of raw coal is in the North. But robot predecessor for these nano-sized swarms:
most of China's big factories and economic centers are in Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space
the South, where there is no coal. And the train system in Administration are one step closer to a technology that's
China can only move a little less than half of all the coal straight out of the realm of animated superheroes:
that needs to be shipped! Even though there's plenty of microscopic robots that travel together forming a
coal in the North to burn, the South has to actually import constantly rolling and shifting mass.
coal from other countries. But once coal can be liquefied Currently, they're conducting tests on a robot they aim to
cheaply and fed through pipelines that will change. shrink to nanobot size (the prefix "nano" stands for one-
billionth; thus, a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter).
The Chinese plan to replace 10% of their oil imports with The miniaturized robot will eventually become part of
liquid coal by 2013. And it will also have huge advantages what NASA dubs "autonomous nanotechnology swarms"
for running power plants that Chinese trains and trucks (ANTS). The researchers plan to imbue ANTS with
can't get to as easily or regularly. artificial intelligence so they could excel at decision-
making as well as intuitively know when and how to walk
7. NANOTECHNOLOGISTS’ NEW PLASTIC CAN and swarm.
SEE IN THE DARK --- tailoring matter to harvest the A nanobot swarm would have "abundant flexibility,"
sun’s invisible rays --- “Painting on Energy” Condensed according to NASA, changing its shape as the situation
from a paper by Professor Ted Sargent, Nortel Networks – requires. For instance, to make it through the Martian
Canada Research Chair in Emerging Technologies at U of atmosphere, it could become an aerodynamic shield. Then
T’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering when it reaches the Red Planet's surface, it could turn into
a snake-like form, sliding over rough terrain. It could also
Researchers at University of Toronto have invented an sprout an antenna when it needs to transmit data.
infrared-sensitive material that could shortly produce What's more, it could repair itself and continue
nanotechnology-material having the capacity to turn the functioning even when it sustains damage. Just think of
sun’s power into electrical energy or a paint that when how human bodies supplant damaged cells with new ones,
used indoors, provides a home with “smart” walls says Steven Curtis, lead researcher for ANTS, a joint
responsive to the environment in the room and enables the project of Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
cooling/heating. Maryland, and Langley Research Center in Hampton,
Virginia. "In a similar way, undamaged units in a
Nanoparticles were suspended in a solvent and dried like (nanobot) swarm will join together, allowing it to tolerate
paint to make a large-area energy device. Particles made extensive damage and still carry on its mission," he says.
from semiconductor crystals remained dispersed in For more on the exciting--almost fantastical--promise of
everyday solvents just like the particles in paint. The tiny nanotechnology, check out this primer.
nanocrystals could then catch light at very long
wavelengths. The result – a sprayable infrared detector, Condensed from “NASA Turning Nanobot Swarm from
described as a solution-processed photovoltaic operating Fiction Into Science” by Robert C. Cowen, The Christian
in the infrared areas. Science Monitor, USA Today, April 7, 2005
www.usatoday.com/tech/news/robotics/2005-04-07-ants-
Regarding the quest for renewable energy sources, nasa_x.htm?POE=click-refer
flexible, roller-processed solar cells have the potential to
harness the sun’s power. These flexible photovoltaics
6
9. PENTAGON ACTIVATES SOLAR Solar Heat and Electricity
AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING, The new use of photovoltaic materials in a solar heating
LIGHTING, AND POWER SYSTEM system is made possible by the use of "air" as the heat
transfer agent under the solar thermal tiles. Sunlight passing
The solar heating, air through the tiles hits the PV materials, which
conditioning, power and simultaneously generate heat and electricity. The electricity
lighting system installed at from the PV runs the heat recovery and cooling fans that
the guard station of the collect solar heated air from the PV surfaces below the tiles.
Pentagon Heating and The electricity from the PV also energizes controls in the
Refrigeration Plant is one of lighting and battery charging circuits. Placing the PV
the most advanced solar system below the tiles keeps the PV warm, which improves
energy systems in the United States. Despite its modest the electric generating capacity of the amorphous PV
appearance, the system incorporates 12 advanced features panels. The fans also keep the PV cool enough (below 180
that demonstrate new and improved ways of using solar degrees F) during peak summer conditions, to protect the
energy to reduce fossil and electrical energy use. It panels from thermal damage. The PV deployed below the
demonstrates these new and advanced technologies in an roof surface represents just 3 percent of the total roof
unobtrusive way within the conventional construction of a collector area. The PV panel surface area contributes 68
small 400-squarefoot building. watts of electric power and 345 watts of thermal air heating
to the roof's peak summer heating capacity of 11,700 watts
The guard station solar project incorporates the following thermal (40,000 Btu/hr).
12 unique technologies:
Solar thermal tile air heating roof system. Solar Air Conditioning
Reflective roofing laminates and selective surface The new solar-desiccant-evaporative air conditioning
absorbers to boost solar roof air temperature. system reduces summer humidity levels of outside air and
High temperature, multi-stage solar roof with peak cools the air before supplying it to the guard station. The
operating temperatures above 212 degrees F. desiccant drying stage removes the humidity from the air.
Photovoltaics (PV) beneath solar thermal tiles for The dry air allows ultra efficient evaporative cooling to take
electricity generation and heat production. place even in humid climates from the mid-Atlantic to the
PV panels separate from the solar roof for grid Gulf coast. Because indirect evaporative cooling is used, no
independent power generation and operation. humidity is added to the air headed to the guard station.
Grid connected, off-peak, supplemental battery This aspect of the system demonstrates how outside air can
charging controlled by PV-sensing relays. be pre-conditioned before entering an existing building
HVAC system, using "excess" solar heat in the summer.
PV-powered cooling fans for PV temperature control,
This is particularly important for buildings like laboratories
switch gear cooling, and solar roof heat recovery.
or industrial facilities with l00 percent outside airflow and
Desiccant dehumidification of outside air using solar
high energy use and cost in dehumidifying and cooling the
"waste heat" in the summer. -Solar heat driven
air.
desiccant evaporative cooling of outside air.
Solar pre-heating and pre-cooling of a heat pump to
The solar-desiccant-evaporative system has reduced dew
boost heat pump performance and cut electrical
point temperatures by as much as 16 degrees and reduced
energy use.
dry bulb temperatures by 10 degrees F during a mid-day test
Rainwater recovery from the solar roof to supply the in July. When minor adjustments are made to the water flow
indirect evaporative cooling stages. and airflow between stages, a 20+ degree drop in dry bulb
Automatic winter tank drain-down to prevent temperature is expected. At peak performance, the existing
freezing. system has demonstrated 3.6 units of
cooling/dehumidification output for every 1 unit of
Many of these features have never before been electrical input and all of the electrical input from the utility
demonstrated, such as the solar air heating tiles with PV grid is at night, during "off-peak" hours.
absorbers below for simultaneous electricity and heat
production in one weather tight roof. The desiccant Solar Assisted Heat Pump
evaporative cooling system is also a unique development, Another advanced feature of the system is a modern update
since it relies on solar air heating to drive a desiccant air of an older solar heating technology that was conceived
conditioning system. The high temperature summer airflow during the 1970s, but never commercialized. At that time,
from the solar roof is an ideal energy source for the "solar assisted heat pumps" were recognized as beneficial
desiccant regeneration, which is accomplished with hot air. for cutting energy use by heat pumps. In the 1970s, heat
In the wintertime, the solar roof supplies heating energy to pump technology was at an early development stage and
the guard station. The electric power produced drives the showed marginal efficiency improvement from solar pre-
heating and cooling system fans and pumps throughout the heating. However, modern heat pumps have overcome those
year and provides security lighting at night. inefficiencies and can substantially reduce energy use with
solar air pre-heating.
7 Summer 2005 Newsletter
During cold weather, heat pump energy use can be cut by
35 percent or more with the addition of solar air pre-heating The project was initiated in 2003 and the system began
systems. In many cases, solar heated air from the roof or automatic operation and testing in the summer of 2004.
walls can be easily directed to the nearby roof top or ground Dr. Get Moy, Director of Installations Requirements and
mounted heat pumps. Similarly, cooler air supplied to the Management for the Office of the Under Secretary of
heat pump in summer will cut electricity use by the heat Defense (Installations and Environment), said, "I am
pump in delivering air conditioning. The Pentagon system excited that the Pentagon has demonstrated the successful
was designed to demonstrate how solar air pre-heating and application of these advanced energy technologies, where
pre-cooling of heat pumps can cut high electricity use in the they will be visible to energy users across the Department
winter and summer. of Defense and the federal government."
Direct Current Power 10. LASER WEAPON FIRM TARGETED
All electrical equipment in the system operates off of Direct
Current (DC) power that is delivered at 24 volts DC to a It isn’t easy pinning down Ionatron Inc., the Tucson,
battery bank within the building. The use of DC power
instead of AC power saves energy in three ways. First, it
eliminates conversion losses from converting DC to AC
power in an inverter. Second, the external rotor DC motors
in the fans use about one-third of the power of comparable
AC motors moving the same amount of air. The third reason
DC power saves energy is related to the use of peak demand
reduction during the summer cooling season.
The PV system is sized to supply all the power needed
during the winter months. During the peak air conditioning
season in the summer, the solar-desiccant-evaporative
system will often consume more power than the PV panels Arizona laser weapon firm.
can generate. The batteries provide the necessary capacity Company execs say they're working on a real-life ray gun
to operate the solar desiccant-evaporative system which uses femtosecond lasers – light pulses that last less
throughout the day. When the sun sets, the PV system than a ten-trillionth of a second – to carve conductive
activates a "110 Volt AC to 24 Volt DC" battery charger channels of ionized oxygen in the air. Through these
that brings the batteries up to full charge during the channels, Ionatron's blaster supposedly sends man-made
nighttime hours. This hybrid battery charging approach lighting bolts, frying anyone unfortunate enough to step
makes the maximum use of the PV output during the peak into their path, up to 800 meters away.
electric demand and shifts the grid connected battery
charging to an "off-peak" period when electrical demand on The feds have given the company $12 million to chase
the utility grid is lower. these ray gun dreams.
Rainwater Recovery 11. I HATE FLUORESCENT condensed from an
The Pentagon system collects rainwater for the evaporative article by Eric Strandberg www.lightingdesignlab.com
cooling stages because the guard station's remote location
has no ready source of water. Rainwater recovery was As a lighting consultant I often hear people say, "I hate
actually the lowest cost option, since installation of a "city" fluorescent". Many of us think of cold, institutional spaces
water system would have required hand digging 200 feet of when we think of fluorescent (FL) lighting. This is
trench over other utility lines buried under asphalt. because of
However, the rainwater system offers other benefits, such as the poor color qualities of the old style lamps (T-12)
reduced storm water runoff from the roof, and reduced the noise and flicker from magnetic ballasts
consumption of "city" water. The PV system provides the indifferent lighting design applied to many
automatic pumping for the evaporative cooling stages and commercial spaces.
drain down of the storage tank for winter freeze protection.
Justifiably, we object to buzzing ballasts, flickering lamps,
Lessons Learned and poor color quality.
One of the lessons learned from this project is that the
Today's new fluorescent products can solve of all of these
multistage roof and external PV panels will not be required
problems... except indifferent design.
in future versions. Only a single tile roof surface, with PV
panels integrated below the solar thermal tiles, is required to Color quality of light has two parts
provide the necessary high temperature heated air and The most obvious is color temperature; this is whether the
electricity for the heating, air conditioning, lighting, and light appears 'warm' or 'cool'. Color temperature is
power. Water heating and thermal storage for night time and expressed in Kelvin (a scientific scale) with 3000K being
cloudy day use can be easily accommodated with an air-to- similar to incandescent (yellow/warm) and 5000K being
water heat exchanger. similar to sunlight (blue/cool). FL lamps come in these
8
and other color temperatures. Which one you choose is
subjective, like paint colors. Today, the most popular
color temperature is 3500K, not too cool, not too warm. ESMS NEWS
This color is often preferred for retail, office and other
high activity spaces. (I use it above my drafting table at
home).
Here is a preview of this issue of ESMS News 2005. . .
The other part of light quality is color rendering, this is The science (many say "Art") or the assessment of indoor
the ability of a light source to reveal the "true" air quality and indoor environmental conditions is
relationship between colors. Light sources with poor color developing and changing at a rapid space. This is driven
rendering cloud the difference between similar colors. For by work experiences of indoor environmental
example a slate green wall may appear to be the same professionals, sharing of those experiences at conferences
color as a gray blue wall, or dark amber paint may look and workshops, and to some extent by new research
the same as light brick. Color rendering is expressed findings. Mostly it is mandated by the need for
numerically on the color rendering index (CRI), which is a consistency in work practices.
scale from 0 to 100, with higher values being better. Most
old style FL lamps have poor color rendering (50 - 60) Many organizations have developed and are constantly
which makes people and surfaces look unfavorable (dull revising guidelines and standards for assessment.
colors & gray complexions). The newer FLs have a very Although most of these share common assumptions and
good CRI (from around 75 up to as high as the 90s), techniques, they differ in ways that reflect the orientation
which reveal colors very accurately. and mission of the organization that under writes the
creation and maintenance of the document.
Flickering lamps and buzzing ballasts are legitimate Click here for the ESMS News!
problems that can both be solved
All FLs use a ballast, (an electrical device) to operate the
lamp. Historically these ballasts have been magnetic
devices, (core & coil), that operate at 60 cycles per AEE Member-Get a-Member
second, which some people perceive as flicker. Also, the
magnetic ballast can physically vibrate which causes an
audible buzzing or hum. Electronic ballasts, (solid state),
This year’s totally new Member-Get-a-Member Campaign
operate at 24,000 cycles per second and higher,
offers you a chance to not only introduce your colleagues
eliminating the flicker completely. Also, with electronic
to the many benefits and opportunities of membership in
ballasts there is no blinking when the lamps are being lit,
AEE, but to earn exciting prizes for yourself as well.
they just turn right on. This blinking is not a big factor
Everyone who helps recruit members earn valuable gifts!
commercially since the fixtures tend to stay on all day but
in hospitality applications the lack of blinking can go a
As we enter our 28th year, AEE is stronger than ever. Our
long way toward acceptance. Also, because the new
membership has grown to 10,000, and AEE’s influence
electronic ballasts are solid state there is no audible hum
continues to grow around the world. Here is your chance
or buzz.
to be our partner in advancing AEE’s position in the
Because they are large radiant tubes, FL lamps are good at energy industry. Help AEE, help yourself, and help your
providing general or ambient light, and evenly washing associates all at the same time.
large architectural planes (walls and coves). An
abundance of even, shadow less light is just what we want How a colleague can join! Have the new member you are
in many spaces like storage, utility rooms and workshops. referring fill out the special membership form. Make sure
Appropriately applying fluorescent lighting in lobbies or they put your name in the “referring member’s name” box
conference areas where more drama and atmosphere is so you will receive credit for the referral.
usually wanted can be a challenge. Indirect cove lighting, Put the AEE logo and special membership form on your
luminous soffits, and light shelves are all ways of website. Ask visitors to your site to use the form to join
creatively using linear fluorescent lighting in these areas. the AEE and to put your name in the “referring member’s
If the heart of a lighting system is the light source then the name” box so you will get credit for the referral. . Click
body and soul is the light fixture and the designer's artful here for logo and link.
use of it. Knowing how to get a proper balance of
ambient, task and accent light in our work and living .For more information on how to participate in this year’s
spaces is part of the designer's art. Often, when we campaign and to see the valuable gifts you can earn,
criticize poor lighting it is really bad or indifferent contact Ruth Marie: (770) 447-5083, Ext. 210 or
lighting design as much as bad light sources that we find info@aeecenter.org
objectionable.
9 Summer 2005 Newsletter
My Favorite Web Sites Meeting Schedules
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at
www.eren.doe.gov 2005 – 2006 AEE Meetings
Energy Star Program at www.energystar.gov/
U.S. Department of Energy at www.energy.gov/
Energy Education – Energy Quest at
www.energyquest.ca.gov
Green Power Network at www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Alliance to Save Energy at www.ase.org/ Tuesday, November 8, 2005
Association of Energy Engineers at www.aeecenter.org/ Tuesday, February 7, 2006
U.S. Green Building Council at www.usgbc.org/ Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Michigan Energy Office at
www.michigan.gov/energyoffice
Chapter Officers
President ------------------- Keith Willis, Ph.D, CEM, BEP
734-523-0224 ------- term expires 12-31-06
doctorwillis@sbcglobal.net
Vice-President/Scholarships -------- David Everest, Ph.D.
313-964-1700 ------- term expires 12-31-05
david.everest@Siemens.com (new)
Treasurer --------------------------------- Paul Dobry, CEM
248-276-6123 ------- term expires 12-31-05
DobryP@trinity-health.org
Don’t gamble with your Environmental and
Energy issues ……. use the skills of an experienced Secretary & Awards ------------------ Bruce Snyder, CEM
Certified Energy Manager or Business Energy 248-823-2174 ------- term expires 12-31-06
Professional to help you. Contact one of the Board bsnyder@ids-troy.com
Members for more information.
New Technologies --------------------- Don Edwards, CEM
248-874-2189 ------- term expires 12-31-05
edwardsd@dteenergy.com
Membership/Attendance --- Ed Cox
248-420-3402 ------ term expires 12-31-06
sawcox@att.net
Website Administration ---- Open
Nominations ------------------ Open
Training ---------------------- Open
10
MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR 2006
Chapter Membership Dues! Dues for year 2006 for local membership of EMAEE
are due by the end of February 2006. Membership
runs from January 1 through December 31, and
includes all meeting attendance fees and meal cost
EASTERN MICHIGAN CHAPTER –
(cash bar). Four meetings typically held 2nd Tuesday
ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY ENGINEERS
of February, April, September, and November. The
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
dues structure beginning January 1, 2004 will be as
follows:
NAME: ____________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS: ________________________ Single Member: $65/person
COMPANY: ________________________
Corporate Members: $120 for 2 people
WORK PHONE: ___________________________
$175 for 3 people
$230 for 4 people
ADDRESS: ________________________
$285 for 5 people
FAX: ____________________________________
$50 each additional
member over 5
CITY: ____________________ STATE: _____
ZIP CODE: _____________
(Corporate Members are defined as more than one
person from the same company.)
DUES: Individual Memberships:
_______ @ $65.00
PLEASE RETURN APPLICATION TO:
Company Memberships: _______ # of People
(See Schedule Below) Paul Dobry, CEM ---------- DobryP@trinity-health.org
_______ Total $
CHAIRPERSON/COMMITTEES OF INTEREST:
_____ Web Master _____ Program Scholarship Program
_____ Newsletter _____ Other
(_____________________________________________)
Information and application may be requested from David
Everest, Ph.D.
11 Summer 2005 Newsletter
* * * MEETING NOTICE * * *
(Non-Members Welcome to Attend)
DATE: Tuesday, September 13th, 2005
PLACE: Lawrence Technological University, 10 mile and Lodge Freeway (new location)
AGENDA
4:30 Chapter Officers’ Meeting (closed session)
5:00 Registration
5:00 Social hour Cash Bar
6:00 Dinner
6:45 Chapter Business
7:00 Presentation & Questions
7:30 Adjourn (additional social time available til 9)
----------------------- DETACH & RETURN ----------------------
Please make checks payable to EMAEE (cost includes dinner; a cash bar will be available)
Cost: EMAEE Chapter Members = Free, Guest = $25; Seniors and Students = $19.
Please Circle: AEE Member EMAEE Chapter Member Non-Member
E-Mail Address:______________________________________ Are you a CEM? _________ (yes)
Work Phone Number: _________________________________
Are you interested in becoming a chapter member? Costs are $65 based on the calendar year which includes
Dinner and meeting costs at the 4 regular chapter meetings. Please circle “Yes” and attach a check for
$65 or see one of the officers at the next meeting. Thank you.
_____ Yes, I wish to become a chapter member. I am enclosing $65.
_____ No, I wish to attend the next meeting as a Guest. I am enclosing $25 for this specific meeting only.
Return Registration Form to:
Name/Title: ____________________________________________________________
Company: ____________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________
Phone number: ____________________________________________________________
Email Address (to receive newsletters): ________________________________________________
12
East Michigan
Association of Energy Engineers
C/o: Keith Willis, Ph.D., CEM
23409 Oneida
Oak Park, MI 48237-2241
13 Summer 2005 Newsletter