Stumper #46
Question 1 . What natural source of power is used by the Pelamis energy converter?
Answer: Ocean wave power. If you answered "water", or "ocean" you were not correct because the specific, maintaining power source is the wave actionReferences:
http://www.oceanpd.com
http://home.clara.net/darvill/altenerg/wave.htm
The Pelamis is developed by a Scottish company called Ocean Power Delivery and is a method of offshore wave energy collection using a hinged tube (about the size of 5 railway carriages) that bobs up and down in the waves. As the hinges bend they pump hydraulic fluid which drives generators. The device is linked to shore through a single seabed cable.
Image of Pelamis is from www.oceanpd.com
The Snapper - invented by Ed Spooner - uses the usual magnet-moving-inside-wire-coil system but alongside the coil is a second set of magnets of alternating polarity . This outer set forces the central magnet to repeatedly stop its movement in and out of the coil so that it moves in a series of short rapid movements that can create electricity much more efficiently and effectively than a slow, smooth movement.
Question 2 . What fuel was used in the first electrical power plants of the late 1800's?
Answer: Wood
The first power plants were run on wood. Electricity has been generated for the purpose of powering human technologies for at least 120 years from various sources of potential energy. Today we rely mainly on petroleum, natural gas, coal, nuclear power and a small amount from hydrogen, and such natural, renewable sources as hydroelectric and solar energy, tidal harnesses, wind generators, and geothermal sources.
MORE:
Electricity Generation
A "generator" and "motor" are essentially the same thing - it depends on whether electricity is going into the unit or coming out of it.
A generator produces electricity . In a generator, something causes the shaft and armature to spin and electric current is generated. It doesn't matter what power or fuel is used to spin the shaft - the electricity that's produced is the same.
A motor uses electricity . In a motor, the electricity comes in through wires and the current causes the motor's armature and shaft to spin. If there's just a little current and it's a small motor, it won't do very much work. If it's a large motor and is using a lot of electricity, it can do a lot of work.
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