Engineering

For my next project in physics, I would like to build a Levitron, similar to those spinning toys. I've seen many instructables on how to build these, but they almost always came out with next-to-no levitation, whereas a demonstration I saw recently had at least a full inch or two going, and was stable (the guy mentioned something about stabilizers on the edge of the device to knock the object back to center). Before I start this project, I need to know if the intended use is feasible, and thus have a few questions: -Is it possible to extend the reach of the magnetic field (i.e. to 5 inches or greater) without a significant loss of strength? -Is it possible to r…

In science fiction, we often see characters using lasers in place of bullets for their guns. However, even though "science fiction" generally shows us technology that doesn't exist yet, but may exist in the future, this is one type of technology that will always be in the realm of science fiction. Lasers do not have physical mass, so the closest they can come to doing any real damage in a military environment is either causing eye damage or skin burn... maybe even skin cancer. Even if you could get a laser up to such powerful levelst that it actually can blow something up, the mind-boggling amount of energy necessary would render it pointless; you could do the same dama…

Mechanical or Industrial Engineering

This is something I dreamed up and was wondering about the feasability of it, so assuming no one steals the idea (if it is even possible) then it could mean cheap & clean energy. I'm no chemist/bioligist/mathematical genious, however I think this could work although from research I have done into this system there are some problems to overcome. The premise is this: Trees can use capillary action to transport water (in the case of old red-woods they are known to transport up to 4 tonnes or 8,000 lbs from ground level PER DAY! sometimes hundreds of feet up.) (source) http://www.davidlnelson.md/Cazadero/Trees&CapillaryAction.htm So with this in mind,…

I read once how a device that produced mircowave radiation that was pulsed at elf . It was used to stop a dog from having siezures . The author of the article was an academic from a university in the US. He stated that his dog suffered from numerous siezures daily and after using the device the siezures ceased entirely . Could someone tell me how to make a similar device or point me in the right direction. Thank you

Hi, I need an advice with magnetic wheels. I'm very new to this discipline and a I don't know where to ask else. So, I have four magnetic wheels on moving platform. This platform will move in vertical direction. The surface will be metal and that's reason why I have magnetic wheels. When I want to move with the platform up I have to get over a gravity force and magnetic force that produce my wheels. I don't know how to count these magnetic force. It shouldn't have to be precisely calculation, because I will add some overdesign. It's enought to calculate it approximately. Could you please tell me how to do it or where to start (some webpages, books, etc.)? If I didn't…

I live in the UK in which their is much controversy surrounding wind turbines. They are often built in areas on natural beauty our out at sea where many people believe they damage the sealife environment. However why cant Bhaskara wheel be used to provide the turning motion instead of using wind. A bhaskara wheel can be used indoors or large units can be built in industrial areas inkeeping with the local surrounding area. Can anyone please advise why a Bhaskara Wheel cannot be used to generate electricty?

Hi guys, I am currently studying fluid mechanics. This is my first time doing the subject. I've been reading some books. Then I realised something: 1. Do we always have to use an annulus as a fluid element? What's so special about the ring? Was it because it's easier to analyse? 2. Regarding "head" (dimension L), is it easier to understand by expressing it in L? Thank you.

Hello, I am having difficulty in calculating F and was wondering if anyone could help. F is the heat flux in W/m2 between the Heat Pump-House system from the Atmosphere. Now I have the Energy 'lost' from the house walls into the atmosphere. If we don't consider any other parameters, this energy would be the same exact amount of energy that I need to add into the House to maintain a constant temperature. By looking at some of the Heat Pump specs and by knowing that the Coefficient of performance is 2.5 I should be able to calculate the energy heat has to transfer from the outside into the inside. The difference between the heat flux lost from the House into the atm…

How precise can a mobile phone operator locate a hand set position? What factors contribute to that precision? I was thinking if it is possible for a mobile phone operator to simply exclude a single building (or even large room inside a building) from the mobile-phone service? For example, would it be possible to arrange with mobile phone operators to exclude cinema halls or school classrooms from its service? I am aware that mobile phone operators would have no interest in doing so, but law can be adjusted so that they must comply (in some cases, at least)... Do you already know a mobile phone operator offering such posiblitiy?

Hi, the idea is to build a solar field in space, pretty close to the sun. i wonder if by increasing the intensity of light we can improve the amount of current produced. i have 3 questions: 1) does the amt of current generated from solar panels depend upon intensity of incident radiation? 2) Is it possible to convert electricity into a highly coherent beam (eg. electromagnetic wave or something alike) and transfer it through a great distance?? 3) is there a formula to calculate electrical output using intensity of sunlight or distance b/w source and panel??

How far do you think modern engineering and astrophysics are from constructing a fully operational Dyson Sphere, given economic issues, man power, limitation of modern day science?

Hi, does anybody have the book Hydraulic Machines: Turbines and Pumps by Grigori Krivchenko in a pdf?? I really need it.... Thanks a lot...

ramjet falls from a position, ramjet activates, ramjet returns to a position and then repeats. or what say the ramjet is pushed from b platform at a position, ramjet activates, ramjet is pushed back to a position / b platform. The scramjet will not hover, instead it will attempt to remain in a fixed altitude. It will do that by going up and down, if you imagine some sort of fixed unmovable object from when it is at pos a. When it falls from pos a it is now away from the unmovable object. Take the unmovable object and see it as the hover height.

No wind required, you start rotating them and they will never stop, energy problem solved, is it?

I'm not sure how viable this would be, but how effective would wind turbines be that are located along the side of busy highways and interstates? I came up with the idea after practically being blown off the road due to a semi-truck / 18 wheeler passing me on the interstate. It occured to me that vehicles, especially big rigs, generate a lot of wind as they travel down the highway at speeds of 70 - 80 mph. I am wondering if we could harness the wind using turbines that are located along the side of the highway, and if this could generate a significant amount of electricity? Any thoughts regarding this idea?

Hi, Does anybody knows any popural textbook about geothermal energy?? Something for starters on the field... Thanks a lot.

Hi all, Currently i'm have obtained results which shows that both longtiudinal and shear wave velocities increases after every round of fatigue test. Is there anyone can help me explain this phenomenon? is it due to the atomic structure in the material? if possible, plz give some websites or sources that can read more about them. thanks

I was thinking that it would be really cool to build a low(er than normal voltage) stun gun. The aim of doing so would be to produce an electrical shock which isnt serioulsly painful or more to the point harmful! Obviously, primarily i would need to reduce the current, however to help to do this I will need to decrease the voltage. This is easy as I can just use a smaller transformer. Here is a diagram: image dont work yet... go here (stun gun 2) nice and simple 9V battery -> 555 ICC -> transformer -> electrodes a few questions: 1) what transformer should i use? (asked because i dont really know what voltage i want... and be serious, i w…

Hello, May anybody tell me how to calculate allowable stress for brass tube if heat exchanger has to be designed per EN 13445-3? Table 6.1 Maximum allowed values of the nominal design stress for pressure parts other than bolts (EN 13445-3), gives only formulas for carbon and austenitic steel. I know how it can be solved per ASME, but how it can be determined per European code? An early reply would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

hi, I need to design a gear system which uses the linear motion of a descending mass (20 kg) and convert it to rotary motion.The required output speed is 150 rpm. It would be of great help if someone could help me with the following.Thanks in advance. i.The technical specifications of the gears i can use in this case. ii.How can the mass (20 kg) be coupled with the gear system.

Dear Sir, I'm an undergraduate. I'm doing a project regarding Vehicle Exhaust Gas Analyser. Can I use following type of sensors to detect exhaust gas levels ? CO>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-3-5V-MQ-9-Combustible-Gas-Carbon-Monoxide-CO-Sensor-Module-MQ9-Detector-/300847030943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460be1629f CO2>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-dioxide-sensor-Gas-sensor-module-/170969527732?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ce93f5b4 HC>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/MQ-5-Gas-Sensor-module-for-Methane-Butane-and-Propane-Arduino-Compatible-/130711771878?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e6f075ae6 I must be thankful to you if u will rep…

Here is something that has held my interest for a while now. I was reading my thermodynamics textbook and there was a short article that mentions an experiment involving nanoparticles where the second law did not apply for up to two seconds. It then gave this citation [Phys. Rev.Lett. 89, 050601 (2002)] . If you would like read the topic more in detail here is a link to a description of their experiment http://www.aip.org/pnu/2002/split/598-1.html . I have asked my thermodynamics professor what he thought of it, but he didn't want to believe it. I asked my modern physics professor that does research in micoelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and he was not surprised. I am ju…