Environmental Issues Within Electrical Engineering Issue The process

Environmental Issues Within Electrical Engineering Issue: The process of many facets of Engineering can be somewhat harmful to the environment and the organisms that live in the surrounding ecosystem.

• Example Issues would include: – Harmful effects of a coal burning power plant. • Carbon Dioxide/Carbon Monoxide – Increase in Carbon Dioxide depletes oxygen content in atmosphere. – Carbon Monoxide is lethal to living organisms and it’s presence is undetectable by most mammals. • Acid rain/Air pollutants – Acid rain is a product of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. – Greatly effects plants and trees, as well as decreases the PH balance of fresh and salt water • Global Warming. • Particulate matters damage to living organisms. – “Coal Miners Disease” – Other assorted cardiac and respiratory diseases

• Electronics Manufacturing Waste Disposal (e-Waste): – Lead from Solder is a metabolic poison in mammals. – Mercury found in monitors, tubes and switches is also a metabolic poison and can effect brain function. – Cadmium found in batteries, alloys and light sensitive sensors can contaminate soils, cause lung damage if inhaled and kidney damage if ingested – Brominated Flame Retardants cause nervous system and liver damage.

• Wind Farm Issues: – Huge effect on the surrounding environments flying organism population due to strikes during migration of birds/bats. – Negligible effect of noise pollution on surrounding human population. – Possible increase in relative cold due to convection currents during winter, and cooling during summer months (possible benefit to certain crops).

• Coal power: www. iea. org • E-waste: http: www. epa. gov –http: //inece. org/

Social Impact • As engineers, what are our responsibilities to society regarding the decisions we make during the design process?

Electricity

Telephone

Internet

Case Study: Napster Invented by Sean Parker & Shawn Fanning Excellent technology and design for sharing files via Internet Facilitated illegal activities (copyright infringement) Started the decline of CD sales, Huge effect on the music industry Who is liable for how technologies/products are used? www. torrentsecurity. com

Social Responsibility Engineers must understand they design systems, products & processes that effect the public in many ways Examples: bridges, buildings, power systems, modes of transportation , medical equipment, forms of communication Almost every element of design work can have a public impact/consequence The public must feel they can trust that engineers will develop products that are well-designed and safe As engineers we must consider the potential effects on society in all of our engineering designs www. siderealview. worldpress. com

Social Unrest Don’t be that engineer!

Politics in Engineering • Engineering had been involved politics since the creation of Government. • War dramatically increases engineering efforts. • Congress regularly debates bills on highly complex, technology-related issues – – – energy policy fuel economy standards climate change cybercrime food safety • Few legislators bring technical expertise to their deliberations.

World Leaders http: //www. economist. com/node/13496638

USA vs. China United States China • Obamas Cabinet: • Hu Jintao: – Obama – Harvard Law – Hillary Clinton (secretary of state) – Yale Law – Eric Holder (Attorneygeneral) – Columbia Law – Joe Biden (Vice president) – Syracuse Law – Leon Panetta (Director of CIA) –Santa Clara Law – Hu (president) – Hydraulic engineer • His predecessor, Jiang Zemin – electrical engineer – Wen Jiabao (prime minister) – Geological engineer – Politburo's standing committee (senor body of communist party) • 8 out 9 are engineers, 1 is a lawyer

Engineering in War • Wars are won by having an upper hand. Engineering new technologies can provided this upper hand.

Engineering in War • Civil War: – Railroads – Gatling Gun – Telegraph • Not invented in this time but used extensively – Barbed wire – Rifled gun barrels http: //bigdesignevents. com/2012/02/fiveinnovations-from-the-civil-war/

Engineering in War • World War 1 – – Tanks Flamethrowers Poison Gas Air Traffic Control • Radio telegraph messages exchanged in flight • Range of 140 miles – Aircraft Carriers – Mobile X-rays http: //mentalfloss. com/article/31882/12 technological-advancements-world-war-i

Engineering in War • World War 2 – Pressurized Airplane Cabins – RADAR • Not invented but implemented heavily – Control Systems • Used to guide missles – Jet Engines – Nuclear Power – …continued http: //www. expertreviews. co. uk/general/1286 401/top-10 -technical-innovations-of-worldwar-2/9

Engineering in War • WW 2 led to the creation of the first computer. • It was used to decode German encrypted messages

Space Race Engineering • Satellites – Long distance Communications – GPS • Satellite Dishes • MRI’s and CAT scans • Cordless power tools – For drilling moon rock • Memory foam

American Politics Today https: //www. deloitte. com/assets/Dcom. Australia/Local%20 Assets/Documents/Industries/Government%20 Services/Pu blic%20 Sector/Deloitte_Defense. UAV_DI_Case. Study_2 Apr 2012. pdf

American Politics Today • Drones Uses: • Military and Intelligence – Reconnaissance /Surveillance – Strike – Close combat support • Clearing buildings • Security – Policing – Border Patrol / Perimeter security • Environmental, emergency response and infrastructure – – Surveillance Storm and weather monitoring Search and rescue Emergency management • wild-fire monitoring, suppression, and fire-crew information tool) • Drone Facts: – First used by George W. Bush but used much more heavily under Obama. • Due to increases in technology and political views. – Exact number of strikes unknown.

Engineering in Politics, Conclusions • In general, politicians are “Big Picture” oriented. • Politicians negotiate highly complex, technologyrelated issues without technical expertise. – The solutions are left up to engineers • Wars prompt engineering growth.

The Design Process

Problem and Problem Statement You want me to build WHAT? ! Is that even possible?

Problem Statement: Manufactureability Case Study

Alternative Solutions Deadlines, Peer Pressure, Pride, Management, Money, Career Advancement, etc. Do not let outside pressures compromise your ethics Case study: <http: //ethics. tamu. edu/Portals/3/1992 Cases/ Acknowledging. Maistake/ethics. tamu. eduar_usa way. pdf>

Analysis of Solution Honesty, Conflict of Interests, Pride, Deadlines Speak with Case study: Honesty <http: //ethics. tamu. edu/Portals /3/1992 Cases/Acknowledging Think with Maistake/ethics. tamu. edu_ Sincerity pritchar_failure. pdf> Act with Integrity

The Decision Decide which of the solutions best fit the problem Don't force a square peg into a round hole

Conclusion Use your best judgement in everything you do! Always think things through!

Resources: Case Studies: http: //ethics. tamu. edu www. kevinkennedyassociates. com www. justice. gov Images: http: //www. wirelessduniya. com (RFID) (coil) http: //electricandelectronicsworld. blogspot. com http: //www. yankodesign. com (Crane) http: //www. designdazzling. com (Decision Path)

Sustainable Engineering Practices Issue: Ø One time use of materials used in the manufacturing of electronics is diminishing the finite resources of the planet. Ø Also is the cause of greater conflicts and occurrences such as slavery, genocide and civil war. Ø This model for electronic material collection is not sustainable. Ø And is the creator of the term “Conflict Minerals”.

Materials Used In Electronics Manufacturing Ø Gold: Used in semiconductors, switches and relays for contact surfaces. Ø Tantalum: Used in capacitors and high powered resistors. Ø Tin: Used in solder. Ø Tungsten: Used for its density and hardness, in tools such as drill bits and cell phone vibration motors.

Materials are mined around the world… Tantalum is produced from Columbite. Tungsten is produced from Wolframite. Tin is produced from Cassiterite. Guess what gold is produced from!

The issue with these materials: Ø These materials are present in various locations throughout the world, but the most infamous place is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ø In the DRC millions of slaves are utilized by armed rebel groups and adjoining Government agencies to acquire the estimated 20+ trillion dollars in minerals in the soil. Ø These slaves are subjected to the worse lifestyle that can possibly be lived.

Cont…. Ø These minerals are transported out of the DRC and sold out of the adjoining countries: Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and the Congo Republic.

Why this matters…. Ø “Conflict Minerals” are a modern day reality for the people of the DRC as well as its surrounding countries but they will represent the future model of all first world nations as the finite resources of the world are consumed and these nations fight for last remaining minerals. Ø The only way to prevent this is to develop a much more sustainable model of use and reuse of these limited resources.

Resource Management Ø Recycling used and out-of-date electronics is the first step in becoming less dependent on mining and the subsequent depletion of mined resources for the manufacturing of future electronics.

citations • Columbite picture: (30 cm specimen) http: //hyperphysics. phy-ast • Cassiterite picture: (Tin) http: //hyperphysics. phyastr. gsu. edu/hbase/minerals/cassiterite. html#c 1 • Wolframite picture: (Tungsten) http: //webmineral. com/specimens/picshow. php? id=1231&ta rget=Wolframite • Gold: (Semiconductors, switches) http: //hyperphysics. phyastr. gsu. edu/hbase/geophys/gold. html#c 1 r. gsu. edu/hbase/minerals/Columbite. html#c 1

Health and Safety • Hazardous Waste – – – Ignitable Corrosive Reactivity Toxic Environmental Protection Agency has 500 chemicals listed

Health and Safety • Fracking is a process used to release natural gases • 1 -8 gallons of water and 40, 000 gallons of 600 different carcinogens and toxins per fracturing • High pressure causes rock to crack and natural gas to flow into the well by punctures • Ground water is contaminated from methane gas and toxic chemicals • Damages respiratory, senses, neurological system

Health and Safety How? • Electrical Overloading • Electrical Discharge • Electrical heating What results? • Excess heat • Flammable • Component/Components may not work

citation • Hazardous Materials. 2012. Mt. Leban on Fire Department, Pitsburgh. Web. 28 Feb 2013. <http: //mtlfd. org/emergency-services/haz-mat/>.