New form of mechanical advantage: Off season research potential

[4057programmer]

Originally Posted by gblake

You're going to have a hard time getting me to believe that expanding ice has never been used to purposefully split a rock in a quarry, or do other useful work.

That said, if it's really easier in some contexts to both freeze/thaw (chill/heat) a medium that expands/contracts, than it is to use more common hydraulic methods to modulate pressure/force, give yourself a pat on the back; and hire me to take care of your pool when you are rich.

Have you seen the video yet? Splitting rocks and concrete was talked about. And as for the context that makes this more viable than common hydraulics? That would be space and anywhere cold. Not to control machinery (Although, it would be amazing to see and could possibly even be better than current methods). but to generate electricity. With that PSI behind it you are looking at using torque instead of speed. Before you tear it to pieces please watch the video, and even try it at home. That is what we want to see, people using this and making it better.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by 4057programmer

Have you seen the video yet? Splitting rocks and concrete was talked about.

Nope -I didn't watch the video. You wrote that the pressure generated by freezing water had never been used in a machine before. Does the video contradict you?

And as for the context that makes this more viable than common hydraulics? That would be space and anywhere cold.

There is no free lunch. In cold places, it will be difficult to prevent premature cooling and/or reheat the medium, in hot places the reverse will be true.

Before you tear it to pieces please watch the video, and even try it at home.

I went to school so that I could answer some applied-physics questions after only hearing them and thinking about them. After thinking about this, I didn't tear anything to pieces. If you can come up with a commercially viable way to exploit the volume change water or some other material(s) goes through when it is heated/cooled, I'm serious - Go for it.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by gblake

If you can come up with a commercially viable way to exploit the volume change water or some other material(s) goes through when it is heated/cooled, I'm serious - Go for it.

I think that's commonly referred to as a steam engine. Or turbine. Or maybe it was a stirling engine....