Using Water to Produce Energy

Coverting Water Wheel Mills to Electrical production

A Waterwheel is a system for extracting usable power from the water flowing in a river or stream. Along with windmills, waterwheels have been powering the milling of flour and other industry for hundreds of years.

Although waterwheels have now died out of use across most of the world, thanks to national grid electricity, they are still common use off-grid in places such as Nepal and India where hundreds of thousands of waterwheels are still used to this day. For many in the Himalayan regions a water wheels is the only source of power, together with dangerous kerosene lamps.

Now people are looking at ways in which waterwheels can be used to generate electricity , not just for these remote regions, but also in Europe and North America where enormous energy resources are untapped at the present

In developing countries where water wheel power is common, electricity can be generated fro those peropl ewho lieve where the electricity grid cannot reach, and combined with modern energy efficient LED and CFT lighting, can improve their standard of living enormously. It is not complicated or expensive to modify an existing waterwheel driven mill to operate as an electricity generator.

One example of how simply a wsater power can be used to generate electricity. If a small watermill turns at around 60rpm a belt to an alternator is made to turn at hundres of rpm, and so the voltage generated is perfect for recharging 12V batteries.

Car alternators can supply hundreds of watts of electrical power which can then be used to power lighting, radios, computers and so on. The typical cost of such a sytems is about $50, and has the advantage that the waterwheels used to generate power as been and continue to be maintained by the mill owner as it has been for centuries.

Andrew Cole

9 November 2010

Shelter: Part 2

A further look into shelters can provide us with simple solutions to help with large problems. Looking at windows, for example, cheap window material allows for Natural light to enter the space, thus minimizing the need for electric light or the use of flame based illumination. They can also be used as roofing in cold climates as to allow for the natural solar radiation to heat the house. There is more information located here.

Ventillation is closely related to windows as they can be used to heat and cool the space depending on the climate of the communities. This can also be very important if the community is dealing with livestock. If a slum is fortunate to have the ability to acquire and maintain livestock, then they will be able to better progress in farming and food related industries. Here is a site on ventilation of livestock housing.

Very simple cooking accommodations allows for homegrown food to be cooked, and by using wood, can be very independent from most wide scale infrastructure. If possible, home created electricity could power a refrigerator to keep food fresh. Simple technologies such as using geothermal refrigerating (underground refrigerating) can help maintain food in different climates.

Patrick Verkley

9 November 2010

Clean Water Production and Delivery

This essay begins in an interesting way it starts stating obvious facts, like we need water to live and that there was a time that "the human population did not have water easily available to them that would not potentially kill them." Apparently it became a common practice to us alcohol to disinfect the water - which resulted in the people being semi-drunk. It also discusses better ways developed for cleaning the water such as application of chlorine compounds, use of electrical power which produces ultraviolet light that causes breakdown of bacteria and viruses at the molecular level, and use of nuclear fissure and exposing the water to its radiation to accomplish the same task as the ultraviolet rays.

"One of the greatest advantages to using long-lived gamma emitters is that once it is in place, it will require very little maintenance. As a result, only a few people are needed to maintain this system in order to provide plenty of clean water to a very large population for many years without replacement. This will be important when the economic system has collapsed and every individual's time becomes much more precious to maintaining production."

This system then becomes appropriate as something we can introduce.

Lia Tramontini
9 November 2010

Community for Tomorrow. "Clean Water Production and Delivery." Accessed November 9th, 2010. http://www.communityfortomorrow.org/CleanWater.htm.

Transportation and Shelter

This webpage describes how shelter was shaped by transportation.

The reason that our shelter is what it is today, is due mainly to the development of transportation. However, it elaborates that the transportation system is dependant on financial stability and when either this crashes, or when we run out of affordable resources to fund our transportation, we will no longer have the means to build/repair the houses that we've built dependant on this transportation.

"[U]p to this point transportation has determined the nature, structure, and location of our shelters. If we are to survive, we must reverse the situation. Our transportation must be changed so that it will fit in with our next generation shelters."

With this new generation of shelter, it is suggested thats transportation must integrate the technology of travelling "highspeed overhead" (e.g. like a suspended train?). Then, for transportation in a broader sense of importation and exportation, long-range transportation will be composed of turbines with airframe construction.

Transportation and shelter must be integrated together, to allow for efficient and useable cities.

Lia Tramontini

9 November 2010

Community for Tomorrow. "Shelter and Transportation." Accessed November 9, 2010. http://www.communityfortomorrow.org/Shelter.htm.

Settlement Patterns

Although the appearance of a slum community is ugly and messy, it has sophisticated participatory practices and a light way of occupying land. Because of the need to Survive, the slum dwellers have creative way of constructing their homes within limited space. There is often a misconception that they are endless seams of mud and huts, however within the community there are lots of economic activities - stores, bars, hairdressers, everything. One of the ways in which slum dwellers conserve space is to build on top of a roof of existing houses.
The average size of shack in this area is 12x12ft built with mud walls, screened with concrete, a corrugated tin roof, dirt or concrete floor. These shacks often house up to 8 or more, many sleeping on the floor.

Perhaps because of the chaos and disorder created by the arbitrary construction of buildings, the primary concern to address is to create a land system that would allow for order and organization. The most efficient way to get around neighbourhood is using the grid system. Parallel lines, each far enough apart that everyone can walk to one of them, and another set of the same limes perpendicular to them. the grid system maintains the interaction within the community and allows for good transportation flow, yet doesn't waste the amount of building space.

In a square grid system, the percentage of area of streets is 36% and percentage of building area is 64%, and ideal ration for a community.

Here are some other examples of typical patterns



Jacqueline Chow
9 November 2010

“Human Transit,” last modified February 24, 2010, http://www.humantransit.org/2010/02/the-power-and-pleasure-of-grids.html

"Residential Street Pattern Design," last modified July, 2002, http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/socio75.html

"Slums and Housing in Africa," last modified December, 2003, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1309/is_4_40/ai_114007082/pg_2/?tag=content;col1

"Kiberia," Kiberia - UK, accessed November 9, 2010, http://www.kibera.org.uk/Facts.html

"Learning from slums," last modified March 1, 2009, http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/03/01/learning_from_slums/?page=5

Water in the Context of the Urban Survival Kit

Water is an essential element in life, and has been a core part of Human civilization since antiquity. Communities developed around places of water, as they could be used both for consumption and transportation. Water was therefore the backbone of the economy, fuelling growth of the community. Water, as a central element of Life has also brought upon Death, as disease can be spread around a community. The design of water transport systems can minimize the risk of spreading disease, and maintain a healthy population. Since water is precious to life and civilizations, it must be cared for as to sustain the cycle of life. We must use water carefully, be efficient with it, and ensure that it can be used by future generations.

Safira Lakhani
9 November 2010

Water Distribution using SQFlex systems

The SQFlex project helps to provide both water and the power needed to fuel the pump system. This green technology collaborates with nature to create power for the water supply system. By using solar powered systems and wind powered systems, water gets distributed efficiently.

The SQFlex pump motor unit is powered by solar panels. By simply changing to a higher output voltage, it ensures optimum efficiency and can increase 20% of flow in small systems per day. The panels are mounted to support structures without the use of any special tools and create for a highly efficient and easy to maintain system. The water pumps are installed in existing wells and boreholes and the energy from the solar panels pump the water to their homes.

In Uganda, Africa, the process of fetching water from Lake Victoria is cumbersome for those who live far from the shoreline. Boiling it for purification also takes additional time. After the installation of the solar panels, the Lake Victoria Childrens Home are able to have water pumped directly to their residential area. Because Uganda is situated on the equator, there are numerous sunny days. But since installing the system, they are able to receive fresh clean water directly out of the pipes.

The SQFlex Wind system is suitable for open fields, valleys and landscapes where the wind blows constantly. The small but high-quality wind turbine consists of only a few simple components, making it easy to install and maintain compared to conventional windmills. The Wind system essentially works the same as the solar panels and generates power to pump water to specified locations.

The two systems are advantageous because with an abundance of sunshine or wind, the SQflex can deliver an ample supply of groundwater.

Jacqueline Chow
19 November 2010

Grudfos Renewables. "Application and systems for remote water for remote water transportations."

Grudfos Management A/S. Accessed Novemeber 19, 2010.http://net.grundfos.com/doc/webnet/renewables/index.html.

"Grundfos SQFlex Renewable Energy Pumps." Grundfos SQFlex Pump Systems, Solar and Wind Powered Water Pumps. Grand Canyon Pump, 2006. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://www.gcpsolar.com/>.

Example of a Slum

Here is a map of Kianda within Kibera:

This is one of the largest slums in Africa. The slum includes 13 villages and is around 2.5 square kilometers in size. There is around 1225 main structures in Kianda, and 300 smaller structures not fit for homes. 91.2% are households and 4.6% are business units. 45% of the population within the slum are minors under the age of 18.

Joel Piecowye

9 November 2010

Shelter: Part 1

Shelters within slums or disadvantaged communities are often poorly built and lacking utilities that now have become natural necessities within the modern home.

Septic Systems

In disadvantaged and poorly built communities, often the situation of how to deal with waste becomes a issue hazardous to the health of its residents. There is a way to construct a private septic system that are made up of simply to parts: The holding and digesting tanks, and the dispersal (or leeching) field. The system is shown with images on this website below but can be built in a fairly short and easy number of steps.

If sceptic tanks like these could be implemented within the communities, then the risk of disease and sickness that may spread during poor disposal of waste is now contained.

Roof
To make shelters also functional as well as protection from the elements, one could cheaply put in place a rain water collection system. This helps the lack of clean drinking water often found in areas that are considered to be slums.

The rainwater catchment system, (found on here) is based on the collection of rainwater and gravity flow pressure principles. The rainwater runs off the roof the water into rain gutters which channel the water into a standpipe. When the standpipe reaches its capacity, (in this condition 150 gal,) the overflow runs down a pipe into a large drum.

These systems are relatively inexpensive. and are very flexible in the sense that the barrels can vary in sizes. These systems are easily installed and can be placed wherever is convenient and makes water available where wells are unsafe to be drilled, or river water is unsafe.

To aid the help of roof water collection, there are other types of materials that roofing can be used. These materials can be mass produced and distributed among the communities. Here are some examples.

Patrick Verkley
9 November 2010

Water: Hydropower

Presently, hydropower is used almost exclusively for the generation of electricity. Unlike fossil fuels, water power is a renewable source of energy which does not deplete through usage. In 1859, wind and water power accounted for two-thirds of mechanical power used in the US. Small scale hydropower installations utilized only a small fraction of streams or rivers potential while large-scale hydroelectric power plants are built in conjunction with a reservoir where the water is held and can be withdrawn.

Small scale installations may be a good way to produce electricity in a community where its not practical to construct a reservoir.

Haylie Chan
November 9th, 2010

Krenz, Jerrold H. Energy: Conversion and Utilization (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1976), 259-260

Challenge of Slums

Slums have many challenges that can be looked at for improvement. This book is to "address the issue of livelihoods of slum dwellers and urban poverty in general, thus going beyond traditional approaches that have tended to concentrate on improvement of housing, infrastructure and physical environmental conditions." Basically it talks about an alternative approach to "fixing" the slums. It focuses on problems underlying urban poverty "by enabling urban informal sector activities to flourish, linking low-income housing development to income generation, and ensuring easy access to jobs through pro-poor transport and low-income settlement location policies." In the prologue on page xxxi it talks about accommodating growth - which touches on shelter. Slum dwellers do not have enough income to provide them with permanent housing so they build their own dwellings. "Slums are distinguished by the poor quality of housing, the poverty of the inhabitants, the lack of public and private services and the poor integration of the inhabitants into the broader community and its opportunities." It talks about the things slums are lacking such as water supply (what we are focusing on), sanitation, storm water drainage, solid waste disposal and many essential services. This book is quite lengthy, but there is a lot of valuable information in it. If you want to read further, here is a link to google books where parts of the book are posted.

Jack Lipson
November 9th, 2010

United Nations Human Settlements Programme, The Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlement, 2003 (UK: Earthscan, 2003)

On Energy and Transportation

The Energy Crisis

In 1969, New York City, there was an electrical energy shortage where Consolidated Edison Company cut the power supply by 20%. Since 1900, electrical energy consumption in the U.S. has been increasing at an average annual rate of 7%. At this rate, consumption of energy doubles in ten years. The energy crisis is not only associated with electrical energy. Approximately one-quarter of this energy is used for the generation of electricity. The rest is used for transportation, industrial processes, and heating.

There is a sufficient amount of coal for at least the next millennium at the present rate of consumption, but not for petroleum and natural gas, although there is enough to last many decades. Associated with the combustion of fossil fuels is the release of pollutants. The reduction of energy consumption does not imply the reduction of life quality. An increase in the efficiency of use can equal to an increase in supply. The automobile, while offering convenience and privacy, is an excessively large consumer compared to mass transportation systems.
The energy crisis is a conflict between supply and demand.

In Relation to Transportation

Indirect uses of energy notably the energy required to produce and service vehicles, construct and maintain road and rail systems, and provide the amenities required for transportation services (ex. airports, terminals, garages) causes one-third of all energy consumption. There are approximately 100 million passenger cars, and each car on average is driven 10,000 miles, consuming approx. 800 gallons of gasoline per year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the most important factor affecting vehicle milage is weight. For example, a 2000-lb vehicle is twice as efficient as a 4000-lb vehicle. A reduction in the weight of automobiles could result in the reduction in fuel consumption. Energy consumption for transportation could be reduced by more than 25%.

Prior to 1973, there was a shift to less energy efficient modes of transportation. Truck, automobile, and airplane usage steadily increased. Deterioration of rail transportation (passenger/freight) was caused by the use of less energy efficient modes of transportation. High speed rail passenger service could replace short distance air travel. Trains are not only approximately three times as energy as efficient as airplane, but they provide direct service to urban areas, eliminating the need for transportation to and from airports (indirect energy consumption). Buses and subways are twice as energy efficient as the private automobile. Public transportation reduces urban congestion as well as alleviates the need for space consuming parking facilities.

Haylie Chan

8 November 2010

Krenz, Jerrold H. Energy: Conversion and Utilization (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1976), 2, 8, 310-314, 317-318.