2005 TED Prize winner Edward Burtynsky has made it his life’s work to document humanity’s impact on the planet. His riveting photographs, as beautiful as they are horrifying, capture views of the Earth altered by mankind.

In stunning large-format photographs, Edward Burtynsky follows the path of oil through modern society, from wellhead to pipeline to car engine — and then beyond to the projected peak-oil endgame. Watch the following video to see some of the images:

This video can be found in this link.

Following text extracted from TED website:

Why you should listen to him:

To describe Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky’s work in a single adjective, you have to speak French: jolie-laide. His images of scarred landscapes — from mountains of tires to rivers of bright orange waste from a nickel mine — are eerily pretty yet ugly at the same time. Burtynsky’s large-format color photographs explore the impact of humanity’s expanding footprint and the substantial ways in which we’re reshaping the surface of the planet. His images powerfully alter the way we think about the world and our place in it.

With his blessing and encouragement, WorldChanging.com and others use his work to inspire ongoing global conversations about sustainable living. Burtynsky’s photographs are included in the collections of many major museums, including Bibliotèque Nationale in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. A large-format book, 2003′s Manufactured Landscapes, collected his work, and in 2007, a documentary based on his photography, also called Manufactured Landscapes, debuted at the Toronto Film Festival before going on to screen at Sundance and elsewhere. It was released on DVD in March 2007.

When Burtynsky accepted his 2005 TED Prize, he made three wishes. One of his wishes: to build a website that will help kids think about going green. Thanks to WGBH and the TED community, the new site, Meet the Greens, debuted at TED2007. His second wish: to begin work on an Imax film — and this work is now ongoing. And his third wish, wider in scope, was simply to encourage “a massive and productive worldwide conversation about sustainable living.” Thanks to his help and the input of the TED community, the site WorldChanging.com got an infusion of energy that has helped it to grow into a leading voice in the sustainability community.

Not new

It was in 2005 when Michelin first presented the Tweel (comes from Tire and Wheel). It was a breakthrough non-pneumatic concept. It promised to be maintenance free, puncture-proof, easy to mount/dismount and with a longer service life than a pneumatic radial tire. The Tweel was made up of a rubber tread bonded to the hub through flexible spokes.

The first designs of the Tweel where focused on the earthmover industry. So, low speed applications. The key point of this innovative tire were that because it had no air pressure in it, it could never puncture and therefore there were no loss in productivity. Performance was also expected to be better than an inflated tire. Vibration and shock absorption were also improved. The idea of the Tweel is so breakthrough that Michelin has won several prizes thanks to it.

The handling characteristics of the Tweel can be adjusted. More pliant spokes result in a more comfortable ride with improved handling. The lateral stiffness of the Tweel is also adjustable. However, you can’t adjust a Tweel once it has been manufactured. You’ll have to select a different one.

But what about the car applications?

Michelin has also been working in car applications. In 2008 Michelin reported that during their high speed tests, the prototype Tweel was within five percent of the rolling resistance and mass levels of current pneumatic tires. That means a slight reduction in fuel consumption.

But the Tweel has some serious flaws. The worst is vibration and all that comes with it. Above 80km/h the Tweel vibrates considerably. This vibration causes noise and heat. And it could even cause mechanic failure for some structural elements of the car.

Another problem is the industry. The fabrication process of a Tweel is quite different from the one for a radial tire. Serious changes would need to be made to the production factories. Also the tire balancing and mounting machines that are used nowadays all over the world will need to be replaced.

Because all this drawbacks Michelin is not planning to roll out the Tweel any time soon. They will be investing on low speed and military applications by now.

Michelin is not the only one on this game

Other companies such as Resilient Technologies and ERW are also working on similar designs.  Resilient Technologies only works for military applications.

We can only wait

In a press report Michelin  said that possibly in the next decade new technology advances will make the Tweel suitable for high speed applications.

Some interesting videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmL2LCb6q7Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmL2LCb6q7Y

References:

http://www.michelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=13730&codeRubrique=58&lang=EN

http://www.michelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=17448&codeRubrique=58&lang=EN

http://www.michelin.com/corporate/finances/en/fin_affich_com.jsp?id=17450&codeRubrique=63&lang=EN

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/27/eveningnews/main669888.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;videoMetaInfo

http://www.resilienttech.com/

http://www.energyreturnwheel.com/

Road vehicles are responsible for a more that 20% of the total emissions of greenhouse gases. As everyone knows, the increasing concentration of those in the atmosphere is leading to climate change. The mainly emitted greenhouse gases by cars are Carbon Dioxide, Monoxide and NOx. The transport sector is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases. There have been studies that have proved that there is a link between vehicle pollutants and human ill health. Respiratory and cardio-pulmonary disease and lung cancer are the main illnesses.

European directives have been instrumental in reducing what are known as the regulated emissions. These regulations become more and more stringent year on year. This is one of the reasons why manufacturers are investing constantly in technologies to make their cars greener. Catalytic converters, injection systems, diesel particulate filters (DPFs)… are some of the technologies manufacturers had to start applying some years ago. The change to unleaded petrol played a big role also. In fact, the reduction in emissions by cars is so dramatic that a car manufactured today pollutes 20 times less than a car produced in the 70s. Nowadays technologies like high precision direct injection, start-stop systems, last generation catalytic converters… are helping reduce even more the figures of toxic gases. All helps…

…but it not only about being green!

Everyone agrees that reducing emissions is extremely important. We only have one world, and we want to make it last. Then, does this mean that we need to end up driving extremely efficient but boring cars? I am sorry but I don’t agree. And neither do some car companies.

Almost all brands achieve lower consumptions through the same means: engine downsizing, increasing the fuel efficiency, decreasing the weight and minifying the air drag and road resistance. In some companies like Smart, Seat, Ford and Volkswagen this means poor acceleration times and low top speed and therefore a boring driving experience. Other brands like BMW, Audi or Mercedes go further, they achieve amazingly low consumption figures but their cars still have a lively feel, proper acceleration times and high top speeds.

This is because they invest in new technologies, and then apply these in the production cars. They don not limit themselves to reducing power output and weight. They achievements are admirable! Some of the technologies they apply are: deeply engineered, tuned and refined engines; electric power steering, only consumes power when used; brake energy regeneration; lighter body construction…

Take for instance the BMW 320d with efficient dynamics package. It produces 163hp and 380Nm of torque. It consumes only 4.1 l/100km and emits 109 grCO2/100km. It accelerates from stand still to 60km/h in 8.2 seconds and has a max speed of 220Km/h. AMAZING!!! Just amazing!

I have no words, the figures speak for themselves… I have to finish saying that if BMW, for instance, achieves that with a 1500Kg car what other brands are doing is nothing. They seriously need to catch up…

A table comparing the various cars could have been done. I recommend you visiting the various manufacturers websites and reading these previous posts:

BMW Efficient Dynamics

Audi Driving Efficiently

MERCEDES Blue Efficiency

VOLKSWAGEN BlueMotion

Driving Efficiently

Note: On these article, only IC engines have been taken into discussion. Other technologies like hydrogen, hybrids, fuel cells and fully electrics may be treated in future posts.

References

http://www.whatgreencar.com/index.php

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/BMW-3-Series-320d-EfficientDynamics/242759/

The various car manufacturers websites

The smell of petrol likes to lots of people, there is something that gives its distinctive odour that some of us love. However, don’t spend too much time sniffing petrol since it is  highly toxic. It is composed of benzene, ethylbenzene, xylene, toluene and other hydrocarbons. All those chemicals are hazardous for your health. Intoxicating yourself through the inhalation of petrol can cause severe physical, cognitive, and psychological impairment, particularly due to the role it plays in the selective degeneration of deep white matter and cerebellar structures.

Going back to the question, so why some people love the smell of petrol?

After having done some research I haven’t found any consistent fact. The only thing that can be said is that is a matter of taste. Some people love it, some people hate it. And the same happens with other things like cauliflower, broccoli… If any of you have a better conclusion, don’t hesitate to contact me, we’ll post it here.

An interesting fact: Men prefer smell of bacon to babies, according to the Telegraph.

Information from:

Yahoo answers

Ask metafilter

The Telegraph

The influence of hunger on perception of the smell of petrol

www.petrolsmell.com wants to be a technical but at the same time interesting automotive blog. We will not be covering the news in the automotive world, there are plenty of other bloggers who do that. Our challenge is to learn, yes LEARN.

This blog was developed by Marc Espolet with the aim of learning through reading, finding more information and then posting it. We we’ll feel proud of www.petrolsmell.com if you, the reader, also learns. We will put all our effort to make quality posts, trying not to fall in the same market as other blogs are in. Our car blog has a big and clear categories bar in the main page, that is to make easier for the user to find older but still interesting posts. In a future there is a plan to make a forum adjoined to this automotive blog. Some of the categories of this blog include car manufacturers, industry, the things that happen behind the scenes, technology reviews, some news, motorshows, motorsport, funny, challenges, makers, office, reviews and test drives, simulators, historical cars, green technology, future…

We are people that like getting deeper knowledge of the automobile world, if you share this love, and ever would like to write in this blogger community (It could be from once to weekly… you decide) feel free to contact us and show us true love and passion for the auto propelled motor world.

As a usual blog reader I really hate when the owners of other blogs put a massive amount of adverts, and even more when they put them in the middle of the posts, so annoys me when reading. In petrolsmell.com we have placed some ads, but we tried to put them in places where they don’t disturb your reading. We don’t make that much money through ads as other blogs do, never mind. As said before, this is not an ordinary blog. If you feel willing to help keeping this blog alive, there is the possibility to make a donation. Don’t feel forced to do it, but every single donation helps, for small that it is.

Thanks for visiting this blog, we hope you enjoyed.

Have a nice day,

Petrol Smell

Aspid is a creation of IFR Automotive. IFR company was born in Reus (Tarragona, Catalunya, Spain) in 2003 by Ignacio Fernandez Rodriquez, with the objective to take a leading role in the automotive market in terms of the innovation of new technologies. The main IFR’s aim is to develop ultra-lightweight technologies in order to produce sustainable transportation systems. The company needed an automotive platform to implement their ideas and technologies. So, they decided to build their own car, the Aspid.

The most outstanding technology that IFR has built in the Aspid is:

• Alexcom: Is a new and highly innovative construction method for the main body structure of a vehicle offering up to ten times the stiffness of a conventional aluminium space frame.
• TBD: The Twin Brake Disc. This lightweight stainless steel brake system comprises twin discs, each with turbine shaped slots for maximum air cooling and braking efficiency.
• DLR: Lightweight suspension arm extruded from aluminium tube with an elliptical cross-sectional profile incorporating two reinforcement cords running throughout the extrusion.
• UNIDRIVE: One screen is mounted in the steering wheel and the other is located in the centre console. In keeping with the latest digital technology trends, both displays are interactive touch screens. The primary screen provides information normally displayed by the main instrument panel, such as the speed of the vehicle, as well as providing the means, for example, to activate the headlights and turn signals. The secondary screen has endless telematics, on-board diagnostics and multimedia capabilities and not only integrates all the common communications systems currently available, but also provides the means to embrace any new developments including for example traffic management and collision avoidance systems. Any innovative sensor-based system introduced to the market or new application essentially becomes a plug-and-play item.

But, what about the car?

Aspid is a 2 sitter compact sportive coupe. The Aspid accelerates extremely fast: 0-100km/h takes a mere 2.8 seconds. 0-160km/h takes only 5.9 seconds and return to a standstill from 160 just 3.1 seconds.   And with 1.6g of lateral acceleration its cornering grip is arguably even more remarkable.   Much of this performance results from the installation of a supercharged 2-litre engine delivering 400bhp into a vehicle with a kerb weight of just 740kg, resulting in a very high power-to-weight ratio.  The light weight also ensures excellent fuel economy, with an estimated consumption in normal driving conditions of just 4.8 l/100km.  CO2 emissions have yet to be officially measured but are estimated at 197gm/km, which is significantly less than cars of comparable or even lesser performance.

Aspid meets FIA safety requirements as standard, without any additional modifications, as well as European road car homologation requirements.

The basic price of the 400hp Aspid Supersport model, excluding taxes, is 107,000€. The price of the 270hp naturally aspirated Aspid sport model is 77,000€.

Information has been extracted from the official IFR Aspid page, a chat with Bruno (one of the designers) and newpress.