Exploring Transportation

Exploring Transportation

Where it started

http://chuckmanchicagonostalgia.wordpress.com/2012/11/25/photo-chicago-train-chicago-st-paul-minneapolis-and-omaha-railroad-steam-engine-93-and-crew-early/photo-chicago-train-chicago-st-paul-minneapolis-and-omaha-railroad-steam-engine-93-and-crew-early/

Steam Engines

http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/riverboat-the-evolution-of-a-television-series-and-the-steamboat-era-both-by-s-l-kotar-and-j-e-gessler/

And finally, modern technology

Internal Combustion Engine

Nikolaus August Otto, patent 1876 Part of nearly all private passenger vehicles Plentiful petroleum led to use of gasoline in the

engine Fuel mixed with air then injected Uses electric spark for explosion 250+ million cars now registered in U.S.

Diesel Engine

Rudolph Diesel, invented 1878 Another form of internal combustion engine Direct fuel injection No spark plug Fuel ignites at its flash point More efficient than gasoline engines of day

Current IC Engines

Thermal efficiency (26-34%) Mechanical efficiency (94%) Overall efficiency (20%) Emissions

• Particulate matter• NOx

• Sulfur oxides• Carbon monoxide• Carbon dioxide

Alternatives to Petroleum-based Fuels

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)• Cleaner, does not emit nitrogen and sulfur oxides, or all

the particulate matter• Still releases carbon dioxide

Hydrogen fuel cells (used at Vancouver Olympics)• Only emission is water vapor• Lots of energy required to generate hydrogen• Lack of infrastructure• Currently prohibitively expensive

Alternatives to Petroleum-based Fuels

LNG Fuel blends (Ethanol, biodiesel) Hybrid vehicles All Electric vehicles

For More Information

The NEED Projectwww.need.orginfo@need.org

1-800-875-5029Energy Information Administration

U.S. Department of Energywww.eia.gov

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