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Slashdot | Fuelless Flight with Air Submarine?
Pretty cool, the following link at slashdot.org:
http://science.slashdot.org/article....23&mode=thread http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/02/27/1837223&mode=thread reads as follows: *from the in-this-house,-we-obey-the-laws-of-thermodynamics dept.* An anonymous reader writes /"Using the same physics principles as submarines, a new company is planning a fuelless air ship http://www.fuellessflight.com/. Recent advances in ultra light and strong materials are making this concept a practical reality http://www.machinedesign.com/ASP/viewSelectedArticle.asp?strArticleId=56635&strSite =MDSite&Screen=AEROSPACE&catId=379."/ There's no question that changes in buoyancy can be used to propel a vehicle http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/24/0438213&tid=126, but "fuelless" is going to be tricky. The original article above at slashdot references the an article from Machine Design Magazine as described below... http://www.machinedesign.com/ASP/vie...PACE&catId=379 Tim |
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Tim Schoenfelder wrote: Pretty cool, the following link at slashdot.org: What Robert Hunter proposes is a perpetual motion machine. Put simply, it won't work. He will find this out when he tests his theory with his submarine version. Now, if he relies on internal energy that slowly gets depleted (such as batteries), or external energy sources such as solar power or thermal lift for his glider, then it's another ball-o-wax. From my cursory reading, however, that is not what he proposes. As for his submarine, in a frictionless world a submarine could descend and ascend in perpetual cycles by adjusting internal volume (water ballast) while expending zero net energy per cycle. In the real world, however, friction losses get added to the energy equation. It doesn't matter how efficient Mr. Hunter's wizmo-gizmo turbo generators are, their efficiency will always be less than one. His generators will therefore generate less energy then they extract from the buoyancy cycle. Additionally, the ballast pumping mechanism will have an efficiency of less than one, the sub will lose energy to friction while moving through the medium, etc. His glider concept is similarly flawed. David "party pooper" O -- http://www.AirplaneZone.com |
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David O wrote:
Tim Schoenfelder wrote: Pretty cool, the following link at slashdot.org: What Robert Hunter proposes is a perpetual motion machine. Put simply, it won't work. He will find this out when he tests his theory with his submarine version. Now, if he relies on internal energy that slowly gets depleted (such as batteries), or external energy sources such as solar power or thermal lift for his glider, then it's another ball-o-wax. From my cursory reading, however, that is not what he proposes. As for his submarine, in a frictionless world a submarine could descend and ascend in perpetual cycles by adjusting internal volume (water ballast) while expending zero net energy per cycle. I was with you - up to here. In order to rise, something has to force the water out of the ballast tanks. That would likely be high pressure air. That's a LOT of energy expended per cycle. My ex wife is a chemestry professor. She often advised her students that two weeks in the lab will save three days in the library - every time. So true... Richard In the real world, however, friction losses get added to the energy equation. It doesn't matter how efficient Mr. Hunter's wizmo-gizmo turbo generators are, their efficiency will always be less than one. His generators will therefore generate less energy then they extract from the buoyancy cycle. Additionally, the ballast pumping mechanism will have an efficiency of less than one, the sub will lose energy to friction while moving through the medium, etc. His glider concept is similarly flawed. David "party pooper" O -- http://www.AirplaneZone.com |
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