Chattanooga
Engineers Club
www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org
August 4, 2008, Noon – Barry Anderson,
President of Andersen Flaps will speak on "eco-flaps". Andersen
Flaps was a 2008 Kruesi Award Finalist. Barry was a truck driver
who had a better idea. He invented mud flaps, or "eco-flaps"
with holes or slots which allow trucks to operate with 2%- 4%
improved fuel efficiency. The UTC SimCenter is testing Mr.
Andersen's eco-flaps for U.S. Xpress. Many other improvements
are being considered by the trucking industry to improve
efficiency.
Lunch is available on meeting dates for $11 beginning at 11:30 am
from the outstanding Cellar Buffet. Location: Tallan Cellar
Restaurant, 200 West ML King Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37402.
Parking is available using on-street meters, the commercial lot
in the rear of the building, or nearby commercial lots.
Professional Development Hours (PDH) are available for most
meetings.
FUTURE MEETINGS
August 11 – At the SimCenter
Auditorium. Mark Schwartz, Founder & Principal
Architect of MFS3 Designs, P.C. and greenMARK
COLLABORATIVE-A Sustainable Design/Build/Operate, and
Rod Thompson, TV Pilot producer of Electric Farmer will be
showcasing their demo on wind "Prairie Wind" & and
BioMass/BioFuels "Tennessee Treasures". A preliminary showing
for their team and Constellation Energy Services was given in
Nashville on July 17. It will be shown on the Discovery Channel
in the fall. The following is an excerpt from the Electric
Farmer web page:
"We have to unite the country to
solve the energy crisis...This is a
war, an economic one described by T. Boone Pickens as the
greatest transfer of wealth in modern history. We are addicted to oil. That's the bad
news. But here's the good news.
Americans are rolling up their sleeves and building new fuel
systems alongside of a revitalized power grid. It is already
happening. And the Electric Farmer television series is
dedicated to getting the word out quickly...so that the changes
can happen quickly...He's on a mission: To
popularize the idea that the American farmer can solve the energy
crisis and make a pile of money by tapping into solar, wind and
geothermal technologies."
Aug. 18 - The Hydrogen Road Tour for Fuel Cell Cars will be
in Chattanooga during our noon meeting time. There will be a
"Ride and Drive" at the Pavilion.
Aug. 25 - Sam Powell will speak on "The Ravages of Rock
Mining".
Sept. 1 - No Meeting - Labor Day.
Sept. 22 - TVA will provide a speaker (arranged by John
Richardson) on Advanced Low Temperature Power Cycle (ALTPC).
Industrial waste heat can be cost effectively converted to power
using a new TVA patented process called Advanced Low Temperature
Power Cycle technology (ALTPC). TVA has executed a license
agreement with Facilities Management Company, Inc. (FMC) to
build, own, operate and market ALTPC.
LAST MEETING
July 28, 2008, Noon – Ed Chapin spoke on the “First
Lego League”. "First" began with Dean Kamen (inventor of
Segway) in 1989, with the first robot competition in 1990. The
CEC program has been expanded to use the same equipment used in
the fall for the First Lego League (elementary and middle
schools), into afternoon and evening programs with CSTCC, UTC,
and the Creative Discovery Museum. This program brought us up to
date on what we are doing with the equipment that CEC already
owns, how that may be expanded into high schools, and what
volunteer opportunities will be available throughout this next
year. The First Lego League has several corporate sponsors, but
more funding is needed.
This year (as of July 1), the Chattanooga Engineers Club is
working with 2008 First Lego League teams from a St. Elmo
after-school, neighborhood team and a Lookout Valley home-school
team , This year's theme will focus on weather and climate
change. For information about the 2008 challenge and the First
Lego League, visit the FLL web site. For information on starting
a local team in the Chattanooga area, contact Cathy Burnett or Ed
Chapin. We are looking for more sponsors than ever this year,
due to the increased size expected in this year's program, and
this year's expenses.
Please send items of interest to the Chattanooga Engineers
Club to the e-mail address in the Questions and Suggestions
section. Looking for details on a local society meeting? Links
to local engineering societies are available to you at:
QUESTIONS and SUGGESTIONS