NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

This blog will present material to be published in an update of Hoyt Hottel and Jack Howard’s book, New Energy Technology, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1972. The book was written to address the energy crisis of the 1970’s: the revision is called for due to the advances in new and renewable energy technology and the renewed energy crisis in 2007

During the 1970’s our nation as well as others experienced an apparent crisis in common fuel supplies and associated fuel prices. In anticipation of future shortages and the need for alternate sources of energy, Professors Hoyt Hottel and Jack B. Howard of MIT organized a conference to consider that subject. As a consequence, Hottel and Howard published via MIT Press the book, “New Energy Technology.” The book discussed the economics and feasibilities of alternate fuels and new technologies.

However, by the end of the “70’s the energy crisis was temporarily over and little new economic technology was developed -- we have continued to rely primarily on petroleum products and coal for our energy use.

The purpose of revising Hottel and Howard’s book is to again review current and new energy supplies along with developing technologies. Energy technologies and supplies will be evaluated for their economic and environmental impact. The book will review the energy resources available, the limits on their use, the cost of extracting them, the cost of converting them to usable fuels, and the cost of utilizing them.

Individuals and organizations involved in new technologies are invited to comment and contribute. Contact us at: newtk@cox.net


AUTHORS

The revised text will be written by John H. Pohl and Charles F. Sanders. Both have a long history of academic and industrial research experience.

Dr. Pohl has a long history in combustion research and applications of combustion research to practical problems. Dr. Pohl earned his doctor of Science Degree at MIT where Hottel and Howard, the original authors were Professors. He has been a Professor of Chemical Engineer at University of Queensland, Australia and Director of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Black Coal Utilisation Research Unit and coordinator for the CRC in the State of Queensland and Research Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Mining and Minerals Engineering at Virginia Tech. He has held a number of research positions in industry at the level of Director. He was Director of Research and Development for Energy System Associates and Director of Fossil Fuels at Energy and Environmental Research Corporation.

Dr. Sanders has a quantity of experience in leading academic and industrial research in energy projects. He earned his Doctor Degree from the University of Southern California. He began his professional career at Exxon Research and Engineering Company, where his assignments included fuel oil combustion studies, pilot plant design , data analysis, and development of design correlations.

Dr. Sanders left Exxon to accept an engineering faculty appointment at California State University, Northridge. Through the first ten years there, he served as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor of Engineering; and Chairman of the Department of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering. During that period, he also maintained an active career as an engineering consultant, working with Marquardt Corporation, Dynamic Science, KVB Engineering, and others. Engineering studies for which he was responsible included chemical erosion of graphite rocket engine nozzles, liquid fuel combustion models, rocket engine combustion stability, nitric oxide formation in furnaces, boiler furnace modeling, and application of combustion technology to the reduction of unwanted emissions from furnaces.

For the last nine years of his University Career, Dr. Sanders held the position as Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and Director of the Center for Research and Services of that school. While Dean of the Collegel he chaired the University Committee on Research Administration and served as statewide Chair of the California Engineering Deans. He remains associated with the university as Emeritus Professor.

In 1982 Dr. Sanders was one of the founders of Energy Systems Associates (ESA) where he served as a Director and Executive Vice President until 1989. At Energy Systems Associates his primary consulting activities include feasibility studies of new technologies, business plans for marketing new technologies, economic analyses of power plant modifications, and fuels testing and laboratory design. To assist the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in research planning, Dr. Sanders has coordinated and organized a number of technical workshops and conferences. Until he left Energy Systems Associates he was editor of EPRI's Fuel Oil Users' Newsletter.

At ESA he was the program director of a project to develop a transportable electric generating plant which utilized a fluid-bed furnace to burn a variety of fuels, including agricultural wastes such as rice hulls, bagasse, coconut shells, etc.. He continued that effort as Executive Vice President of Energeo for six years. Currently he is providing management and engineering consulting services.

Professionally, Dr. Sanders has been a member and active participant in the American Institute for Chemical Engineers, the California Society for Professional Engineers, the National Society for Professional Engineers, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the Combustion Institute. He is a registered Professional Engineer (Chemical) in California. His combined industrial, academic, consulting, managerial, and executive experience spans 50 years. For extensive resume see My Web Page (http//members.cox.net/cfs/CFS%20RESUME ).