Jean Pain system
Posted: July 9, 2011 Filed under: Jean Pain System | Tags: alternative energy, design, futurism, green technology Leave a comment »
Jean Pain was a french farmer, who developed techniques for using compost to produce energy, heat, and biogas. The system he had decomposed wood chips inside a hermetically sealed tank, which was insulated on the outside by more wood chips, and connected to a series of inner tubes. The inner tubes collected methane for use as a fuel, and tubing running around the inside of the pile heated water, sometimes up to 60 degrees celsius. Of course, the process also created large quantities of fertile compost! Current design problems include compost chemistry, and methods of generating energy from the heat of decomposition.
Human powered road bike
Posted: July 9, 2011 Filed under: Human Powered Road Bike | Tags: alternative energy, alternative transportation, design, extreme, green technology 1 Comment »
Essentially a souped-up tricycle with well-designed gear and energy storage systems, capable of achieving highway velocities and quick acceleration under only human power. Energy might be stored through the use of compressed air, elastic or resilient components, springs, or another mechanism (electric energy storage, for instance, might prove efficient). Energy retention is controlled by the gear system, and energy may either be continuously stored while pedaling, or released for additional acceleration. For long-distance pedaling, such a system would add considerable efficiency and speed. Design problems include the gears, and energy storage.
