MidwestBAS - Building Automation, HVAC & Security

Introducing the Onicon F-5100 Thermal Mass Flow Meter

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:20:00 +0000


F-5100 Series Thermal Mass Flow Meters The F-5100 Thermal Mass Flow Meter is suitable for use in pipes ranging from sizes ¼ inch to 24 inches in diameter. Both inline and insertion versions of the meter are available. The insertion design allows for easy insertion or removal from the pipe without the use of special tools and without disrupting flow. Inline meters are ideal for pipes less than 1½" diameter pipes. The low maintenance design is provided ready-to-use without the need for field programming.

Standard Features:

Highly Accurate
Each meter is individually wet calibrated and accurate to within +/- 1.0% of reading.

Simple Installation and Commissioning
Each meter is factory programmed and ready for use upon delivery.

Field Validation of Calibration
Each meter continuously displays a special calibration factor that provides an easy way to confirm that the calibration is valid.

Low Maintenance
No moving parts and durable construction provide years of trouble-free service.

Typical Applications
The F-5100 is ideal for natural gas, compressed air and other clean, dry gases.

Introducing the new RIB® Latching Relay!

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:41:00 +0000

Introducing the new RIB® Latching Relay from Functional Devices!

Functional Devices is pleased to announce our new latching relay series, prepackaged in an easy-to-use, convenient form! These relays are activated by pulse commands from a controller.

This series of relays comes prepackaged in their own NEMA I plastic enclosure with a ½ inch mounting nipple, LED indicator and pre-wired for a money-saving installation that is easy and quick.

The relay contacts are mechanically latched in the closed position and the load will remain on in the event of a control panel failure providing light where needed during the failure period. If power is completely lost the contacts will remain in their last state and the load will activate upon the return of normal power or emergency power.

Product Features:

-Available with status LED and auxiliary output for status control

-True override switch

-UL listed

-Energy efficient [No coil draw when relay is active]

-Meets “Buy American” qualifications

Only RIB® offers you what you need in one convenient package

Understand Control Signal Jargon Regarding Belimo Actuators

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:15:00 +0000

"On/Off", "Open/closed", "3 Point", "Tri-state", 'proportional modulation", phase cut", "PWM" or "MFT" - what it all means.

On/Off or Open-Close: The actuator is able to drive either to its full open position, or to its full closed position. The same indication is used for spring return type actuators. Where the actuator will drive to its full open position and spring return to its zero position. This can also be reversed.

3-point, Tri-State, Floating Point: The actuator has both clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) control inputs. One drives the actuator to its open, the other to its close position. If there is no signal (Null point) on either input the actuator simply stays in its last position.

Proportional Control: The actuator drives proportional to its control input and modulates throughout its angle of rotation. This control type is usually a variation of VDC. Common values are:

0-10 VDC 2-10 VDC

It is common to also have a 0-20/4-20 mA output from a controller. This can be very easily converted to 0-10 VDC or 2-10 VDC with a 500 Ohm resistor.

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM): The actuator drives to a specified position according to a pulse duration, the “length” of signal. The pulse can originate from a dry contact closure or a triac sink or source controller. An example of PWM control:

Time base: 0 to 10 seconds
Output pulse: 5 seconds
Actuator position: 50%

Phasecut: An actuator drives depending on the power result of a remaining wave. This signal type cuts the amplitude of the wave and the actuator recognizes this signal as a proportional movement.

Multi-Functional Technology (MFT): This technology was developed by Belimo for incorporation into our damper and valve actuator. MFT provides the ability to program characteristics of the actuator. Some of the key characteristics to change are:

CONTROL INPUT - selectable On/Off, VDC, PWM or Floating point

MOTION VALVES - selectable Running time adjustment

FEEDBACK - selectable feedback values

Belimo actuators are compatible with many control inputs and all direct digital control (DDC) systems. There are many signals to select from with today’s controllers.

Belimo's New EF Spring Return Actuator, the most powerful of its kind!

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:31:00 +0000

The Belimo EF actuator utilizes rugged components in a pressure cast aluminum housing for added strength and reliability. It offers a high torque output of 270 in-lbs and a NEMA 4 option to meet tough environmental conditions found in many HVAC applications.

The EF actuator was developed to satisfy high torque applications with a single actuator. The EF can take the place of two classic Belimo AF actuators in a piggy-back mounted application; simplifying wiring and mounting requirements while reducing material and installation costs. The NEMA 4 protection feature allows complete access to change the direction of rotation and allows locking or manually overriding the actuator.

The EF provides a cost effective and flexible solution that will deliver years of dependable performance over a wide range of operating conditions. The EF offers easy installation, commissioning and connects to high torque applications with a complete line of accessories. Dual EF mounting on a single shaft is possible for higher torque. The EF series spring return actuators are available in basic models offering 24 or 120 VAC and faster run times with MFT models. NEMA 4 versions come with an integrated junction box providing faster and easier installation. MFT versions provide the flexibility to program the actuator in the field for various proportional control functions and DC voltage feedback signals.

Custom models provide the option of appliance or plenum cable in various lengths (EFX NEMA 2 models only). MFT models offer many proportional control functions and DC voltage feedback signals that can come programmed from the factory or in the field.

Belimo EF Actuator Brochure

Contact us for a quote today!

End of Life Announcement: Vulcain 201M, 201T & 301M Series

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:57:00 +0000

This announcement is to alert you of our intent to discontinue the 201M, 201T and 301M Vulcain (now Honeywell Analytics) product lines.

Discontinued Product Lines:

201M: Stand-Alone Gas Monitor
201T: Gas Detection Transmitter
301M: Stand-Alone Single and Dual Gas Monitor

The following products are available as replacement: (See below for full cross-reference)

E3Point: Toxic and Combustible Gas Monitor
301RLC: Refrigerant Gas Detector

Discontinued Vulcain Part Numbers and Replacement Honeywell Analytics E3Point Part Numbers:

201T Product Line	E³Point Equivalent
CO Detection
VA201TQ1CO-NET	E3MSCO (Call for quote)
VA201TQ1CO-NETCR	E3MSCO (Call for quote)
VA201TQ1CO-C	E3SASCO
VA201TQ1CO-CAR	E3SASCO
VA201TQ1CO-NETCR-D	E3SMSCO
VA201TQ1CO-CAR-D	E3SASCO
NO2 Detection
VA201TQ1NO2-NET	E3SM+E3NO2
VA201TQ1NO2-NETCR	E3SM+E3NO2
VA201TQ1NO2-C	E3SA+E3NO2
VA201TQ1NO2-CAR	E3SA+E3NO2
VA201TQ1NO2-NETCR-D	E3SM+E3NO2
VA201TQ1NO2-CAR-D	E3SA+E3NO2
Combustible Detection
VA201TQ1COMB-NET	E3SM+E3H2, E3M, or E3P
VA201TQ1COMB-NETCR	E3SM+E3H2, E3M, or E3P
VA201TQ1COMB-C	E3SA+E3H2, E3M, or E3P
VA201TQ1COMB-CAR	E3SA+E3H2, E3M, or E3P
VA201TQ1COMB-NETCR-D	E3SM+E3H2, E3M, or E3P
VA201TQ1COMB-CAR-D	E3SA+E3H2, E3M, or E3P
O2 Detection
VA201TQ1O2-NET	E3SM+E3O2
VA201TQ1O2-NETCR	E3SM+E3O2
VA201TQ1O2-C	E3SA+E3O2
VA201TQ1O2-CAR	E3SA+E3O2
VA201TQ1O2-NETCR-D	E3SM+E3O2
VA201TQ1O2-CAR-D	E3SA+E3O2

201M Product Line	E³Point Equivalent
VA201MQ1CO	E3SASCO
VA201MQ1NO2	E3SA+E3NO2
VA201MQ1COMB	E3SA+E3H2, E3M, oE3P
VA201MQ1O2	E3SA+E3O2
	S301RLC Equivalent
VA201MQ2R22	S301RLC75R22 (Call for quote)
VA201MQ2R134a	S301RLC75R134A (Call for quote)

301M Product Line	E³Point Equivalent
VA301MQ2CO	E3SASCO
VA301MQ2CO-CO	E3SARSCO+E3SRMCO
VA301MQ2CO-NO2	E3SARSCO+E3SRMNO2
VA301MQ2CO-C3H8	E3SARSCO+E3SRMP
VA301MQ2CO-CH4	E3SARSCO+E3SRMM
Display Versions for 301M
VA301MQ2CO-DIS	E3SASCO
VA301MQ2CO-CO-DIS	E3SARSCO+E3SRMCO
VA301MQ2CO-NO2-DIS	E3SARSCO+E3SRMNO2
VA301MQ2CO-C3H8-DIS	E3SARSCO+E3SRMP
VA301MQ2CO-CH4-DIS	E3SARSCO+E3SRMM
120 VAC Versions
VA301MACQ2CO	E3SAHSCO
VA301MACQ2CO-CO	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMCO
VA301MACQ2CO-NO2	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMNO2
VA301MACQ2CO-C3H8	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMP
VA301MACQ2CO-CH4	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMM
Display Versions for 301M
VA301MACQ2CO-DIS	E3SAHSCO
VA301MACQ2CO-CO-DIS	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMCO
VA301MACQ2CO-NO2-DIS	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMNO2
VA301MACQ2CO-C3H8-DIS	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMP
VA301MACQ2CO-CH4-DIS	E3SARHSCO+E3SRMM
Remote Sensors
S301MNO2	E3SRMNO2
S301MC3H8	E3SRMP
S301MCO	E3SRMCO
S301MCH4	E3SRMM

Sensepoint XCD by Honeywell Analytics

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:14:00 +0000

Sensepoint XCD by Honeywell Analytics is a flammable, toxic and oxygen gas detector for industrial applications

The Sensepoint XCD range provides comprehensive monitoring of flammable, toxic and Oxygen gas hazards in potentially explosive atmospheres, both indoors and outdoors. Users can modify detector operation using the LCD and magnet switches without ever needing to open the unit. This enables one-man, non-intrusive operation and reduces routine maintenance time and costs.

Typical applications for Sensepoint XCD include:

Boiler Rooms
Battery Charging Rooms
School Labs
Transit Garages and Repair Bays

Sensepoint XCD provides highly reliable gas detection with:

Surecell electrochemical sensors
Reflex sensor health check
Poison immune infrared sensors
Poison resistant catalytic bead sensors

Detectable gases include:

Oxygen
Carbon Monoxide
Hydrogen Sulfide
Nitrogen Dioxide
Hydrogen
Methane
Propane
Carbon Dioxide
Combustibles

A feature rich standard electronics package including:

User friendly and intuitive tri-color back-lit display with digits, bar graph and icons
4-20mA output, MODBUS communication and 3 relays
Removable plug/socket type terminal blocks for ease of wiring
2 x 3/4" NPT cable/conduit entries

Sensepoint XCD ensures easy installation and the fastest routine operation by removing the need for hot work permits in hazardous areas. Using easy to replace plug-in sensors, downtime is also reduced and on-going costs are minimized through the use of poison resistant flammable sensors, poison immune infrared Hydrocarbon sensors and patented Surecell toxic sensors and Reflex sensor health check.

Part numbers include:

Honeywell Analytics is a Honeywell division consisting of numerous products, many of which are formally know as Vulcain. In 2005 industrial leader Honeywell acquired the company and re-branded the organization as Honeywell Analytics, within its Honeywell Life Safety Group. In 2007 MST Technology, a market leading German supplier of semiconductor fabrication and laboratory based gas detection, was acquired and integrated, bringing a variety of products into the range of solutions offered.

Honeywell E3 Point Gas Monitoring System

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:31:00 +0000

The New Honeywell Analytics Gas Detector Line from MidwestBAS!

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Makes commercial buildings run more intelligently to protect people, property and the bottom line!

MidwestBAS.com is pleased to announce the availability of the new E3Point line of commercial gas detectors from Honeywell Analytics / Vulcain. This line of products replaces the current Vulcain 201M Series, the Vulcain 301M Series and the Vulcain 201T Series of gas detection monitors and transmitters. All other Honeywell Analytics / Vulcain controllers, monitors and accessories remain available.

E3Point is a versatile, user-friendly gas detector that functions as a standalone unit or addressable network platform for monitoring carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide in parking garages and common combustible gases found throughout buildings and facilities. It is an ideal gas detection solution for:

Transport terminals
Battery rooms
Parking structures
Loading docks
Restaurant kitchens
Golf course maintenance sheds
Oil changing facilities
Furnace rooms
Fire stations

The standalone platform includes 4-20 mA communications, onboard audible alarm, and 2 DPDT relay outputs. The network platform can be deployed within a building automation systems such as Modbus or BACnet. Both platforms feature a plug-in sensor design which allows mounting and wiring of sensor housings during the construction phase and easy sensor installation later when you are ready to commission the system. Patented smart sensors work out-of-the-box and auto-configure.

Ordering an E3Point is simple and consists of 3 easy steps:

Select your housing platform:

Standalone
Standalone with remote sensor
Network (Modbus / BACnet)

Select mounting option:

Wall
Duct

Select the sensor cartridge:

Carbon Monoxide
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Propane
Nitrogen Dioxide
Hydrogen Sulfide
Methane

Please contact us for more information or for help putting your Honeywell Analytics E3Point System together.

Sincerely,

The Midwest Building Automation Team

Veris CWLP now with BACnet and ModBus

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:14:00 +0000

Smart Sensing with Veris Industries CWLP BacNet and ModBus Communicating CO2 Sensor

Portland, OR – October 20,2010 – Veris Industries CWLP Series is a line of CO2 sensors with embedded BACnet and Modbus communication protocols, giving a more direct connection to the controller, saving installation time and cost, and increasing maintenance efficiency.

“The CWLP saved the owner on our project a substantial amount of money in installed costs,” stated Scott Upah, Controls Estimator at Pasco. “instead of the traditional method of wiring each sensor to a controller the CWLP allowed us to daisy chain the devices on one MSTP network.” “I would, without hesitation recommend Veris’ CWLP. With its proven reliability and financial benefits it’s the best choice for CO2 sensing.”

The CWLP Series, a non-dispersive infrared analyzer (NDIR), is designed to measure CO2 levels in indoor spaces. With the integrated BACnet and Modbus protocols the sensors easily connect to a facilities automation system, alerting when CO2 levels are too high, triggering the system to allow an inflow of fresh air to stabilize the environment. The broad measuring range of 0-5000 ppm makes the CWLP series the premier solution for meeting ASHRAE and other ventilation efficiency standards.

The CO2 sensors are configurable to multiple baud rates, allowing the data to be transmitted at a sufficient speed for the system, and also feature temperature and the option of humidity sensing, providing more information and maximizing system capacity.
Veris Industries lines of CO2, Humidity, and Temperature sensors with embedded BACnet and Modbus communication protocols give a more direct connection to the controller, saving installation time and cost. The sensors can be daisy chained on one MSTP network for quick and easy system integration.

Infinias Intelli-M FAQ

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:57:00 +0000

Infinias FAQ

Hardware

What types of card readers can interface with an eIDC?

The eIDC is capable of reading any Wiegand-compatible card reader. The maximum bit length for a card used with the eIDC is 64 bits. Refer to the Creating Custom Wiegand Card Formats manual (C3660M) for additional details on Wiegand card formats and the eIDC.

NOTE: The 64 bits is limited to 32 bits for the site code and 32 bits for the card code. Each controller can support up to eight different card formats

How many transactions can an eIDC hold?

An eIDC will buffer up to 16,000 transactions in Supervisor Plus mode.

What is the maximum Cat5 cable distance between the network switch and the eIDC?

The maximum distance is 300 ft (100 m).

Does the system have to use IP? Can you run an RS-422 bus between controllers?

The eIDC only communicates through TCP/IP. Can the Controller be used for two entry-only doors? The eIDC is set up for the use of two readers: one as an IN reader and one as an OUT reader. Both readers are assigned to the same door opening/object. An access-granted decision in either reader only activates the lock assigned to the door.

What is the maximum power draw of a door strike or maglock that the eIDC can power?

The maximum draw is 12 VDC at approximately 450 mA; Outputs 1 and 2 on the eIDC provide 12 VDC and share 500 mA. In real world applications, door strikes and maglocks always vary from their ratings. Therefore, a 450 mA lock may actually draw 495 mA. A draw greater than 495 mA may cause the eIDC to drop offline or lock up. In Europe, a 4-line state line (with two parameter resistors) is often required for a door contact line. Can this controller support two resistors on a door line? No. The eIDC inputs can only read one resistor on the input line.

How do I reset an eIDC to the factory default settings?

Perform the following steps: 1. Disconnect the power from the eIDC. 2. Connect a jumper between terminals BUZ and IN2. 3. Connect the power. 4. Wait 15 seconds and then remove the jumper (do not remove power). 5. Wait 30 seconds and the eIDC should reset and restore to the factory defaults.

What is the IP address on an eIDC?

The eIDC receives a default IP in two ways: If a DHCP server is detected, the eIDC will receive an IP address from the server. If there is no DHCP server, the eIDC will default to 169.254.1.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0

Software

Can Supervisor Plus support perimeter and global anti-passback?

Yes. In stand-alone mode with a Web browser, use the IN and OUT reader inputs to create a standard anti-passback object. When using Supervisor Plus, you can assign eIDC controllers to zones where the primary reader puts your card into a zone. Peer-to-peer communication allows the controllers to update each other on the card’s last known zone. Anti-passback settings include auto forgive, manual forgive, and hard or soft access. There is also a mustering tab for the last known reader/zone through which individuals passed. The mustering option must have Supervisor Plus running to log the latest transactions.

What is a service?

A service defines a causal relationship between an originating event and a pre-established response of the system to that event. The originating event can be a status change at a given input point, a card presented to a particular reader, or a transition into or out of a schedule. The response of the system to such an occurrence usually results in the activation of chosen output points in a determined sequence controlled by timing parameters. The response can also depend on a set of conditions, or the required status of other points in the system, for the service to be allowed to run. The system supports complex event-response definitions through the execution of multiple simultaneous services, which can be interrelated or completely independent.

What are privileged services?

A privileged (or authenticated) service is a service that may use at least one card reader as a trigger, which therefore enforces card holder privilege verification. The access, arming, and elevator service classes all support authentication. Alarm and Equipment neither affect this setting nor are they affected by this setting. NOTE: Regardless of this setting, access services are always limited to one per controller. Supervisor Plus allows one privileged service per eIDC. In Wiegand mode, the maximum card count is fixed on controllers where anti-passback is enforced. The number of allowed privileged services does not matter.

How can I check the software version/build number from the software?

Click the Intelli-M icon located in the upper-left hand corner of the window, and then click About Intelli-M Supervisor Plus. This will open the splash screen with the version information in the lower-left corner. Press the ESC button to close the splash screen window

#Cards on an eIDC	Maximum number of cards	Maximum number of cards with anti-passback
Web	1,500	1,500
Supervisor Plus	5,000	5,000
Intelli-M Access	25,000	Not currently supported

Consult infinias Product Support for installations with more than the indicated number of cardholders.

Is there a built-in manual or help feature?

Yes. To access the built-in Help menu, press the F1 key.

What type of video compression can the Intelli-M system handle (for example, H.263, H.264)?

When integrated to Integral Digital Sentry or the DX Series of DVR’s, the device itself is actually configured for various compressions, depending on cameras and DVR hardware. Intelli-M Supervisor Plus only “connects” to the device for remote operation.

Can the Intelli-M system handle Voice over IP (VoIP)?

No. There is no VoIP or two-way audio feature within Intelli-M. The Integral Digital Sentry video product line contains audio features with line inputs, not traditional VoIP.

Download the FAQ here: Intelli-M FAQ.pdf

Setra's new SRCM.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:12:00 +0000

midwestBAS is proud to announce Setra's new model SRCM room pressure monitor. The Model SRCM is a flush-mountable room pressure and room condition monitor, designed to ensure proper pressurization is maintained in critical environments and to alert staff and perosnnel of any change in pressure -- no matter how small.

In the summer of 2008, a major Boston-area hospital sought help to resolve a thorny problem in its operating rooms. Nurses were complaining about how difficult it was to open and close the doors in the facility’s 23 operating rooms, five of which had just been built. They couldn’t understand why they had to pull so hard to open the doors. A veteran hospital HVAC engineering and design consultant did some sleuthing and eventually pinpointed the problem as the effects of airborne lint on the sensors controlling OR pressurization.

Yes, lint, the ubiquitous clinging bits of fiber and fluff that fall off fabrics on such products as hospital scrubs and patient linens, was fouling up instruments that measure operating room differential space pressures. As lint accumulates on the sensing elements of these instruments, they begin to under-report space differential pressure. Pressure is increased to the degree that it becomes difficult to push open the doors to enter and exit the ORs.

The most obvious solution was to clean the existing instruments more frequently. However, the sensors on the existing lint-accumulating space differential pressure instruments are very small and are easily damaged during cleaning.

Further sleuthing uncovered the new SRPM (Setra Room Pressure Monitor) by Setra Systems, Inc., whose sensors do not come in contact with the air in the conditioned spaces being monitored and, therefore, do not need frequent lint removal or any other frequent servicing. Nearly a year after installing the new SRPM in one operating room, the problem has been completely eliminated. As funds become available, the hospital intends to install the new monitors in all the ORs, as well as infectious isolation rooms, and other spaces where lint build up is a problem.

Airborne lint problem an issue in a variety of hospital spaces

“There is a surprising amount of airborne lint in hospitals, even inside operating rooms that receive highly filtered supply air,” remarks Paul Lindberg, a mechanical engineer from Advanta Consulting Engineering, a hospital HVAC engineering, design and troubleshooting firm that has worked in more than forty New England hospitals.

According to Lindbergh, who has done work for this particular one million square foot medical center for more than twenty years, the lint originates from “scrub” clothing, operating suite gowns, patient “johnnies,” bed linens, and in other fabrics common to hospitals.

He notes that ORs have one of the highest concentrations of airborne lint of any hospital spaces, probably because ten or twelve people on a surgical team may be in the OR at the same time, each of whom is producing lint. However, other hospital spaces in which these fabrics are found also generate substantial amounts of airborne lint, for example, infectious isolation rooms. He believes it is important to use space differential pressure instrumentation that is not susceptible to fouling by airborne lint in the hospital setting generally.

“In an operating room, air is highly filtered and there is positive pressure, since you do not want air to come into the operating room from the outside,” said Lindberg. The code requirement for pressure is 0.01 inches water gauge. This is a very small amount of pressure, one that can barely be felt by the palm of the hand. If there is that much pressure on the inside of the OR door, one can be certain that the airflow is going from the OR to the outside space, and not vice verse. “If the controls malfunction, and pressure is pumped up much higher, say, .05 inches, that is when one would begin to have difficulty with the door, feeling pressure against you as you try to push it open.”

Part of the problem stems from the design of the existing instrument, which contains tubes of about an inch and a half in diameter, in which small sensors (with the diameter of a toothpick) protrude into the tube, over which air passes. With such a narrow space, just a couple of fibers on the sensor can throw off the readings significantly.

After determining that the lint was building up on the instruments and causing incorrect readings, Lindbergh looked at whether frequent cleaning might correct the problem. “Cleaning was definitely a viable option – the medical center could send an instrument technician around to clean the units, say monthly,” he says.

“But there’s a risk when you clean these sensors, even with the most delicate of tools, because the sensors are fragile and there is a good chance you’re going to damage them.” Also, the instruments quickly begin to lose accuracy again soon after the lint build up is removed. In as little as a month, their accuracy was reduced by about 20-30 percent, as lint particles begin to accumulate on the instrument sensors.

Lindberg was not convinced that cleaning was a good alternative, even if they were willing to invest in monthly cleaning, so he recommended that the hospital opt for a different type of instrument that would not be susceptible to reduction in accuracy due to airborne lint.

Search for the solution leads to SRPM

To find another option, Lindberg consulted the controls contractor that maintains the hospital’s environmental control systems. The contractor suggested he contact Boxborough, Massachusetts-based Setra Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer and designer of pressure measurement instrumentation. The controls contractor had experience using Setra instruments for industry clean room solutions.

“After contacting Setra, their factory representatives sent information on the SRPM (Setra Room Pressure Monitor) instrument for space differential, and I was immediately interested in the fact that the sensors within the instrument are not exposed to environmental air, so airborne lint can’t disrupt them,” said Lindberg.

According to Michael Saracco, Setra’s North American Sales Manager, “The SRPM is designed for pharmaceutical, hospital, semiconductor, clean rooms, research laboratories, and critical low differential pressure applications that require stringent pressure monitoring and alarming.”

The SRPM monitors the positive or negative pressure in protected environments and airborne infection isolation rooms in accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidelines. It measures and displays highly accurate pressure readings to 0.001 inches of water column resolution.

In addition to the enclosed design that protects it from airborne lint, the SRPM has a large, easy to see graphic RGB backlit touch-screen display, allowing fingertip access to menus that guide the user through room setup, application, security and calibration. It features a green LED to indicate normal conditions, and a red LED, audible alarm, and single pole, double throw (SPDT) relay for remote annunciation, to signal unsatisfactory room pressure status.

The medical center conducted a trial, installing an SRPM in one of its five new operating rooms. “The unit has been in place for a year, and has given excellent, reliable information, with no maintenance required,” said Lindberg.

He adds that he has checked the accuracy of the output of the new SRPM instrument five or six times over the past year with a very accurate portable differential pressure meter. The SRPM has agreed with the portable instrument to within 0.001-inch water gage during each check. “At the same time, I checked the readings on the other instruments, and found them to be inaccurate, giving me a good view of how well SRPM performs in comparison to other instruments.”

In addition to the fact that the instrument works precisely as planned, Lindberg found it easy to swap over from the existing instrument to the new one. He was also impressed with the company’s willingness to get involved in the project even though the hospital was purchasing only one instrument.

Although interested in changing over the instruments in all the ORs and other spaces within the hospital that are adversely affected by airborne lint, the hospital is currently holding off on its plans until the funding picture is brighter.

According to Paul Lindberg, “The unit has definitely met my expectations and I will definitely consider recommending Setra Systems, Inc.’s SRPM instruments for my next design job for OR suites or infectious isolation areas.”

Piezoelectricity and You.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:11:00 +0000

Sustainability got sexier last week at the opening of Surya in London. The Club4Climate project is London’s first taste of eco-friendly clubbing, making clubbers happy in the knowledge that their organic beverage-induced booty shaking can generate 60% of the energy needed to run the club. The venue’s most exciting innovation is the piezoelectric dancefloor, which uses quartz crystals and ceramics to turn clubbers’ movement into electricity!

Previously seen in the Sustainable Dance Club in Rotterdam, this is Britain’s first exposure to such technology. The rest of the power needed will come from a wind turbine and solar energy system, with any surplus used to power private homes in the area. The club will also be installing the latest air flush, waterless urinals, low flush toilets and automatic taps to ensure maximum water saving plus less greedy air conditioning units.

The project is clearly trying to affect behavior on a much wider scale, too, requiring patrons to sign a 10-point manifesto on entry, giving free entry to anyone who can prove that they walked or cycled to the venue, and encouraging as many other clubs as possible to adopt his philosophy.

Property developer Andrew Charalambous is behind Club4Climate, appearing in character as ‘Dr Earth‘ to be more down with the kids. He says the club aims to ’stop preaching to people and use an inclusive philosophy to create the revolution [needed] to combat climate change.’ A Club4Climate island is also planned for 2010, although how clubbers will transport themselves to the island hasn’t been mentioned.

In another shining example of using what you have for power generation, a Netherlands train station is using a revolving door to produce electricity. The Natuurcafe La Port in the train station expects the coming and going of patrons to provide 4,600 kWh a year. So, while the coffee powers the customers, the customers are powering the coffee shop.

The door uses a generator that harvests the kinetic energy produced when the door spins and a supercapacitor to store the energy. The energy is used to power the cafe's LED lights. When the lights use up the stored energy from the door, the station's main energy supply takes over. For the curious, the station has a display that shows the amount of energy generated as customers walk in and out.

While 4,600 kWh is a small amount compared to a train station's total energy needs, it's great to see a large building harvesting renewable energy from as many sources as possible. These types of kinetic energy generators could go a long way if they're consistently implemented in both new buildings and renovation projects.

Piezoelectricity is the ability of some materials (notably crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA and various proteins) to generate an electric field or electric potential[1] in response to applied mechanical strain. The effect is closely related to a change of polarization density within the material's volume. If the material is not short-circuited, the applied stress/strain induces a voltage across the material. However, if the circuit is closed the energy will be quickly released. So in order to run an electric load (such as a light bulb) on a piezoelectric device, the applied mechanical stress must oscillate back and forth. For example, if you had such a device in your shoes you could charge your cell phone while walking but not while standing. The word is derived from the Greek piezo or piezein (πιέζειν), which means to squeeze or press.

The piezoelectric effect is reversible in that materials exhibiting the direct piezoelectric effect (the production of an electric potential when stress is applied) also exhibit the reverse piezoelectric effect (the production of stress and/or strain when an electric field is applied). For example, lead zirconate titanate crystals will exhibit a maximum shape change of about 0.1% of the original dimension.

The effect finds useful applications such as the production and detection of sound, generation of high voltages, electronic frequency generation, microbalances, and ultra fine focusing of optical assemblies. It is also the basis of a number of scientific instrumental techniques with atomic resolution, the scanning probe microscopies such as STM, AFM, MTA, SNOM, etc., and everyday uses such as acting as the ignition source for cigarette lighters and push-start propane barbecues.

In Pictures; The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:05:00 +0000

To those of us with a standard, American tongue, the idea of pronouncing a word like "Eyjafjallajökull" is enough to cause towels to be thrown in defeat. However, that pile of consonants is the name of the recently erupted Icelandic volcano.
Eyjafjallajökul is actually the name of the vast glacier which covers the crater – but the mountain ridge containing the volcano itself is simply called Eyjafyoll.

Urdur Gunnarsdottir, of the Icelandic Foreign Office, said the confusion had caused a good deal of “black humor” among her countrymen.

“We have been very amused to watch your newsreaders making various interesting attempts to pronounce Eyjafjallajökull,” she said.
“We have not been at all amused by the travel chaos and all the distress and worry the volcano has caused, we have been very sad about that, but there has been a lot of black humour about the pronunciation.”
Although Icelanders colloquially refer to the volcano as Eyjafjallajökull, Miss Gunnarsdottir explained that this is not in fact its real name.

“Eyja means island, fyalla or fyjoll means mountain, and jökull means glacier, so the name actually means the island mountain glacier,” she said.

“The mountains under the south part of the glacier, which is where the volcano is, are actually called the island mountains, or Eyjafyoll. Which I suppose would be much easier for you to say.”

Lee Trevino once said that "if you are caught on a golf course during a storm, and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron." Did I mention he's also famous for having been struck by lightning?

Perhaps the most interesting part about this eruption is the lightning, which looks as if it originates and ends within the ash itself.

Take a look at these pictures. They're nothing short of amazing.

Now if only we could instantly taste what we see.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:40:00 +0000

source: timesonline.co.uk ~ Lucy Bannerman

A soldier blinded by a grenade in Iraq revealed yesterday how his life has been transformed by ground-breaking technology that enables him to “see” with his tongue.

Lance-Corporal Craig Lundberg, 24, from Walton, Liverpool, can read words, identify shapes and walk unaided thanks to the BrainPort device, which gives him “lingual vision”.

The Liverpool fan, who plays blind football for England, lost his sight after being struck by a rocket propelled grenade while serving in Basra in 2007.

He was faced with the prospect of relying on a guide dog or cane for the rest of his life.

However, he was chosen by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to be the first person to trial a pioneering device — the BrainPort, which could revolutionise treatment for the blind.

The BrainPort is a tiny video camera attached to a pair of sunglasses which are linked to a plastic “lolly pop” which the user places on their tongue to read the electrical pulses.

It works by converting visual images captured by the camera, into a series of electrical pulses which are sent to the tongue. The different strength of the tingles can be read or interpreted so the user can mentally visualise their surroundings and navigate around objects.

Lance-Corporal Lundberg explained: “It feels like licking a nine volt battery or like popping candy.

“The camera sends signals down onto the lolly pop and onto your tongue. You can then determine what they mean and transfer it to shapes.

“You get lines and shapes of things. It sees in black and white so you get a two-dimensional image on your tongue. It’s a bit like a pins and needles sensation.”

He demonstrated the device yesterday, reading correctly three letter words, such as CAT, from word cards held around a metre in front of him.

“It’s only a prototype, but the potential to change my life is massive. It’s got a lot of potential to advance things for blind people.

“One of the things it has enabled me to do is pick up objects straight away. I can reach out and pick them up when before I would be fumbling around to feel for them.”

The soldier vowed that his new-found lingual vision would not be at the expense of his beloved guide dog, Hugo.

“There is no way I’m getting rid of my guide dog Hugo, though - I love him.

“This is another mobility device, it’s not the be-all and end-all of my disability.”

The MoD said it expected to pay the US around £18,000 for the device and training to enable the trial to take place.

Unveiling the BrainPort at the MoD headquarters in Whitehall, US Major-General Gale Pollock, who worked on the scheme, said the BrainPort has 400 points sending information to the tongue connection.

She said: “I think this provides huge hope, because there has really been no clear advance for the visually impaired since we invented white canes and guide dogs.

“It’s just so exciting to finally be able to say to people: here is a tool that may help you and start to restore hope to the visually impaired community. It’s just wonderful.”

Designers plan to expand this to 4,000 points, which would vastly upgrade the clarity of the image.

Users cannot speak or eat while using the BrainPort so designers are hoping to create a smaller device that could be permanently fixed behind the teeth or to the roof of the mouth, enabling more natural use.

Lance-Corporal Lundberg, who served with 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster’s, suffered injuries to his head, face and arm in the grenade blast.

His left eye was removed and he is profoundly blind in his right eye.

The MoD said that between July 2004 and July 2008, 62 soldiers sustained eye injuries while serving in Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. Of these, 15 lost their sight in one or both eyes.

Fewer than five soldiers were blinded during Operation Telic in Iraq, the MoD said.

A Brief History of the Super Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:55:00 +0000

The Super Bowl was created as part of the merger agreement between the National Football League (NFL) and its competitive rival, the American Football League (AFL). After its inception in 1920, the NFL fended off several rival leagues before the AFL began play in 1960. The intense competitive war for players and fans led to serious merger talks between the two leagues in 1966, culminating in a merger agreement announcement on June 8, 1966. One of the conditions of the AFL-NFL merger was that the winners of each league's championship game would meet in a contest to determine the "world champion of football". According to NFL Films President Steve Sabol, then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted to call the game "The Big One". During the discussions to iron out the details, one of the AFL's founders and Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt had jokingly referred to the proposed inter league championship as the "Super Bowl". Hunt thought of the name after seeing his children playing with a toy called a Super Ball, the small, round ball is now on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The name was consistent with postseason college football games which had long been known as "bowl games." Hunt only meant his suggested name to be a stopgap until a better one could be found; nevertheless, the name "Super Bowl" became permanent. Contrary to popular belief and NFL promotion, however, there was no Super Bowl prior to what is now called "Super Bowl IV". Tickets for the games played in 1967, 1968, and 1969 were printed with "World Championship Game."

After the NFL's Green Bay Packers convincingly won the first two Super Bowls, some team owners feared for the future of the merger. At the time, many doubted the competitiveness of AFL teams compared with NFL counterparts, though that perception changed with the AFL's New York Jets’ defeat of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in Miami. One year later, the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs defeated the NFL's Minnesota Vikings 23-7 and won Super Bowl IV in New Orleans, the last World Championship game played between the champions of the two leagues, as the league merger finally took place later that year.

The game is played annually on a Sunday as the final game of the NFL Playoffs. Originally the game took place in early to mid-January, following a 14-game regular season and playoffs. Over the years, the date of the Super Bowl has progressed from the second Sunday in January, to the third, then the fourth Sunday in January; the game is now played on the first Sunday in February, given the current 17-week (16 games and one bye week) regular season and three rounds of playoffs. This progression of the date of the Super Bowl has been caused by the following: the expansion of the NFL regular season in 1978 from 14 games to 16, the expansion of the pre-Super Bowl playoff field from eight to twelve teams, necessitating the addition of a third round of playoffs (also in 1978), the addition of the regular season bye-week in the 1990s, and the decision prior to the 2001 season to start the regular season the week after Labor Day, moving the start of the season to a week later than it had been (in 1997, for example, the regular season started on Sunday, August 31). Former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle is often considered the mastermind of both the merger and the Super Bowl. His leadership guided the two competitors into the merger agreement and cemented the preeminence of the Super Bowl.
The winning team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for the coach of the Green Bay Packers, who won the first two Super Bowl games and three of the five preceding NFL championships (1961, 1962, 1965). Following his death in September 1970, the trophy was named the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and was first awarded as such to the Baltimore Colts at Super Bowl V in Miami.

Traditionally, the Super Bowl has been on the last Sunday in January, however, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, television schedules were all delayed by one week. The game was played on the first Sunday in February that year and again in 2004. It’s been the first Sunday in February ever since.

It is said that even criminals take the day off on Super Bowl Sunday; In 1985, when the San Francisco 49ers played in Palo Alto, California, the crime rate in San Francisco dropped by 75%!

Setra returns from Orlando with new toys.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:43:00 +0000

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) convention in Orlando has concluded and was a great success for the folks at Setra.

As highlighted at the show, there are some new things coming from Setra worth keeping an eye on:

Room Pressure Monitors -- Setra's product family has expanded with the addition of the SRCM. its intuitive full color tough screen display (highlighting both the room pressure and condition), ultra-low pressure capabilities, flush mount design and external inputs make it the first in the industry with this feature set.
Humidity and Temperature -- Setra's unique replaceable tip design provides a simple and reliable alternative to your existing suppliers. The unit features the ability to recover from 100% saturation, field selectable temperature ranges, easy-to-use duct flange and unparalleled performance making the SRH an installer's dream.
Current Transducers -- Setra's switch line has been expanded to now include Current Transducers with field selectable ranges, split-core design and snap on power relay , ensuring a quick and simple installation on new projects or retrofits.

Relative Humidity Sensors from ACI

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:37:00 +0000

"The product is making a name for itself."

Here are just a few of the benefits of ACI's RH sensors:

Selectable supply voltages and output ranges
Recovers from condensation
Field calibration

In the last decade, Automation Components, Inc. has developed a highly accurate yet affordable relative humidity transmitter. From the rugged construction, all the way down to the flexibility of input and output voltages, the product is making a name for itself.

The unit offers accuracy ratings of +/- 5%, 3%, 2% and 1%. Outputs include 4 to 20 mA, 0 to 5 VDC and 0 to 10 VDC. On board DIP switches allow users to select supply voltage and output signals. Field calibration can be performed by using on board increment and decrement DIP switches.

In 2004, some interesting revelations came from the results of the National Building Controls Information Program. More importantly, ACI's reviews from its customers revealed that this sensor out-performs your typical commercial grade sensor. The ACI/RH sensor even performs on a level that only the very expensive models can reach.

For more information, call toll free:

midwestBAS.com -- 866/313.2207

ACI -- 888/967.5224

Your complete source for the HVAC, Building Automation, Fire, Video and Security Systems Industries.

First in sensor quality.

Did a thirst for beer spark civilization?

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:26:00 +0000

source: The Independent.

Drunkenness, hangovers, and debauchery tend to come to mind when one thinks about alcohol and its effects. But could alcohol also have been a catalyst for human civilization?

According to archaeologist Patrick McGovern this may have been the case when early man decided to start farming. Why humans turned from hunting and gathering to agriculture could be the result of our ancestors’ simple urge for alcoholic beverages.

“Alcohol provided the initial motivation,” said McGovern, a biomolecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. “Then it got going the engine of society.”

As one of the leading experts on the study of ancient alcoholic brews, McGovern has found evidence showing that early man was making the beverage as far back as 9,000 years ago.

His earliest sample, which dates to 7000 BC, includes pottery shards found in a Neolithic village at the Jiahu site in China. By examining the clay shards, McGovern discovered traces of Tartaric acid, a compound found in alcoholic brews.

The makers of this particular ancient beverage would have relied on a more primitive brewing method. Specifically, their teeth and saliva. To allow for fermentation, they would have first chewed on wild rice, turning the starch into malt sugar. This would then be added to a mixture of honey, wild grapes and hawthorn fruit — all ingredients that could be found in their surroundings.

Happy Accident?

The pottery sherds in China, along with a pattern of ancient brews found in other regions of the world such as Africa and Mexico, have led McGovern to theorize that alcohol had a pivotal role for the development of early man.

Even as our ancestors had no understanding of chemistry at the time, they likely would have discovered how to create alcohol by accident. McGovern said perhaps a sprouted grain that had fermented by falling in a pool of water was picked up and eaten. Once consumed, those drops of alcohol juices would have hit the taster’s brain, causing them to wonder where they could get more.

“A main motivation for settling down and domesticating crops was probably to make an alcoholic beverage of some kind,” McGovern concluded. “People wanted to be closer to their plants so this leads to settlement.”

If this were true, the first farmers would have in fact been real ale brewers. Moreover, alcohol, which is often used to break down barriers between people, would have acted much in the same way it did thousands of years ago.

“Whenever we look at the Neolithic beverages and the domestication of these plants, we find that it was more of an egalitarian effort, with people working together,” McGovern said.

Make Beer Not Bread

But why not make bread instead of beer? McGovern said the latter was simply easier to create. Humans were only just beginning to cultivate plants, meaning that any bread made at the time would have hardly been the edible loafs we see now.

Alcohol also just tasted good, McGovern said. The drink’s more positive psychotropic effects — such as increased cheerfulness and confidence — would have attracted early man to try and consume more.

“I think most people see (this theory) as a very plausible scenario. But we don’t have all the evidence,” McGovern added.

Examining ancient pottery has been McGovern’s main avenue in finding this evidence since it can retain traces of the liquids it once stored. Unfortunately most pottery found in the world only dates back as far as 5,000 to 7,000 BC, he said.

Still, McGovern’s research has revealed new findings about ancient man through the use of biomolecular archaeology, a field he helped pioneer over the last two decades.

“We humans are organic. The clothes we have, the food we eat, all of this is organic,” McGovern said. “But before the last 25 years we didn’t have ways to find out what (ancient human beings) were eating, or what they were using to decorate their clothes with.”

"Alcohol was always present right from the beginning," McGovern said, adding that early man also relied on the beverage for rituals and medicinal purposes. In a new book, titled Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer and Other Alcoholic Beverages, he further the details his research on the history of alcohol brewing.

As for his theory on how alcohol motivated man to adopt agriculture, McGovern said: “I just wanted to put it out there as a worldwide hypothesis. Then over time maybe the different pieces can be put together from across the world.”

University earns an "A" in BTU measurement

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:19:00 +0000

case in point...

The University of South Florida (USF) was founded in 1956 and is a public university serving over 35,000 full-time students. The main campus, located in Tampa, in one of the twenty largest universities in the United States. Like many large campuses, a central energy plant with chilled water and hot water distribution throughout the campus provides heating and cooling to over 80 buildings. Undertaking a campus-wide metering project for over 4.3 million sq ft of conditioned space was no easy task.

USF did not have a comprehensive method of measuring actual energy usage in individual buildings. While some building had meters of various types in place, most did not. Internal utility bills were based on square footage of conditioned space, and this fixed-cost method offered no incentive for energy conservation by individual departments. In addition, the physical plant department was tasked with managing vast resources with insufficient information regarding their use.

Focus on Accuracy
As one of the largest energy users on campus, Residence Hall Management pressed for a more accurate method of billing for its chilled water and hot water usage. Ideally, it would allow more control over budgets and monthly utility bills. As a result, a committee was formed to search for a metering solution that would provide accurate cost allocation data and help create a more energy-conscious campus.

The committee was led by Nainan Desai, P.E., at USF, and included members from Energy Management, Technical Services, Maintenance, Utilities, Facilities Planning, and Residences Halls. The engineering consultant for the project was Anston - Greenless, Inc., (Tamps, FL). Systems from several manufacturers and distributors were evaluated with the focus on accuracy, reliability, cost and installation requirements. The challenge was to find a system that would meet everyone's expectations with respect to accuracy while staying within the budget. In addition, the installation had to be performed without interrupting the flow of heating and cooling water to the buildings.

The committee selected a BTU measurement system from Onicon Incorporated (Clearwater, FL) to become the standard BTU meter for the campus. Each system consists of an insertion turbine flowmeter, a pair of matched temperature sensors, a BTU meter that calculates energy based on inputs from the flowmeter and temperature sensors, and all required components to allow installation without a system shutdown. Factory calibration with NIST traceability, along with factory commissioning after installation, provided the foundation for successful metering program. "Existing buildings already have some of Onicon's meters installed on campus so we knew it was a good product," said Desai.

Existing Buildings Pose Challenges
The first phase of the metering program targeted the residence halls. USF has over 900,000 sq ft dedicated to student housing, with approximately 2,600 students living on campus. A total of 56 BTU measurement systems were installed in 21 buildings. While most buildings required two systems, one for hot water and one for chilled water, several of the larger dorms were built with multiple feeds from the central chilled and hot water mains. These buildings required more than one set of meters.

USF decided to manage the project in-house because of its team's insight into the individual building systems and internal customers' needs. USF and Onicon worked very closely to ensure a successful installation of the equipment and implementation of the project. Bowen Ierna, project manager with Onicon said, "We felt that it was very important to be closely involved with USF through all phases of the project, including the initial planning."

Most of the building are over 20 years old, and were constructed without provision for sub-metering. Small, cramped mechanical rooms typically pose a challenge to flow measurement due to the lack of available straight pipe run required to maintain accuracy. During the planning stage, a field engineer from the factory surveyed each proposed meter site and marked the pipes for insulation removal and tapping locations. For locations with poor flow conditions due to limited straight pipe runs, Onicon's Dual Turbine flowmeters were specified.

Good Planning Pays Off
Being closely involved from the start enabled USF and Onicon to uncover the tough installation locations early on. They were able to design and implement solution without affecting the project schedule. The close working relationship between USF's project team and Onicon's personnel allowed the project to be completed on time and within budget.

With few exceptions, installations were performed with no interruption of heating and cooling water flow to the buildings. This was accomplished with Onicon's standard hot tap insertion flowmeters, and special hot tap thermowells for temperature sensors. "Another important benefit of using hot tap meters is that it facilitates easy removal of system components for service and recalibration," said Ierna. While the meters are designed for long-term performance, "serviceability without system shutdown is critical for a successful, long-term metering solution."

The installation of the BTU metering system provides critical information needed for the planning of future campus development while providing accurate billing for the university. The new systems also promote energy conservation by identifying problem areas and large energy users. "This is a win-win situation for everyone. Auxiliary departments have control over their budget and energy costs. The physical plant can recover the cost that is incurred by the plant and less energy is used or wasted which is better for the environment," stated Desai.

After the successful completion of the residence hall metering systems, USF is continuing to install BTU measurement systems throughout the rest of the campus. Adrian Curta, director of USF's physical plant stated, "In the past we struggled with accounting for BTU usage and charging internal customers. The new BTU measurement system solves that problem for us and there will be energy conservation across the campus."

Panasonic's new home battery could store a week's-worth of electricity.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:47:00 +0000

source: http://green.venturebeat.com

Panasonic is charging into the green space headlong - first with deals to supply batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles - and now announcing that it will launch a massive lithium-ion storage battery capable of powering an average home for up to a week, the company says.

This is significant for two reasons. First, if home batteries like this one become commonplace, renewable sources of energy like rooftop solar and residential turbines could finally take off. The biggest roadblock to their adoption is that they are intermittent; reliable storage is needed to make them effective. Second, if affordable storage is achieved on the home-level, there might be less need to grid-scale storage, which is pricier and harder to accomplish.

The announcement is hastened by Panasonic's acquisition of a more than fifty percent stake in Sanyo, making the company a battery manufacturing powerhouse that could trounce almost everyone else in the market, including A123Systems, Johnson Controls-Saft, Valence Technologies, and others. Becoming the earliest entrant into the home storage space would solidify its dominance.

Panasonic, which says it has already thoroughly tested this technology, plans to bundle its storage device with a home energy monitoring system that would allow users to view how much power they are using and how much it is costing them right on their television displays. This could make the company a major player in the smart grid arena as well.

Depending on how successful Panasonic is at marketing its household batter (and bringing down the cost), it could become a formidable competitor for fuel-cell makers like Clear Edge Power. Fuel cells also allow for low-emission operations, converting natural gas into electricity and recycled heat. But they don't store electricity for use later, which is a major need for alternative energies to gain traction.

Panasonic, which scored a deal to supply batteries to Tesla Motors in October, has already successfully pushed automotive battery makers out of the market, like Imara, which shuttered earlier this month. Valance, being kept afloat by a new contract with Smith Electric Vehicles, could be next if it doesn't move fast. In any case, it will have a head start, with Panasonic's storage system not hitting stores until 2011.

Baylor professor turning cow manure into fuel-grade ethanol

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:38:00 +0000

source: The Waco Tribune

By J.B. Smith Tribune-Herald staff writer

Friday, December 18, 2009

To critics who object to making ethanol fuel out of grain, Larry Lehr, of Waco, has an ecology-minded answer: Run it through a cow first.

Lehr, who teaches environmental science at Baylor University, is planning to build a manure-to-ethanol demonstration plant at a model dairy that Tarleton State University is building in Stephenville.

Lehr and his Waco business partner, Norm Burgess, have already used a $250,000 Texas Emerging Technology grant for research into converting animal waste into fuel-grade ethanol. Now their firm, called Environmental Quality Management Associates, is applying for another $750,000 to build the demonstration plant in Stephenville next year.

The project will be designed to turn the manure from the dairy’s 400 cows into pure ethanol that can be blended with gasoline as fuel. Unlike conventional ethanol, it would require no fossil fuels to produce. The distillery would run on methane from a manure digester.

The byproduct of the distillations would include concentrated nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, which could be packaged and sold. And carbon dioxide emissions from the process might even be used to grow algae that could be turned into biofuel.

But the main purpose is to develop systems that dairy farmers can buy to turn their herds’ waste into a profitable commodity instead of allowing it to pollute streams, Lehr said.

“The focus is not particularly on alcohol fuels,” he said. “It’s a pollution remediation project. What’s the value of clean water, or of a dairy farmer being able to increase herd size and decrease pollution?”

Many of the dairies in the Stephenville area drain into the North Bosque watershed, which feeds Lake Waco, and city of Waco officials have long blamed them for algae problems in the lake.

If the ethanol technology is successful and widely adopted, it could solve some of those problems, said Don Cawthon, resident director of the Texas AgriLife Center in Stephenville and dean of Tarleton’s College of Agriculture and Human Sciences.

“We’re hoping to resolve some of the environmental issues in the Bosque River area and, beyond that, to all concentrated animal feeding operations nationwide, by diverting all the animal waste out of the watershed and converting it into energy,” he said. “The second outcome could be helping achieve the president’s energy plan to convert 25 percent of our energy to renewable energy.”

The Debate over Bottle Water Rages on...

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:38:00 +0000

source: www.msnbc.msn.com

Heather Lewis was wracked with guilt when she realized she was addicted to the bottle.

Bottled water, that is.

At her worst, she said she went through five plastic bottles of water a day nearly every day for two years.

“It was appalling,” said Lewis, an architect from Louisville, Colo. “I felt like Aquafina’s trained monkey.”

But one day in January, as she gazed at the piles of plastic in her recycling bin, she decided to quit. “It was a cumulative sense of responsibility that made me do it,” Lewis said

Lewis is part of a bigger backlash against bottled water happening across the nation, and after decades of growth, the $11 billion industry is stuttering.

After steady expansion that saw U.S. per capita consumption grow from less than two gallons a year to a peak of 29 in 2007, bottled water sales slipped 3.2 percent in 2008 and are projected to dip another 2 percent this year, according to estimates by the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a New York research and consulting firm.

The primary cause of the decline is hotly contested.

Industry executives say the downturn is purely due to the economy. “We don’t think that anti-bottle water activists have had any impact,” said Tom Lauria, spokesman for the International Bottled Water Association. “People love their bottled water.”

Every other bottled beverage segment — soda, energy drinks, tea and the like — saw even worse sales declines this year, said Gary Hemphill, managing director of Beverage Marketing Group, a research and consulting firm in New York.

“Environmental concerns among consumers may have had an effect on bottled water sales, but the primary reason sales are soft is the economy,” he said.

Certainly environmental groups are eager to take credit after campaigning for years against the industry over waste, safety concerns and the corporate privatization of water.

Restaurants, towns ditch the bottle
And there is no doubt the campaign has resulted in some high-profile changes.

Hundreds of high-end restaurants — from celebrity chef Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., to Mario Batali’s Del Posto in New York City — now serve tap instead of bottled water.

In some towns, residents are protesting and rejecting large-scale water extraction by big water bottlers. Even during a severe recession, residents of Wells, Maine, rejected last month a proposal to extract up to 250,000 gallons a day from an aquifer for Nestlés Poland Spring brand.

New York, Illinois and Virginia state governments now bar bottled water at public events and in state offices. Cisco and Google ditched it from their corporate campuses as well.

“In some ways, bottled water has become the SUV of the ecological movement,” said Tony Clarke, director of the Polaris Institute, a Canadian nonprofit that organized an anti-water bottle campaign called “Inside the Bottle.”

Web sites like InsidetheBottle.org, TakeBackTheTap.org and ThinkOutsideTheBottle.org encourage consumers to ditch the bottle, while environmental research groups like the Environmental Working Group publicize startling facts like the existence of an area twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean awash with millions of plastic water bottles and garbage.

Companies take notice of protests
Environmental concerns are not going ignored by big bottle water producers like Nestlé, the world's largest water bottler.

Nestlé has introduced bottles with less plastic and launched a new brand of water called Resource that uses bottles made of 25 percent recycled plastic. The company also is doling out local grants for recycling programs.

“We recognize we have an environmental footprint and it’s possible to lower it,” said Jane Lazgin, Nestlé spokeswoman. “We think about that every day.”

PepsiCo and Coca-Cola also have launched bottled water products that use less plastic.

Next on the horizon for the industry: compostable bottles made from corn, said Lauria. “We will see in our lifetime biodegradable plastic, and this whole controversy will disappear,” he said.

Maybe, or maybe not.

Besides the concern about waste, a separate battle rages over privatization of shrinking water resources and the impact of bottled water operations on local aquifers, wildlife, water quality and community access to drinking water.

Voters in Shapleigh, Maine, this year passed an ordinance that protects groundwater rights for citizens but not corporations. The nearby town of Fryeburg has been in litigation with Nestle for six years over the company's expansion plans. Similar protests have played out in McCloud, Calif., and in Mescota County, Mich.

“There’s a realization that bottled water is simply taken from a community and put in a bottle with a giant price tag,” said Jon Keesecker, senior organizer of the Take Back the Tap campaign at Food & Water Watch in Washington D.C. “Many of these small communities feel like they’re being cheated by these corporations.”

Executives of Nestlé, which has faced criticism for its extraction practices, say they use groundwater just as any farmer or beer plant might, and its 75 springs provide jobs and economic diversity to small communities.

“The health of these springs requires vigilance to be sure they’re stable and safe and sustainable, and that allows us to be in business,” said Lazgin, Nestle spokeswoman.

Water safety questioned
Meanwhile, YouTube videos, research studies and press releases continue to fly about another controversy — the health and safety of tap vs. bottled water.

Each side argues over which water is more highly regulated. The Environmental Protection Agency oversees tap water while the Food & Drug Administration examines bottled water, so they’re handled differently.

“For the last 10 to 15 years, bottled water companies have been marketing that theirs was safer and healthier than tap water,” said Patti Lynn, campaign director at the environmental group Corporate Accountability International. She said the marketing undermined consumer confidence in tap water as well as necessary public investments needed to maintain public water systems, which face a $24 billion gap in funding.

So environmental groups have been making their case against bottled water on safety. Last year, the Environmental Working Group looked at 10 brands of bottled water and found that bottled water can contain complex mixtures of industrial chemicals never tested for safety, and may be no cleaner than tap water.

Bottled water companies defend their water and claim they are highly regulated by the FDA. Industry Web site BottledWaterMatters.com reports that bottled water is tested 30 times more often than tap water and that the Centers for Disease Control attributes more than 19 million illnesses to tap and none to bottled water.

Congress held hearings on safety regulation of bottled water over the summer, and the Government Accountability Office issued a report that revealed current FDA rules don’t require certified laboratories for water testing of bottled water nor public disclosure of quality and contaminants found in bottled water as EPA rules do for tap water.

Earlier this month, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., introduced the Bottled Water Safety and Right-to-Know Act intended to inform consumers about what's in bottled water. Lautenberg has introduced similar legislation in the past.

Earth Check-up: 10 Signs of the Planet's Health

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:11:00 +0000

source: livescience.com

With world leaders gathering at a U.N. summit in Copenhagen to brainstorm ways to quash increasing temperatures and hold back rising seas, LiveScience takes a look at the state of Earth's ecosystems and its inhabitants — from polar bears to us. Here are 10 signs of how well (and not-so-well) our planet is doing.

10. Arctic Meltdown

After dramatic meltdowns in recent summers that have left Arctic ice thinner than in the past, some scientists are increasingly worried about the future survival of Arctic sea ice. One recent study estimated that Arctic waters could be ice free during the summer in as few as 30 years, much sooner than previous estimates. Such catastrophic melt could reinforce the global warming trend and further imperil Arctic residents, from humans to narwhals and polar bears, which were first listed as an Endangered Species in May 2008.

9. Collapsing Antarctic Ice

Antarctica has seen its share of melt as well: In April, an ice bridge believed to pin the Wilkins Ice Shelf in place snapped. Wilkins is one of nine Antarctic ice shelves that have receded or collapsed in recent decades — the most dramatic collapses were those of the Larsen A and B shelves, which abruptly crumbled in 1995 and 2002, respectively. Most of the dramatic melting has occurred in the Antarctic Peninsula, the only part of the southernmost continent that juts north of the Antarctic Circle. In contrast, the interior of the frozen continent was thought to be cooling, but earlier this year, new research suggested that these vast ice sheets are also experiencing warming, though the trend has so far been masked by the cooling influence of the ozone hole. The 47 countries that have ratified an agreement called the Antarctic Treaty have agreed to tourism limits to protect the continent's fragile ecosystems.

8. Ozone Hole Recovery

It's been more than 20 years since scientists discovered the gaping hole in the ozone layer, which normally protects Earth's denizens from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Since then efforts to ban or reduce the chemicals that eat away at the ozone in the stratosphere have initiated the gradual recovery of the hole. This recovery will take decades, though, because these pollutants hang around for a long time. So far the ozone hole over Antarctica has remained about the same size, fluctuating year to year with changes in wind circulation patterns. While it will still take some time for the ozone hole to recover, if countries hadn't acted to ban ozone-destroying substances, the situation could have been much worse.

7. Ocean Dead Zone Expansion

For years now, so-called oceanic dead zones — pockets of the sea where oxygen is so depleted that many fish, crustaceans and other aquatic species can't survive, such as in the Gulf of Mexico — have been a growing concern. These suffocating spaces are primarily formed when fertilizer runoff pours in from rivers and promotes algae blooms that eat up all the oxygen as they die and decompose. Controlling fertilizer runoff could improve the situation fairly quickly. But some studies have suggested that increased crop growth for producing biofuels could send more fertilizer running downstream.

6. Corals in Crisis

Coral reefs, sometimes called the "rainforests of the ocean," are critical marine habitats. But reefs from the Caribbean to the Great Barrier Reef have been under pressure in recent decades from overfishing, pollution, disease, warming waters and ocean acidification. Ocean waters become more acidic as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As the water becomes more acidic, it dissolves the minerals used by corals and other animals to build their skeletons. A 2007 study found that this stressor alone could make most current coral habitats too acidic for reef growth by 2050. And so the outcome of the climate summit in Copenhagen, where great minds are hashing out ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions among other issues, will have implications for the survival of the world's coral reefs.

5. Vanishing Forests

On land, the actual rainforests aren't fairing much better, thanks in large part to deforestation. Forested areas, particularly rainforests, are key areas of biodiversity. They also absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, and so clearing such trees could boost greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, the rate of deforestation is about 32 million acres a year, or 36 football fields a minute. This amount of forest clearing generates nearly 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the WWF (formerly the World Wildlife Fund). One verdant sign: Fewer trees were cut down in the Brazilian Amazon this year than since record-keeping began in 2000, according to the WWF. Even so, the Amazon did lose swaths of forest, just not as much. Asia and Africa have seen rising rates of deforestation. Forests in the United States and Europe are fairing better, as reforestation has occurred in the last decade.

4. Water Stress

It's essential to life as we know it, and though the planet's surface is two-thirds water, pollution is making it unsuitable for the humans who drink it and the animals that live in it. The effects of global warming are also altering the patterns of water availability for drinking and agriculture: Already arid regions will likely get drier, and rising sea levels could force salty sea water into normally freshwater aquifers. Some scientists say western U.S. water supplies are already being impacted by climate change and that policy advisors need to set better management practices. Depending on where they are grown, the crops used to make biofuels could stress local water supplies.

3. Atmospheric Buildup

This year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally declared that carbon dioxide and five other heat-trapping gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act, paving the way for regulations of emissions. Some companies and nations have already pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but many of these goals have not been met. That and the rapid pace of development in countries like China and India have kept levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases rising globally, and at a faster rate than in previous years. China leads all nations in total emissions, but the United States is still number one in emissions per capita. Many proposals for cap-and-trade systems, methods for trapping carbon dioxide emissions underground and alternative forms of energy have been put forward, but it's up to governments and other groups to put them into action.

2. Animals in Peril

As wild lands are plowed over, built upon or otherwise altered, the animals and plants that dwell there also come under pressure. In fact, the 2009 Red List of Threatened Species issued by the World Conservation Union identified more than 17,000 species threatened with extinction out of the nearly 48,000 assessed.

Tigers, elephants, rhinos, and several species of primates are known victims of habitat change — and poaching — in Africa and Asia. Frog populations across the globe have been decimated by the spread of a deadly fungus. In the oceans, sharks, whales, dolphins and some species of fish are also hurting. The news isn't all bad, as many bird populations are recovering thanks to the ban on DDT. Polar bears were placed on the Endangered Species List last year, which means they will have protection under the Endangered Species Act. On the other end of the Earth, however, new studies have found that penguins are also in peril due to a combination of changes in climate, overfishing and pollution.

1. Humans Impacted

While we are the significant force behind much of the change to Earth's systems, those effects can come back and impact us through our health and changing environmental conditions that we must adapt to. This feedback will be magnified as human populations continue to grow. In 2007, the world population passed the 6 billion mark. That year also marked the first time in human history that more people were living in urban settings than rural areas. All 6 billion of us must compete for limited resources, including water, food and fuel. Some scientists say that we have already reached the limits of what our planet can support and that we need to curb population growth for the health of our species and the planet.

Have you ever wondered where your old computers really end up when you "recycle" it?

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:41:00 +0000

source: webecoist.com

Do you know what really happens to your electronics after you’re done with them? If you send them to a recycling facility, there’s a good chance that they’ll actually end up in countries like China, India or Ghana, where local workers risk their health to scavenge valuable materials from the discarded objects. The harmful waste resulting from these recycling centers often ends up in the local air and water stream, endangering the health of everyone in the vicinity.

It was only in 2001 that a light was first shone on these dangerous practices. Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network traced the path of “recycled” electronic waste – laptops, PCs, monitors, cell phones and TVs, for example – from North America to China, where workers make $6-$8 a day handling toxic materials with no protective clothing or masks. His video footage caught the attention of environmentalists around the world, but despite the outrage the practice still isn’t exactly illegal.

U.S. regulations concerning e-waste are murky at best, with no clear federal guidelines on how the e-waste should be handled. The lack of clear regulations leaves it up to individual companies to decide how to deal with their old electronics. Sadly, that means that many of them are shipped overseas where people, even young children, expose themselves to toxic substances to get at the small scraps of precious metals inside.

Recently, a research group from the University of British Columbia visited e-waste sites in Ghana and Guiyu, China. Their findings were put together into the short documentary “Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground” which aired on PBS (you can watch it online here). The conditions at the e-waste dumps were deplorable. Young boys burned plastic pieces to uncover the metal inside, while usable electronic parts were sold at open-air markets. Among the parts available for purchase were hard drives with retrievable personal information still intact.

While it is certainly up to the consumer to erase their personal data from hard drives before disposing of it, it’s easy to see why they believe that their information will not be compromised. Many recyclers, such as those in the PBS video, promise that the electronics will be completely melted down and only the precious metal components salvaged. However, as the researchers found, an alarming number of those recyclers pack the electronics into shipping containers and send them off to developing countries because it’s simply cheaper and easier for them.

There are some reputable e-waste recyclers out there that have invested the time and money into developing a much more sustainable recycling program. Unfortunately, because there are so few government regulations in the industry, it’s up to the individual consumer to research the company they entrust their old electronics to.

The amazing man who drives a car with thought-powered prosthetic arms.

noreply@blogger.com (MidwestBAS) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:21:00 +0000

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

A former mechanic who lost his arms in an industrial accident four years ago is able to drive again thanks to thought-powered artificial limbs.

Christian Kandlbauer, who lost his arms after being electrocuted by 20,000 volts, retook his driving test and passed.

Using the nerves that previously controlled the healthy limbs, the 22-year-old Austrian merely has to think what he wants his arms to do and the command is obeyed.

The thought from his brain creates a particular electrical impulse in the nerve endings at the site of amputation.

Those impulses are picked up by electrical connections to the artificial arm, which respond to the specific impulse and so causing the arm to move as he wants.

Mr Kandlbauer, who became the first recipient in the world of such ‘intelligent’ artificial limbs two years ago, now drives to work in a modified disabled car after passing his test last week.

‘The driving is really important to me,’ he said. ‘But now I can also drink a glass of beer without needing a straw. Now that’s impressive!’

He will be in the German capital Berlin on Friday to further showcase his abilities with his arms after they were fitted in 2007.

Before being fitted, the apprentice, who lost his arms in September 2005, underwent a complex operation in which nerves are relocated.

The Otto Bock health care company invented in the prosthetics in conjunction with medical scientists in Vienna.

‘After this selected nerve transfer surgery, the signals that were once responsible for controlling the arm are used for controlling the new prosthesis,’ said the makers of his arms.

‘Electrodes installed in the socket of the prosthesis respond to these control signals. When the user sends movement signals, a complex electronic analysis inside the prosthesis converts the signals and recognises the movements the user would like to make.’

He now works as a warehouse clerk at the company where he was employed as a mechanic before his accident.