Previous in Forum: Mysterious Cracks Ruin 25-Year Old Home   Next in Forum: Galvanic Reaction Between Stainless Steel and Aluminum
Close

Comments Format:






Change Mode
Close

Subscribe to Discussion:

CR4 allows you to "subscribe" to a discussion
so that you can be notified of new comments to
the discussion via email.

Close

Rating Vote:







Add Vote
10 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Zippy2
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 43

Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 8:35 AM

With all of the attention being paid to global warming and the attendant causes, I've not heard mention of what effect the burning of fossil fuels might play. Supposedly, the U.S. burns 400 million gallons of gasoline a day in automobiles and 125 million gallons of diesel. Gasoline provides about 125,000 Btu/gal. and diesel 139,000. Now consider all the other fuels and processes such as nuclear and coal and even wind generated power.

My question is this; How much of the Earth's temperature "rise" is a result of the total fuel being burned worldwide and thus the liberated Btu's. Ignoring greenhouse gases and carbon releases.

I would prefer that this not turn into a discussion about the validity of global warming. Pro or con. I'm just curious. Someone has probably done the math already, but I've never heard it discussed. It came to me while stuck in traffic, surrounded by thousands of other vehicles.

Register to Reply
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.
Zippy2
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 43
#1

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 8:58 AM

Sorry, also factor in Btu's from natural gas used for home heating, and industrial processes.
Register to Reply
bhankiii
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65
#3
In reply to #1

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 10:43 AM

Don't forget the heat generated from each human body by metabolism.
Register to Reply
bhankiii
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65
#2

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 10:42 AM

AFAIK, the amount of warming caused by human generated heat is negligible. The heat energy we receive (and trap) from the sun is magnitudes greater. (I have no numbers to back up this statement. )
Register to Reply
PWSlack
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
Posts: 32175
Good Answers: 839
#4
In reply to #2

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 12:04 PM

The total heat dissipated from fuels is about 0.4% solar input, though a source for this datum cannot be cited.

__________________
 "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
Register to Reply
bhankiii
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: El Lago, Texas, USA
Posts: 2639
Good Answers: 65
#5
In reply to #4

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 1:50 PM

So my unconfirmed hypothesis is backed up by your unsubstantiated data.


Yessss!
Register to Reply
PWSlack
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
Posts: 32175
Good Answers: 839
#9
In reply to #5

Re: Global Heat Input

04/10/2007 3:38 AM

Quite.

__________________
 "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
Register to Reply
BrainWave
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member

Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 962
#6

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 8:08 PM

All the hot air generated from the people who started this debate far oput ways all othe causes. The covering of soil with tarmac and concrete plus the extra humans added to our already high population is the real cause and the fact that the sun is getting hotter makes for a positive heat gain. Global warming by green house gasses is a myth. As I have explained countless times it all originated with an ungerded remark back in the eighties and has snow balled ever since because sow many now rely for their living on convincing the rest a lie is true.

__________________
 There's them that knows and them that just thinks they know, whitch are you? Stir the pot and see what rises up. I have catalytic properties I get a reaction going.
Register to Reply
Zippy2
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 43
#7
In reply to #6

Re: Global Heat Input

04/05/2007 9:04 PM

You misunderstand Brain Wave. I heard that the global temp was up by 0.5 degree. I thought, well hell, the world's population has doubled since I was born. Everyone heats their homes, drives cars, among many other things that produce heat. Is the simple fact of a large population increase over the past 60 years a factor? Forget carbon buildup and green house gases. I thought someone might have already studied this. Again, I am not arguing pro or con about global warming. I was just curious about the total Btu output per person factoring in what we consume and what it all might mean. Gasoline useage in the U.S. alone adds about 51 trillion daily. But I forgot about the futility of asking hot button questions. My fault though. Ask and ye shall receive. I'm off this thread.

Bty, I do not get my science from politicians. Ever.
Register to Reply
BrainWave
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member

Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 962
#8
In reply to #7

Re: Global Heat Input

04/06/2007 3:30 PM

Ok a straight sensible answer then YES.

__________________
 There's them that knows and them that just thinks they know, whitch are you? Stir the pot and see what rises up. I have catalytic properties I get a reaction going.
Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#10
In reply to #7

Re: Global Heat Input

04/19/2007 9:33 PM

I'm very interested in your position. Have been doing some calculations myself. Isn't half of the world in darkness at any time, but heating continues, cars run, radiation of all kinds exist. If you read this, drop me a line.

Tony

Cariddiandgarcia@msn.com
Register to Reply
Register to Reply
Have a Different Question?
10 comments
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

Anonymous Poster (1); bhankiii (3); BrainWave (2); PWSlack (2); Zippy2 (2)

Previous in Forum: Mysterious Cracks Ruin 25-Year Old Home   Next in Forum: Galvanic Reaction Between Stainless Steel and Aluminum

Advertisement

Got Something to Say?
Ask a Question
Start a Discussion

Search this Forum
General Discussion:
Go

CR4 Sections
Aerospace
BioMech & BioMed
Chemical & Material Science
Civil Engineering
Communications & Electronics
Education and Engineering Careers
Electrical Engineering
General Discussion
Instrumentation
Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
New Technologies & Research
Software & Programming
Sustainable Engineering
Transportation

Site Directories
Forum Directory
Blog Directory
User Group Directory
RSS Feeds

CR4 Rules of Conduct
CR4 FAQ
Site Glossary

Who's Online (99 right now)
Show Members
Advertisement