ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Possibly via carpentry industry?

I know the joinery factory next door to where I work filters the sawdust into hoppers to fuel a biomass boiler...which in turn spews out loads of black smoke because it’s barely maintained (and local environment agency aren’t bothered ).

The kitchen unit factory I visited yesterday is also fitting kit to capture sawdust and use it in a biomass system, I think he mentioned CHP too which would be impressive.

I suppose it’s possible in summer months, surplus fuel could be sold on.

Meanwhile back at home I’m guzzling 30kw/h over 24 hours for heat and light and my solar panels are producing this:


Think I’m going have to extend the house so I can fit more panels on the roof, no wait, that means more space to heat and light

andy97

iTrader: (1)

You need wind power too, if possible.

We are going for a 40kW array assuming it will produce 20kW peak

Other good news. Tesla jumped into profit with superb vehicle sales. They will now bring forward production of the Model Y

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...-a9169006.html

urban

iTrader: (1)

https://www.caradvice.com.au/803058/...trBy_asfeZIkdM

dpb

That'd be a grim way to go

maybe theyll change the design

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Why didn't emergency services smash the windows?

There are manual cable openers on the inside of both the S and 3. Also likely there are on the X too, just in the event of loss of electrics.

Inexperienced first responder s

Torquemada

yeah, I couldn't get a handle on that either...

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I’m on it:




Currently producing 40mW

BMWhere?

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50212037

Looks like the Hydrogen revolution is starting to pick up speed!

Interesting towards the end of the above article:
China is prioritising Hydrogen cars over battery cars which as the biggest market in the world is extremely significant. China is already leading the way in battery electric vehicles, but now its pushing Hydrogen instead!

andy97

iTrader: (1)

More the better, When they can reduce the 50kW of energy to produce 1kg of hydrogen then they will be onto a winner

I kg of hydrogen is around 3 times more energy dense than petrol, but processes to separate hydrogen are highly inefficient currently

BMWhere?

The current processes are about 70 to 80% efficient, which is way better that ICE.
The big advantage with Hydrogen to EVs is the massive weight saving due to the high energy density per weight. The energy density to weight of batteries is extremely low, so you are lugging around a **** load of dead weight which requires much more energy to move. This goes some way to counteracting the losses in producing hydrogen also taking into account losses from charging and discharging the batteries of an EV.
Over the last years there have been a number of breakthroughs in more efficient and cheaper hydrogen production, as the demand increases, then there will be further investments and a research in efficient hydrogen production. Currently the majority of Hydrogen is produced on-site, removing the transportation costs and difficulties associated with transporting hydrogen. Numerous companies, including Honda and developing compact solar powered hydrogen production units, which are becoming compact enough to be installed in homes, the generated hydrogen can then be converted back to electricity to power your home or used to fill your car.

andy97

iTrader: (1)

I've no doubt they will eventually sort the production and storage of hydrogen. Its still in its infancy compared to now rapidly growing BEV. I would have no qualms swapping to hydrogen. As long as ICEs are phased out in double quick time

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I remember the prototype BMW on Tomorrow’s world that ran on hydrogen.

It did develop less power despite hydrogen having a higher calorific value it was much more prone to detonation.

Must have been early 1990’s, yet we’re still waiting

andy97

iTrader: (1)

The latest hydrogen vehicles use a catalyst fuel cell system to produce electricity to drive a electric motor. Gone are pistons, crankshafts

BMWhere?

I remeber that car, saw it at the Frankfurt motor show.
Back in the 90s, BMW were experimenting with dual fuel combustion using petrol and hydrogen. Would have been a good interrim solution to create the hydrogen refuling network in the same way that LPG was introduced as a dual fuel solution. Naver made it to market though!

andy97

iTrader: (1)

I read this the other week before the vote, now its going to happen

First UK city to ban diesel

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-50292596:

Welcome news and hopefully many more cities and towns will follow

BMWhere?

Not sure how this helps really. Brake, tyre and road wear each produce more fine particulates than exhaust emissions, all of which affect petrol and EV's and as much as diesels. If they really want to improve air quality, they should ban all vehicles from city centres!

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Step 1 ban the hated fuel cars, next ban petrol followed by all vehicles

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

And a lot airborne particles in cities is actually cloth fibre from clothing! This has been measured as the highest airborne contamination in areas of high people density such as shopping malls, public transport etc. in some cases higher than all other pollutants.

I can attest to this as in my old HVAC job the filters in clothing shops always clogged fastest, especially on units which drew air in or near to changing rooms. That, and human skin (of course).

Whilst pressure groups focus on water/sea pollution by fibres but airbourne fibres aren’t really given that much attention, which is daft as it will eventually settle and get washed into waterways...

ergo, if you live and work in ‘the city’ you are most likely to be breathing as much plastic as you are anything else!

coupe_20vt

iTrader: (2)

Still has to be approved by the government. Don't count your Duracells just yet.

coupe_20vt

iTrader: (2)

You appear to be the only contributor to this thread that hates 'fuel cars'

pacenote

Then reintroduce the horse and cart

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Towns and cities dont need vehicles, just folk walking, cycling. Maybe a decent electric bus or tram system to take visitors away from centres to outer town parking

Sad Weevil

iTrader: (1)

As a Bristolian, I'm all in favour of the diesel ban. It's not just the particulates, it's also the levels of NOx and NO2 that are the problem here. Kids are growing up here with severe asthma and other respiratory problems. 'Safe' levels have been exceeded here year after year, and something drastic has to be done. It also needs to be wider than the proposed inner city zone.

This. Especially a city the size of Bristol. Imagine, kids would have to find their own way to school, instead of being delivered by a scowling mother in a Q5.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Funny you bring up Asthma (or not so funny if you suffer it - as do I ), research in to it is massively neglected and indeed the actual definition of it; It mearly means respiratory difficulty.

Focus on treatments is almost always on preventive steroids that limit the immune system and relief medication....very very little is done on the actual triggers or indeed any linking allergic conditions and how diet, lifestyle or environment link into it (and it does). Also how the body can build tolerance and intolerance.

Now for me its mainly mould spores and dust mite feaces. I know because when I walk into such in environment I need to get out quick...people with multiple dogs or cats generally have unclean households, they may protest that it isn’t but my immune reaction is proof it isn’t.

But going back to pollution, how does one become allergic to Nox? You don’t...its lung damaging...like smoking. Nox related ‘Asthma’ isn’t Asthma in the way its typically defined or treated...like type 1 and type 2 diabetes...two totally different problems but both cause blood/sugar issues.

I think respiratory illnesses would be better understood if every breathing difficulty wasn’t simply plonked under the Asthma umbrella....I would say pollution related breathing issues is more on par with smoking and probably more closely linked to early onset of COPD.

Whilst COPD (and emphysema) and Asthma do have overlap there are differences, like that of allergic triggered and pollution triggered asthma, where treatment and understanding probably would be better for both if it were treated as separate conditions. It’s beggers belief that whilst I have Asthma triggered by allergins, not one NHS doctor saw fit to refer me to have tests to find what exactly I am allergic to, instead just prescribing various steroids until they found something that worked (until it stopped working ..then I had to double doses before being switched to something else). I ended up having to find out for myself

What I am saying in a roundabout way is Nox does not cause asthma in the same way as dust mite feaces causes it. It therefore should not be called the same or treated as the same condition.

And finally clean air starts at home, mould, pets, condensation, no part F compliance (i.e inadequate extractors and air changes). If you have respiratory issues the first thing to check is if your house is upto Part F regs as that’s a bare minimum; just because there is a rattly old 100mm fan in the bathroom doesn’t mean it’s up to the job, same goes for drying your clothes on the radiator...seriously this is stuff that creates the perfect storm for breathing problems...Until every Asthmatic’s home is properly scrutinised you can forget that old euro3 diesel driving past...banning them probably won’t make much difference, most of the UK’s housing needs a severe change in regards to improving internal air quality...trickle vents and an ioniser in the kiddy’s room don’t cut it

Sad Weevil

iTrader: (1)

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/documents...7-5e7a5ae56701


"Bristol City Council has commissioned Air Quality Consultants to update its previous work to include the effects of exposure to nitrogen dioxide on deaths attributable to air pollution in the City of Bristol.
The new results show that around 300 deaths each year in the City of Bristol can be attributed to exposure to both nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter. This represents about 8.5% of deaths in the City of Bristol being attributable to air pollution. Road traffic is the dominant local source of emissions contributing to the deaths.

andy97

iTrader: (1)

I too suffer/suffered from Asthma. It eventually cleared for the majority of the year when I built our current home and fitted finished wood flooring and tiles throughout the house. I reduced dust and mites from carpets.

The issue I used to have was entering a busy town or city and beginning to feel my airways tighten from all the vehicle pollutants. You can taste, smell and see it.

Bizarrely thunderstorms with a heavy down pour can trigger me to using inhalers. Described by my doctor, the fine particulates which rise up on the air become charged and washed back down to ground level in significant amounts to cause me trouble.

You only have to research to see the spike in lung related admissions to hospital with such weather events. I class my self as mild asthmatic, but cringe at the discomfort of those who are more vulnerable to pollutants than me.

Lets for arguments sake place Asthma under brackets of 'Lung disease' vehicles cause localised pollution, which needs to be addressed urgently. Yes there are other causes, power stations, industry etc etc.

It would benefit the masses if folk were 'Encouraged' to use an ICE much less and walk, cycle more. The knock benefits are fitter, healthier population with a massively reduced burden upon the NHS.

Ive not used a petrol car in over a month, tiny journey to have it MOT'd(family member) I will not likely drive an ICE again till spring. I see more and more EV's oddly more Tesla's than Leafs

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Erm...the above report focuses on two things Nox and particulate matter that is below 2.5 microns yet combines it to form its conclusions; Nox is NOT particulate. Soot, ash, mold spores, fabric fibres, dustmite feaces etc is!

Furthermore it doesnt really quanitfy the actual content found within PM2.5 samples...or indeed mention any sampling methods! Ergo this is a statistical analysis of figures not scientific research report.


I draw you to section 4.15: Labelled “Uncertainty in deaths”
PM2.5 alone: 32 – 348 deaths
NO2 alone: 69 – 264 deaths
Combined PM2.5 and NO2: 101 – 612 deaths

Thus shows how arbitrary this statistical report is.

Really what’s needed is more proper groupings of autopsy reports, in fact it doesn’t even mention anything about the lung conditions found in those who died from lung related issues. This is worrying because you cannot be sure is this is a contribution to death as a comorbid factor or the actual single cause. Likely from a scientific view is its inconclusive because what is likely to have been the result of death is weakened/irritated lungs, combined with a depressed immune system and drugs that open up airways and further depress immune response to infections making the final killer a lung infection (say, pneumonia; a condition in itself that has a number of causes).

What I’n saying here is more research is needed and statistical reports like this aren’t helping because it’s full of holes in relation to the specifics on deaths as well as it casually attributing pollution sources (I.e no mention of wood burners), same as it mentioning vehicles but not WHICH vehicles!

My point being saying ban all diesels is idiotic. For example modern ‘lean burn’ direct injected petrols also produce excess particulate and Nox..the amount of which varies based on which emissions spec it is; Newer petrols have particulate filters..just like diesels, some use Nox sensors in the exhaust (VW, BMW) whilst others calculate Nox (Toyota) and use Nox storage catalysts....none of which is tested at any time in the vehicle’s life meaning a great ambiguity and lack of correlation in the figures of claimed emissions and actual emissions (just like dieselgate).

What is needed is proper and strict annual or bi annual testing of vehicle emissions on a government level of every vehicle on the toad in addition to MOT (MOT emissions tests don’t even come close to this in strictness)...test of Nox included and ensuring that each vehicle still meets the EU3/4/5/6 standards it was made to. If not, it is banned. Secondly banning of compliant vehicles below EU5 from high pollution areas outright. Thirdly, phase out EU4 and lower vehicles or encourage retrofits with certifications and tests to allow them to become EU6 compliant....oh and ban all public transport below EU6 (Im fed up of following EU3 buses made in 2002 (lots round here) spewing out everything as they have no particulate filters, no adblu systems and limited EGR (assuming its not blocked or defective, which it probably is).

Finally, particulate matter...a F7 filter will capture most of that...guess what’s in a decent pollen filter! Good ones are also impregnated with carbon (standard or optional on most German cars), these if changed regularly (at least yearly) will also absorb some Nox related gases. The cleanest air could actually be in your car! (assuming you have new filters and not following a EU3 bus).

What does your home have? Nothing!? Wake up...until your house has at least M5 level filtration (as a bare minimum) and air quality sensing, people are going to keep suffering lung issues regardless of going outside or sitting inside! Getting air quality in the home sorted can help in giving respite, otherwise you are just going from one unhealthy environment into another. ....

https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-y...-air-pollution

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Funny you should say about home air filtration. I saved some money on certain aspects of my mew build so have decided to plumb in an MHVR system to all rooms, which comes with G7 filters but can be upgraded to higher spec.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I too have noticed a big improvement in my breathing since moving house.

Now I’ve always had lung issues, and it was always helped by keeping the house ‘clean’ by clean I mean almost forensically, and with a good number of air changes. That meant HEPA vacuums and ensuring the seals don’t bypass them, motorised brush bars for any carpet, banning pets from bedrooms (or indeed upstairs). Move furniture quarterly and every surface wiped (with brush tool on vacuum)...walls ceilings etc. Dry clothes in the dryer (indoors = bad as it affects damp levels, outdoors bad due to it getting covered in pollutants/irritants). Ensure good extraction...300m3hr for bathroom, 600m3hr for kitchen etc.

This was in one house built in the 60’s that progressively got worse once the crittall windows were changed for uPVC along with cavity and loft insulation...sure the house was warmer but the air was no better...wooden suspended floors mean water in the ground beneath the house would rise up and just stay inside the house.

Next houses was 80’s which wasn’t really any better! Still had suspended wood floor over open ground and ambiguous ventilation (trickle vents don’t guarantee airflow).

The current house much much better. Its been butchered above and beyond that of DIY SOS, part 60’s part 90’s, part 00’s part 2010’s, re-roofed, re-skinned, refloored, ground floor suspended beam/block concrete screed (therefore sealed from the moisture in ground below), insulated heavily (walls, roof, between floors), sealed windows with MVHR filtered ventilation etc. etc. This is way above and beyond the average house has, even new ones and I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting my breathing to improve as much as it has. Of course without proper air quality measurement tools this arbitrary at best, but all aligns with a lot of common sense and what others in similar situations have experienced.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Just had to point out G7 doesn’t really exist in residential filtration G=Course 7=Fine

F7 is probably what you meant (F=Fine, level 7)....our spray booths use G filters!

I’m currently only using M5 filters (Medium, level 5) as I have builders still in and the system needs rejigging a little; I specified a universal in-line filter box as these use much cheaper standard size filter media as well as having a much larger surface area (less restrictive), whereas the MVHR unit is brand specific so more expensive, smaller and thus requires more maintenance...unfortunately the installer mixed up the supply and extract ducts and fitted it to the extract ducts So currently have M5 filtration....still impressive what it captures, it gets ‘dirty’ far quicker than a car engine or cabin filter!