Looking for a Problem

Babybear,

Cool and wet bees.

Ancient technology is cool. Literaly in this case.

Jon

Hello kudu,

Yes, a;most large enough, if not large enough to have their own mini weather system. I have never seen one as large as that. I would love to see the plans to it!

And imagine, it made enough water for a fountain.

Jon

heres a water purifier. (not desalinator)

and here too

and if you use the arrows on that site, you will find a ton of really cool designs. (I'm sure you would have to get permission to develop them)

Chris

The JIMMYMACS could work on improved Water Balloon launchers. Trade water for oil, coal, gas etc?

Making potable water from non-potable water economically is an important issue.

However in some places that could cause an overpopulation problem. I was born and raised on an Island that could only support so many people on the limited water resource.

I was reminded of that when I visited Waiheke Island, NZ this spring. They are entirely dependent on collecting rainfall. Otherwise they would pay dearly for water shipped from the mainland. They have strict population controls there.

Jon

Something I had been contemplating for a long time is the direct conversion of heat energy to electricity. As far as I know, only a thermocouple is capable of doing this, and it is horribly inefficient. If that efficiency could be improved 10,000 fold or more, you could have refrigerators that take the waste heat and convert some of that back into electricity to power itself. Heat from car exhaust or power plant cooling systems could be utilized to reduce some of the energy loss, making them more efficient. Even the heat produced by laptop computers could be harnessed to power the system, extending battery life. Attached to the back of solar cells, they could capture the thermal energy of the sun, as well as the light energy, producing higher outputs than solar cells alone.

How could super-efficient thermocouples be made? Perhaps linking up thousands or millions of nano-size thermocouples on a film, and then layer many thin films together? Probably have to work more on a macro scale to begin with and see what produces some efficiencies, then work on shrinking the size.

here is one idea I had a while back to convert solar directly to mechanical energy through steam.. I have no idea whether it would work or not. Chris

Zoomer,

How abou this?

It is true that the yield of a Theromcouple system is quite small compared to energy put in.

If the energy is waste then wouldn't the efficiency be much higher?

A Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator is an electrical generator which obtains its power from radioactive decay. In such a device, the heat released by the decay of a suitable radioactive material is converted into electricity by the Seebeck effect using an array of thermocouples.

RTGs can be considered as a type of battery and have been used as power sources in satellites, space probes and unmanned remote facilities, such as a series of lighthouses built by the former Soviet Union inside the Arctic Circle.

One might think that thermoelectric generators must be very rare - however you will find one working away in central heating boilers to control the pilot-light valve. When the pilot is burning, the thermopile generates about 750 mV - enough to produce plenty of current in a solenoid that keeps the pilot valve open.

A similar generator used the heat of a kerosene lamp to provide 1.5Volt filament and 90Volts high voltage for a radio in areas with no electricity.

Heat wasted during production of light. Controlling the voltage was done by adjusting the light output.

invested = invented

That method was used by the "phone company" to use propane to run thier remote microwave repeaters.

Jon

A residential sized thorium reactor would top my list...

Here is another long cherished idea... (but you will have to imagine parts of it, as I've not got all the images yet) It is helpful if you are familiar with HVAC systems in large office towers to get this one.

I worked in HVAC for 10 years... and if you go into office buildings, and have to work above the ceilings, or in mechanical rooms, they are a tremendously interwoven complex of duct, wiring, conduit, piping of various sorts, and equipment. Heating & cooling, power, lighting, & network, sprinklers, etc... all trying to fit into the same space. all create a massive pile of spaghetti...

My solution? a modular ceiling system that delivers all those functions, in a quick connecting, yet pressure tight system. There 'nodes' at the intersections, and the 'function ducts' which connect to the nodes. Its just a grid basically. Installation is similar to a suspended ceiling.

All piping, wiring of different voltages and signals, runs through the ducts. All control functions are handled by the nodes, which also contain the air dampers, sprinkler heads, and sensors. Every once in a while you can install a vertical duct that can provide power and network to your cubicle, or air perhaps too. control of your space in your cubicle can connect to the vertical, or via network to the central control systems. etc. The lighting panels drop in as panels and blank ceiling panels also, as per layout. perimeter systems can also have the electric radiant heating panels as they sometimes do. also no reason you can't connect the windows, blinds, and baseboards into the same system, simplifying the power and control wiring routing for designers.

The challenge for you guys is to engineer the multi-media connections at the nodes, and the integrated motorized dampers and valves.. Perhaps there could be dumb nodes and smart nodes, as needed..

The benefits would be massive and save millions. simple and fast installation and commissioning, shortening construction schedules by months, and floor changeovers would basically be a reprogamming to fit a new cubicle plan (in a lot of cases) Only a few basic models need to be designed and mass produced. This will make the whole system affordable. The thing is just a really good reorganization of all that currently goes into a building. It will enable lots of smart energy saving strategies in hvac control.. and can also be recyclable or repairable.. protecting the environment more.

I'm probably not doing a good job of describing the system, but if you have any questions..just yell. In the meantime, I'll try and model my ideas for the power node. (I did have a drawing, but lost it somewhere) Chris

Hi chris,

Like this. GA to you Sir for your idea and the explanation. This would save time as well!

Take care.

Doing the general contractors job for him eh? Some don't do so well coordinating systems and insulation.

Here is another aircraft configuration just for fun, I made it last year. internal engine(s), counterrotating rotors, reasonably large lifting surface, large flaps and rudders... perhaps differential rotor speed to help with the roll control.. reasonable survivability options if you lose power. (glide, parachute, etc.) but it needs a 2 person cockpit. Chris

Propulsion control platform for dirigibles maybe?

wow! a da Vinci... right here in CR4! a salute to Chris for his ingenuity.

any takers?

well thats a little different from obsessive-compulsive..lol

Pretty drawing. But a couple of questions.

Why combine helicopter type rotors with an airfoil body?

The rotors should supply the lift making the airfoil body superfluous. At any rate wing type airfoils usually go with engines that push or pull.

j.

Why combine helicopter type rotors with an airfoil body?

safety and energy efficiency.

1. on loss of power, the airfoil body will have a much greater glide path, maximizing survivability.

2. on loss of power, energy stored in the rotors could be used to autorotate and flare out the landing, again maximizing survivability. (assuming you can feather the blades.)

3. on loss of power, with energy stored in the rotors, you can use differential braking of the rotors to control yaw.

4 on loss of power, intertial forces of counterrotating forces help maintain stability during unpowered descent.

5. an airfoil shape consumes less energy to maintain altitude than a helicopter, and therefore combining the two improves the efficiency over rotors alone.

lastly, I agree, and haven't show it, but I would seriously consider adding a push prop at the rear.

thank you for your insight.

Chris

Hello Jack

I would have thought this is a 'work in progress' type drawing? Unlike most if not all helicopters, an aerofoil shape would allow a glide to be possible rather than a crash? Just a thought.

Take care........

Baby Bear,

As I understand the helicopter lift principle it is the airfoil shape of the rotor that gifts the machine lift when being driven by the engine.

Conversely, and the reason I posed the question, when power fails or is shut off, the falling body forces air through the rotor blades, really airfoils, whose motion, auto-rotation, again provides lift sufficient to avoid a catastrophic crash.

j.

Hello Jack,

Yes I understand you. It was in the 007 Film "You Only Life Twice" that a Gyrocopter was used. I think it was built by the actual Pilot in real life? But do not know his name so am not able to research it.

I recall seeing several short interviews with this man who said 'Gyrocopters were almost uncrashable? Though I would sooner not put this to the test!

Take care.

You don't say where you are...
Look for a local need or problem and fix it.
Disabled access/assistance is an easy place top start.
This is probably easy if you are in what is patronisingly known as the 'third world'
If you are in USA or UK your efforts will probably be blighted by well intentioned bureaucracy.
I mean these days you can go near a child with being vetted in case you are a paedophile, not to mention all the rules and regs as soon as you try and actually make something.

I took a pic of two kids looking at a sculpture of mine the other day, and found myself thinking 'Am I allowed to do this?' sad. (Their Mum was there)

A picture if innocence...
Del

Hello Del,

What a talented man you are! I can't even draw to save my life............

2 ideas:

1) A do everything portable electronic device. It shouldn't be bigger than a net book, probably smaller. Functions

• Phone: works with Bluetooth headset.
• net book
• PDA
• IPod
• GPS
• eBook/Kindle
• DVD/video player
• Ports for external keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers/headphones
• Other functions I can't think of now.

2) A variable ICE cam. High performance cams don't work well on the street. One solution is 2 cam lobes like Honda. What I am suggesting is a way to vary how much of the cam lobe is used depending on need. Idle would use only the top part of the lobe. WOT would use all the lobe. The way I was thinking of doing this is to have the rocker arm pivot be able to move up (part lobe) and down (full lobe). It might be actuated/controlled by hydraulic pressure.

This is yet another solve the worlds energy problems post, sorry. But, it sounds as though you have the capabilities to tackle this, and, its relatively easy to start fairly "small" and build up if successful.

Most of the electricity consumed in the US is for either heating or cooling so why does everyone use windmills to generate electricity?

How about using a wind turbine (preferably a VAWT) to directly drive a compressor. You can then simultaneously heat and cool two large insulated tanks of water. Use the cool tank via a heat exchanger for air conditioning (cooling) when needed; use the hot tank via a heat exchanger for hot water and heating when needed.

You'd need to design, a flexible robust and maintenance friendly compressor.

By the way: water has the highest specific heat capacity of any known substance. But, you could reduce the size of the "storage" tanks by utilising state change materials. (In fact if you used salt water in the cool tank the state change material could be water/ice in sealed flexible containers.)

I guess that compressors used as heat pumps work best when the two reservoirs have lower heat differentials so it would probably help to allow the hot reservoir to cool towards ambient during hot weather, and, the cold reservoir to warm towards ambient during cold weather (when possible).

Hi jimmymac28 Team,

Thought I'd delay replying till the rush died down. I imagine there are heaps of ideas out there that CR4 guys would like developed.

Here's mine. I worked for many years in the air conditioning industry. About 20 years ago I decided we were doing office buildings all wrong. We treat them like refrigerated meat packing houses where we have to air condition the whole space. This uses vast amounts of power, especially in summer, causing "brownouts."

Yet in an office building all we really need is personal comfort for people sitting on their seats in offices, whether one to an office or multiple people in one office. My idea is to provide a sophisticated air conditioned seat that creates an air "bubble" around the occupant. He or she has full control of the temperature and to a lesses extent humidity in the "bubble". This is not a physical "bubble" but one created by clever design of the air flow around the occupant.

There are two options for the rest of the space. Either ignore it, as in let the temperature go as high or low as the building and local ambients dictate, or provide a very limited system with minimal zoning (cheap) so that the room temperature can drift between say 30 C and 10 C before the space system kicks in.

Such a seat system is then controlling say 1 cubic meter of air around the occupant rather than an average 20 cubic metres for an office. Energy savings are way beyond anything available in any current system because you are not trying to cool or heat unoccupied space.

The seats could also be used in existing buildings where dissatisfied workers want genuine personal comfort control. In my experience that is a huge proportion of users all over the world.

You would still need conventional a/c in public spaces, restaurants, meeting rooms, lobbies and so on where many people gather or people move around. Most of this could be done with packaged heat pumps.

The main seat design difficulties I see are that every seat has to be powered, which means an electric cord, and getting rid of condensate from the seat. The latter can be done through a well designed system that discharges the condensate back into the office space where it came from. The interesting part will be creating the air bubble and still having an attractive seat. I've already done some work on this.

For efficiency the seat has to have a refrigerated heat pump system. Peltier systems are around 6 times less efficient. There is a brilliant small compressor available from Aspen in the USA that takes care of space worries.

I have patents on the idea (See US patent 6474072) but am happy to negotiate handing them over to a group like yours. You probably have lots of queries and I'm happy to discuss them.

Contact me at fredjn@xtra.co.nz. Yeah, I'm a Kiwi (New Zealander).

Thanks for your offer and I wish you every success whatever you decide to go with.

Why wouldn't you just build the climate control into the desk, which would make the cord & condensate problem easier to deal with? In the winter it's really pleasant to have warm feet which would be a little easier to acomplish underdesk...

Hi Garthh,

Thanks for the comment.

First I'm sorry for the double posting. (193 and 198). My computer said the first post had not been sent. So I went and had lunch, then came back and wrote it again. Except this time I kept a copy. I didn't check again whether the first one had gone through.

As regards the cord, it could come from the desk or there are various other possibilities, as with computer power cords.

If we had the a/c unit in the desk we still have to get rid of the condensate. You can't have a desk full of water. You've just moved the problem. There are better ways to do this. I didn't want to explain my preferred option due to lack of space.

The main reason for not using a desk-based system is there are too many desk styles and people who want to roll around their desk. I looked at it first. The air "bubble" is the critical element in the design. I can curve the seat around the occupant to get an efficient design, but that is difficult if not impossible with a desk. The only load with the seat is the body heat of the occupant and air losses made up by hot or cold room air. Desks would tend to loose more air than a curved seat.

Also once you have a powered seat you can add options like a sound system. So I settled in favour of the seat.

Regards, Fredjn

Hi Fredjn,

Welcome to CR4.

I get the impression you have most of the technical bits worked out, but your idea needs: manufacturing, legal, marketing or other support?

I'm not offering any of those solutions, just making an observation

I see what you are doing. The smaller the micro climate you create the lower the energy needs. The cord minding solution would be one of the keys. What would the peak & average power needs be? 1000watts or more peak I'd imagine. I've used a headset at the computer many times & had em yanked off my head, slammed in drawers... minimizing the trip hazard would be of utmost importance

Sanitation would also need to be easy. The heat exchanger, ducting & blowers would need to be accessible especially in more humid or dusty climates.

How bout a holder for empty soda cans to catch the condensate, nice ultrasonic level detector, simply throw em away when old & nasty.

Maybe even a chiller for full ones, of course a heating duct for your coffee.

& while I'm in the realm of the absurd...

Maybe a meeting mode where air flow would be reversed, charcoal filters... for after especially oderous meals

"for after especially oderous meals" Oh My!

Ducted discharge directed to the dishonorable deliqunquents!?

See bus remediation thread

Hi jimmymac28,

Sorry for the delay in replying. It's become a long thread. I notice most of the replies are non-specific, so I hope this one will be of interest.

I was in the air conditioning industry for many years, including in product design and contracts. Around 20 years ago I decided we were doing office installations badly. Most users, who sat on seats most of the day, were unhappy with the conditions they experienced. As designers and contractors we couldn't do much about it because of the inherent nature of systems used in high rise buildings. No matter how much zoning you provide, it is insufficient. There are drafts and dead spots, and air stratifies so that people get cold feet. Ask around and people will tell you their horror stories.

As I see it, air conditioning grew from the refrigeration industry and we are still doing office buildings as if they were full of product. Why do we treat the whole volume of the building?

Why not provide an AIR CONDITIONED SEAT so that every person has personal control of their comfort regardless of everyone else. Remember I am only talking about office buildings, not other types of building - specifically, places where people sit on seats most of the day. It's the ultimate computer accessory.

Office buildings are the biggest users of air conditioning in the world's big cities, the main cause of "brownouts" in power supply. Close behind are domestic users, who would also like the seats in home offices.

A person on a seat occupies around 1 cubic metre of space. In a typical office the space allocated to him or her averages around 20 cubic metres. Why air condition the unoccupied space with all its loads, like glazing? The "seat system" gives huge savings in plant and operating costs, and people get personal control of their space for the first time.

The seat will need a refrigerated air conditioning system because Peltier systems are about 6 times less efficient. This means fans and a compressor. Aspen Systems Inc, MA, have a great little compressor that solves the space and weight problem. One design challenge is to create an "air bubble" around the seat occupant while still having a stylish seat design. There are the usual challenges with vibration and sound levels. Condensate (water) can be dispersed through the condensing system into the office space it came from. The seat disperses or gains heat from the office space.

If a successful seat can be designed, it will have a worldwide market in both new and existing buildings. People will love the comfort and energy savings. Maybe governments will force owners to install the "Seat System" to save power.

Public spaces like lobbies, cafeterias, restaurants, meeting rooms and shops will still need conventional "whole-room" systems, say packaged heat pumps. The offices provide comfort with the seats, but will need the usual building services to provide ventilation, etc., according to building codes.

The rest of the space in the offices can be allowed to drift in temperature dependent on the ambient conditions and the building design. Alternatively a limited supplementary system could be provided to keep temperatures between say 10 C and 28 C and do nothing in between.

I hope this sounds interesting. I have patents on the concept. See US Patent 6,474,072. I'd be happy to release them to you on some sharing or royalty arrangement. I don't have time to develop it myself. Thanks for making this opportunity available and if the "seat" is not suitable for you, I hope you get a great product idea from somewhere.

Kind regards,

Fredjn

Industry, portal to portal...GA

Hi Chris

Very down to earth and encouraging not to mention holistic. GA if there ever was one, Ky.

Hello Chrisg,

Well thought out my friend.

GA to you Sir.

Your idea is a good one as, in the past at the start of proper 'Manufacturing', I do not know but think things with regard to the final cost was more likely to have made an item for sale, then perhaps added a reasonable percentage for profit.

These days, most items are made as cheaply as possible, but sold for as much as possible! Under these circumstances it is next to impossible to trace the chains of building literally from the ground (or earth, 'iron' for instance), up? There seems to be often little or no relation of the 'retail cost' to the manufacturing cost. The 'middle' men collect a big chunk of the final cost, when they should really only be concerned with perhaps the buying, and or storing and distributing a product.

I know some items sometimes sell at retail for little or no profit, but any other product should be limited to perhaps a 'mark-up' of no more than 20%? This may also mean that products which have 'a market' only, will or should be produced.

Just a few of my thoughts about the possible savings in the 'chain' of manufacture.

I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this please

hello all

I hope that you have been staying up with this discoussion with others in reguards to the renewable thermal wind systems.

I am now under talks for property to build this counstruction phase of this plan land useiage leaseing.

Like I have said it's not the techs working or not, it's where to build it.

remembering this is stage phase 2 step 1 systems development in a structure or cantainement chamber. Not just talk about how to. thats already known.

all who have replied , please send contact again, I lost it on my old computer crash.

kennynabb6@win.net

Think of the enveriomental problems and asst me with your knowledge and skills to prove it or not prove it really works in real world techs.

Thanks kennynabb6

Hello kenny,

Sorry to hear of your computer crashing. Always happens at the most inopportune moment, never when we may not be using the thing for a few days?

Hey, I paste the link to what was your page which should link you to all the posts sent.

So you are into the raising funds and actually building your designs now then? Any chance of some pics?

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/41100/Looking-for-a-Problem

=

Please drop me a line to let me know if all your old posts can now be seen, and good luck.

Take care........

jIMMYMAC28,

Your posts are not seen for quite some days. Probable over dosing of input ideas or something worth is under scrutiny. Come on ,come into the discussion.

"Your posts are not seen for quite some days. Probable over dosing of input ideas or something worth is under scrutiny. Come on ,come into the discussion."

Sorry for the delay in responding. I have been extremely busy at work - go figure - seems that I am the only one that is busy right now with record sales in July. Dont know why, but I do know that to get the business, I have to quote deliveries in 1-2 weeks instead of the usual 4-6 weeks (I make custom metal cutting tools - drills, mills, reamers etc.). The result is that we have to work night and day to fill the orders.

I prefer not to pre-judge anything I see here in this post and have refrained from too much comment at this stage. I have linked my colleges with this thread and look forward to their comments at our meeting next week.

Please be patient with us now as there is a lot of material here to chew through - many thanks to all who contributed. I will share the results of our meetings with you in the coming weeks.

Talk soon

Jim...

hello all

yes I can send something to post. It's somewhat hard at present time , untill The shop can get back my files. Otherwise I am stuckwith the old postal mail system.

I would really like to get this information out to all for coummunity awearness.

Then if possiblethen post to this site please it's real important.

Any help is needed. I can come to coummunity awearness round table.

Thanks kenny

Hello kenny,

Chill out there my friend.

You sent this post to me via CR4 but, I doubt they will handle ground mail, or postal letters. You can ask but, why would you want to do that anyway. Would not the best way to send the message out, what ever that means, be to start your own blog on each of the four main web sites yahoo, Google etc?

hello all

I have for some time now have made publice awearness of a system called RENEWABLE (THERMAL )=WIND SYSTEMS THE ENERGY POWER SOURCE.

This innovation in the combinations of 8 proven naturals and 6 man made thermal technologies in 1 cone shape structure as a cantainement vessal.

Now with all the knowledge and skills we can change the way most veiw renewable energy from nature for all who live on this planet.

I am sending out this information to all who are interested in the enverioment and higher cost of electric power that cost less than normal ways of renewables.

this is a on demand power source

Hello kenny,

I thank you for that! Can I also remind you that the land your 'invention' is to be built on has yet to be bought. I suggest you wait until nearer the date to the land being bought and the building going up before any more details are sent out? Just a thought, that's all.

Take care and ongoing good luck......

Thanks for putting the list up for me, A stroke in 2000 and it's harder than most think to recover.

The land is now under my lease control op.

The world needs to get involved as a coummunity and help our worlds enverioment.

I keep getting cut of air and will try again latter.

Kenny

PS you can see why a postal mail address is nessary, this emmerging technologies are needed and can't be sent over the net.

Helly kenny,

Sorry about the stroke my friend. We all have a problems right? I cannot see how a postal address will help. Unless you want one for people to reply to? In which case you can start a PO box, (post-box). I would publish on the web whatever you feel safe to publish. You should perhaps write to any of the "green" organisations, who may be able to help you and tell you what and where your invention can be used?

Yes my freind, the address is nfor contact for free informational disc for pubulic awearness campain, world wide.

The building site has been chosen for this small plant, Now in talks with a town mayor for research & development of this model from the stimilus funds of the state of Indiana for this innovative system.

I am attemteing a world wide awearness of this better systems that has less building cost.

Now I my not be coming back to this site, Why? because I thought that there was a great possible minds of good engineers here! maybe I am the only one which cares about the enverionemtal problems and give it my best shot.

I am not going to stop diong what the man above wants me to get done.

Apartly by my self.

Dear Kennynabb6,

I have tried really hard to understand what your postings are all about but have had great difficulty. I sense great frustration on your part, however, if you could direct me to a website that outlines your ideas in more detail I would be happy to pursue further.

Thanks

Jimmymac28

To all contributers,

Thank you so much for your wonderful ideas. The team and I will be getting together Sep4 for our first formal meeting. We will be using this forum thread along with our own ideas, to hopefully come up with 5 projects to conduct initial research into.

We may contact individual contributers for clarifications and additional detail as we move forward.

I will provide update reports as and when appropriate.

I also would like to think that we can enlist the creative talents of this group to help us further develop and refine our projects to which end, and following my update reports, all comment positive or negative are welcomed.

Many thanks once again.

Jimmymac28

jimmymac. Great to hear you are still looking for ideas, and this was valuable.

I'm at a mine in northern ontario, for a couple of weeks shutdown reno project... got new work boots the day I left.. now my feet have been sore for a week, especially my left heel, which now has a hole in it.

so I've been fantasizing about some machine that could give my boots a good beating to break them in... but it would a be technical challenge.

below is the start of a text file I was working on.

************************************

product idea - boot breaker

Has anyone ever had sore feet from breaking
in a pair of construction boots?

Then you might appreciate a machine that
will take your new boots and break them
in for you so that they will be as though
you had worn them for a month on contstruction. (or predefined duration)

An exact mold of your feet is taken, or 3d Scan, and then
that mold is used to create a 3D model,
which then uses the foot data to control
how it modifies and softens the boots.

Also included is the results of analysis
of hundreds of pairs of used 'comfortable'
boots, which have just been worn down
at the heel, or become defective in some
other way.

This allows the boot to be exercised in a way
that will result in maximum comfort for your feet,
but still retain its certification.

****************

I think that conventional shoe stretchers would have to form part of the machine, but I don't know if they would work with steel insert boots. I think in some cases, the steel itself needs to be reshaped, as well as having the leather softened and aged and stretched just right.

Chris

Good idea - but IMHO it would have to be a communal machine. I'd use it every couple of years, but whatever it turns out to be, I couldn't justify buying one for my use only.

(I only need boots for work for about 3 weeks a year - and I work with a bunch of people similarly placed).

Hi John,

yes that is what I was thinking, to have in the boot store, or skate shop or whatever.

(or in the train station with a good 'ol x-ray machine to check customer's feet sizes)

Chris

There will be some variables in addition to the size & shape of your feet. Walking & standing seem to require different construction(s). The way you walk will also impact the way your shoes break in...

I agree ... right now, if I walk up a slight incline, my heel hurts a lot, but I can handle stairs okay. going downhill is best, but then my little toe can have a problem.

I wonder why I haven't had problems like this with shoes. last pair of shoes I bought, I probably put 20 km on them the first couple of days, and no blisters, and I didn't spend any more time picking them out. is it just the weight of them?

Chris

Hello jimmy,

Congrats on the acquisition of the land. I wish you luck and we are always here.

It may help you to organise things if you can open a blog on the site or elsewhere? You will need to make a request to open a blog to admin. At least you can have some control over the content and keep things focused that way. Any trash or what you consider to be useless info' you can send to the trash. Or at least I think that is the way it works???? ;=)

Might I suggest you give any blog you start a name or title which partly explains what your project is about? It will help sieve anybody out that is not really interested in your project, and say "you are welcome" to others that are interested in checking it out and possibly investing?

Take care and good luck!

I have a seasonal water falls with thirty eight feet of head. I would like to know why there apparently are no water turbines that are variable speed. This is the problem I have is sizing a turbine for a flow that changes. Thanks!

Hello eagertolearn,

Welcome to CR4. Good luck.

Can I make a suggestion? I think your request could be a very interesting one and a long one. I think it would get better more appropriate answers if you copied what you sent to this thread and started your own personal thread on your turbine question.

Just click "Ask a question" on the right of the page.

Check to see it has worked and your first post, as above has been published, then make a note of the thread, and post # of your first post , the one I am answering, and ask admin to remove the post from this thread.

Admin is here:

http://cr4.globalspec.com

Take care.

I don't usually bother with asking admin to delete

Just provide a link to eagertolearn's new thread

& good job Babybear on posting a proper link

Hi Garthh,

Many thanks for your reply post my friend. Looks like it is 'compliments' all round?

Why Sir, you are a Gent ! I do try. Some say I am very trying, but I am not sure what they are getting at?

Problem if you do not remove the original post is it will get replies and you could end up with at least two parallel threads? And for me that would be most confusing! It is all I can do to type let alone send replies to two 'threads' on the same subject.. I am reading all 30 odd notifications in order and have yet to see if this 'thread, (which is actually a 'post' at the mo') does get moved to a completely new thread?

I only learned to do 'LINKS' a few months ago and it is a lot easier than trying to explain...............ummm, well I saw this and............?

It has been done before where a similar or identical thread has been posted just a day or two after the original request, and it just bulks the site out too much, when it is not necessary? Perhaps being a little pedantic there but as I say I can hardly follow one, let alone two threads...........

eagerto learn:

Lesson #1: Provided by baybebear in #278

Lesson #2: Water turbines are like internal combustion engines and DC electric motors. Their speed depends on how much of a load they have to drive up to the maximum power output they are capable of. Such devices will usually have a speed at which they are most efficient. But that does not mean that they cannot be run at other speeds and produce useful power conversions.

Like an internal combustion engine you throttle a water turbine to get the speed you want it to run at. For example, it your water turbine is driving an alternator that hasto run at a fixed speed to generate 60 hz power you would fit it out with a governor that works in general like the governor on portable generator sets. But rather than control a carbureator setting the water turbine governor would adjust a water valve to maintain the constant speed.

Ed Weldon

Thanks Ed, I was thinking more in line of the angle of the blades on the impeller changing with flow, similar to wind turbines.

Eager,

This article is right up you alley.

http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20090021011

Jon

Thanks!

Hi Ed,

I appreciate the mention my friend, thank you.

Take care.