Safety Solvents: An Easy Solution for Eliminating Harsh Chemical Agents

By Timothy Byron

image: depositphotos

The use of volatile cleaners brings about concerns both in regards to human and environmental safety. Companies require solvents in order to clean parts or equipment during manufacturing, maintenance, or other industry specific processes. Several chemicals will evaporate under regular temperature conditions thus making them potentially more harmful and certainly more difficult to use or store. Formed gas from evaporation enters the air without any visual sign that can make them very dangerous. Health problems have been directly linked to highly volatile solvents in addition to being problematic for the environment. Indoor concentrations pose increased risk to individuals because they are much higher. Air filtration systems and other methods may be taken to reduce this hazard, but the amounts often released in the immediate environment are still troublesome. The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA has created usage regulations to reduce the adverse effects of volatile solvents. Suppliers have taken steps to provide safety solvents that offer reduced danger of fire as well as minimal evaporation, and fall within compliance of EPA regulations to deliver an affordable yet effective industrial solution.

Organic Solvents: What Measures Have Been Taken to Reduce Hazards?
Degreasers can consist of numerous hazardous ingredients that put companies at risk for human injury as well as EPA violations. Newer organic solvents do not contain chlorinated compounds or other high-risk ingredients to provide a safer product for businesses that must apply these cleaning agents quite frequently.

Part cleaning is a constant process in most manufacturing and mechanical servicing industries. New products are being offered to businesses requiring these agents to operate efficiently. Environment oriented organic solvents include minimal to no hazardous materials and are typically hydrocarbon based. Hydrocarbon is an organic compound created from combining two specific elements: carbon and hydrogen. These compounds may be alkaline, alkene, cycloalkane, or alkyne-based in nature. Hydrocarbons may be utilized as a gas, liquid, polymer, or solid ranging from simple to complex combinations. Methane, ethane, butane, propane, and octane are a few of the simplest hydrocarbons.

Electrical Contact Cleaner: Less Hazardous Products Offer Equal Success

By Timothy Byron

image: depositphotos

Electrical cleaning supplies are utilized in various settings including the automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and maintenance industries. Contacts on parts can become soiled during use or creation causing the need for an efficient yet environmentally friendly industrial product. Cleaners remove soil, oil, grease, or metallic buildup when applied to parts or equipment. Moisture or corrosion are common causes for this type of buildup and can be easily alleviated with the right electrical contact cleaner. These supplies do not leave residue, and evaporate quickly to prevent harming components such as ignition systems, equipment, relays, or other types of electrical controls. A manufacturer may utilize these products to remove contaminants from electrical assemblies and circuits as well. The purposes of cleaning products have remained much the same over the years; however, the chemical makeup continually changes to accommodate environmental regulations.

Industrial Degreasers: New Chemicals Minimize Evaporation Dangers
Several propellants have been used to create industrial degreasers and cleaners; however, many are now outlawed due to the negative impact they pose to the environment. Companies must find an effective solution that not only falls within environmental regulations but also supplies the necessary results. Traditional chemicals include chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, Propane, and isobutane. These propellants come in a pressurized liquid form that is used to create a pressurized gas for application. Solvents used in these products consist of organic or petroleum concentrates but can include others depending on how the electrical cleanser will be used. Common solvents include:

• Hexane
• Isoethene
• Methane
• Acetone
• Trichloroethylene

Alternative solvents can be found to reduce environmental harm without affecting solution capabilities. Contact cleaning supplies may be used to remove debris or contaminants from electrical parts for proper circuit operations. They also have automotive applications such as ignition system or motor grime removal. Industrial degreasers may be found in manufacturing settings or in environments where heavy duty cleaning is required.

Portable Solar Power Generators

By Ian D Worrall

image: depositphotos

Have you ever thought about how great it would be to get a solar panel for your home? It would be awesome to stick it to the power companies who have been bleeding you dry with their constant price increases without adding any additional benefits wouldn't it?

But there may be reasons why you can't add solar panels to your home.

• If you're in an apartment or condo, the landlord or condo corp might not look too kindly to you putting one on your balcony.
• The start up costs are admittedly high
• You might simply not have the skills to install a solar panel yourself.

But fret not. You can always get a portable solar power generator. Similar to a gas powered generator, and about the same cost, a portable solar power generator can be great for many uses.

• during a power outage they have the added benefit of being useful if there's also a gas shortage.
• If you're in a remote area where electricity is non existent and you need to use your lap top or any other medium draw electronic.

Another benefit over a gas powered generator is that they do not emit any air pollution and little or no noise pollution.

Some things to watch for in choosing one are to make sure the solar panel you buy can handle your needs. To do so check amps of your electronics and the panel you intend to buy. There have been cases where reading negative reviews on Amazon people have chosen a solar panel that wouldn't be able to carry the load of their lap top and the thing wouldn't power their computer.

Can We Design a More Efficient Wind Turbine Which Does Not Kill Bats or Birds?

By Lance Winslow

image: depositphotos

Okay so, folks often ask me what think tanks actually do, you see that's what I do, I run one. Generally, I explain to people that think tanks solve problems, but really it is more than that, and merely solving a problem isn't good enough, because inevitably you solve one problem only to create 3-more, so it's a never ending battle. In fact, perhaps this is why the American People have lost trust in our government leaders. Is it really their fault or is this just the nature of problem solving in complex systems such as; our economy, infrastructure, or the government itself?

Yes, could be, still, there are so many problems to solve it's hard to say which one is worthy of one's brain power. Let's take a simple example as a case study sample here. Not long ago, Mark from the UK was explaining that we need more efficient wind-energy designs, which do not kill birds or bats. Yes, that's true, that is something we need isn't it, especially if you are one who believes in global warming or takes it as a new kind of religion. Mark had contemplated using a hollow ring around the turbine blades to collect the wind "covered with netting or a shield so that animal strikes do not happen."

Well, this is a decent idea actually, however, it doesn't solve the bat problem, the bats crash from flying behind the wind turbines due to the low-pressure area they create + the ultrasound confuses them for a few moments. Birds generally crash due to strikes and then cannot catch their fall due to low pressure area + vortices coming off the blades. They just have not yet evolved for such things.

Three Ways of Getting Off The Grid and Why This Will Change Your Life

By Rebecca K Mccormack

image: depositphotos

When Physics look at outer space for Alien life, they don't look for little green men. They look for type one, type two and type three civilizations. A type one civilization has harnessed its planetary power. They control Earth quakes, the weather and volcanoes. They have cities on the ocean. Anything planetary they control. That's type one civilization.

A type two civilization is stellar. They have exhausted the power of the planet and they get their energy directly from their mother star. They use the power of the sun to energize their huge machines. Eventually they exhaust the power of a star and they go galactic. They harness the power of billions of stars within a galaxy.

What are we on this scale? We are type zero. Humans don't even rate on this scale. We don't get our energy for stars or galaxies, we get our energy from dead planets oil and coal.
So here we are a relatively immature species, struggling with the possibility of self destruction. Where do we go from here? How do we begin to live like these other highly intelligent civilizations?

The entire universe is filled with energy. One term for this energy might be the "general active force." By utilizing technologies that tap into this life force, we are working with nature instead of against it.
A torus is a shape that is created by rotating a circle around a coplanar axis that is not within the circle itself. It is a ring-like shape. The easiest way I would explain it is to imagine a doughnut. Strictly speaking, the torus is just the surface of the doughnut (i.e. where the powdered sugar is).

Great Green Inventions

By Ivy Newport

image: depositphotos

Who says that "green" can't be fun? Sustainability is quickly becoming synonymous with innovation. Here are some awesome inventions you may never have heard of-all eco-friendly, of course!

The Eco-Nightclub
First launched in London in 2008, the eco-nightclub features a bouncing floor and a series of power generating blocks that generate over 60% of the necessary energy to run the club. They serve only organic spirits in polycarbon cups. The venue features air flush, waterless urinals and low flush toilets. The best part? You get in free if you can prove that you walked or biked to the club. Customers are only allowed in if they sign a pledge promising to work towards curbing climate change.

Green Roofs
Quickly gaining popularity, these "sky gardens" can be found on many rooftops in large cities. They can be used as community spaces, areas for stressed workers, or even to grow food. Not only are they good places for social activities, but they also reduce run-off when there is heavy rain, and they reduce the heat that gets trapped inside buildings, reducing the need for air conditioning.

The Lilypad
Architect Vincent Callebaut was alarmed when he read about the prediction that ocean levels would rise by 70 cm over the 21st century. In response, he designed the Lilypad, also known as the "Floating Eco-polis for Climate Refugees," an "ecotectural" masterpiece. The idea behind his project was to create a series of floating, self-sufficient eco-city islands. Each one would be able to house up to 50 000 people and they would support an abundance of biodiversity. Collecting pools located in their centres would gather and filter water for use. Callebaut envisions the Lilypad to be able to be manufactured around the year 2100.