Exploring Transportation

Not the most comfortable ride, this was the best way to transport people and their belongings over long distances. Operating on two horsepower, it went from 0 to 60 in, well, never. Where it Started

Steam Engines The invention of the steam engine provided more power, which could move more goods and more people over even greater distances in shorter amounts of time. http://chuckmanchicagonostalgia.wordpress.com/2012/11/25/photo-chicago-train-chicago-st-paul-minneapolis-and-omaha-railroad-steam-engine-93-and-crew-early/photo-chicago-train-chicago-st-paul-minneapolis-and-omaha-railroad-steam-engine-93-and-crew-early/

And finally, modern technology The engines in these early automobiles operated essentially the same as today’s internal combustion engines. The only differences have been improvements in efficiency and power.

Internal Combustion Engine Nikolaus August Otto, patent 1876 Part of nearly all private passenger vehicles Plentiful petroleum led to use of gasoline in the engine Fuel mixed with air then injected Uses electric spark for explosion 250+ million cars now registered in U.S.

Diesel Engine Rudolph Diesel, invented 1878 Another form of internal combustion engine Direct fuel injection No spark plug Fuel ignites at its flash point More efficient than gasoline engines of day The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid can vaporize to ignite in air. In a diesel engine, air is compressed and thus heated. It is then sprayed into the cylinder as an air/fuel mixture. Diesel’s Original 1897 Engine Photo courtesy of Chris Thomas via wikimedia commons Exploring Transportation - 7/19/17 - ©The NEED Project

Current IC Engines Thermal efficiency (26-34%) Mechanical efficiency (94%) Overall efficiency (20%) Emissions Particulate matter NOx Sulfur oxides Carbon monoxide Carbon dioxide Source: http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/102spring2002_web_projects/z.yates/zach%27s%20web%20project%20folder/eice%20-%20main.htm

Alternatives to Petroleum-based Fuels Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Cleaner, does not emit nitrogen and sulfur oxides, or all the particulate matter Still releases carbon dioxide Hydrogen fuel cells (used at Vancouver Olympics) Only emission is water vapor Lots of energy required to generate hydrogen Lack of infrastructure Currently prohibitively expensive CNG Fueling Station Exploring Transportation - 7/19/17 - ©The NEED Project

Alternatives to Petroleum-based Fuels LNG Fuel blends (Ethanol, biodiesel) Hybrid vehicles All Electric vehicles PHEV Charging Photo courtesy of NRG eVgo via wikimedia commons Exploring Transportation - 7/19/17 - ©The NEED Project

For More Information The NEED Project www.need.org info@need.org 1-800-875-5029 Energy Information Administration U.S. Department of Energy www.eia.gov Exploring Transportation - 7/19/17 - ©The NEED Project

NEED IS SOCIAL! Stay up-to-date with NEED. “Like” us on Facebook! Search for The NEED Project, and check out all we’ve got going on! Follow us on Twitter. We share the latest energy news from around the country, @NEED_Project. Follow us on Instagram and check out the photos taken at NEED events, instagram.com/theneedproject. Follow us on Pinterest and pin ideas to use in your classroom, Pinterest.com/NeedProject. Follow us on Snapchat to see us live in action at various NEED activities/events, need_project Exploring Transportation - 7/19/17 - ©The NEED Project