SILICON
SILIC
CHIP
www.siliconchip.com.au
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD
Editor
Nicholas Vinen
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John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.)
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ISSN 1030-2662
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2 Silicon Chip
Publisher’s Letter
Pumped hydro storage
is no panacea for renewables
Pumped storage will not allow renewable power
sources to replace base-load power stations. There, I
have said it. As indicated in last month’s Publisher’s
Letter, we do have an article on Pumped Hydroelectric Storage in this month’s issue, written by Dr David
Maddison.
Australia has had the Snowy Hydroelectric Scheme
for over 40 years and an important part of that system
is pumped storage; Tumut 3, to be specific. Of course, the Snowy scheme was
built long before renewable power sources were even thought of. It has been a
great system and it could be expanded, as described in David Maddison’s article.
However, when you want to substitute renewables for coal-fired power stations, which Australian state governments seem committed to, pumped storage won’t allow renewables to give reliable 24-hour power delivery. If you
wanted to substitute wind turbines for a 1GW coal-fired power station, say,
you would need about 3000 1MW turbines, because they only generate power for about 30% of the time. If you are going to back up those wind turbines
with pumped storage, you need a system similar in size to the Snowy’s Tumut
3, which would only provide power for up to three days.
And if our national grid is to have a much higher proportion of renewable
energy inputs instead of boring base-load power stations, then we have a much
greater problem. The Australian Labor Party is advocating that renewable energy sources should make up 50% of the grid. That is just not workable.
Airbags could kill your daughter
Most people who read our feature article on Airbags in the November 2016
issue probably regard them as a wonderful development which reduces car
accident deaths and serious injuries. Inevitably though, some people do manage to turn their car’s airbags into potentially lethal weapons. How? Just consider all those young girls who ride in the front passenger’s seat with their feet
up on the dashboard; actually on the panel for the passenger’s front airbag! I
shudder to think of the severity of their injuries when the car has a collision
in which that airbag is activated.
In just a matter of milliseconds, the passenger’s airbag becomes fully inflated.
At the same time, the girl’s torso will have begun to “porpoise” underneath the
seatbelt and her pelvis will keep moving at the car’s original velocity into the
foot-well, underneath the glovebox. At same time, her legs will be accelerated
to more than 200km/h past her head, missing it, if she’s lucky. Or perhaps not.
So what sort of injuries can she expect? The list probably includes smashed
pelvis and damaged hips, broken legs, dislocated knees, all sorts of torn ligaments and tendons, and that’s without considering severe internal organ damage, broken ribs, punctured lungs and the possibility that her knees and arms
do collide with her face. Death seems highly likely just from shock.
Maybe you feel superior in not being guilty of the above stupidity. But many
people sit way too close to the steering wheel – they are in harm’s way. And if
they drive with their right hand at 10 o’clock on the wheel (or with left hand
at 2 o’clock), in the event of a collision their hand could become a projectile
which hits their face at over 100km/h! So keep the wheel at arm’s length and
do not cross your arms over the wheel when driving.
I wish every reader a safe and happy New Year. Finally, last month we farewelled Greg Swain who has worked for Silicon Chip since its inception in 1987
and before that, at Electronics Australia magazine; a period of more than 40
years. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement, Greg.
Leo Simpson
siliconchip.com.au
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