Using a Solenoid in a Pneumatic Cannon

[wiiking123]

Originally Posted by rahilm

Won't really come close (I know these calculations are for incompressible fluids generally, but for these purposes, they will work):

If we assume 120psi (827370.84 Pa)
pressure = (.5)(density)(velocity)^2
velocity = sqrt((pressure)/((0.5)(density)))
velocity = sqrt((827370.84)/((0.5)(1.225)))
velocity = 1162 m/s

With the tube being used, we only have a 1/8" diameter, which is 0.003175m
air flow = area * velocity
air flow = (diameter/2)^2 * velocity
air flow = 0.003 m^3/s

mass flow = 0.0036 kg/s

Basically, you're going to have 3.6g of air coming out every second, which is not even close to enough to move a t-shirt (and this is assuming 100% efficiency)

If you are working on a low budget, but have a robot chassis lying around, message me and I could put together a bill of materials on our t-shirt shooter. (Cost about $250 all parts from Home Depot)

A BoM would be greatly appreciated if you could put it together. Since we are a rookie team, we really are going into pneumatics for the first time. One of our mentors knows some, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[Phyrxes]

Please make sure that anything that is holding pressurized air is rated for it! Also if your team is located at a school or wishes to use the T-shirt cannon at school events check with the administration/central office/whoever to make sure its its LEGAL for you to have/operate a T-shirt cannon on school grounds or at school events.

Background: Up until recently Virginia classified any "pneumatic projectile device" as a firearm (so paintball guns, airsoft, t-shirt cannons, etc) which could cause some serious issues with law enforcement and/or administrators. They have since clarified that law, thanks ROTC!, so that they are permissible as part of an official school function and their "operation" is directly supervised by a staff member.

So please check, and be safe! Our school district was very receptive to the idea when we submitted a design review that showed that ours conformed to all OSHA standards for pressurized air, plus its something neat to show off.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by wiiking123

A BoM would be greatly appreciated if you could put it together. Since we are a rookie team, we really are going into pneumatics for the first time. One of our mentors knows some, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.

When we get back home from th Oregon regional I can put you together a safe bom that uses components rated for air at the pressure needed to shoot t shirts a good distance w/o breaking the bank.