Dirty Cheap yet Squeaky Clean
Since ambient air consists for 80 % of Nitrogen, even 100 % Hydrogen-fuelled Combustion
Engines will emit Nitrous Oxides, even more potent Greenhouse Gases than Carbon-Dioxide.
Hydrogen binds with the Nitrogen during combustion resulting in NOx
The Higher the Combustion Temperature, the Higher the NOx Emissions
Since the fuel-oxygen mixture in Diesel Engines combusts through friction heat, lacking an
electric spark, the combustion temperature exceeds that of electrically ignited gasoline
engines, hence their higher NOx emissions.
Nitrous Oxide Gases, apart from them being associated with a multitude of diseases among
which Cancer, contribute to Global Warming –indirectly- as Inhibitors of photosynthetic
conversion of atmospheric Carbon-dioxide into Cellulose by all vegetation immediately
exposed to it.
Cellulose binds Carbon in its manifestation as climatically unreactive solid.
Low-cost Catalytic Converters , available since the 1970s neutralize most NOx emissions of
Otto-engines but aren’t suitable for Diesel engines.
Heightened emission of NOx by Diesel engines not being a general rule, under a heavy
regime they perform even better than Gasoline engines with spark ignition.
They still would benefit most from combustion employing Pure Oxygen rather than Ambient
Air.
Pure Nitrogen doesn’t contribute to Global Warming employed as propellant for Pneumatic
Vehicles with the Medial Kinetic Energy deriving from the 700-fold volume-increase of
Cryogenic Nitrogen in Confined Spaces at Atmospheric Temperatures thus acting as a
substitute for Compressed Air of which only limited quantities can be stored on-board
vehicles contrary to liquid Nitrogen offering equivalent vehicle range to liquid hydrocarbons
like Gasoline or Diesel.
As no combustion occurs, no binding of Oxygen and Nitrogen ensues with the depleted
Nitrogen Gas re-entering the atmosphere with a Molecular Status identical to the one it was
extracted from it.
A Net Zero Operation so to speak and therefore Climate-Neutral.
Since the remaining emissions in Hydrogen-fuelled combustion engines exclusively derive
from the utilisation of the combustion promotor Oxygen from atmospheric air, by injecting
pure Oxygen in the combustion chamber no binding with Nitrogen occurs and the engine
operates 100 % emission-free.
Zero-Carbon & Zero-Nitrous oxides rendering it just as Climate-neutral as Fuel Cell powered
Electric Motors.
Since the remaining emissions in Hydrogen-fuelled combustion engines exclusively derive
from the utilisation of the combustion promotor Oxygen from atmospheric air, by injecting
pure Oxygen in the combustion chamber no binding with Nitrogen occurs and the engine
operates 100 % emission-free.
Zero-Carbon & Zero-Nitrous oxides rendering it just as Climate-neutral as fuel cell powered
electric motors.
Even employing non-fossil hydrocarbons like Methane Gas or Esterified Vegetable Oils
counts as Climate-Neutral provided their combined use in converted combustion engines with
Pure Oxygen.
The simplest and most straightforward method to convert vegetable oils into Biodiesel
consists of a procedure called Esterification being less cumbersome than Distillation.
Since the amount of carbon extracted from the atmosphere by oil-bearing Crops during their
growth corresponds more or less with that their subsequent combustion emits, they’re
considered to be Climate-Neutral.
Biofuels no longer being the preferred option as their cultivation occurs at the expense of food
production tending to drive up market-prices of the latter wherever they compete with each
other.
Some crops however being dual-purpose plants, providing both Natural Fibres and Vegetable
Oils rendering them Eco-advantageous in several respects, both as resource for Sustainable
Textiles and Climate-Neutral Bio-fuel.
Exemplary for this being Flax, cultivation of which in the historic County of Flanders goes
back more than a Millennium.
The iconic Tapestry of Bayeux, depicting the 1066 Battle of Hastings leading to the death of
King Harold and the last successful invasion of England [not counting the massive alien
influx of late] was commissioned by Mathilda, daughter of the Count of Flanders, spouse of
William the Conqueror, the invader from Normandy in present-day France.
Because of William’s nuptial bond with a member of the House of Flanders, Flemish Knights
were recruited to participate in this conquest being promised Estates & Land in England if
they did.
Death of King Harold as depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry made of Flemish Linen
Hence, some of the oldest English aristocratic families descend directly from these Flemish
Knights.
Halley Comet depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry, seen as an Omen for Things to Come
The cloth of the tapestry consists of Flemish Linen, the patterns of English Wool.
For centuries to come, the Symbiosis of Linen from Flanders & Wool from England assured
their mutual wealth.
Blue Flax Flowers Typifying Flemish Lanscapes Once
Land in much of England being so poor as to be only suitable for Sheep Farming yielding the
one exportable produce : Wool
England’s fabled Green Pastures being only a Fist Thick, with only limestone underneath.
White Cliffs of England with very Thin Topsoil
So crucial for England’s fortunes the Wool Trade with the Flemish Textile Cities was
deemed, the Lord presiding over the House of Lords to this day sits on a Sack stuffed with
English Wool, this rather uncomfortable seat being an eternal reminder not to let any
legislation pass which could jeopardise this all-important trade relationship with the
continental cities of Flanders, Hainaut & Brabant.
Precariously Seated on the Wool Sack in the House of Lords
Oudenaarde Tapestry [County of Flanders], woven from Flemish Linen & English Wool
Tournai Tapestry [County of Hainaut] woven from Flemish Linen & English Wool
Brussels Tapestry [Duchy of Brabant] woven from Flemish Linen & English Wool
Antwerp Tapestry [Duchy of Brabant] woven from Flemish Linen & English Wool
Bruges Tapestry [County of Flanders] woven from Flemish Linen & English Wool
The daughter of one of the reputed Tapestry Weavers of the Flemish City of Oudenaarde gave
birth to one of the [acknowledged] bastards of Habsburg Emperor Charles-V and was later
appointed Governess of The Netherlands.
Ghent-born Charles-V having been first Monarch in History to Rule over an Empire spanning
all Continents (apart from Australia)
Although she didn’t display any of the apparent external genetic defects of the House of
Habsburg, she was vilified by the Insurrectionists as one of the Oppressors of the Leo
Belgicus such as The original Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands were referred to before
their arbitrary partitioning with not only Duchies and Counties being split up but even Towns
within them.
The 1st Battle of the Secession War which was to last 80 years occurred only years after the
beginning of her tenure as Governess of the Netherlands.
The Lower Nobility of the Netherlands negotiated a Compromise with the Habsburg Bastard
who retracted later on engagements agreed upon.
Even worse Governors would subsequently succeed her.
Parma, Granvelle, Alva with Pope Pius-V
After this brief topical excursion into the murky history of this long-suffering out-corner of
Europe at the hands of Dynastic Imperialists, we return to the main subject of this exposé.
Two leading Tapestry Weavers, François De La Planche from the County of Flanders and
Marc de Comans from the Duchy Brabant were attracted to the Manufacture des Gobelins de
Paris to introduce the Art in France.
The Antwerp Tapestry Weaver Marc de Comans, believe it or not, happened to be the greatnephew of no less than Thomas More, as his father married the daughter of the sister of this
canonised English Catholic, author of the iconic book Utopia most of which was written
while residing in Antwerp.
An entire Colony of tapestry Artisans from The Southern Netherlands established themselves
in Paris near La Manufacture des Gobelins
And even the Vatican was adorned with numerous tapestries by a Brabant Artist called Pieter
Van Aalst [not to be confused with the Brabant artist of the same name who taught Pieter
Breughel the Elder]
The Tapestry Industry in the Dutch Republic equally being founded by a Weaver from the
Southern Netherlands by the name of Alexander Baert.
Not surprisingly, it was in the same County of Flanders, artists were first to substitute egg
yoke by Linseed Oil [extracted from Flax seed] introducing oil painting to the Art World in
North-western Europe from where it spread to the Italic Peninsula with numerous Flemish
exile-artists settling there.
Linseed, Issue of Flax from which Oil can be Extracted
Italian Masters preferred Olive Oil to Linseed Oil, that being more prevalent in Southern
Europe.
The Van Eyk brothers having been the first Great Masters to practice the oil painting
technique.
Mystic Lamb by Hubert & Jan Van Eyck, the Dawn of Oil Painting
Later, again in the Southern Netherlands, Linen Canvas eventually replaced wooden panels or
metal plates of limited size, enabling an up-scaling of paintings like the supersized Rubens’
oils this Brabant master became associated with.
Descent from the Cross, Large-Scale Rubens at his most Consummate on Linen Canvas
The artist most connoted with the depiction of Flax Cultivation in Flanders having been
Ghent-born Emile Claus.
The water of the river traversing the County of Flanders, as was later established, naturally
contains certain chemicals being particularly conducive to its Flexibility and Resistance after
Flax has been soaked in it.
At the height of the Flax Industry, the water coloured red because the huge quantities of flax
from factories situated along its banks being soaked in it.
Although Emile Claus’ work consists almost entirely of scenes from the Flax Industry in
Flanders, by necessity he diverted from this recurrent theme during his forcible stay in
England as a refugee during WW1.
The first Synergic utilisation of Flax coming to Fruition, its fibres and the issue of its seeds
conjoining into was represents the perfect union, painting on linen canvas with linseed oil.
Nowadays new environmental imperatives could occasion another Synergic Employ of Plants.
More than one usable product can be derived from some crops.
Cottonseeds also contain oil, so do Grape Seeds and Hemp seeds.
But still, they all require arable land not everywhere in ample supply as sweet water isn’t
either.
Fast-growing Organic Matter forgoing any need for Arable Land, Fertilizer or Sweet Water
while abundant in Seas and Oceans wherever on Earth.
Seaweed grows extremely fast and has no other requirements than Salt Water and Sunlight.
Fastest Growing Organism, Kelp
As it grows, it photo-synthesises sea-born carbon, naturally absorbed from the atmosphere,
into cellulose, the organic matter which, once digested in anaerobic conditions, yields
Methane.
Extraction of carbon from seawater, reinvigorates its carbon-absorbing capacity as to reduce
atmospheric, Global Warming Inducing carbon-dioxide in turn.
Once again, a Net Zero Operation.
Solar Energy, but of the sort not resulting in Waste Mountains or Scenic Pollution.
Seaweed rather than being considered a Problem should be embraced as the possible Provider
of the Solution to Future Energy Concerns.
Converted, Dual Cryogenic Liquid powered diesel engines being perhaps rather impracticable
in private vehicles but not so in diesel locomotives or diesel-powered ships where ample
opportunity exists to store cryogenic storage tanks for both Hydrogen and Oxygen safely.
Thus converted trucks with mounted cranes operated to the highest attainable Eco-beneficial
standards in the short- and medium term when deployed in a Dynamic Multi-modal Logistic
Environment whereby these trucks would locate their freight [the exact coordinates of which
being within the cognizance of the Central Logistic Computer having a complete overview of
the Virtual Perimeters within which all network-relevant vehicles evolve] by GPS-navigation
and hoist a container tó or fróm freight trains halting at random points along the track to allow
for such spatio-temporal optimized container pick-ups, requiring trucks only to possess very
basic traction-power accumulators be they electro-chemical, cryogenic, pneumatic or
hydraulic given the shortest of distances.
In Dynamic, Multimodal, Logistic Environments, Emission-free, Hydrogen-converted PreExistent Diesel Locomotives would ensure the major part of long-distance container
transportation.
GPS-guided trucks with on-board mounted cranes, capable to transfer containers tó and fróm
freight trains Independently and Unassisted at any random point along the track merely
ensuring haulage on the short distances between the railway track and the eventual Point of
Departure or Arrival.
Electric trucks weren’t uncommon even before the 1st World War in spite of the very limited
range provided by lead-acid accumulators at the time as they ensured only transport between
Production Facilities and the nearest Railway Freight Station, much more numerous in that
epoch when freight haulage was predominantly accomplished by Rail- and Waterways.
Even GM offered an electric trucking option before the Great War as this add in this 1912
Edition of Horseless Age Magazine obviates.
Dynamic Multi-modality improves on this concept of old by excluding the necessity of
previously required detours to sometimes remote Freight Train Stations merely bridging the
shortest possible distance between Point of Departure and Point of Arrival by heading with
utmost recti-linearity to the nearest rail track.
Diesel-locomotives capable to haul 6500 Metric Tonnes, thus replaced hundreds of Trucks
with a capacity of mere dozens of Tonnes.
Converting a few thousand Diesel-Locomotives to run Emission-free on Liquid hydrogen &
Liquid Oxygen not only being a much more economical but also a Far less cumbersome
Option than converting hundreds of thousands Diesel-Trucks or, even worse, with multitudes
of Trucks traversing continents powered by massive, toxic Battery-packs, requiring extensive
recharging infrastructure.
The underlying reason for this Switch from Rail-Traction to Road Haulage in the 1960s &
1970s much be sought in the fact that the former was more vulnerable to outings due to Union
Action.
Railways historically having been heavily Unionized contrary to self-employed Truckers, or
Drivers employed by large numbers of small or medium-sized, locally embedded Trucking
Companies.
By AI-enabled automation of all rail logistics accompanied by the wholesale exclusion of the
Human Factor, this former vulnerability to labour disputes hence ceased to impact
disruptively Long-distance Freight Haulage, no longer counter-indicating any such Dynamic,
Multimodal Freight Transportation Networks with a plurality of Economic, Demographic,
Topographic and Ecological gains ensuing.
In Port Zones of major harbors, Container Conveyors have been guided towards their freight
by GPS for some considerable time.
Dynamic Multi-modality only required an up-scaling of the existing perimeter in which
Conveyors already operate, finding singular containers among thousands within the wide
expanses of Port Zones …
… such as that in the Port of Antwerp where bearings are easily lost.
Reynaerts KFJ
This article contains just the text-only version of its original publication-form on an online
periodical, enhanced with hyperlinks and audio-visual content contributing to a more
insightful appreciation and greater comprehension of its invariably controversial subject
matter.
The reader hereby being referred to my online periodical hosted by the MEDIUM platform
account-name : Conrad Reynaerts