keefer madness

[Benny B]

Somehow I felt that working to eliminate anthropogenic elemental Hg from the environment was a more compelling endeavor than arguing about the rightful place of MU basketball in the annals of NCAA history.

Not being familiar with the travails of anthropogenic elemental Hg... I asked my wife, the environmental prosecutor, for some context on this one.  She said that I need more compelling endeavors, period.

Either she doesn't think too much of Scoop or she, too, is on to Keefe.

[keefe]

Not being familiar with the travails of anthropogenic elemental Hg... I asked my wife, the environmental prosecutor, for some context on this one.  She said that I need more compelling endeavors, period.

Either she doesn't think too much of Scoop or she, too, is on to Keefe.

With all due respect to your beloved, there is a profound difference between enforcement of environmental laws and innovation in applied physics and electrochemical  engineering. If your wife is truly on top of her game then she is at least conversant in the UNEP-sponsored Minamata Convention aimed at eliminating all man-made Hg vapor emissions by 2020.

Our patented IP was developed by a team of U Dub, Cal, and Washington University in St Louis professors whose specialties include electrochemical systems, combustion, and multi-scale simulation. We have overlain computationally efficient algorithms on the baseline chemistry to create reactive solutions that eliminate more than 95% of elemental Hg from coal-fired power plants, cement operations, smelters, crematoria, etc...

As your wife must know, Hg-focused environmental initiatives in the US have been tied up in the courts for 10 years by the coal and power industries. But the EU is a different case, where recognition of the serious health impacts is matched by both an appetite and propensity to eliminate a completely solvable problem. Germany is in the vanguard of addressing the Hg problem and monies have already been allocated by the EU, European Parliament, and the Government of Germany.

I love this country but I sometimes think our short-term focus on profit costs more in the long run than prudent, socially-responsible measures that require investment that actually generates a greater return over time. I would love to think we could get traction on deploying this American technology in the US, especially in the NE and SE, but the lawyers have created an environment that precludes corporate social responsibility in these industrial verticals.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Good to have you back Keefe.

[forgetful]

With all due respect to your beloved, there is a profound difference between enforcement of environmental laws and innovation in applied physics and electrochemical  engineering. If your wife is truly on top of her game then she is at least conversant in the UNEP-sponsored Minamata Convention aimed at eliminating all man-made Hg vapor emissions by 2020.

Our patented IP was developed by a team of U Dub, Cal, and Washington University in St Louis professors whose specialties include electrochemical systems, combustion, and multi-scale simulation. We have overlain computationally efficient algorithms on the baseline chemistry to create reactive solutions that eliminate more than 95% of elemental Hg from coal-fired power plants, cement operations, smelters, crematoria, etc...

As your wife must know, Hg-focused environmental initiatives in the US have been tied up in the courts for 10 years by the coal and power industries. But the EU is a different case, where recognition of the serious health impacts is matched by both an appetite and propensity to eliminate a completely solvable problem. Germany is in the vanguard of addressing the Hg problem and monies have already been allocated by the EU, European Parliament, and the Government of Germany.

I love this country but I sometimes think our short-term focus on profit costs more in the long run than prudent, socially-responsible measures that require investment that actually generates a greater return over time. I would love to think we could get traction on deploying this American technology in the US, especially in the NE and SE, but the lawyers have created an environment that precludes corporate social responsibility in these industrial verticals.

Welcome back, but honestly, the bolded paragraph reads as if you tried to make a fairly simple process as complicated as possible.  The phrasing renders is almost incomprehensible. 

To translate (if I'm correct).  When we burn any carbon based fuels (think coal), they also contain mercury, which is released into the environment.  You are working on essentially a 'catalytic converter' for power plants to promote the oxidation of Mercury into compounds that can be cleaned from exhaust using existing technology (i.e. SO2 scrubbers).  To accomplish this your scientists used computers and small scale reactors to improve combustion.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Welcome back, but honestly, the bolded paragraph reads as if you tried to make a fairly simple process as complicated as possible.  The phrasing renders is almost incomprehensible. 

To translate (if I'm correct).  When we burn any carbon based fuels (think coal), they also contain mercury, which is released into the environment.  You are working on essentially a 'catalytic converter' for power plants to promote the oxidation of Mercury into compounds that can be cleaned from exhaust using existing technology (i.e. SO2 scrubbers).  To accomplish this your scientists used computers and small scale reactors to improve combustion.

I know I get blamed for sidetracking stuff, but I never thought I would read a thread about Pilarz stepping down and arrive at this.   

[keefe]

Welcome back, but honestly, the bolded paragraph reads as if you tried to make a fairly simple process as complicated as possible.  The phrasing renders is almost incomprehensible. 

To translate (if I'm correct).  When we burn any carbon based fuels (think coal), they also contain mercury, which is released into the environment.  You are working on essentially a 'catalytic converter' for power plants to promote the oxidation of Mercury into compounds that can be cleaned from exhaust using existing technology (i.e. SO2 scrubbers).  To accomplish this your scientists used computers and small scale reactors to improve combustion.

Well, one could simplify it in that way as it is essentially the oxidation of elemental Hg through into specific divalent Hg compounds which can be removed through existing wet scrubbing FGD architecture. But this is far more complex than a catalytic conversion. There are specific algorithms used for cyclic spectral analyses that determine optimal combustion in a highly dynamic environment. And therein lies the technical challenge.

If you want to simplify it as a chemical equation it is thus:

Hg + Cl     ------>  HgCl
HgCl + Cl  ------>  HgCl2

But any of the above is as accurate as explaining flight with the statement, "Bernoulli's Theorem."  Devil is always in the details.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Well, one could simplify it in that way as it is essentially the oxidation of elemental Hg through into specific divalent Hg compounds which can be removed through existing wet scrubbing FGD architecture. But this is far more complex than a catalytic conversion. There are specific algorithms used for cyclic spectral analyses that determine optimal combustion in a highly dynamic environment. And therein lies the technical challenge.

If you want to simplify it as a chemical equation it is thus:

Hg + Cl     ------>  HgCl
HgCl + Cl  ------>  HgCl2

But any of the above is as accurate as explaining flight with the statement, "Bernoulli's Theorem."  Devil is always in the details.

I'm having bad flashbacks to Dr. Haworth's chem classes

[keefe]

I'm having bad flashbacks to Dr. Haworth's chem classes

My mouth went dry and palms sweaty at the mere mention of the name Haworth...

Truth be told, he was a damned good professor. General Chemistry is not the most fun subject but he made it more than it should have been. 

[4everwarriors]

With all due respect to your beloved, there is a profound difference between enforcement of environmental laws and innovation in applied physics and electrochemical  engineering. If your wife is truly on top of her game then she is at least conversant in the UNEP-sponsored Minamata Convention aimed at eliminating all man-made Hg vapor emissions by 2020.

Our patented IP was developed by a team of U Dub, Cal, and Washington University in St Louis professors whose specialties include electrochemical systems, combustion, and multi-scale simulation. We have overlain computationally efficient algorithms on the baseline chemistry to create reactive solutions that eliminate more than 95% of elemental Hg from coal-fired power plants, cement operations, smelters, crematoria, etc...



You beat me to it. My words exactly.
As your wife must know, Hg-focused environmental initiatives in the US have been tied up in the courts for 10 years by the coal and power industries. But the EU is a different case, where recognition of the serious health impacts is matched by both an appetite and propensity to eliminate a completely solvable problem. Germany is in the vanguard of addressing the Hg problem and monies have already been allocated by the EU, European Parliament, and the Government of Germany.

I love this country but I sometimes think our short-term focus on profit costs more in the long run than prudent, socially-responsible measures that require investment that actually generates a greater return over time. I would love to think we could get traction on deploying this American technology in the US, especially in the NE and SE, but the lawyers have created an environment that precludes corporate social responsibility in these industrial verticals.

[muwarrior69]

I'm not even sure if this belongs in The Superbar. Perhaps we should have a section to welcome back banned or self-banned participants. Welcome back, Keefe. Always appreciate your perspective on things whether I agree or not.

[Newsdreams]

I love this country but I sometimes think our short-term focus on profit costs more in the long run than prudent, socially-responsible measures that require investment that actually generates a greater return over time. I would love to think we could get traction on deploying this American technology in the US, especially in the NE and SE, but the lawyers have created an environment that precludes corporate social responsibility in these industrial verticals.

Totally agree! Just the future health costs associated with these issues more than offsets profits. Plus all the damage to the environment that then has to be mitigated in the future.

[Coleman]

I love this country but I sometimes think our short-term focus on profit costs more in the long run than prudent, socially-responsible measures that require investment that actually generates a greater return over time. I would love to think we could get traction on deploying this American technology in the US, especially in the NE and SE, but the lawyers have created an environment that precludes corporate social responsibility in these industrial verticals.

That's America in a nutshell, Mr. Keefe. And also capitalism in a nutshell. Lots of positives to it, but one of the major downsides is short term profits driving all decisions. Luckily, there are still some companies who rise above, like Google, and plan for the long term.


I guess my theory about you being with the monks on Mt. Athos was incorrect 

[We R Final Four]

I'm not even sure if this belongs in The Superbar. Perhaps we should have a section to welcome back banned or self-banned participants. Welcome back, Keefe. Always appreciate your perspective on things whether I agree or not.

Someday those 'things' may include MU basketball. Someday.

[🏀]

My mouth went dry and palms sweaty at the mere mention of the name Haworth...

Truth be told, he was a damned good professor. General Chemistry is not the most fun subject but he made it more than it should have been. 

I'm having bad flashbacks to Dr. Haworth's chem classes

Holy crap, you old bastards had Haworth too?

[real chili 83]

With all due respect to your beloved, there is a profound difference between enforcement of environmental laws and innovation in applied physics and electrochemical  engineering. If your wife is truly on top of her game then she is at least conversant in the UNEP-sponsored Minamata Convention aimed at eliminating all man-made Hg vapor emissions by 2020.

Our patented IP was developed by a team of U Dub, Cal, and Washington University in St Louis professors whose specialties include electrochemical systems, combustion, and multi-scale simulation. We have overlain computationally efficient algorithms on the baseline chemistry to create reactive solutions that eliminate more than 95% of elemental Hg from coal-fired power plants, cement operations, smelters, crematoria, etc...

As your wife must know, Hg-focused environmental initiatives in the US have been tied up in the courts for 10 years by the coal and power industries. But the EU is a different case, where recognition of the serious health impacts is matched by both an appetite and propensity to eliminate a completely solvable problem. Germany is in the vanguard of addressing the Hg problem and monies have already been allocated by the EU, European Parliament, and the Government of Germany.

I love this country but I sometimes think our short-term focus on profit costs more in the long run than prudent, socially-responsible measures that require investment that actually generates a greater return over time. I would love to think we could get traction on deploying this American technology in the US, especially in the NE and SE, but the lawyers have created an environment that precludes corporate social responsibility in these industrial verticals.

So, is this your excuse for not posting pictures of your Alaska fishing trip in the Scoop fishing thread?

[Archies Bat]

Holy crap, you old bastards had Haworth too?

I'm that old and I had him although I did not find him that bad.  However, as an engineer, I was also dealing with Calculus and Freshman English, which for most engineers was far more scary.

[🏀]

I'm that old and I had him although I did not find him that bad.  However, as an engineer, I was also dealing with Calculus and Freshman English, which for most engineers was far more scary.

Calculus scary for an Engineer? Come on....

English I could see, knowing that the class was well below our intellectual levels.

[Archies Bat]

Calculus scary for an Engineer? Come on....

English I could see, knowing that the class was well below our intellectual levels.

Sorry I wasn't clear, Chem was cake, Calculus was a chore, and English was a b**tard.

[🏀]

Sorry I wasn't clear, Chem was cake, Calculus was a chore, and English was a b**tard.

+1

[TallTitan34]

Calculus scary for an Engineer? Come on....

English I could see, knowing that the class was well below our intellectual levels.

Calculus was the easiest math class in college.

Chem was an f'ing joke since no one spoke english except Haworth.  Luckily you can end every chem lab report with, "the project didn't work due to human error".

[🏀]

Calculus was the easiest math class in college.

Chem was an f'ing joke since no one spoke english except Haworth.  Luckily you can end every chem lab report with, "the project didn't work due to human error".

Calculus got tough when they tried to take our calculators.

[Archies Bat]

Calculus was the easiest math class in college.

Which Calculus did you have?  Standard, Math Major/Engineering, or BizAd/Basketball Calculus?

[mileskishnish72]

I never finished calculus - calculus finished me.
Good to see you back, Wart, er...keefer.

[muwarrior69]

Hayworth was after my time at MU. I had a Jesuit teach Freshman chemistry and I'm having a brain fart because for the life of me I can't recall his name. Any way we had no mid term or final and he did not take attendance which back then was "required". Our final grade was the average of 7 un-announced quizzes. Back then the fall semester ended in mid January not before the Christmas break as it does now. We all knew one of those quizzes would be the last class before the Christmas break, but the one that threw us for a loop was the first class when we came back after the holiday. I learned more than chemistry that semester; it prepared me for the real world and to expect the unexpected.

[4everwarriors]

Wilke and McKinney followed by Hoffman and Patrick somebody or other for this Warrior, dudes.