{"id":1353,"date":"2022-01-03T00:04:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T23:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/?post_type=unit&p=1353"},"modified":"2022-01-03T00:04:26","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T23:04:26","slug":"nano-energy-and-fuel-saving","status":"publish","type":"unit","link":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/unit\/nano-energy-and-fuel-saving\/","title":{"rendered":"Nano, energy and fuel saving"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Nanotechnology can contribute to alternative energy approaches to help meet the world\u2019s increasing energy demands while helping combat climate change. Researchers are looking into various ways to develop clean, affordable, and renewable energy sources, along with means to reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution. For instance, nanotechnology is improving the efficiency of fuel production from raw petroleum materials through better catalysis. It is also enabling reduced fuel consumption in vehicles and power plants through higher-efficiency combustion and decreased friction. As well, nanotechnology is also used in oil and gas extraction using nanotechnology-enabled gas lift valves in offshore operations and the use of nanoparticles to detect microscopic oil pipeline fractures. (NNI, 2021).\u00a0Another good example is how nano-thermal coatings on wind turbines enhance the efficiency of wind farms by 25%. Indeed, the nano-thermal coating prevents ice build-up on the wind turbines. (CISION PR Newswire, 2019). As well, epoxy containing carbon nanotubes are being used to make windmill blades that are longer, stronger, and lighter-weight than other blades to increase the amount of electricity that windmills can generate (NNI, 2021).<\/p>\n

Another renewable energy sector that nanotechnology can help in solar energy. Indeed, one of the biggest disadvantages of solar energy is the high cost associated with manufacturing solar cells. Furthermore, modern solar cells can lose as much as 10% of acquired power as a result of direct optical loses, since the surface of these cells will reflect anywhere between 2% – 10% of incoming sunlight. Nanotechnology offers the ability to solve this problem. Since nanostructures typically are only a few hundred nanometers in size, they create an interface between the air and the nanostructure, particularly those comprised of silicon, become graded rather than planar. This change in the solar cells\u2019 design allows for light to be precisely guided and absorbed into the cell, rather than reflected away (Cuffari, 2018). Moreover, nanotechnology can be incorporated into solar panels to convert sunlight to electricity more efficiently, promising inexpensive solar power in the future. Nanostructured solar cells could be cheaper to manufacture and easier to install, since they can use print-like manufacturing processes and can be made in flexible rolls rather than discrete panels. Newer research suggests that future solar converters might even be \u201cpaintable\u201d (NNI, 2018).<\/p>\n

Furthermore, wires containing carbon nanotubes are being developed that will have much lower resistance than the high-tension wires currently used in the electric grid, thus reducing transmission power loss. Similarly, various nanoscience-based options are being pursued to convert waste heat in computers, automobiles, homes, power plants, etc., to usable electrical power (NNI, 2018).<\/p>\n

Energy efficiency and energy saving products are increasing in number and types of application. In addition to those noted above, nanotechnology is enabling more efficient lighting systems; lighter and stronger vehicle chassis materials for the transportation sector; lower energy consumption in advanced electronics; and light-responsive smart coatings for glass.<\/p>\n

Thus, nanotechnology can help us create more efficient products which minimize the loss of energy and maximize outputs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Remember<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Nanotechnology in renewable energy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nanotechnology can help us create more efficient products which minimize the loss of energy and maximize outputs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Early we mentioned how nano can help us save fuel. Indeed, nanotechnology can lightweight cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, and space craft which could lead to significant fuel savings. As we learned before, the incredible properties that nanomaterials have able us to have materials that are as resistant as the bulk material, but to weigh less. Nanoscale additives in polymer composite materials are also being used in baseball bats, tennis rackets, bicycles, motorcycle helmets, automobile parts, luggage, and power tool housings, making them lightweight, stiff, durable, and resilient. Carbon nanotube sheets are now being produced for use in next-generation air vehicles. For example, the combination of light weight and conductivity makes them ideal for applications such as electromagnetic shielding and thermal management (NNI, 2021).<\/p>\n

Carbon nanotube<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Moreover, nanotechnology is improving the efficiency of fuel production from raw petroleum materials through better catalysis. It is also enabling reduced fuel consumption in vehicles and power plants through higher-efficiency combustion and decreased friction (NNI, 2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Remember<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Nano and fuel saving<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nanotechnology is improving the efficiency of fuel production from raw petroleum materials through better catalysis. It is also enabling reduced fuel consumption in vehicles and power plants through higher-efficiency combustion, decreased friction and lightweighting.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In brief, nanotechnology offers the promise of developing multifunctional materials that will contribute to building and maintaining lighter, safer, smarter, and more efficient vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, and ships. In addition, nanotechnology offers various means to improve the transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n

As discussed above, nano-engineered materials in automotive products include polymer nanocomposites structural parts such as:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • high-power rechargeable battery systems<\/li>\n
  • thermoelectric materials for temperature control<\/li>\n
  • lower rolling-resistance tires<\/li>\n
  • high-efficiency\/low-cost sensors and electronics<\/li>\n
  • thin-film smart solar panels<\/li>\n
  • fuel additives and improved catalytic converters for cleaner exhaust and extended range.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    To summarize, nano can make renewable energy more efficient and save fuel by improving the efficiency of fuel production from raw petroleum materials through better catalysis and enabling reduced fuel consumption in vehicles and power plants through higher-efficiency combustion, decreased friction and lightweighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n

    Remember<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Nanotechnology\u2019s potential<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Nanotechnology offers the promise of developing multifunctional materials that will contribute to building and maintaining lighter, safer, smarter and more efficient vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, and ships.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vibebp_attr":"","_vibebp_dimensions":"","_vibebp_responsive_height":"","_vibebp_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"module-tag":[],"class_list":["post-1353","unit","type-unit","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/unit\/1353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/unit"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/unit"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1353"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/unit\/1353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1394,"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/unit\/1353\/revisions\/1394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"module-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lms.nanoproject.eu\/lms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/module-tag?post=1353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}