ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM IN FUTURE TRANSPORTATION1

Name: MUTEB ALKHAMISI

Electricity and Magnetism in Future TransportationThe discovery of electricity is arguably one of the most useful discoveries in the history of humankind and so is its relevance in modern societies. Electricity is an important element in everyday life and acts as a big influence in controlling almost of all human beings processes. In homes, offices, public facilities, and communication technologies among others, the presence of electricity is highly felt. It is obvious that the modern society is highly dependent on electricity and most of the activities embedded to its contribution would not be taking place today. In reference to that, it is expected even as time advances electricity will continue being an indispensable element in human life. This paper reflects on the expected change in transport industry by focusing on the contribution and use of electricity and magnetism as time evolves. Much focus has been centered on the projected positive contributions of electric cars and their tributary components, Magnetic Levitation (MagLev trains) and the Magnetic Wankel engine.On a projection focus, much of the discoveries being done today in the transport sector are centered on addressing the challenges related to the existing or traditional transport modes especially pollution from harmful atmospheric emissions, slow and inconvenient transport and highway congestion. Having a substitute technology that can cope with these challenges has been a central focus point among technology experts and scientists and much of transport related advances are expected in the future in that line. Basically, the contribution of electricity and magnetism is enshrined on their capacities to provide alternative fuels, faster means of transport as well as dependable ways to cope with atmospheric pollution. Among the expected discoveries in the coming future, electric cars are widely expected to impact significantly in the transport sector and their contribution will be far reaching in reducing emissions, petroleum use, providing a faster means of transport as well as existing as a more concentrated, intense form of energy direly needed. Their main positive contribution, however, is providing an amicable solution to the existing side effects related to the continued use of common fossil fuels in the atmosphere that threatens survival by polluting the environment by a great margin. There are a number of reasons as to why the use of electric cars should be encouraged and considering these advantages delineates the overall picture about the ways in which electricity will be a pivotal playmaker in the transport sector in the future.

Firstly, electricity will provide a much more efficient energy for drivetrains bearing in mind that electric drive trains have a higher capacity (75%) to convert energy consumed into miles driven as opposed to the currently used internal combustion engines with an efficiency of 25% (Chan, 2007). The efficiency of the internal combustion engines is being improved nowadays but it cannot match the heat loss conserved and high-energy conversion rates related to the use of electric drive engines in the vehicles. As a case example to sensitize on the efficiency, using just 11 kilowatt-hours of electricity a Nissan Leaf can cover a distance of 40 miles, which it can consume 3 times of the same if gasoline was used. In reference to that, it also translates to a reduction in cost, which is a major boost to the worldwide economy considering the economic hitches being experienced today.

Another major projected contribution of electricity is providing a pollution free environment or minimizing them by providing mitigation measures to the current environmental challenges. Reliable research indicates that the small sections in the world and particular in the United States where electric cars are used, carbon production in their operations are lower compared to vehicles using other sources of energy (Weiller, 2011). In addition, much of the carbon emissions that pollute the environment emanate from operational practices as opposed to the production (Sovacool & Hirsh, 2009). Electric vehicles as an added advantage consumes a third of comparable energy if other fuels were used an indication that it reduces environmental emission by a third when used. The future holds a bright prospect if the projected growth and dependence on electric vehicles will be realized and its contribution in the provision of greener production cannot go unmentioned, whatsoever. It is of great use and high impact and the governments should also team up with energy experts to come up with strategies to realize it within the shortest time possible.

A common challenge in the transport sector today is the continuous dependence on fuels that are obtained from limited or scarce sources of energy. Electricity in transport will also be used to power electric vehicles supporting the economy in turn by providing a reliable alternative to high dependence on expensive oil. As well known, oil and its related products are obtained from the earth while electricity can be obtained from solar, wind, nuclear and hydro sources among others. In regard to that, electricity will be reliant on many production units hence providing an effective source of energy to propel engines.

Most of the existing cars in the world today depend on energy stored on their starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries energy for their propulsion. Electricity will also serve as a substitute to the common car SLI batteries by providing deep cycle batteries that can last longer and depend on much lower specific energy. As research indicates most of the common batteries technologies do not provide maximum range hence an alternative is choice-less. It is also expected that in the future electric cars will have an improved range of more than ten times of the available cars (Bijker et al., 2012). Modernized ultra-capacitors powered by electric energy will be used by electric cars as opposed to the lead acid accumulators, which have a lower cycle and less resilience to run engines for a long time.

It is expected that adoption of electricity as energy in the transport system will result into a pollution-free and versatile environments, reduced carbon footprints, vehicles using fuel from a wide range of sources but among the significant impact of electric vehicles is the provision of faster means of transport that reduces time for travelling as a resource. Ideally, time is a great resource and if well managed can have great impacts on all dimensions in the economic set up. In regard to that, having a world that is dependent on fast propelling engines will create a world where issues of congestion, lateness for work and traffic jams will be eliminated in the transport setup. It will be a major contribution in the countries economies factoring the much time that is conserved by the use of the high speedy cars. For instance, a design like the Chevy Volt has unlimited travelling distance as long as long as its gas tank is refilled something that cannot be achieved while using oil and batteries that can get depleted. In the coming years, manufacturers and end consumers will be highly dependent on electric cars due to their high-energy conversion rates, greener products, multi-energy source capacity as well as dependence on a form of energy that is evenly distributed worldwide.

Magnetism and Future Transport: MagLev Trains

The role of magnetism in the future transport setup is mainly converged on the application of electromagnetic technology and most specifically the Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) trains. Although they are very scarce in use today, it is expected in the next 50 years there will be an equivalent development about their use, however. Maglev trains are an advanced top-notch mode of transportation that is highly dependent on the effects of magnetic fields to propel trains, keep them on their course as well as repulsing/suspending vehicles gliding on their highways (Hasirci et al., 2013).It is one of the technologies expected to bring a magnificent change in the future by use of magnetism float concept propel trains, keeping them suspended on top of a special track and in turn create an advanced, safe, convenient and faster means of transport. MagLev trains are expected to be floating four to six inches in the air and travel to 300 mph. With that in mind, the magnetic technology is expected to provide a faster means of transport, environmentally friendly as well as reducing petroleum use as in the case with electric cars. The most elemental part, however, is to understand to which specific areas magnetism will take effect.

In order to function as desired, maglev trains are controlled by magnetic fields that emanate from fixed magnets on the sides to maintain the train on its course and other magnets on the surface in order to suspend the train. In addition, a travelling magnetic field is created to propel the train forward. As widely known, like poles of a magnet repel and this is the concept widely applied for to propel maglev trains. The train is then fixed with a guidance and support magnet, control system and only a small amount of external force is used to initiate its motion.

In the world today, its only one Maglev system that is successfully running commercially although it is expected with the interests and developments being currently, there will be a significant use of the technology in the coming future. The Transrapid in China is a case example, developed using German design and uses electromagnetic forces to operate. In Japan as well, trains with similar technology are being developed though the existing ones are applying the superconducting magnetic coils as opposed to the regular magnetic coils. Due to the evidenced interests from the proven technology experts in the world, it is projected that the use of magnetic trains will continue to rise and provide an alternative source of fuels to operate. In turn, a greener environment will be realized without the resultant effects that emanate from the use of petroleum to run engines. In addition, time will be saved and congestion minimized in runaways cutting down the costs attached to their presence.

Another modern contribution applying the magnetic attraction concept and levitation techniques is the Magnetic Wankel engine. It has the capacity to confine its back magneto-motive-forces (mmf) into a tiny section, which through the application of very minuscule energy the back mmf is converted to forward mmf and the motor is moved forward. Very little energy is consumed and yet much is achieved.

Discretion

Electricity plays an important role in the society than what we might be even thinking of. It is also hard to imagine a life without electricity and its role in the future will also be significant in controlling human lives. Although some energy experts have been skeptical about its reliance as an alternative source of energy, the discussed positives dilute such notion and bolds its relevance in the present and in the future. In a nutshell, human beings cannot do without electricity and electromagnetism adds more value when the effects of the MagLev train and its contribution is referenced on a futuristic dimension.

In conclusion, human beings best position in the future is highly dependent on the impacts of the present activities. If the discoveries made today are done for the better part of the future then the generations will have a safer place to inhabit. Ideally, much focus on many discoveries is centered on securing the future as the present is being factored simultaneously. In reference to that, the uses of electricity and magnetism in the future as discussed in the document plays an integral role as far as the current challenges are concerned. Safer, convenient and faster means of transport will be provided as well as addressing environmental challenges such as air and sound pollution. With that in mind, there is no harm in improving the current processes or promoting the achievement of related objectives for the future at whatever cost.References

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Chan, C. C. (2007). The state of the art of electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles. Proceedings of the IEEE, 95(4), 704-718.Hasirci, U., Balikci, A., Zabar, Z., & Birenbaum, L. (2013). Experimental performance investigation of a novel magnetic levitation system. Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on, 41(5), 1174-1181.

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