How a Farm Turns into a Wind Farm

Filed under:Science Parlor — posted on July 18, 2010 @ 4:36 pm

You?Before you get to overly excited and start shopping for a wind power unit you have to realize that these machines require large open areas to safely use. The ideal place is flat open land like a farm!The open area gives the towers the required unrestricted exposure to the wind they need to produce the maximum amount of electricity. The best part about these towers is that when they are producing more electricity then you need your electric company is required to buy it back from you. So not only are you saving money on your electric bill every month but your electric company is helping to subsidize your savings!The only real drawback to a wind power system is that if the wind does not blow you have no power, there are however systems that can store electricity for you to use in the event this happens. For wind turbines, it drives the spindle to operate an alternator or other forms of transformation interface to convert the mechanical energy into electrical power. This electrical power is then wired directly for consumption, storage or both. The excess can also be channeled back onto the power grid for other users. Industrial waste machinery is actually the best place to look, but your windmills would have to be large, in most cases. You know a generator is just a motor right? Find those low RPM motors and your on your way to a super efficient homemade windmill. Unless you have really nice income, or profitable self-employment business, it’s kind of a problem to pay those energy bills. However, the huge advantage of this technology is that you will be able to produce your own energy, without having to pay someone for it. It’s yours and that’s it. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to build a home wind power generator. Of course, there are some things, which you need to learn, before you can understand what you need to do, but overall it’s not a big deal. How To Build A Wind Turbine

Utilising Ground Source Heat Pumps for Heating

Filed under:Hall Of Home Improvements, Misc Stuff, Science Parlor — posted on July 12, 2010 @ 3:49 pm

Ground source heat pumps provide a rather inexpensive and eco friendly technique to use waste heat from the earth for heating and cooling both residential and commercial buildings. Initial set-up expenses can be quite a lot higher than conventional air-source systems, but geothermal heat pumps give substantially lower ownership costs over the long term. Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are systems that use the earth?s temperature to provide heating, cooling and hot water for commercial businesses and houses. The systems are fashioned to make use of the fact that temperatures remain at a nearly constant level of between 7 C and 21 C just a couple of feet beneath the ground, irrespective of geographic area or surface air temperatures. During winter, the units essentially extract heat from the ground and move it to a commercial building or residence, while in summer the systems draw out heat from building interiors and shift it to the ground. Ground source heat pumps are electrically driven and are often referred to as geothermal heat pumps, or geo-exchange pumps, or merely as earth-coupled heat pumps. A full-fledged GSHP machine is composed of a heat pump, a ground loop system for absorbing heat from the ground or rejecting it back to the ground, and air ducts or radiant floor systems for delivering the hot or cold air. The ground loop system generally is composed of several loops of plastic tubing loaded with antifreeze liquid or water, hidden under the ground in horizontal or vertical style. In the course of winter, the liquid in the loops collects heat from the ground and forces it to the heat pump where a compressor increases the temperature even more before circulating it through the building. The flow of the liquid inside the loops is reversed during summer. This results in the warmer air being taken out from the building and transferred to the earth while cooler liquid is distributed back to the heat pump and then all the way through the building. An open loop system operates in more or less the same fashion, but in this case the liquid in the loops is usually ejected into the earth. Ground source heat pumps have been in use since the 1940s and are deemed a more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective alternative to conventional air-transfer based heating and cooling systems. Tests have revealed that GSHP systems have heating efficiencies up to 70% higher than traditional systems and cooling efficiencies of nearly 40% more than air-conditioners. The primary cost of setting up a geothermal heat pump can be quite high compared to standard heating and cooling systems. Nevertheless, over the long term the pumps are less costly to own and to manage. They also can deliver up to 50% savings on energy use. Sometimes, a geothermal heat pump is put in along with an air-source heat pump in order to minimize initial installation costs. Find out more info about Ground Source Heat Pumps

Environmentally-Friendly “Earth Homes”

Filed under:Science Parlor — posted on June 1, 2010 @ 4:02 am

Environmentally-Friendly “Earth Homes”
by Lady Camelot

What are “Earth Homes?” Earth homes are houses that are basically constructed from the earth. Some earth homes are built from adobe, mud, straw or even underground as an earth-sheltered home. Environmentally friendly, earth homes are easy to warm and cool and extremely energy efficient.

Adobe Earth homes are houses constructed from bricks comprised of tightly compacted earth, clay and straw. Adobe earth homes can be naturally waterproofed by using fermented cactus juice!

Earth sheltered earth homes are houses the are constructed underground - or at least mostly beneath the ground surface. Surrounding soil is a superp and nautral insulation which makes these homes cheap to heat and cool. Usually installed in a well-drained hillside, earth sheltered homes have a skylight window that can fill the home with natural sunlight. Although costs may run a bit higher than conventional home construction, earth sheltered homes are a good, long-term investment as lowered maintenance and energy savings make up the difference.

Straw Bale earth homes are making a comeback as well. Straw bale earth homes are obviously constructed of straw and grass, are energy efficient, and can cut material building costs by as much as fifty percent.

Earth homes, such as Cob Houses are built from clay-type lumps of soil, sand and straw. Similar to the adobe homes, except cob earth homes do not use bricks or blocks. Cob homes have walls that are sculpted into smooth forms. Again, very energy efficient, cob homes are well-suited for the very cold climates and deserts.

Rammed earth homes may have over 18-inch, thick walls that are made from a comcination of dirt, sand, cement and water. Energy conservative, rammed earth homes have the appearance of bungalow-style charm and help keep the house warm in winter and cool in the summer. Additionally, rammed earth homes may last hundreds of years.

Why build an earth home? Earth homes conserve energy, and in most cases are easier to maintain and can endure for years to come. An excellent site to visit on earth homes: www.hobbithomes.ca This particular site even has a recipe for building your own “cob” earth home, and other projects as well.

As we embark on a strange, new age and global warming continuously on the rise, doesn’t it make sense to construct your new custom home as an earth home?

© LadyCamelot 2004 Public Relations’ Director for www.HolisticJunction.com - Your Pathway to Discovery

Business Membership has its benefits - become a Business Member today. Email membership@holisticjunction.com

About the Author

Lady Camelot serves as the Public Relations’ Director for HolisticJunction.com and is the published author of “Windows to the Soul.” She has had several poems published in esteemed anthologies, is a freelance writer, artist and more recently has had her literature inducted into the Ellis Island Library in tribute to the events of 911.

Help with Algebra: a Digest

Filed under:Education Special, Mathematics Tips, Science Parlor — posted on April 18, 2010 @ 4:41 pm

Algebra is good at differentiating relationships between things that vary from time to time. For example, the relationship between a person’s income and advancement of his expenses could be learned and calculated using easy algebraic equations. Math is not an easy subject for a large percentage of pupils. Many software applications are available with a mixture of topic intro so students of whatsoever intellectual level can find the way that works for him/her. These applications also facilitates students to understand importance of Algebra in real life as well as in industry solutions. Larger functions used in algebra include Graphing linear inequalities , Solving compound inequalities, Solving quadratic inequalities , Adding and Subtracting matrices etc.
Algebra is an important area of study but students can be demoralized initially if they do not work hard enough in early stages. This makes fundamental math skills vital to help students successfully pass algebra and further into advanced math with self-assurance.

How to Succeed in Algebra

The algebra software on offer in the market today offer far more useful guidelines and help than what is included in formal textbooks, such as homework help, interactive lesson plans, games and a worksheet tool or graphing calculator . The most useful software have all of these elements - ease of use and covering of all the topics.

The instruction tools are always useful where methods like text, audio, animation, video and games are put in to use. Schools and colleges require that students complete algebra courses from pre-algebra to algebra II. Important topics normally include: Finding complement of an angle, inverse of functions, finding type of polynomial, determine if line is Subtracting polynomials, Finding domain of a function, Graphing a parabola and Adding rational expressions etc.

How to Operate Algebra Software

Some algebraic software shows results only, while other (most suitable for elementary use of algebra) show all the steps as well as explanations of math basics that are being used. For students, ease of use of the software is the number one concern. Thus, the software better be loaded with value added options like high quality and timely user support, embedded help options, and easy to understand math wizards.

Calculating the Role of Algebra

Filed under:Education Special, Mathematics Tips, Science Parlor — posted on February 15, 2010 @ 11:10 pm

An comprehensive research carried out to figure out the reasons behind school dropouts shows that many individuals look at algebra as the culprit. The proficiency of knowledge of the teacher is not merely adequate for pupils to understand the algebraic concepts, nor it is adequate to rekindle interest about the field of study. It’s the method; the content is explained to its pupils which leads a lot for developing interest in the contents.

What is Algebra?

A concise introduction of Algebra would be a subdivision of mathematics which substitutes letters for numbers; algebraic equation is a scale. The basic theories of algebra includes real numbers, complex numbers, matrices and vectors.

The Different Fields

Generally, algebra spreads across many domains of mathematics. for example; Multiplying exponents, dividing exponents, Solving linear inequalities , Finding Greatest common factor or GCM, Multiplying, Adding, Subtracting fractions and many more.

If the above mentioned domains are already making you nervous, I hope that the definitions to follow will ease your anxiety and give real perception in to the subject.

Exponents are just shorthand for referring multiplication of identical factors. Fractions are equally interesting and actually are used when representing numbers that describe the parts of a whole. Many such similar areas in algebra may sound fearful at the beginning, but once you comprehend the simple concept behind it, you will be captivated by its purpose. To state a few more - Mixed numbers, Quadratic formula, Graphing linear inequalities , solving compound in equalities , Factoring binomials, and Factoring polynomials; are all algebraic expressions.

Although you may find it puzzling to understand mixed numbers, you may be astonished to find out that they are a type of fractions. Similarly, graphing linear equalities may be self explanatory and there are many other similar algebraic expressions that may sound complex but are extremely interesting to work with.

Finding a Tutor

If you want to quench your thirst for algebraic knowledge further and you do not have any instructors there is nothing to worry about. Because There are online lessons too. These lessons stress the practicalities instead of technicalities, demonstrating time-tested techniques. The algebra solver software can guide you stepwise in working out your maths sums and it can also provide explanations of all steps.

A Synthetic Cannabinoid

Filed under:Health Management, Science Parlor — posted on February 9, 2010 @ 8:48 pm

JWH is an a member of a group of drugs used to relieve pain which acts in various ways on the central nervous system. It is a member of the amino alkyl indole syndicate. JWH-018 can act as a cannabinoid agonist towards the CB1 and CB2 sensory receptors. It has been found to produce effects similar to that of Tetrahydrocannabinol with a longer length of action.

The abbreviation J.W.H. stands for John W. Huffman who is considered the inventor of JWH-018. It is a chemical first synthesized in 1995 in a university science laboratory in the US. John Huffman earned his BS from Northwestern University and his AM and PhD from Harvard. He began his academic career at Georgia Institute of Technology (1957-60) and joined Clemson as assistant professor in 1960. He was an NSF Predoctoral Fellow at Harvard and received an NIH Career Development Award (1965-70). He was a visiting professor at Colorado State University (1982). The principal emphasis in Dr. Huffman’s research group is on the synthesis of analogues and metabolites of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol THC), the principal active component of marijuana. John W. Huffman has published dozen of articles about cannabinoids.

Although toxicity reports are not completed by an independant research laboratory, scientist state they are willing to believe that it is not toxic.
Further data about JWH-018 toxicity reports can be found on JWH-018 reports

Electriciy from the Sun

Filed under:Science Parlor — posted on February 8, 2010 @ 3:15 pm

In this age and time when prices of goods are very high, it is of great importance to know the different methods so that people can have more money to save at the end of the month. With the recent introduction of plug-n-play solar chargers into the market, solar power is within the reach of just about anyone. You no longer have to be a tech savvy ‘do-it-yourself-er’ in order to harness solar energy. What exactly is a plug-n-play solar charger? It is usually simply a solar panel combined with a battery pack, which is sold as a unit. It is capable of collecting solar energy and storing it in a battery. While electricity is equally useful regardless of how you get it, there are major differences between different solar power systems for homes. The decision regarding whether or not to use batteries is a major fork in the decision process in setting up your solar-powered home. The grid-tie system is a highly popular choice for home solar power users. This system entails the use of solar cells and the utility grid as complimentary parts: when you are producing more electricity than you are consuming, you sell the extra power to the grid (aka, your utility company).DOE has made an ongoing effort to work with the building industry; federal agencies; utility providers; solar energy developers and installers; lending institutions; city and state governments; and many other organizations, both private and governmental to remove the various barriers that have traditionally held back the widespread use of solar energy. The DOE doesn’t take a direct role in local or state activities, and doesn’t offer financial aid to install solar energy devices or systems.
Alternative Energy News

How Manufacturers Can Fight Global Warming

Filed under:Hall Of Home Improvements, Hardware Info, Science Parlor — posted on November 8, 2009 @ 9:19 pm

Global warming is not someone else’s problem. Nor is it a problem that was created by “other people”. We all share responsibility for mankind’s speeding up of global warming. Think about it. Every camp fire, every gratuitous use of electricity, and every energy-guzzling vehicle and appliance we have used has contributed to the problem. Driving 1/2 mile to the store instead of walking the distance has added to the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. We all share some small part in the process that creates and exacerbates the problem. But there are things we can do.

Consumers have the freedom to choose to work with environmentally-conscious manufacturers. But manufacturers must make the environment a more important imperative in their engineering and marketing initiatives. After all, even the investors who buy stock in manufacturing companies have to live in the same environment as everyone else. There is really no excuse for a manufacturer to NOT develop more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.

Manufacturers can utilize local resources more often to reduce the amount of transportation required to bring in raw materials. Manufacturers can also upgrade their equipment and maintenance to reduce unnecessary pollution and energy use. Manufacturers can also help show consumers just how much they have changed their energy use practices, or how their products will help consumers reduce energy consumption.

The less energy we consume the less demand there is overall for the creation of energy by burning fossil fuels. So even reducing the amount of energy your home uses helps fight global warming. One manufacturer that has tried to get this message out to consumers is Penguin Windows. By showing consumers how to reduce the amount of energy that escapes through windows, companies like Penguin Windows help make cooling homes in the summer and heating them in the winter less expensive.

But these manufacturers have to make an effort to reach out to consumers. Penguin Windows, for example, is reaching out through multiple channels to build consumer awareness of its products and value proposition. Whether the Penguin Windows solution is going to be a cost-savings provider for you is something only you can determine. There are certainly other companies besides Penguin Windows you can talk to. But keep in mind that you may see more promotions like Penguin Windows‘ summer 2009 sweepstakes as manufacturers restructure their marketing plans to cope with both worldwide recession and global warming.

Hopefully, as manufacturers reach out to consumers with new messages about the value and quality of their products consumers will benefit at least as much as the manufacturers. After all, we’re all on this planet together.

Algebra in Our Education

Filed under:Education Special, Mathematics Tips, Science Parlor — posted on September 9, 2009 @ 5:43 pm

It is algebra that we employ to get our everyday things done. The mankind forever continues counting, measuring, dividing, and multiplying.

The History

Invented in the first millennium BC, algebra was first invented in the middle-east. The ancient brains applied algebra for solving day-to-day problems while the Asian or rather Chinese counterpart utilized geometry for the same intention.

The Nature of Algebra

Although you may see algebra as solving formulas, simplifying rational expressions, and converting fractions to decimals, algebra has a much larger body of knowledge and applicability. Since this aspect has been understood, the education system pressures us to learn algebra from the beginning of our student life.

Algebra I

The students are given an intro in this study course to numbers, solving linear equations , graphing systems of linear equations, graphing linear inequalities, laws of exponents, resolving linear equations, and factoring polynomials. This is the founding level course for all the other levels of algebra.
If a student is keen on studying algebra down to its roots, then this is the most central study course.

Algebra II

Once the pupils are competent with Algebra I constructs, Algebra II can be taken up for expanding the spectrum of this extraordinary segment of mathematics. There are two views of Algebra II; emphasizing more on the topics learned in Algebra I and introduction to new concepts. When it comes to the new introductions, adding and subtracting matrices, quadratic functions, resolving exponential equations , probability and statistics are important.
In this stage of study, pupils are supposed to focus more on the core concepts.

College Algebra

This is one of the most serious stages of learning Algebra with nearly no new topic introduced. I assume it is quite comic, but this is the nature of mathematics. Mathematics is called the queen of all sciences. Do you know why? That’s because of the irregular nature of mathematics!

How to get aid on Algebra?

Algebra has the most wide-ranging methods and tools available for getting help. The first and the foremost primary source is an Algebra tutor from whom you can get help and aid.
In addition to the above methods, one should never undervalue the use of Algebra computer software that is particularly designed to solve algebraic problems with informative steps. This software program really brings insight in to Algebraic procedures of solving equations, by providing pupils to simply watch and learn through examples.

Is Algebra Too Hard?

Filed under:Education Special, Mathematics Tips, Science Parlor — posted on July 11, 2009 @ 3:07 pm

Algebra is good at differentiating relationships between things that vary from time to time. For example, the relationship between a person’s income and rise of his expenses could be found and estimated using elementary algebraic equations. Math is not an easy subject for many pupils. Many software programs are available with a miscellanea of study introduction so students of any intellect level can find the way that works for him/her. These applications also helps students to understand importance of Algebra in real life as well as in industry field. Wider functions applied in algebra include Graphing radical inequalities, Solving compound inequalities , Solving quadratic inequalities, Adding and Subtracting matrices etc.
Algebra is an important course but students can be weak-kneed initially if they do not work hard enough in early stages. This makes foundation math skills essential to help students successfully pass algebra and progress into graduate math with assurance.

How to Successfully Deal With Algebra

Instrumental algebra software applications offer more than what can be found in the students textbook, such as homework help, interactive lesson plans, games and a worksheet tool or graphing calculator. The most useful software have all of these constituents - ease of use and covering of all the topics.

The educational activity tools are always useful when methods like text, audio, animation, video and games are put in to use. Schools and colleges require that students complete algebra courses from pre-algebra to algebra II. Important topics normally include: Finding complement of an angle, inverse of functions, finding degree of polynomial, determine if line is Factoring sum of cubes, Simplifying radical expressions , Solving exponential equations and Solving system of equations by addition etc.

How to Use Algebra Software

Some algebraic software shows results only, while other (most suitable for elementary use of algebra) show all the steps as well as explanations of math basics that are in use. Students mostly concern over the ease of use of software. Thus, the software better be loaded with value added features like high quality and timely user support, integrated help options, and easy to understand math wizards.


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