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Freightliner LLC has installed a prototype liquid-fueled auxiliary power unit (APU) from Xantrex Technology Inc., Issaquah, Wash. The system is designed to generate low-noise, low-emissions on-board electrical power to meet all the needs of a long-had trucker; according to Xantrex. The liquid-fueled APU incorporates fuel cell technology from Ballard Power Systems Inc. to generate up to 5 kW of 120 Va.c. power. The APU is currently fueled with a mixture of methanol and water; but the company predicted that further development will enable it to use ultra low-sulfur commercial diesel fuel. In operation, the fuel cell's d.c. power goes to a sine wave inverter/charger which inverts it to household 120 Va.c. power. The inverter/charger can provide up to 4 kW of continuous 120 Va.c. output. The a.c. output is distributed through three integrated circuits to loads both inside and outside the cab including a 2 kW heating and cooling system, a microwave oven, and various tools and work lighting. The system is backed up with a 36 Vd.c. battery.

Altering the chemical structure of vegetable oil could make the molecule more resistant to temperature changes and increase its use as a supplement to petroleum-based motor oil in engines, scientists said. A team of U.S. Dept. of Agriculture researchers have increased the temperature durability and shelf life of soybean oil by reducing the amount of double bonding in the molecule, which renders the oil more stable in changing temperature conditions. Vegetable-based oils such as soybean have been increasingly used in automotive and industrial applications, but some businesses have been slow to place it in engines because of its higher cost and unreliability at extreme temperatures. The vegetable motor oil derivative would initially cost about $2 a gallon more than conventional oil, but it would he cheaper in the long-run because it is biodegradable and does not harm the topsoil or water supplies, scientists said.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:06 AM