The Texas Electric Vehicle (EV) Program

The University of Texas at Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM), the Texas Energy Conservation Office, and the Texas Department of Commerce have jointly organized an electric and hybrid-electric vehicle program in Texas. The program capitalizes on the advanced technical position in four key dual-use technologies that has been established by UT-CEM and focuses on technology development and transfer to firms capable of production. The program also involves innovative linkages with users and customers during the development process to simultaneously develop initial market interest, attract investment, and identify user test platforms. The program is intended to serve as a beginning, with an expanding number of participants and technologies in future years.

The Texas Electric Vehicle Program consists of four interdependent projects to develop: efficient low-cost homopolar EV traction motors; small flywheel batteries for vehicle power management; large flywheel batteries for utility power management (such as would be required for practical electric vehicle recharge stations) and hybrid electric railroad locomotives; and improved electromechanical active vehicle suspensions.

The breadth and scope of the principal organizations (over a dozen) participating in the projects provide the strength of the program — the interaction of the manufacturers, the developers, and the users during the development process. Similarly, the program’s complexity and the diverse requirements of the 10 different organizations that are providing funds has heightened the dependencies of the projects. For example, the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations is primarily interested in job creation in Texas. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), on the other hand, is primarily interested in electric vehicle technology development for both military and commercial applications. Technical inter-dependencies also exist. For example, the utility flywheel battery program relies on the vehicular flywheel battery project to solve flywheel battery manufacturing cost issues and flywheel battery containment and safety problems.

homopolar - однополюсный            tointended - намереваться, подразумевать что-либо

flywheel - маховик, маховое колесо toheighten – повышать, усиливать

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THE UNION JACK

The Union Jack is the popular name given to the flag of the United Kingdom. Usually it is called the Union Flag and it consists of several flags.

It all began in 1603, when Scotland was joined to England and Wales. The Scottish Flag, St. Andrew's Cross, blue with a white cross from comer to comer, was joined to the English Flag, St. George's Cross, white with a red cross. The flag of St. George can still be seen on churches in England today. Later, in 1801, the Irish Flag of St. Patrick's Cross was added, white with a red cross from comer to comer. In this way the British people got the Union Flag, which is red, white and blue. King James the First ordered the British Flag to be flown on the main mast of all British ships, except on ships-of-war. Here the flag was flown at the front of the ships, on what was called the bowsprit. The end of the bowsprit was called the Jack Star and so we get the name of Union Jack. A "jack", by the way, is an old word for a "sailor".

1.    What is the name of the flag of the United Kingdom?

2.    How many flags does the Union Flag consists of?

3.    Why did the flag get the name of Union Jack?

3. Topic: “Principles of operation of four reciprocating gasoline motor”

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Small Flywheel Battery Systems For Vehicle Power Management

UT-CEM is exploiting its high performance composite rotor technology, developed with over $20M of DoD funding, to develop a stand alone flywheel battery system, complete with power electronics, for vehicular applications. The flywheel will store 2 kW-hr of energy, and produce 100 to 150 kW of power. Other members of the team, AVCON and Allied Signal Aerospace Company are providing complementing magnetic bearing and motor/generator expertise respectively.

The primary objective of the project is to develop dual-use stand alone flywheel battery systems, for military and commercial applications. Future military requirements for power averaging are more demanding than commercial applications, and will demand the advanced rotor technology being applied in this project. This becomes even more critical with the next generation of combat vehicles, employing EM guns, EM suspensions and EM countermeasures.

This project, to fabricate a moderate-cost high-performance composite flywheel battery system, capitalizes on an alliance of mass transit providers, university technology developers, and commercial manufacturing entities. For this reason, the program structure encompasses the elements necessary to develop the required production technology, formulate component manufacturing plans which are guided by customer-driven system designs, and introduce the technology to the marketplace. Each member of the alliance has a vested interest in producing these systems in large numbers and is investing considerable resources to insure the success of the program with the ultimate goal of producing a commercially viable unit. Commercial viability will also be enhanced by the composite rotor manufacturing tasks to reduce fabrication costs in the project.

funding – финансирование                manufacturingentity – промышленная организация

to provide – снабжать                      commercial application - промышленноеприменение

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NATIVE AMERICANS

Native Americans came from Asia. Over 20 000 years ago they traveled across the land between Siberia and Alaska. When English colonists came to the New World on board the "Mayflower" the native Americans met them and were very friendly and helped them a lot. In those days people lived in small earth houses and grew their own food. Some Indians ate only grass, nuts, and what fruit they could find. Other people were fishermen and lived in wooden houses. Most native Americans were very peaceful. They wanted to live happily with nature and each other. They believed in many gods and thought that the gods live in trees, stones, water and fire. They believed their gods could bring success in hunting, farming and fishing. They often had special ceremonies with dances and music before they went hunting or fishing or when they began farming. Native Americans songs and poems are a very important part of their traditions as they help them to keep their history and culture alive. Another famous tradition was smoking of a peace pipe. When they smoked this pipe together with people they did not know it meant friendship and peace. Many years ago Native American tribes lived in all parts of the USA. Now most of them live in poor lands to the west of Mississippi River.

1.    Where did native Americans come from?

2.    What did English colonists see when they landed to the New World?

3.    How was the life of Indians?

3.    Topic: “Types of Fuel”

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