Manufacturing

Mother Nature’s “Lightning”: A Clear And Present Danger

A Texas rancher, unfortunately, found some of his livestock, which has been standing near a fence, dead from a lightning strike. Each year, world-wide it is estimated that domestic, as well as feral animals, are killed in the hundreds of thousands by lightning strikes. The cost to the owners of the herds is prodigious. The reality of the matter is not much has been done to protect livestock in such weather. If one ‘thinks outside the box’ there is no reason insulated transportable small ‘barns’ could not be designed and inexpensively manufactured for herd shelters.

In the areas, such as Arkhangai Province near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, herders lose thousands of their animals yearly due to horrendous lightning storms, snow and wind. In -30C [-22F] temperatures; this loss can be reduced significantly with the aforementioned portable insulated ‘small barns’. Losses from electrical storms, in particular, could be prevented. As for humans, we are better off.

The capacity to kill, from lightning’s electrical energy, is well-known by all. In fact, it kills on average, approximately 6 people per million, per year, world wide. If one presumes there exists approximately 7.8 billion people on Earth, one sees that 46,850+/- people perish yearly from strikes. In agricultural areas around the world, for humans, the death toll is higher, due to lack of effective shelters, than of residents in cities. In urban areas one is safer due to effective housing. Since lightning injuries exceed deaths, by ten times, human suffering is quite vast. Numerically, lightning strikes to humans,and animals, as well damage such as forest fire started from the strikes, are as destructive as many ‘Influenza Pandemics’. As to ‘Flora’ damage, there is no contest.

Having engaged in hard rock mining, many of us are quite familiar with lightning storms causing ignition of blasting caps for dynamite charges. [We are also aware of firearms shots detonating sticks of dynamite; This we have witnessed]. For miners, several thousand feet underground, lightning can kill; as historical evidence in Africa has shown. It behooves executives of mining companies to secure the best of insulation for their miners in remote locales, world-wide.

It is imperative for effectively-insulated building designs to be employed, as the, in-fashion phrase, ‘Climate Change’ [no longer, “Global Warming”] evidences climatic deviance in weather patterns. This evolution in climate may produce more electrical storms in greater varied locations, and of stronger electrical intensities. At present, it appears that Japan is the leader in building fabrications with the fewest lightning strike victims in the world; a fact of which the country’s leaders should be proud.

Reality: For all living creatures and humanity, respect for ‘Mother Nature’ with her powers is essential. Those unaware, or in denial, can pay the price for this lack of acknowledgement.

Reference: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7459711/Lightning-strike-kills-23-cows-instantly-bolt-struck-metal-fence.html

Sydney, Australia River Is “Pretty” Polluted; A Ecologic Wake-Up Call For All

A surprised Sydney, Australia resident witnessed an aesthetic “Mauve” coloration of the Duck River, which flows through a portion of the city. Viewing a lack of bird and other animal life, people were concerned about the formerly muddy-brown water flow.

Fortunately for fauna and flora, in and abutting the Duck River, no apparent damage has been reported. However, one may presume that minimally, the aquaculture in the river have been affected negatively, by the unknown chemical[s]. Officials have yet to identify the miscreants and bring them to justice. The fact that the Duck River is slowly transitioning back to is muddy-brown mode is good.

ANY entity dealing with chemicals has to realize the possibility of contamination by the chemicals, accidentally or not. Since ‘Ignorance’ is never a viable excuse for contamination, we suggest an approach to those who may be found responsible. We would advocate a “No Bite, No Fright” rationale for the adjudicator to utilize in evaluating all of the evidence. A punishment with a ‘Strong Gavel’ may persuade others to be law abiding. In this Duck River case, we think that since the contaminator did not contact the authorities regarding this substantial area ‘dirtying’, he, she, or they, should pay the price: a substantial fine and incarceration might be attention- gainers for others too.

Reality: The price of contamination by a few, should never have to be paid for by ‘Mother Nature’.

Reference: https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/no-sign-of-purple-rain-so-what-turned-sydney-creek-a-vivid-mauve-20200613-p5528v.html

Brazilian Technology, Aided, in Part, by Russian Physicist, Can Make Non-Edible Materials Into Bio-fuel

News Analysis: Sugar Cane, Corn, Potato Peels, Wood Fibers and the like, are all suitable progenitor materials for bio-fuel production. By using the aforementioned, rather than discarding them, cleaner fuel for vehicles is available. The beneficial environmental impact to the world, using this methodology, is only limited by the financial resources allocated. Further studies into second generation technology and mass  production facilities are needed to be built throughout the world. Human intellect and money are the answers to these two elements.

Great intellect, as evidenced by Russian Physicist Igor Polikarpov and his associates, can fulfill the first element. The second element: Money, can be fulfilled by entrepreneurs and corporations of the world working with the pertinent governments. 

Reference: http://www.sptimes.ru/story/38404?page=1#top

Namibians Install Innovative Solar System for Brewery

News Analysis:  Efficient Solar Energy, if used in conjunction with advanced Electrical Storage Technologies, will provide manufacturers ‘Around the Clock’ Electricity. The ‘up-front’ Non-Recurring Costs [when amortized over the project life] conjoined with the ‘De Minimis’ Recurring Costs, can save manufacturers a great deal of money over time.

The “Cleanliness” of Solar Energy, along with its projected five-billion-year lifespan energy source, make it very attractive environmentally.

As Solar Cell Technology improves, energy output will increase and  “Cost-to-Produce” elements will abate.

Reference: http://tinyurl.com/qexunw7

Vietnam Purchases American Aircraft Engines

News Analysis: Vietnam fought America at a cost of over 50,000 American lives. Today it is purchasing aircraft engines as well as airplanes of U.S. manufacture. This is good trade for both countries.

One can only hope that continued rapprochement with other countries would lead America to its former international lead on all continents. Commerce between countries is better than chaos between them.

Reference: http://tinyurl.com/n5gkcvp

How to Scrap a Composite Commercial Aircraft

News Analysis: A “25 to 30” year life [or sooner] of composite aircraft necessitates they be environmentally disposed.

Carbon/Carbon aircraft have inherent problems not found with metal aircraft [such as delamination due to stress or  to high energy solar exposure while in flight]. The U.S. Air Force spends millions of dollars a year on composite fuselage protection of the B-2 Bomber. Now, it is seeking $55 Billion for a new bomber.

Perhaps: A possibly shorter life expectancy; more costly fuselage repairs [from the aforementioned]; and, ‘Egg Shell’ disintegration if there is a failure of the landing gear to work causing a “belly landing” will get airlines to re-think. Now, the public will be subjected to ‘repairs’ of damaged commercial aircraft not time-tested by the Airframe.

The airlines being  enamored with the marketed value of a “lighter aircraft” that ‘will reduce fuel burn’ is out of balance with the other issues mentioned. Additionally, the price of fuel is based on supply and demand like any other commodity. New sources of supply of oil are forthcoming presently. The price of aviation fuel will reduce as the supply is increased. Then, how valuable was the fuel cost element compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars spent for the ‘Composite’ aircraft and its inherent frailties?  Reality.

Reference: http://tinyurl.com/n457u4r

Airbus Seeks Tranche Release from German Government

News Analysis:  Funding for development cost, pre-production and  production costs make it essential that cash-flow hopefully is proportionately consistent through all stages of the manufacturing process. It is incumbent upon a manufacturer to make certain capital out-flow be in consonance with in-flow, especially during the early stages of on-going aircraft production as is the case here. Since, the Airbus A350 is presently in the early stages of production, learning curve labor costs per aircraft can be anticipated to be higher now than in the future thereby making the higher adjusted  in-flow of funds essential.

Reference: http://tinyurl.com/km8bmju