"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Author: Isaac Gendler
The Economic Impact of an Energy Crisis
10/05/19
“What is the economic impact of an energy crisis?”
Energy is the lifeblood of an economy, whether it be the petroleum that moves vehicles or the energy that powers our homes. So when there is an energy crisis, commercial activity falters, resulting in an economic crisis. This is The Economic Impact of an Energy Crisis.
Energy Crisis
10/04/19
“What happens when there is a severe energy supply bottleneck?”
Energy Supply is supposed to be constant. However, in extreme geopolitical scenarios, energy supplies might suddenly reduce to bottlenecked levels, creating what is known as an Energy Crisis.
Continuity of Operations Plan
10/03/19
“How can a facility cope in the face of a disaster?”
Calamities strike all the time, whether it be in the form of a natural disaster or a power outage. To build resilience, institutions should develop a Continuity of Operations Plan, which details how to operate a facility during such events.
Asset Resilience Prioritization
10/02/19
“How should we prioritize assets for resilience?”
Many institutions and communities all over the world have to deal with limited resources. And this applies to the world of resilience. Sometimes we will not be able to have enough backup power in the case of a large-scale power outage. As a result, different assets will have to be given different levels of priority of power. This Asset Resilience Prioritization is one of the most important parts of resilience planning and is necessary for every planner.
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value
10/01/19
“How can we quantify how effective an air filter is?”
Air filters come in all sorts of varieties. However, sometimes we may need to work on a project or be exposed to conditions that require a desired level of protection. For this reason, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers have developed the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, commonly referred to as the MERV scale, which quantifies the level of minimum particle size that can be filtered. The scale starts at 1 (for particle sizes greater than 10.0 μm) to 20 (for particle sizes less than 0.3 μm).
Transmission Bottlenecks
09/30/19
“What are bottlenecks to electricity transmission?”
Electrons moves along transmission lines analogous to cars through a freeway. And like cars, if there is too much trying to get through at the same time, it leads to complete obstruction. These transmission bottlenecks are the bane of every utility, and will become a hindrance for renewable energy as peak electricity production hours often leads to a sudden surge of new electrons.
P.M 2.5
09/29/19
“What is the type of air pollution that makes skies blurry?”
One of the most famous visuals of the effects of air pollution are the blurry and disrupted skies. Whether it be from the urban centers of India, the smokestacks of Chinese factories, or the wildfires in California. One of the main causes of this is from particulate matter the size of 2.5 microns, commonly referred to as P.M 2.5. P.M 2.5 arises from burning materials and can travel deeply into the lungs of humans, causing intense medical damage.
How Levees Can Perpetuate Climate Inequality
09/28/19
“How can levees perpetuate climate inequality?”
Levees are used by civil engineers to prevent rivers from overflowing. However, this can cause the flood to become worse at the other end of the levee, and harm an area further down which does not have the capabilities to defend themselves. This is How Levees Can Perpetuate Climate Inequality.
Image credit scx1.b-cdn.net
Thermoelectric Power
06/16/19
“How is the majority of electrical energy made?”
Energy is the backbone of modern infrastructure. Whether it be for making our coffee or powering our stock-markets. And the majority of this runs on the earliest version of this technology, in which water or another fluid is heated and evaporated to run a turbine to make Thermoelectric Power.
Isaac's Science Blog 