Month: November 2019

BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC FROM CACTUS

Photo by: Veronika Nedelcu on Unsplash

Biodegradable plastic from cactus has been identified as a Technology Landmark for use in an OmegaMap. If this technology succeeds it will lessen the accumulation of plastic pollution at present afflicting the ecosphere. The information source for this sketch is an article “This Mexican is making biofuel from cactus plants” written by Sean Flemming on March 22, 2019 and published in the World Economic Forum. Background information is contained in an article entitled “Nopal juice forms basis for new biodegradable plastic” published in Mexico News Daily on June 12, 2018.

Sandra Pascoe of the University of the Valley of Atemajac used the juice from the Nopal cactus to form plastic sheeting. She is now cooperating with the University of Guadelajara Centre for Biological and Agricultural Research.

The Nopal juice contains “…monosaccharides and polysaccharides, which can be combined with glycerol, natural waxes and proteins to create a liquid that forms into plasticky sheets.” These plastic sheets decompose naturally when buried.

The functionality that this invention is focused on is Process–Matter. Its position in the functionality grid is illustrated below. Details of functional performance metrics are not available at this stage.

The technology readiness level (TRL) on a scale of 1-10 is judged to be TRL 4 “Technology validated in lab”.

Technical terminology is covered in: Van Wyk, Rias, (2017) Technology: Its Fundamental Nature, Beau Bassin, Mauritius, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, (http://amzn.to/2Avsk3r)
For descriptions of: 

  • Technology Landmark; pp. 83-84, Diagram 11.1, Stage 3
  • Principle of operation; p. 20
  • Functionality; pp. 24-25
  • Functional performance metrics; pp. 40-43
  • OmegaMap; pp. 92-93
  • Functionality Grid; pp. 29-32
  • Technology readiness levels; pp. 22-23

ENERGY INDEPENDENT TREATMENT OF EFFLUENT

Credit: zorabc/DepositPhotos

Seaside located effluent treatment that does not rely on an external energy source has been identified as a Technology Landmark for an OmegaMap. Its successful application would lessen the pollution caused by interruptions in power supply which result in untreated effluent being discharged into the ocean.

The information presented here is sourced from an article written by David Szondy, “Blue power”could make wastewater plants energy-independent”, New Atlas, July 30 2019.

Research at the University of Stanford has pointed to a process that is energy independent and carbon neutral. Its principle of operation is to use the salinity gradient that occurs when effluent is mixed with seawater. When this mixture is washed over electrodes made of Prussian Blue and polypyrrole, a battery is created.

The functionality focus is Process-Energy. Its position in the Functionality Grid is illustrated in the diagram below.

Two functional performance metrics (FPMs) can be considered. A functional performance metric that is used to express the reduction in energy needed for producing one unit of treated effluent. This would reflect an increase to the theoretical limit as external energy input becomes zero. Another functional performance metric could be output of energy related to the input of effluent. In this case: 0.65 kW/h of electricity per 1 cubic meter of effluent. Data on the improvement of this ratio is not available. 

The Technology readiness level on a scale of 1-10 seems to be at TRL 4 – i.e., “Technology validated in lab”.

Technical terminology is covered in: Van Wyk, Rias, (2017) Technology: Its Fundamental Nature, Beau Bassin, Mauritius, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, (http://amzn.to/2Avsk3r)
For descriptions of: 

  • Technology Landmark; pp. 83-84, Diagram 11.1, Stage 3
  • Principle of operation; p. 20
  • Functionality; pp. 24-25
  • Functional performance metrics; pp. 40-43
  • OmegaMap; pp. 92-93
  • Functionality Grid; pp. 29-32
  • Technology readiness levels; pp. 22-23


STEEL BLAST FURNACE POWERED BY HYDROGEN

Steel blast furnaces powered by hydrogen would contribute significantly to a reduction in carbon emissions. This development is considered a Technology Landmark for an Omegamap.

The information presented below is based on an article; “How to Power a Steel Blast Furnace Using Only Hydrogen” written by Carolene Delbert on November 15 2019, in the Popular Mechanics Newsletter. This was based on an article published in Renew Economy written by Michael Mazengrab on November 13 2019. It was brought to our attention by Alan Brent in a post on LinkedIn.

Steelmakers in Germany moved toward carbon neutral steel production by using hydrogen to power a blast furnace. The company, ThyssenKrupp at its facility in North-Rhine Westphalia, used a new principle of operation. In its “furnace 9” it fed hydrogen into one of 28 tuyeres, or nozzles, that otherwise supply coal into the blast furnace. Following the successful trial, ThyssenKrupp plans to scale up the injection to all 28 tuyeres within the furnace and aims to eventually run at least three furnaces completely on hydrogen by 2023. It has committed to reducing emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

The functionality focused on here is Process-Energy. It is illustrated in the Functionality Grid below. To make 1000 kilograms of steel requires 780 kilograms of coal. Data could not be found on the input requirements of hydrogen. It is therefore not possible to calculate Functional Performance Metrics. However the company aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.

The technology readiness of this innovation is judged to be TRL 5 on a scale of 1 to 9, i.e. “Technology validated in relevant environment”.

Technical terminology is covered in: Van Wyk, Rias, (2017) Technology: Its Fundamental Nature, Beau Bassin, Mauritius, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, (http://amzn.to/2Avsk3r)
For descriptions of: 

  • Technology Landmark; pp. 83-84, Diagram 11.1, Stage 3
  • Principle of operation; p. 20
  • Functionality; pp. 24-25
  • OmegaMap; pp. 92-93
  • Functionality Grid; pp. 29-32
  • Technology readiness levels; pp. 22-23

LASER BEAM BOOSTS HARD DISC DRIVE

In an article on the Seagate Blog, December 2, entitled “HAMR Milestone: Seagate Achieves 16TB Capacity on Internal HAMR Test Units”, John Paulsen describes an enhanced hard disk drive. It has been identified as a Technology Landmark for an OmegaMap.

The abbreviation HAMR stands for Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording. “HAMR uses a new kind of media magnetic technology on each disk that allows data bits, or grains, to become smaller and more densely packed than ever…” The essence of the innovation lies in the principle of operation. A laser beam is used to heat tiny spots on the disk.

The functional performance metric is terabytes per drive. The units described by Paulsen store 16TB per drive. These are internal test units. The company is working on 20TB per drive by 2020. These units will be delivered at the same size as a conventional hard drive.

Their technology readiness level is judged to be TRL4, i.e., “Technology validated in lab”.

Technical terminology is covered in: Van Wyk, Rias, (2017) Technology: Its Fundamental Nature, Beau Bassin, Mauritius, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, (http://amzn.to/2Avsk3r)
For descriptions of:

  • Technology Landmark; pp. 83-84, Diagram 11.1, Stage 3
  • Principle of operation; p. 20
  • Functionality; pp. 24-25
  • OmegaMap; pp. 92-93
  • Functionality Grid; pp. 29-32
  • Technology readiness levels; pp. 22-23