REPORT ON TURBOCOR TOUR of FRI 7/13/07

Chris Loftis took the tour, and he sent me the following report --

For the first half of the tour, we were herded into a classroom and basically given the sales spiel about these compressors. They started out stating the lofty goals they had when starting to design it, and what they actually managed to reach. Despite them not having not made a compressor that can put out 150 tons, is as large as a matchbox and weighs less than a pound, the result is still quite impressive. Of course, the main innovation of the compressor are the magnetic bearings. This gives it the advantage of not needing lubrication because the shaft is the only moving part and it doesn't come into contact with anything. Comparing it to comparable compressors, it's also smaller, quieter and more efficient at partial loads than the other ones out there. Pretty much the only disadvantage seemed to be that they couldn't make them fast enough.

We went out to the manufacturing floor for the second part of the tour. Most all of the parts are machined elsewhere so there wasn't much actual manufacturing being done. It seemed like the only parts done there were the high precision ones needed because of the incredibly small clearance between the levitated shaft and the walls. The vast majority of the plant was devoted to the testing and running of the machines. They certainly have a great track record so far, only having had three units fail in operation so far.

After coming back to the classroom, they were showing off all the units they had on display. The most impressive of them was the working unit with a cross section taken out of it so you could touch the shaft. With the levitation on the shaft impossible to move in any direction but angularly, showing how the control systems can keep the shaft centered despite having someone pushing on it.

All in all, it was nice to have a more hands on look at this new technology.

NOTES on ENGINEERING CLUB MEETING of FRI 7/13/07

• The meeting was called to order shortly after 12:00 Noon by Chairman Komlan Amesse.
• Introductions of attendees were made.
• New Officers were recognized:
  • Vice-Chair (and SGA rep.) -- Miguel Marquina;
  • Secretary -- Ann Wolfgang.
    
• Today's pizza was courtesy of Domino's, and Doug Jones read into the record a letter that he transmitted to Mr. Drew Walker, the manager of the local Domino's, thanking him for the sponsorship of our club.
• We agreed to take part in the Cancer Walk in Oct., but we want to get a club banner before that time, and we'll display the banner in the Walk.
• Also we discussed club t-shirts.
• Regarding an ENGINEERING CLUB study room -- Dean Frank Brown will discuss this with Vice President Barbara Sloan in the near future. Dr. Brown is well aware of our desire to secure such room.
• Lina Williams is coordinating "First Day of Classes" activities for the Club:
  • She needs to get volunteers to take "shifts" outside the SM building on the opening day of classes.
  • We want to get Engineering Club pencils to hand out the first day of classes.
• Mrs. Williams is also coordinating a sequence of fund-raising workshops of (Engineering Club) students -- on -- students. The workshops will concentrate on problem areas in math, mainly algebra.
• The next meeting will be Friday, August 31, at 2:30 pm in SM 260.

Lecture on 19 July about X-ray Observatory

I recently got an e-mail announcing a lecture at the Challenger Learning Center in downtown Tallahassee (on Kleman Plaza) about "X-ray Astrophysics and the Chandra X-ray Observatory". The one hour lecture is at 1:00 pm on Thursday, July 19. There is convenient parking in the Kleman Plaza ramp, and sometimes at the meters along Park Avenue a few blocks north.

Click on the image at right to read the full announcement and details about the lecture. These NASA touring lectures are usually well prepared and understandable to the general public, so I would not expect an overly technical talk until the questions at the end.

This "observatory" is a spacecraft (launched from the Space Shuttle) carrying a very sophisticated X-ray telescope. It has been used to study black holes (including the one at the center of our galaxy), supernovae, and to provide evidence of the existence of dark matter. Because x rays would rather go through something than reflect off of it, designing an x-ray mirror and the associated "optics" was a major accomplishment that will probably be discussed in the talk.

You can read more about this device on the NASA web site and the one for the Harvard-based facility that operates it, among others.

CALL FOR OFFICERS

We have a Chairperson at least through the Fall 07 Semester. But we'll be needing a Chairperson-Elect ASAP.

However, we will not have a Vice Chairperson after the Summer 07 Semester. We need someone for this position.

And we will not have a SGA Representative (Student Government Rep) after the Summer 07 Semester. We absolutely MUST have someone for this position.

If you are interested, please contact me at jonesd@tcc.fl.edu.

TURBOCOR TOUR

As mentioned in earlier posts, the Tallahassee Section ASME is planning a tour of the Danfoss Turbocor plant on Friday, July 13, 2007 @ 2 pm. In order to complete the planning process we need to provide them with an accurate head-count of attendees.

I believe this is a marvelous opportunity to learn more about a remarkable product, and I urge you to take it.

If you are interested in touring the new Danfoss Turbocor plant, please email the following information to me, Doug Jones, jonesd@tcc.fl.edu.

Please respond by Fri., June 29, 2007
+++ DEADLINE EXTENDED TO TUE. JULY 3, 2007 +++

Make the "Subject Box" of your email be TURBOCOR TOUR, and in the "Body" of your email provide the following information.

• name,
• telephone number,
• email address,
• degree of certainty of attendance (confirmed vs probable).

NOTES on ENGINEERING CLUB MEETING of TUE 6/19/07

ENGINEERING CLUB
MEETING OF 6-19-2007 (TUE)
3PM SM260
NOTES: D.JONES.

• INTRODUCTIONS


• AGENDA
  
  
  
  • Domino’s Pizza will (future tense) supply us with pizza & drinks. We’ll give them a certificate of appreciation, or some suitable plaque.
  
  
  • Komlan needs volunteers for various committees.
  
  
  • The Senior Section ASME is organizing a plant visitation to Turbocor. The tour will be July 13 (Fri) at 2pm. We have been invited to participate. Jones will be asking for sign-up names and information soon.
  
  
  • T-Shirt Update: Jones is working with Dylan at Deepsouthsigns on the shirts. At this meeting it was decided to see about getting both Polos and T’s.
  
  
  • Parking Deck Update: Clearing of the North Parking area is underway.
  
  
  • Fundraising Update: Amesse will send Dr. Carr wording on criteria for Engineering Scholarship, which will be presented to the Foundation in enlisting their expertise in establishing a scholarship fund.
  
  
  • Club Room Update: Jones has been reminding Dean Brown of our needs. Hopefully we can get something temp. by Fall. Permanent may take a year, depending upon when the Writing Center moves out of the AC Bldg.
  
  
  • Web Page Update: O’Connor is working on it http://www.tccengineeringclub.com/ . Put a link to the e-club blog on it! And a calendar.
  
  
  • Instead of Fall class visitations by club members to advertise the club, it was decided to set up a table at the front of the SM Bldg sometime during the first week or so of classes – with promotional material such as Engineering Club pencils. There will be a sign-up sheet.
  
  
  • Our next meeting will be Fri., 7/13/2007 at 12 noon. As Loftis and Carr pointed out we’ll need to secure at least a Vice Chair and a SGA rep. at that time. Other officers (esp. a Sec!) would be helpful (Jones is an advisor, not a Sec!) Jones will put an invitation on the Blog for Officer Candidates. After this meeting we’ll go to the Turbocor tour.
  
  
  • We’ll probably have the FSU vs GATOR Engineering meeting on or about the 3rd Fri. in Sept. (as per usual).
  
  
  • Meeting adjourned at about 4:30 pm.
  
  
  
  

TCC ENGINEERING CLUB JUNE MEETING

June Meeting:
Tues. 6/19/07
3 pm
SM 260