Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

Would it be permissible to have a small pouch of crushed dry ice next to one of the motors? We have been having some issues with a motor overheating. It would be completely enclosed in a cloth pouch and the amount would not exceed about 5 grams.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

My guess it that it would be considered unsafe, so it would violate rule R8. There is danger of frostbite, etc.

But the Q&A would be the place to get an official answer.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

Alternatives:

heat sink for motor

put fan on motor (check rules before selecting fan)

bigger motor with more mass

make your mechanism more efficient

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

But isn't mild tissue damage from prolonged contact with dry ice is a lot better than most other robot related injuries?

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

Reducing the risk of all robot injuries is better yet, eh?

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

I think MrForbes is right -- that would be very hard to pass inspection with. I have a feeling you'd need to fight it at every competition.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

Isn't mild tissue damage still tissue damage?

Ask the Q&A...better to have an official answer

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

I feel that the sublimation would occur too quickly for it to be an viable method of cooling during a match. a quick cooling in your pits might work though. If this is a CIM motor try looking into a cim heatsink. May I ask what you are doing to overheat this motor?

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

Yes, please give some details.

It seems quite a few teams this season have missed the boat on gear ratios. Or are trying to use motors to hold heavy loads.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

We had a problem with overheating too and the heat sinks fixed it up pretty good. That was after 3 hours of solid driving though (driver try-outs) so I don't expect any issues. Still the heat sinks work really well.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

There was a Q&A about fog machine that could be relevant.

There is also an issue of Robot Weight. How is an RI to know that you weighed with 1 pound of dry ice, but now have 2 pounds on your robot?

Finally, if any smoke does come from your robot, even if it is white, you are asking to be disabled.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

How hot is the case of your motor getting? Measure it and ask the vendor if the temperature you are seeing is acceptable. Some of the legal motors normally run pretty hot. You might actually be Okay.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

I agree that you should make sure that the motor isn't actually overheating.

If it is, the solution that many teams use (254 and 1114 on Einstein for example) is getting the compressed air dusters and flipping them upside down and spraying them at the motors between every match.

I recognize that this does not answer the question of whether it's legal to have dry ice but this may be an easier solution anyways.

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

As a robot inspector, if you were at any of the regionals I will be inspecting, I would not let this pass inspection.

It's dangerous, technically a hazardous material, and has potential for leakage or spilling, thus causing damage to the field or other robots.

Please look into some of the solutions that other people have been posting, they are much more reasonable and will allow you to pass inspection :)

Re: Dry Ice as Motor Coolant
 

Probably can't stop you from using fully melted dry ice in no container :D
Doesn't really help with the motor overheating.