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Unread 30-01-2008, 22:14
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Re: 1726 Prototype Testing

Quote:
Originally Posted by hipsterjr View Post
Quick Question:

Are you guys recycling the air from the launcher cyclinders' exhaust or just letting it vent?

If so, how? We are also a little worried about and air consumption.
I'm pretty certain there is no way you are going to be able to 'recycle' air that has been used to do work and still get something useful out of it. (I think it's a violation of one of those important Thermodynamics laws)

I think the other ends of the cylinders are just vented to the atmosphere. The team is working on a way to make the system only need air in the one direction by having the cylinders return automatically when the air pressure is cut.

Also, the timing of the actuation is important. We really only get work out out of the first 3" of compressed air in the cylinder, so it doesn't make sense to keep spilling the air into cylinder after it's allowed to fire. The most efficient way to do it would be to fill the cylinders, and then close the valve immediately after letting the arms go (so as not to break the 'open valve' restriction) These savings all add up, and the system I just described would use about 1/10 of the total air that a double acting, full out pressure set up would (with our two 10" stroke cylinders, at least).

It's kind of hard to explain in a post, but hopefully you get the idea...