I was reading in Esquire magazines latest issue about Dean Kamen and that he was working on some really exciting inventions to help the planet as well as help the people of the U.S.
I didn't know who Dean Kamen was until I got to the part about the Segway scooter and remembered it.
Dean Kamen has some great inventions that could solve a number of problems, like getting electricty and clean water to people in area's of the world that have no clean water.
Helping solve the oil problem with a type of engine that has been neglected by the big three auto makers, but has been used since the late 1800's.
Some facts that cover the inventions
It is designed to supply a village with 1,000 liters/day of clean water. (Colbert Report)
You can use any water source -- ocean, puddle, chemical waste site, hexavalent chrome, arsenic, poison, 50 gallon drum of urine. (Colbert Report)
Vapor compression distillation is not new. Doing it in such an incredibly efficient way such that it takes only 2 percent of the power of convention distillers is new. (R&D World and Gizmodo commenter)
The are no filters to replace, no charcoal, no anything disposable (just distillation). (Colbert Report)
The Slingshot (as its called) can use half the waste heat (450 watts) from a sterling engine electrical generator (prototype also being designed by Kamen's company) to boil its water. (TED)
The heat put into the water is recovered with a "counter-flow heat exchanger" and recycled to heat the next batch of water (that is part of the novel bit). (TED and Gizmodo commenter)
Slingshot will be less then 60 lbs. (TED)
The prototype slingshot was hand-built for $100K. The goal is to get production units down to $1,000 to $2,000. (CNN)
The sterling engine, used as an electrical generator, can produce about 200 watts of power (it will never be more then 20 percent efficient) and 800 watts of waste heat (the waste heat that slingshot uses). TED
Later sources say the sterling engine can generate 1 kilowatt or enough power for 70 high-efficiency light bulbs. (CNN)
The sterling engine can run on anything that burns, propane or even cow dung. (CNN) The slingshot is a David and Goliath reference aimed at putting water and power back in the hands of the individuals. (AP)
http://blog.wired.com/...
So why is this inventor and these inventions not being taken seriously by the likes of a G.M. Chrysler or Ford?
Dean Kamen Unveils Stirling-engine Extended Range Electric Car Kamen said he is in discussions with Think Global over the use of the Stirling technology, but hopes that they will be the first of many automakers to adopt the technology. Kamen hopes a production version could hit the market in two years. http://www.greencarcongress.com/...
The NASA Study on the Stirling Engine is located here for further reading. http://ntrs.nasa.gov/...
Kamen has even went to the U.N, USAID, and world bank thinking these organizations would be interested in solving a problem that effects millions of people with unclean water....
This could solve so many problems yet these inventors and inventions, or new ways to use and improve the old inventions are pretty much ignored by the Corporations.
I suggest reading the Esquire artcle in the current issue, or googling for more information on Kamen.
I also applaud Mr. Kamen as one American seeking to find answers to problems that affect the world and it's people in order to help all people.