GSE Applications: Municipal |
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| Roadway lighting and signage: | R-S series compressors or pumps can be built into
new roadways, or retrofitted to existing roadways, to provide locally
produced stable standard and emergency power. R-S series convert
wasted energy from vehicles into gas or fluid velocity. Gas or
fluid velocity or force can be converted to many forms of energy,
including electricity, pneumatics, or hydraulics. As traffic
encounter the R-S units gas is compressed or fluid is elevated to
operate local generators. This stored energy can then be
used to for roadway lighting or signage.
Local generation of energy will reduce transmission losses, maximize availability, and reduce the grid footprint of roadways. Energy is generated in direct relation to usage. Peak energy is generated at peak loads and peak demand. The demand synchronous generation of energy provides power as needed even during emergency situations such as earthquakes. or severe weather. If the roadways are also fitted with traffic sensors, energy supplies can be optimized for usage when the need is highest. R-S series devices are engineered to allow operation at various densities, which determines the impact of the devices on traffic flows. Low density applications allow energy to be harvested from traffic with no significant impact on traffic flows. Low density applications increase tire traction, and are ideal for wet or icy conditions. The flexible road surface presented by R-S series embedded in the roadways, will prevent ice build up, and remove water puddles. ***************************************** |
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| Toll station power: | Toll plazas can utilize R-S
series devices to become independent of the grid, and increase safety. Many common toll plaza hazards can be ameliorated or mitigated with R-S series speed sponges. R-S devices graded by density can effectively slow vehicles in steps with out driver discomfort or cooperation. The density of the R-S device, determines effective resistance levels that a vehicle must convert to move over the device. Grading from very low to high density allows speed and forward momentum to be converted in steps. The lowest density R-S unit will reduce the speed by 5%, but be virtually transparent to the vehicles occupants. High density R-S units will remove as much as 20% from the forward momentum of faster moving vehicles. R-S engineered density also allow for variable effects, based upon the speed of the targeted vehicle. A vehicle traveling at 70 mph encountering a low density R-S will be slowed to 65 mph, and the driver will feel a dull thud, much like running over a rumble strip. A vehicle traveling at 40 mph when encountering a low density R-S will be slowed to 38 mph, but the driver experience will be similar to that of running over a traffic counter. Virtually all toll plaza crashes can be either eliminated or mitigated with stepped densities of speed spongestm. The byproduct of speed absorption is either compressed gas, fluid acceleration, or increase of vacuum. Either of these effects can be utilized directly in hydraulics, pneumatics, air conditioning or heat exchange. These effects can secondarily be employed to generate electrical power.  ***************************************** |
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| Bridge power & reduction of vehicle induced vibration. | R-S series compressors or pumps can provide bridge
engineers with a number of benefits. With R-S series PEC
technology embedded into the bridge road surfaces can both provide power
and enhance bridge life by reduction of traffic generated vibration. The R-S series units can be configured as both speed and vibration sponges, with the energy converted into electrical or hydraulic power. Bridge life can be extended from 5-20% with and increase in new construction costs of less than 5%. The selected density of R-S series devices determines the level of energy conversion, based upon vehicle speed and mass. As vehicles encounter the R-S series units, with either engineered or programmable densities, excessive speed can be removed and converted into compressed gas or fluid pressure. With engineered densities optimum traffic speeds can be maintained and enforced. Energy from moving vehicles is normally absorbed into the structural supports of the bridge, and significantly shortens maintenance cycles as well as structure life. If R-S series units engineered to absorb excess speed & vibration were embedded at 10ft intervals, the life of the structure would be increased by 4-6%. A concomitant change in maintenance cycles would also reduce operational costs, while increasing structural integrity. Bridge operations will less dependent upon grid power, and therefore less susceptible to emergency conditions.  INTRODUCTION
OF LONGER&HEAVIER VEHICLES --- IMPACT ON ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE***************************************** |
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| Applications: Military | ||
| Momentum absorption : perimeter control | R-S series Speed spongestm
when placed strategically can increase the effectiveness of engineered
barriers by controlling the speed of approaching vehicles. Speed
spongestm in entrance
ways and exclusion zones can effectively prevent any vehicle from
employing mass to breach physical barriers. An array of R-S series units will enforce safe approach speeds while permitting access. Each unit can be configured to remove a specific percentage of a vehicles momentum. Units can be engineered to enforce maximum speeds automatically without human operators, and the devices are automatically re-armed. The automatic nature of the R-S series units can reduce the security personnel requirements of the facility. Vehicles operating within acceptable speed ranges experience the R-S units as minor speed humps, but vehicles operating at unsafe speeds will experience the units like thick mud or wet sand. R-S units engineered at low densities will covert significant forward momentum into gas compression or fluid velocity. The converted energy is available for support applications such as barrier activations. R-S units can increase the effectiveness of current facilities, or reduce the construction costs of new facilities. ***************************************** |
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| Future roadways | Wheeled vehicle roadways look to be around for at
least another century. Roadway designs present many challenges to engineers, communities, ecosystems, and governments. Seasonal safety, law enforcement, water management and habitat destruction are just a few of the challenges of modern roadway design, implementation, and maintenance. Our vision, which can be implemented with GSE PEC technology, is a roadway constructed of flexible self sustaining materials. These roadways will be an asset to affected communities. A traffic heated roadway that is never frozen, even under the most server conditions. An electricity generating roadway that has no need for long vulnerable transmission lines, instead it provides all of its own power for lighting, signage, emergency electric vehicle re-powering and even provides power for local communities. A ground-lighted roadway un-marred by storm vulnerable, polluting and expensive over-head lighting... lighted on demand with active in-road lane control and lighting systems. A pumping roadway that rather than transecting flood plains and channeling runoff into overloaded storm drains, is instead an asset to local hydrology by replenishing aquifers, and transporting water long distances to arid regions. An evanescent roadway that instead of destroying local eco-systems, and reducing regional bio-diversity, increases bio-diversity by assisting in storm and flood mitigation. A more forgiving roadway that reduces the required safety margins which increase the cost of vehicle manufacture, by actively controlling vehicle speeds and providing enough local power for high resolution traffic management. A tough roadway that requires significantly less maintenance, because destructive forces are harnessed and converted in to locally useful power. Imagine, roadways that are as green and natural as deer paths through the forest. ***************************************** |
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