Sunday, September 21, 2008

Appeal to all heads of States on our planet

An appeal to world leaders to adopt Gravity Power in transportation systems and save 70% of energy from non-renewable sources !
Use of fossil fuels with carbon emissions is warming the planet, and economy is getting shocks of increasing oil prices because of increasing demand and dwindling supplies. Hoarding of oil or building up reserves for future security needs by nations is a typical response apart from playing war games to keep the oil rich countries under political control. Then again oil rich countries tend to exploit the supply-demand mismatches, to their advantage while in the markets too veiled speculation in the name of market forces playing out their games, hike up the oil prices at the advent of a storm or gale or any unrest occurring near oil production facilities. The roller coaster ride that the rest of the world has to manage with such spikes is not very healthy for economies of many a nation.



The requirements of energy and the sources typically for the world shows that hardly 5 to 6% of the energy is from renewable sources! Almost 88% of energy is from fossil fuels and non-renewable sources.
A breakthrough in technology has been long over due. It has now happened. In USA a patent application ( 12184151) has been filed on 31st July 2008, titled “Gravity Powered Rail, Road and Runways Transportation Systems”
Gravity remained an enigma since Newton formulated the equations describing its characteristic behavior of attraction but it remained unexplored. But we used gravity in as high level water storage tanks to supply water, and hydro-power in water falls, to generate electricity. For inter planet travel and trajectory control too gravity plays an active role. So it is not that gravity is strange in powering our lives.
In earlier war history trebuchet is another good example of gravity releasing a burst of energy to launch a projectile to hit a wall of a fort.
Why we should not use the same gravitational force to drive in a controlled manner a rolling mass on wheels in a generally horizontal direction? It is easy to to make a mass moving down vertically under gravity force, through a pulley and gear system to be connected to a rolling mass on wheels, and move the same from rest to a desired speed! Similarly when a rolling mass approaches with a speed the kinetic energy of the same can be recovered by lifting the mass up vertically against gravity. The Gravity Power Tower is the means configured in the patent application to make it possible for vertically moving set of multiple masses, driving, in generally horizontal direction, rolling massses or receiving the same, either giving out gravity power or gaining back potential energy.



In a nutshell the principle is explained and the components are also shown for the Gravity Power Tower. The full technical details of engineering the same are beyond the scope of this paper.
Suffice to say the Power mass Modules work as gravity energy saving, delivering and recovering energy sub-systems. There is intelligence controlling the entire process.

The Gravity Power Towers are highly complex knowledge embedded systems, network with each other physically linked by pairs of transport guide ways, and communicate with other towers as well as the controllers on the rolling masses getting transported in between the towers. This information exchange allows active power control and management system to keep the rolling masses transported at the desired speeds, recover close to 70% of energy back, and make up also the hysteresis /resistance losses using electrical motors in the towers.
Maturity of technology:
Is the technology of Gravity Power Tower mature enough or research is needed? The answer is evident if we check which technologies are involved: variable power transmission systems, gear/pulley arrangements, high speed end less looping cable systems are all known technologies; only parametric adoption is needed which is a design effort. The knowledge embedded systems are microprocessors based programmable systems working with a number of transducers like velocity and force monitors and electro-mechanical interfaces to start or stop the gear systems, or operate compressed air release valves on the rolling stock and similar mundane activities at critically important times in a reliable manner. These are all traditional areas well established in the industry and no new research is needed- except to make a few proving runs for the first prototypes. In fact the level of technology complexity is such that most of the developing countries will be able to handle themselves except for knowledge embedded systems- which also quite a few countries have adequate skill to develop.

The Gravity Powered Rail will have:


1. No locomotives nor traction motors on rolling stock nor any current collection systems like pantographs and catenary or third rail; so no recurring costs of repairs and maintenance of the motive power units.
2. Only a flywheel storage for emergency use on the rolling stock unit, which also gets charged by Gravity Power Tower which through high speed power transmission cable accelerates/ sustains/ decelerates the rolling unit
3. There are no drivers nor visible signals- energy levels control the speed profiles and built in intelligence makes the entire transportation automatic.
4. Speeds of 360 kmph for fast intercity travel, or urban transport at peak 80kmph with stops at 1km, or freight movement at 120 kmph carrying 50 million tonnes per a route per annum - handled by the Gravity Powered Rail.
5.Existing conventional rail can be converted into Gravity Powered Rail and one can have new advanced urban rail transport in sub-way, surface or elevated in cities as desired.

The Gravity Powered Road will have:

1.The cars have no conventional IC engines- replaced by flywheel storage  and a battery pack with an electromagnet fitted power arm.
2.The Gravity Powered Road will have speed denominated road lanes, 30,70,100 kmph or as desired .
3.The car driver starts with battery pack and after reaching the low speed lane switches on the electromagnet, which gets coupled with the power transmission cable running in the middle of the lane, and provides tractive force energizing the flywheel and battery pack too. The driver can shift to the speed lane he desires by decoupling from one lane and move to the next lane accelerating for this purpose using the flywheel energy, and again couples with that lane's power transmission cable.
4. Finally he gets out of the lane to go to parking lot using his stored energy from flywheel and battery pack.
5. In this case recovery of energy by the Gravity Power Towers is minimal and the only advantage is that inefficient working of IC engines within city roads and resulting pollution is avoided, with gravity power as well as even on highways, the use of oil is avoided using gravity power. The Gravity Towers will have to recover using electrical energy during off peak load periods.

The Gravity Powered Runways : 

1. There is a mid strip on the runway as well as on taxiways with power transmission cable embedded with steel coupling plates running.
2. The aircraft has special extended arm with an electromagnet which can couple or decouple as pilot orders, using which the plane reaches the head of the runway.
3. Once in position and Pilot gives a go ahead, and switches on his electromagnet coupling, 
4.While landing the process gets reversed, transferring the energy to Gravity Power Tower.

Impact of Gravity Power Towers:

Now for costs and impact on energy scene of a nation. Take USA as an example.
For every Mwh of gravity power delivered by Gravity Power Tower, we need 30% as electrical energy to recoup. Depending on the source of electrical energy this will vary. The basic infrastructure cost to provide the gravity tower is really comparatively quite low.
Another beauty of gravity power is the cost of power is as used at tractive effort level- whereas in other cases the cost does not include the cost of locomotive, traction distribution arrangements etc.
So how does it affect the dependence of a nation on oil imports by adopting Gravity Power Towers?
USA can avoid importing 8m barrels of oil with an investment of $150b ; this equivalent to the entire oil export of Saudi Arabia! While oil fields may dry up, Gravity Power is eternal and non-polluting!
Case of India:
India is the world’s eleventh-largest energy producer, with 2.4 percent of energy production, and the world’s sixth-largest consumer, with 3.5 percent of global energy consumption. Domestic coal reserves account for 70 percent of India’s energy needs. The remaining 30percent is met by oil, with more than 65 percent of that oil being imported. Demand for energy is expected to double by 2025; by then, 90 percent of India’s petroleum will be imported. ( Source CSIS Washington DC Sept. 7 , 2006)
Generally transportation consumes 30% of total energy; so 70% of this can be replaced with Gravity Power Towers and rest 30% drawn from solar/wind power, because with Gravity Power Towers, the cost falls to 1/3rd. So Gravity Power Towers will increase total energy from renewable sources to 30% of total energy on the planet, at the current cost of electrical energy per unit to the user.

Since for India about 30% of energy is met from oil which mainly goes to transportation, Gravity Power Towers can make a world of difference by almost eliminating oil imports.

A policy initiative needs to be taken by the states to promote Gravity Power.

Rajaram Bojji
Fellow of National Academy of Engineering India. 20 Sept., 2008
GRAVITY POWER IS A NEW REALITY

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Gravity Power Towers can grant energy independence to many a nation!




The Gravity Power Tower leverages the solar and wind produces electrical energy, to deliver 3 times the electrical energy input, with the result the alternate sources of energy will be financially affordable by the users.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Gravity Powered Rail, Road and Runways transportation systems

Gravity Power is the new source of energy for transportation sector, which causes paradigm shift to have Green travel option at lowered costs improving quality of human life at reducing costs!


A patent application filed in USA titled "Gravity Powered Rail, Road and Runways Transportation systems" US Patent Application no: 12184151 dt. 07/31/08 and PCT filed with IB/ WIPO Application Number: PCT/IB2008/053392 Inventors: Rajaram Bojji & Ananda Krishna Bojji VA USA
Date of Receipt: 24 August 2008 Receiving Office: International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization

Gravity Power Tower is the means which provides gravity power as prime motive power and recovers back energy given except for hysteresis losses due to resistance - which it makes up through external energy source like electricity.
Practically 70% of energy is gravity generated and 30% taken from electrical source.

Gravity power is free from generation and distribution costs and there are no recurring periodic charges for consumption of gravity energy.

Energy charges will drop to 30% of current levels when one adopts Gravity Power Towers.

The Gravity Powered Rail will have:

1. No locomotives nor traction motors on rolling stock nor any current collection systems like pantographs and catenary or third rail; so no recurring costs of repairs and maintenance of the motive power units.
2. Only a flywheel storage for emergency use on the rolling stock unit, which also gets charged by Gravity Power Tower which through high speed power transmission cable accelerates/ sustains/ decelerates the rolling unit
3. There are no drivers nor visible signals- energy levels control the speed profiles and built in intelligence makes the entire transportation automatic.
4. Speeds of 360 kmph for fast intercity travel, or urban transport at peak 80kmph with stops at 1km, or freight movement at 120 kmph carrying 72 million tonnes per annum - handled by the Gravity Powered Rail.
5.Existing conventional rail can be converted into Gravity Powered Rail and one can have new advanced urban rail transport in sub-way, surface or elevated in cities as desired,

The Gravity Powered Road will have:

1.The cars have no conventional IC engines- replaced by flywheel storage and a battery pack with an electromagnet fitted power arm.
2.The Gravity Powered Road will have sped denominated road lanes, 30,70,100 kmph or as desired .
3.The car driver starts with battery pack and after reaching the low speed lane switches on the electromagnet, which gets coupled with the power transmission cable running in the middle of the lane, and provides tractive force energising the flywheel and battery pack too. The driver can shift to the speed lane he desires by decoupling from one lane and move to the next lane accelerating for this purpose using the flywheel energy, and again couples with that lane's power transmission cable.
4. Finally he gets out of the lane to go to parking lot using his stored energy from flywheel and battery pack.
5. In this case recovery of energy by the Gravity Power Towers is minimal and the only advantage is that inefficient working of IC engines within city roads and resulting pollution is avoided, with gravity power as well as even on highways, the use of oil is avoided using gravity power. The Gravity Towers will have to recover using electrical energy during off peak load periods.

The Gravity Powered Runways :

1. There is a mid strip on the runway as well as on taxiways with power transmission cable embedded with steel coupling plates running.
2. The aircraft has special extended arm with an electromagnet which can coupe or decouple as pilot orders, using which the plane reaches the head of the runway.
3. Once in position and Pilot gives a go ahead, and switches on his electromagnet coupling,
4.While landing the process gets reversed, transferring the energy to Gravity Power Tower.

Self-governing intelligence:

Gravity Power Tower Controller, Power Mass module controller , Rolling stock controller, High Speed Power Transmission cable are all microprocessor based intelligent inter-communicating embedded systems which coordinate the various activities and their timings once the go ahead is given.





--
B. Rajaram M.Tech., FIE.,FNAE
Inventor Anti-collision/ Skybus Technologies, Former MD Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.,
Member ITER-India Board Dept Atomic Energy Govt.of India
In USA 1 703 796 0225 Mobile 1 571 721 8791
Res: 834 Spring Knoll Dr HERNDON VA 20170 USA
URL: www.atrilab.com
Einstein said, "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
DIRECTOR Atri Knowledge Embedded Infrastructure Lab.(P) Ltd., Flat 205, 2-2-15 , B9, D.D. Colony Hyderabad 500007 http://rajaram.bojji.googlepages.com/