Part 1. Vocabulary
|
Ditch (es) |
/diCH/ v. - get rid of
or give up: They
developed a new type of wheel that ditches the need for pollutive rubber
tires. |
|
brainchild |
/ˈbrānˌCHīld/
n. - an idea or
invention which is considered to be a particular person's creation: The so-called
Air Suspension Wheel (ASW) is the brainchild of serial inventor and
structural dynamic engineer Dr. Zoltan Kemeny. |
|
lifespan |
/ˈlʌɪfspan/
n. - he length
of time for which a person or animal lives or a thing functions: "the
human lifespan" |
|
pollute |
/pəˈlo͞ot/ v. - contaminate
(water, air, or a place) with harmful or poisonous substances: The
explosion polluted the town with dioxin. |
|
account |
/əˈkount/ n. - a report or
description of an event or experience: A
detailed account of what has been achieved. |
Part 2. Comprehension questions
What did Global Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW), an
Arizona-based startup, has developed?
What is the patented Air Suspension Wheel (ASW)?
What is another key feature of the ASW?
What percentage do tires account for microplastic waste in
the world’s ocean?
What do you think is the effect of governments globally
putting increasing pressure on tire producers in terms of disposal?
Part 3. Article reading
Global Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW), an Arizona-based
startup, has literally reinvented the wheel. They developed a new type of wheel
that ditches the need for pollutive rubber tires.
The so-called Air Suspension Wheel (ASW) is the brainchild
of serial inventor and structural dynamic engineer Dr. Zoltan Kemeny. The
patented ASW is a mechanical wheel constructed mostly of steel with in-wheel
pneumatic suspension through cylinders. It is both environmentally friendly as
well as cost-efficient. The ASW is engineered to have the same lifespan
as the vehicle it is mounted on. After that, unlike rubber tires, they can be
reconditioned or can be completely recycled.
Another key feature of the ASW is the greatly reduced
Rolling Resistance. This will make combustion engines more efficient and reduce
emission gases. For electrical cars, like Tesla, this would mean that the
driving range can be extended by up to 30% on the same battery, which is
significant.
Rubber OTR tires are also a huge safety hazard with
explosions being common. But with the ASW, overheated tires and explosions are
a thing of the past.
Last but not least: OTR rubber tires are extremely pollutive.
In the mining industry, most rubber tires are not recycled. At the end of their
natural life, rubber OTR tires are typically burned or buried in the ground
because recycling is complicated, dangerous, and expensive. A study published
in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
estimated that tires account for as much as 10% of overall microplastic
waste in the world’s oceans. A report by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature raised that number to 28%.
ASWs on the other hand are 100% recyclable.
With governments globally putting increasing pressure on
tire producers in terms of disposal, GACW said this is the time for its
products to be adopted by the industry. Companies like Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), Hitachi (TYO: 6501),
or Volvo (STO: VOLV-B), Komatsu (TYO: 6301) could end up as
partners or clients in GACW’s future.
Source: Nick
Thomas, October 13, 2021, https://news.yahoo.com/company-reinventing-wheel-ditching-rubber-131117780.html