Delinquent
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 01:06 PM |
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LOL I have the feeling it might be...
IN all seriousness though, if you are a competent around a car, put a bit of effort in on the knowledge-base and take considerable care, there is
nothing majorly complex or difficult. I was utterly clueless when I started with electric RC stuff but can now knock up a few circuits and just double
and triple check everything I do before I even look at a battery sideways.
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 01:39 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gingerprince
I've heard of an Electric 6?
Gay Bar!
Your such a dance commander 
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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gezer
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 01:41 PM |
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could'nt post a link so it's all here, if its all correct,
latest news is the first battries for mobile phones are about two years away,
large scale but still expensive production of nano tubes is already underway,
10th the weight of a lipo and three times the charge, and completly inert, unlike lipos,
Beyond Batteries: Storing Power in a Sheet of Paper
Troy, N.Y. – Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new energy storage device that easily could be mistaken for a simple
sheet of black paper.
The nanoengineered battery is lightweight, ultra thin, completely flexible, and geared toward meeting the trickiest design and energy requirements of
tomorrow’s gadgets, implantable medical equipment, and transportation vehicles.
Along with its ability to function in temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and down to 100 below zero, the device is completely integrated and
can be printed like paper. The device is also unique in that it can function as both a high-energy battery and a high-power supercapacitor, which are
generally separate components in most electrical systems. Another key feature is the capability to use human blood or sweat to help power the
battery.
Details of the project are outlined in the paper “Flexible Energy Storage Devices Based on Nanocomposite Paper” published Aug. 13 in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences.
The semblance to paper is no accident: more than 90 percent of the device is made up of cellulose, the same plant cells used in newsprint, loose leaf,
lunch bags, and nearly every other type of paper.
Rensselaer researchers infused this paper with aligned carbon nanotubes, which give the device its black color. The nanotubes act as electrodes and
allow the storage devices to conduct electricity. The device, engineered to function as both a lithium-ion battery and a supercapacitor, can provide
the long, steady power output comparable to a conventional battery, as well as a supercapacitor’s quick burst of high energy.
The device can be rolled, twisted, folded, or cut into any number of shapes with no loss of mechanical integrity or efficiency. The paper batteries
can also be stacked, like a ream of printer paper, to boost the total power output.
“It’s essentially a regular piece of paper, but it’s made in a very intelligent way,” said paper co-author Robert Linhardt, the Ann and John H.
Broadbent Senior Constellation Professor of Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering at Rensselaer.
“We’re not putting pieces together – it’s a single, integrated device,” he said. “The components are molecularly attached to each other: the carbon
nanotube print is embedded in the paper, and the electrolyte is soaked into the paper. The end result is a device that looks, feels, and weighs the
same as paper.”
The creation of this unique nanocomposite paper drew from a diverse pool of disciplines, requiring expertise in materials science, energy storage, and
chemistry. Along with Linhardt, authors of the paper include Pulickel M. Ajayan, professor of materials science and engineering, and Omkaram Nalamasu,
professor of chemistry with a joint appointment in materials science and engineering. Senior research specialist Victor Pushparaj, along with
postdoctoral research associates Shaijumon M. Manikoth, Ashavani Kumar, and Saravanababu Murugesan, were co-authors and lead researchers of the
project. Other co-authors include research associate Lijie Ci and Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center Laboratory Manager Robert Vajtai.
The researchers used ionic liquid, essentially a liquid salt, as the battery’s electrolyte. It’s important to note that ionic liquid contains no
water, which means there’s nothing in the batteries to freeze or evaporate. “This lack of water allows the paper energy storage devices to withstand
extreme temperatures,” Kumar said.
Along with use in small handheld electronics, the paper batteries’ light weight could make them ideal for use in automobiles, aircraft, and even
boats. The paper also could be molded into different shapes, such as a car door, which would enable important new engineering innovations.
“Plus, because of the high paper content and lack of toxic chemicals, it’s environmentally safe,” Shaijumon said.
Paper is also extremely biocompatible and these new hybrid battery/supercapcitors have potential as power supplies for devices implanted in the body.
The team printed paper batteries without adding any electrolytes, and demonstrated that naturally occurring electrolytes in human sweat, blood, and
urine can be used to activate the battery device.
“It’s a way to power a small device such as a pacemaker without introducing any harsh chemicals – such as the kind that are typically found in
batteries – into the body,” Pushparaj said.
The materials required to create the paper batteries are inexpensive, Murugesan said, but the team has not yet developed a way to inexpensively mass
produce the devices. The end goal is to print the paper using a roll-to-roll system similar to how newspapers are printed.
“When we get this technology down, we’ll basically have the ability to print batteries and print supercapacitors,” Ajayan said. “We see this as a
technology that’s just right for the current energy market, as well as the electronics industry, which is always looking for smaller, lighter power
sources. Our device could make its way into any number of different applications.”
The team of researchers has already filed a patent protecting the invention. They are now working on ways to boost the efficiency of the batteries and
supercapacitors, and investigating different manufacturing techniques.
"Energy storage is an area that can be addressed by nanomanufacturing technologies and our truly inter-disciplinary collaborative activity that
brings together advances and expertise in nanotechnology, room-temperature ionic liquids, and energy storage devices in a creative way to devise novel
battery and supercapacitor devices," Nalamasu said.
The paper energy storage device project was supported by the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR), as well as
the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center at Rensselaer.
About Rensselaer
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is the nation’s oldest technological university. The university offers bachelor’s, master’s, and
doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences. Institute
programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in
research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, and the media arts
and technology. The Institute is well known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new
discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.
I'm to old to live and to young to die --- buggerit
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Werner Van Loock
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 02:49 PM |
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it exists
http://www.thorr.eu/
http://www.clubstylus.be
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donut
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 03:25 PM |
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All looks rather complicated!
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 07:27 PM |
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"The simplicity of the car, that doesn’t even uses a gearbox, makes it possible to actually feel all the aspects of the electric drive
train."
A longer dodgem then.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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Simon
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| posted on 7/11/07 at 11:56 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by donut
All looks rather complicated!
Why's it got a radiator
I've just read elsewhere on the web (by coincidence as it happens), that Qinetiq and Peugeot have signed an agreement to develop the next
generation of batteries (for more power, much cheaper) over the next two years.
http://www.ricardo.com/media/pressreleases/pressrelease.aspx?page=93
I think it's a great idea, but think styling should be more appriate - the Minority Report Lexus for example
ATB
Simon
[Edited on 8/11/07 by Simon]
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rav
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| posted on 2/3/08 at 03:00 PM |
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This seems to be a good forum for finding out useful stuff about about electric cars, it has a Conversion/kits/DIY section too
Theres a group buy on batteries happening soon as well...
http://www.evforum.net/forums/
The 7 does seem quite well suited to an electric build, since its fialry lightweight and could easily be adapted to take batteries.
Just wondering if going for 2 motors, one for each of the rear wheels makes sense - could do away with the diff then as well as the gearbox = less
losses in the drivetrain. Could have a proper active traction control of each wheel as well then, S'pse youd need 2 controllers though. Or 4,
if anyone fancies 4WD??
As for the "locost" side of things, presumably if you can't afford the nesecery 200kg(ish) of the latest LiPo cells, you could use
200Kg(ish) of lead acids, re-used car betteries even maybe, and have either a slower car with the same range, or a quick car without much range
Which is what sevens are all about isn't it??
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