Phinergy and electrical contractor Rosendin Electric have published a second white paper examining how aluminium-air generators (AAGs) could support data centre power needs beyond conventional backup systems. The paper outlines three potential uses, including providing power for AI and cloud facilities, increasing available grid capacity and supporting renewable microgrids. Titled “From Backup Power to Grid Enabler: Use Cases for Aluminum-Air Generator (AAG) in AI-Era Data Centers,” the paper compares aluminium-air generators with diesel generators and lithium-ion battery systems. The report comes amid growing pressure on electricity infrastructure from data centre expansion. In Northern Virginia, more than 9,000 backup diesel generators serve data centres, according to Virginia Mercury....
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed an aluminium-based catalyst that could help make sodium–sulphur batteries last longer. The catalyst addresses a problem that has limited the technology: Sodium polysulphides can dissolve and move away from the cathode, reducing battery life. The research team, led by Professors Wang Hui and Zheng Fangcai at CAS's High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Hefei, changed the atomic structure of aluminium by replacing one oxygen atom with nitrogen. The team wrote in the press release, “This created an asymmetric structure with three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom around each Al atom.” It is an Al–O3N structure (three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom surrounding each aluminium atom). Explore AL Circle’s report ALuminium Wires &...
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Lightweight metals leader Alcoa announced yesterday a long-term contract with Embraer – the leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 130 seats – valued at approximately $470 million. Under the multiyear agreement, Alcoa will supply aluminium sheet and plate for Embraer’s new E2s, the second generation of its E-Jets family of commercial aircraft, a narrow-body medium-range jet airliner. The Embraer E-Jets E2 were launched at the Paris Airshow in 2013 and are scheduled to enter into service in 2018. “Our partnership with Embraer is rooted in constant innovation and this contract is further proof of that strength,” said Mark Vrablec, President of Alcoa’s Aerospace & Automotive Products business. “Our patented alloys enable us to support our customer’s game-changing E2 program, and we’re...
Wintec Aluminium Windows and Doors Australia has developed a wide range of functional and stylish WERS rated windows designed to meet the high demands for energy efficiency and weather performance. Utilising modern design, quality seals and hardware componentry, Wintec aluminium framed window and door products meet the high demands for energy efficiency and weather performance in today’s market. Window performance has become one of the most hotly discussed topics in virtually every residential and commercial project across Australia. The specification of energy-efficient windows has become a key element of sustainable design, with Tony Isaacs, the Principal Project Leader for Sustainable Energy Authority Australia singling out windows as “the make-or-break issue in achieving a good...
Glass and metal packaging company Ardagh Group has developed the new Elnett Crème de Mousse aluminium aerosol can for global beauty brand L’Oréal Paris. The 200ml can, in its familiar 'gold' coating, was produced by Ardagh at its specialist plant in Beaurepaire, France. Ardagh has produced Elnett brand products since 1960, and first launched the gold packaging in 1963. Marc Bettinger, sales director for aluminium packaging from Ardagh, explains, “We have been proud and privileged to produce the iconic Elnett aerosol since its launch over 55 years ago. "We are very pleased that the beauty of the distinctive gold metal gloss with the associated graphics is being continued on this important new range.” The female face and recognisable typography first appeared on the cans in 1964 under its...
In a grand event, HP announced the ultra-slim Spectre 13 in India, and at just 10.4mm, it is the slimmest laptop in the world. It is made using carbon fibre and Aluminium with prices starting at INR 1.2 lakhs. The Spectre 13 hosts a series of unique technology features which essentially make it a one-off luxury buy. However, technicality aside, HP has made sure that the Spectre stands out with its design. The matte black carbon fibre and Aluminium body flaunts a bronze finish at the back, giving it a very jewellery like look. The use of carbon fibre and aluminium has also helped the gadget maker keep the weight of laptop significantly light- HP Spectre 13 weighs only 1.1 kgs. The HP Spectre definitely appeals to the masses with its wonderful design and an ultra slim profile, but its high...
Hyperloop One, a startup founded by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, is currently working on Hyperloop system- a concept that says trains can be equipped to travel at supersonic speeds up to 800mph (1,300km/h) using reduced pressure tubes. Pressurised capsule pods (the train carriages) ride on an air cushion in steel tubes driven by linear induction motors and air compressors, which allows them to go faster than current trains. Hyperloop One is pushing ahead with tests on its design, and in May was able to demonstrate that a lightweight aluminium sled could travel 100mph in just 2 seconds on a 1.9-mile-long test track in the Nevada Desert during its first public high speed propulsion test. "The DNA of my time at SpaceX has got its fingerprints all over Hyperloop. There's nothing new that has...
Ball Corporation has agreed to sell to Ardagh Group S.A. eight U.S. aluminium can plants and associated assets in order to settle FTC charges that its proposed acquisition of Rexam PLC – worth $8.4 billion when proposed in February 2015 – is likely anticompetitive. According to the complaint, the acquisition would eliminate direct competition in the United States between Colorado-based Ball, and United Kingdom-based Rexam, which are the first and second largest manufacturers of aluminium beverage cans in both the United States and the world. The complaint alleges without a divestiture, it is likely that the proposed merger would substantially lessen competition for standard 12-ounce aluminium cans in three regional U.S. markets – the South and Southeast, the Midwest, and the West. The...
HP’s laptop dock for the HP Elite X3 stands out as a well-designed electronic device accessory. It is made with aluminium and solid polycarbonate with a great keyboard and massive battery that offers a laptop-like experience via Continuum for Phones for their upcoming flagship handset. The HP Lap Dock sports a 12.5? diagonal, 1080p (‘Full HD’) screen (possible TFT), stereo B&O speakers, a full 6-row laptop keyboard, offers connections over both Miracast and USB-C, 3 USB-C ports, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, micro-HDMI out, has a massive 48 WH battery which should offer 12 hours of wireless use, with a hinge that elevates the keyboard when the screen is opened. The speculations that these accessories are cross compatible opens up the market for these devices and the amount of support that...
All passenger coaches for the Bangladesh railway under the Indian line of credit will arrive in Dhaka by December, the Indian High Commission has said. Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina on Saturday launched a new train—‘Sonar Bangla Express’—between Dhaka and Chittagong. She also re-launched the Silk City express between Dhaka and Rajshahi with newly built Indian coaches. Bangladesh and India signed the first-ever line of credit pegged at $1 billion in 2010, but India later converted $200 million of the loan money into grants. It was the largest ever one-time assistance offered by India to any country. The Indian High Commission says the Silk City express will have 12 coaches consisting of two AC chair cars (78 seats each), two first AC coaches (24 berths each), six non-AC...
POWER Engineers Inc. has helped American Electric Power successfully complete the longest replacement of energized conductor (with aluminium composite core) in the United States and bring more reliable power to the residents of South Texas. Now that landmark project has earned AEP the electric power industry’s most prestigious honor, the Edison Award. As the engineer of record, POWER worked closely with AEP’s contractor to design a temporary single-phase line that allowed the entire 240 circuit-miles to be replaced with aluminium conductor composite core while energized. It involved installing more than 1,440 miles of advanced conductor on the 240 circuit-miles. The Edison Electric Institute award recognizes AEP’s leadership and innovation in replacing conductor on two 345 kV transmission...
Celebrated architect, designer, sculptor and Royal Academician Ron Arad has been commissioned by the public art scheme- Terrace Wires organizers to create a monumental aluminium structure for installation at St Pancras station, London. The art piece will be unveiled on 7 July, organizing committee spokesperson said to the media. There has been a public art scheme in place called Terrace Wires - operated by HS1, the owner of St Pancras station in London. Every year it invites a committee comprised of broadcaster Evan Davis; Nigel Carrington, rector at the University of the Arts London; artist and curator Chris Wainwright; Royal Academy artistic director Tim Marlow; Nicola Shaw, chief executive of HS1; and Wallpaper editorial director Richard Cook, to commission a work to hang above the...
Products manufactured by Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”) – one of the world’s five largest producers of primary aluminium – have been declared suitable for sustainable building practices, as per the criteria defined by the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) rating system and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (“DGNB”, the German Sustainable Building Council). The LEED and DGNB declarations, which follow a rigorous assessment process by an independent agency, attest to EGA’s on-going quest to produce ‘green metal’ and underscore the company’s corporate commitment to sustainability, specifically the global agenda to protect the environment. “This is a key accreditation, as more than 40 per cent of our annual production...
Tata Motors has made its new direction clear with cars like the Tiago, the Kite 5 and the Nexon. There are at least six new cars that the carmaker is actively working on (apart from everything it’s shown so far at the Auto Expo), involving its multiple design studios, engineering arms and its blue-eyed boys — Jaguar and Land Rover. Arguably the more important of these is a car code-named the X451, a premium hatchback that will take on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Hyundai Elite i20. Unlike the Bolt, which was a rehashed Vista, the X451 is a ground-up design. The upcoming hatchback will be based on Tata’s new Advanced Modular Platform (AMP), and powertrain options will be new 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. There is concrete information about the engine line-up yet,...
Bangkok's Gaysorn mall has gotten livelier with art, beginning with the exhibition "Jordy's Multidiscipline Showcase", which continues right through July. China's Yu Jordy Fu combines architecture, fashion and art to demonstrate that creativity is truly boundless. Jordy has adapted Chinese paper-cutting techniques to stainless steel and aluminium, coated the metal in white powder to create clod like structures. He has further deployed LED lights and natural illumination from the skylights to create shadows. "I've seen Jordy's works in several countries and really admire her talent," says Korakot Srivikorn, Gaysorn's executive director. "For this show we wanted her to create pieces that would fit in harmoniously with the mall." Shoppers are immediately dazzled on entering by the sight of...
N Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, India is making the most of his visit to China. On the very first day of his tour on Sunday, Naidu went scouting for investments in tourism, mineral exploitation and infra projects like Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC). He began by interacting with the chairman of Hanzhou Dingsheng Industry Group Zhou Xiangai, vice - general manager, Chang Weixin and chief legal counsellor Wang Xiaoqing. The Dingsheng group, which specializes in the manufacturing and sale of air-conditioning aluminium foil, has expressed their interest in mining and minerals sectors in the Indian state. Naidu asserted that Andhra Pradesh is endowed with rich mineral reserves. He also explained the advantages in investing in the state and the...
The April 2015 7.8Mw earthquake in Nepal damaged hundreds of thousands of homes across the country. As the Nepalese continue to rebuild, many of them have chosen extruded aluminium doors and windows rather than traditional wood. “Previously wood was the first choice for doors and windows. Owing to high cost, the use of wood is fast depleting and people have shifted to aluminium,” explained Anu Rajbanshi, Sales and Marketing Manager at Skylight, a firm that imports Sapa’s Technal products from France and Thai products from Thailand. “Unlike wooden windows and doors, aluminium does not fade, matches with style and design of building, requires less maintenance and paint jobs.” “The demand for aluminium doors and windows has increased by 200 per cent after the earthquake,” said Managing...
The EPL-48-1L fluorescent light fixture from Larson Electronics is a four-foot explosion proof fixture fitted with a single lamp. Lamp options include a 54-watt T5HO lamp, a 60-watt T12HO lamp, or a 32-watt T8 lamp. This fixture carries a T6 temperature rating and is approved for use in paint spray booths. The lamp is protected by a heat and impact resistant Pyrex tube and the fixture is constructed of copper free aluminium alloy. The lamp reflector is corrosion resistant and heavy gauge aluminium coated with a high gloss reflective finish. The fixture is universal voltage capable and can operate on 120 to 277 volts AC. Power connection is made through a ½” threaded wiring hub. This unit is standardly shipped with surface mount brackets that allow the unit to be mounted to any flat...
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has unveiled its first foldable electric bike - QiCycle. The smart cycle is part of the company's Mi Ecosystem. It has been priced at $455 and will be available for pre-order in China, starting today. The smart cycle flaunts a lightweight aluminium frame and weighs 13.5kg. The QiCycle with the unique aluminium frame comes with a longitudinal folding design. This means that the main beam is not folded and also ensures easy storage after folding. The bike is equipped with the TMM torque sensing technology. It senses the amount of effort put in by the rider on the pedal and provides appropriate power for a comfortable ride. The electric cycle incorporates an intelligent motion data monitoring feature that keeps track of speed, mileage, dynamic power and calories...
The makers of the Kodi media toolbox, the erstwhile Xbox Media Centre aka XBMC, has launched their first piece of hardware donning an aluminium case. The Kodi case is designed to house a Raspberry Pi 3 and turn it into a proper nice little box that can be kept ona shelf below the main TV. The Kodi Edition Raspberry Pi aluminium case is apparently a limited run special thing, built for the company by US-based manufacturer Flirc. Given that it doesn't include the actual Pi hardware the asking price is rather low, with with £16 getting pro and am tinkerers one of the cases from the UK Pi Hut. The box's aluminium housing doubles as a heat sink for the little chipset, which the maker says one should be able to plug the board into and screw into position in seconds, with the hardest part of the...
