Human Passive Energy Systems – Light
If energy, resources and environment are depleting then what are the passive energy systems that Humans can use to survive up to 2050.
This is the analysis that covers the passive energy system of Light.
Electromagnetic radiation from the sun; Light; is used by life and by human beings as an energy source, a means of activating a sensory input of the environment and as a means of activating a sensory input to alter chemical production and circadian rhythms.
Light as a Passive and Assisted Energy Source
The potential solar energy available at the surface of the Earth
Source: Wikipedia and Smil (2006)
= 122,082,699,137,591 kw
= 122082699137591000 w
This potential energy source is spread over the whole surface area of Earth
= 150,000,000 km2
Allowing for the change from day to night the potential energy source is spread over
= 75,000,000 km2
= 75000000000000 m2
Allowing for a the whole potential energy source over this area
= 122082699137591000 / 75000000000000 m2
Which gives an energy level available to be collected
= 1,628 w /m2
The first Passive Energy Gain for humans is therefore. = 1628 w /m2/day
Light as a Passive Energy Input Gain – Radiate Heat - Sun
Humans can gain an average solar irradiance of 250 w/m2 from the sun each day on the Earth by being in the correct location to be exposed to the suns radiant heat energy.
This can be accomplished without any technology, including clothes.
This as a basis for solar technology indicates that the energy of solar irradiance level at sea level, land surface, is very low and yet capable of sustaining life.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insolation
The second Passive Energy gain for humans is therefore = 250 w/m2
Applying this to the human outer layer; the skin; as the interface with the environment then the energy interface potential can be calculated.
Total area of human skin organ = 1.8m2
Total environmental interface energy = 1.8 x 250 = 450 w/m2 / day
Total human interface energy = 1.8 x 58 = 105 w/m2 / day
The third Passive Energy gain for humans is therefore = 105 w/m2/day
Light as a Means of Activating a Sensory Input
The visible spectrum of light is used to activate an electro-chemical reaction in humans to produce a sensory input.
The measure of the light components is broken up as follows.
A light source is termed a candela unit. From the term candle.
The angle it works through is called a steradian unit.
A lumen is the intensity from one candela per steradian angle.
Light level is measured in lux or lumens per square meter.
In actual real use a current 23 watt compact fluorescent lamp emits about 1,500–1,600 lumen (lm)
A lumen therefore in the case of a 23 watt compact fluorescent equates to approximately 0.02 watts.
Taking the light from the sun as a Passive Energy source for human use it has been observed that the light energy available to the eye varies from 120,000 Lux in bright sunlight to 5 Lux in storm cloud conditions with the sun at the horizon.
This indicates that the human eye has a vast range of lux, lumens per square meter is very large.
In energy terms sunlight equates to 120,000 lux available per square meter for direct sunlight luminous efficacy of about 93 lumens per watt of radiant flux over 1 m2 has an energy of 1290 watts.
The fourth Passive Energy gain for humans is therefore = 1290 w/m2
The light levels vary from day to night.
The moon provides reflected light at night of about 0.2 lux at the surface of the Earth.
Applying the same calculation as for the sunlight.
In energy terms moonlight equates to 0.2 lux available per square meter for direct moonlight luminous efficacy of about 93 lumens per watt of radiant flux since it is the same light source over 1 m2 has an energy of 0.002 watts.
The fifth Passive Energy gain for humans is therefore = 0.0002 w/m2
Light pollution, the photo pollution or excessive light pollution is an indicator of our technological level, consumerism nature and energy depleting society.
The level of this pollution of varies from urban areas to rural areas.
Light provides energy to the human metabolism and changes the human circadian rhythm
This is also true with plant, fish, animal and microbial life forms.
All share the common reliance on evolution in tune with the available energy from the sun.
The other benefits from the removal of light pollution include energy saving, better visual sense and improved astronomic observational sense.
The worst effects can be established and measured through the largest urban areas.
The American calculation puts this energy loss at 82TW. (1999)
Source: 1999 Energy Information Administration — Commercial Energy Consumption Survey. Eia.doe.gov
Comparing this to the Electricity consumption for the United States in 1999 of 3666 TWh a percentage of light pollution waste can be established for the economy.
Source: CIA World Factbboook 1999
82 / 3666 x 100 = 2 %
This can then be established as a percentage for the whole world electricity consumption for the same year 1999.
World Electricity Consumption of 12.3427 trillion kWh (est 1994)
Source: CIA World Factbboook 1999
2% x 12,342,700,000,000 = 246854000000 kWh
Given the date for this data the effect may be larger however it serves as an indicator of the loss of a Passive Energy Gain.
The sixth Passive Energy Gain for humans
by reduction of non natural light use
is therefore. = 246,854,000,000,000 kwh/year
= 246,854,000,000,000,000 wh/year
= 676,312,328,767,123 wh/day
Light as a Means of Activating a Sensory Input
to alter chemical production and circadian rhythms.
The visible spectrum of light is used as a means of activating a sensory input to alter chemical production and circadian rhythms.
Humans have evolved as chemical processes that use variations of light levels to regulate their internal chemical systems based around the regulation of Melatonin through the opening and closing of the human eye.
In a human a 24 hour light sensitive reaction can be identified as follows.
Plant and Animal reactions to the same stimuli have been identified to indicate the similarity in the use of this chemical throughout all life on Earth.
Human production of melatonin is activated by the closing of the retina.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin and associated references
At 21.00 Melatonin secretion starts
The environment moves into darkness as the rotation of the Earth puts parts of it out of the electromagnetic radiation from the sun. Light reflected off the moon provides only about 0.2 lux at the surface of the Earth.
In Plants this regulates response to light and dark, environment, antioxidant, growth.
In Animals this regulates response to light and dark, environment, reproduction, behavior, antioxidant, growth, camouflage.
In humans this regulates response to light and dark, environment, reproduction, behavior, growth, antioxidant, camouflage.
At 22.30 Human bowel movements are suppressed
At 02.00 The maximum human dormancy, sleep, levels are reached
At 04.30 Human body temperature is at its lowest
The environment moves into daylight as the rotation of the Earth puts parts of it into the electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
At 06.45 Human blood pressure starts to rise
Human production of melatonin is suppressed by the opening of the retina.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin and associated references
At 07.30 Melatonin secretion stops
In Plants this regulates response from dark to light, environment, antioxidant, growth.
In Animals this regulates response to dark to light, environment, reproduction, behavior, antioxidant, growth, camouflage.
In humans this regulates response to dark to light, environment, reproduction, behavior, growth, antioxidant, camouflage.
At 08.30 Human bowel movements increase.
At 09.00 Human testosterone secretion is at its highest
At 10.00 Human highest alertness level
At 14.00 Human highest coordination level
At 15.30 Human fastest reaction time
At 17.00 Human greatest cardiovascular efficiency and muscle strength
At 18.30 Human blood pressure is at its highest
At 19.00 Human body temperature is at its highest
Human Passive Energy Input Gain using Light to control activity levels
Allowing for Humans to take 18 breaths per minute over 14 hours, 840 minutes.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory
Allowing 16 litres per hour per 600 breaths of oxygen consumption.
Allowing for 4.7 kcal of energy released for every litre of oxygen consumed
= 16 x 4.7 = 75 kcal/hr
Total passive energy input gain per hour per 600 breaths
= 87 w/hr = 1.45w/minute
Total passive energy input gain per breath = 7 wh = 0.12 w/ minute
Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/metab.html
This allows for 15120 x 0.12 w /minute / breath = 1814 w
Allowing for Humans to take 10 breaths per minute over 10 hours, 600 minutes.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory
Allowing 16 litres per hour per 600 breaths of oxygen consumption.
Allowing for 4.7 kcal of energy released for every litre of oxygen consumed
= 16 x 4.7 = 75 kcal/hr
Total passive energy input gain per hour per 600 breaths = 87 w/hr = 1.45w/minute
Total passive energy input gain per breath = 7 wh = 0.12 w/ minute
Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/metab.html
This allows for 6000 x 0.12 w /minute / breath = 720 w
This gives a Passive Potential Energy Gain over at least 10 hours each day due to reduced energy use. This saving can be extended into more of the 24 hours each day by altering the daily routine and so altering the calorific use and energy use of each human.
There is also a parallel saving in technological produced energy use by altering the human daily routine.
The seventh Passive Energy Gain for humans by
reduced activity is therefore =1094 w/m2/day
Combined Human Environment, Internal and Radiated Energy Potential
The previous calculations can be added together to give a potential passive energy total.
Total Potential Passive Energy gain for humans = 676312328771490.0002 wh/day
= 676,312,328,771 kwh/day
This amount of passive energy when compared to that of a post 2020, peak oil, 2storey 3 Bedroom 4 Person House of approx. 87m2 that would have to achieve 87 x 30 kWh/m²/yr , 2610 kwh/yr to comply with EU low energy house standards indicates that the human passive energy input to this energy requirement could be as high as 676,312,328,771 kwh / day, 246,854,000,001,415 kwh /year of the energy need enough to allow survival without additional technology being involved.
Source: EU low energy house standards.
Human Technology Need
Humans have a very strong link to the light environment chemical factory of the Sun and Earth.
If humans are deprived of sleep or their circadian rhythm is altered then they will start to hallucinate after three days without sleep.
Humans can survive two weeks without deep sleep before having a reduced immunity level to disease.
The passive energy systems to assist in light control are enough to allow survival without additional technology being involved.
Natural light is free and humans are tuned to it.
Manufactured light is expensive in terms of energy, resources and environment.
Energy, resource and environment gains from the reduction in manufactured light around human settlements are possible.
Individual light energy use can be reduced and made portable to make it more cost effective for all humans wherever they are.
Therefore any new technology proposals must reduce the use of manufactured, fixed light, and the associated service generation and distribution points for the human beings.
The Architecture of their dwellings must include passive solar lighting and heating and mobile reduced energy lighting systems without all the associated electrical distribution services.
Ian K Whittaker
Websites:
https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles
Email: iankwhittaker@gmail.com
10/11/2013
12/11/2013
14/10/2020
1932 words over 5 pages