New engine design

[Alan Wheeler]

Arrrgh Pyrimids. I reckon this will be the shape of the future power source or "Engine". I mean what would look cooler for the gravitaional engine or magnetic engine of the future, than to have it in the shape of a Pyrimid.
How's that DMan.

The interesting thing about pyramids is that they were built by large hordes of slave labor. I think that would be a more logical source of cheap propulsion. BRING BACK THE VIKING LONG BOAT

I let this drop for a while because I was out of ideas. I took a good look at the stirling designs. that has real promise. powering a hybrid with a stirling engine could be very efficient. I am still really optimistic about rotory designs, but I have not found any real detail on the attempts on a stirling rotory design. A few blips about design ideas, but no success stories yet. Seems perfect for a boat that can use seawater for the cold cylinder.

[skipperaris]

You seem to have a good idea there Kai Nui.

Suppose we add the idea of a flat plate solar collector for the high temperature end?

From the small model of a stirling I made once it is enough temperature difference for the liquid - obviously water - column to oscillate. I had used a pan of water simmering over a gas cooker for the hot end and a running tap for cold.

The snag seems to be in size. Solar radiation yields about 1 kW / sq. m. on a cloudless summer day at my latitude 37N

In other words rughly 1,5 h.p. per square meter of collector.

My yacht has an overall length of 12,6 m. and a beam of 3,95 m.
An inadequate surface area for the 50 h.p. of my motor even if all the deck could be a solar collector.

Add to this the fact that effective sunshine is only maybe 8 hours per day - depending on geographic location and the season - and the idea does not seem so very good any more.

back to the drawing board

[JGarrick]

I think the big picture is being missed on this thread. The answer isn't solar, or wind, or ethanol, or biodiesel, or more efficient engines, or coal gasification, or nuclear, or smaller cars, or mass transit, or changing our consumption habits.

It's all of the above, and more. So solar can't generate enough power to motor for more than half an hour? Great! Motor for that half an hour on battery reserves, then turn on your highly efficient well lubricated rotary diesel electric engine or whatever, and you'll have had a half hour that it didn't run and consumed no fuel.

The solution isn't finding the magic bullet that will solve the problem in one stroke, it's realizing that the magic bullet doesn't exist, but that we can nibble away at the problem in a hundred different ways.

[Alan Wheeler]

Hmmm, OK, so I need to fill the hull with Batteries. Then I need to cover the entire boat surface with solar panels. Then I need a really big genset to charge the system. A large elctric motor in the stern to turn the prop. A main engine for when the Electric runs out of juice.
Hmmmm, I think I'm gonna need a bigger boat

[CaptainK]

Rick.

What type of reactor is that in your photo diagram?

Nuclear reactor?

[Starbuck]

Dman, you're hilarious.

I'd be happy on impulse power
JG, I agree completely. The idea is to configure the most efficient arrangement of components possible to achieve the most efficient propulsion (cost efficient) possible. A stirling over electric hybrid, using heat from the electric motor, and electric heat elements to heat the cylinder, and mounting the cold cylinder through the hull to allow moving seawater to cool it, with a properly sized battery bank would be a compact and very efficient method of propulsion. Add to that a small diesel genset, and solar panels, to supplement the stirling, and the cost to power a boat would be very minimal.
Of course, this will all be a moot point when Knottybuoyz perfects that matter/anti-matter drive

[CaptainK]

Alright Rick. We can talk Star Trek here!!

Dammit Jim. I'm a doctor not a mechanic!! (Dr. Bones McCoy)

Warp factor 6 Mr. Sulu. (Captain James Tiberus Kirk)

Scotty I need more power!! (Captain James Tiberus Kirk)

Aye Captain, I'm giving you all she's got. She can't take the stress much longer. She'll fly apart at the seams!! (Commander Scott aka Scotty)

A fact I am familiar with. You don't live a few miles away from two of the most prolific physics companies, and one of the largest linear acceleraters in the world without gleeming a few interesting factoids

[S/V Elusive]

Induction method Kai?

[Alan Wheeler]

Hey Scott, a linear accelerator?? Mate, you've got it made. all you need is a winding down in the bilge and every time they fire that baby up, you will have unlimited juice.

The problem with anti-matter is, it keeps falling out the bottom of the box.
I had that problem with holes. I figured I could make millions or more on selling pre-made holes. Want a hole somewhere? All you have to do is buy the size you want and stick it on. Problem is, I could never get the hole to the customer. I couldn't get a hole proof bag. Drop one in a bag or box, and you would end up with a hole in it. I am working on it, but so far nothing I can find is totaly hole proof.
But watch this space. Once I get it, I'll be rich I tell ya. Hey if anyone wants to invest in it, just let me know.

[soul searcher]

all you need is a whole bunch of shot gun shells minus the shot. if you can start an engine with one why not run it on many, or maybe we can liquifie gun powder I cant remember the formula for it. HONEY!! put another clip in the WesterColt the curent is sceaming tonight.





Matt
ps to whoever brought up resin prices. the last barrel I bought was 680.00 US the first one I got in january was 450.00 The cost of boating is going up.

[CaptainK]

Wow!!

A $230.00 dollar rise in prices in that short period of time!!

Yes. Resin/epoxy is made from oil. Oil prices go up so does the resin/epoxy.

What is this world coming too?