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Chapter 13 Designing the World through Engineering
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Energy and Power Technologies
Energy and power are two distinct but related
concepts.Energyis defined y as the ability to do work. There fi fi
are different forms of energy, which will be discussed
in Chapter 19. Power can be defined r as the amount of fi fi
consumed energy of a technological system over time.
Energy and power technologies have consider-
able impact on an individual’s life, affect other areas
of technologies, and can impact the environment and
availability of natural resources for future generations.
When designing energy and power technologies,
engineers consider the inputs, processes, outputs, and
feedback of a system. They must anticipate the type
of energy to be used; the processes used to convert,
transmit, or store it; and the overall outputs required.
Engineers face increasing energy and power
challenges when designing new technologies. Such
engineers are well prepared and may even apply
their mechanical engineering background to design
technologies that consume less energy and power.
Events have pressured designers to overcome future
challenges. One example is the 2016 gas shortage on
the East Coast, as a result of a leak in a critical pipe-
line. Since then, engineers have continued to work
on designing more fuel-efficient cars, as well as fi
electric cars. Additionally, engineers play a signifi-fi
cant role in designing energy and power technolo-
gies through smart grids, which are networks of
generation, transmission, distribution, and power
consumers of energy and power. See Figure 13-15.
Information and
Communication Technologies
Information and communication technologies
are technologies that provide the ability to record,
store, manipulate, analyze, and transmit data across
Dima Zel/Shutterstock.com
Figure 13-13. Organizations such as SpaceX and
SpaceDev compete for missions to transport goods to the
International Space Station.
ambrozinio/Shutterstock.com
Figure 13-14. Vehicles are continuously improved and
equipped with new technologies to make travel safer and
more comfortable. This head-up display provides a driver
with important information such as speed or directions
within their viewpoints. This enables the driver to see
important information without looking away from the
roadway.
monicaodo/Shutterstock.com
Figure 13-15. Engineers play a significant role in
designing energy and power technologies through smart
grids.