Engineering

i know theres ideas for powering spaceships off of fusion, engine uses fusion to run, and use fusion to power spaceship electrically too, so long as they find a solution to these fusion problems, {which i think doing this in space would be way easier in space than on earth with gravity}, but how, if im right, the process of fusion connects atoms together. i dont see how you can use that to power anything, or use that as an engine an space. fission, i understand, could be used to propell spaceships, but you need radioactive materials, and is more dangerous, id rather use fusion because the fuel is abundant and its not any where near as radioactive.

I'looking for some literature about tube finned with wire loop spirals, but I have just found commercial references claiming that this tube is highly superior in performance than strip finned tubes. I would appreciate any indication.

how could solar panels power a car and how would you get the most energy out of it (im talking about school project model cars)

My TV's antenna is rust, does it affect the detection of signal ? Short question, help me with it? thanks so much

You may have heard that there are many stories on the internet about adding some magnets somewhere in your engine to make it run more efficient. On most scientific forums and websites, these stories were put in the category of hoaxes, nonsense and such. I recently found an article which seems to come from a more reputable source: Philedelphia's Temple university. They too claim that an electric field will significantly increase the fuel efficiency of the car (a diesel Mercedes), because the viscosity of the fuel is reduced in the electric field. This in turn makes the fuel injection more efficient. I'm not convinced, mostly because I don't understand how it's sup…

Coal liquefaction is the conversion of coal to produce synthetic fuels. To convert coal to synthetic fuels, a process has been developed that requires the coal to be in contact with a hydrogen environment at high temperatures and pressures. The major objective of coal liquefaction is to produce synthetic oil to supplement the natural sources of petroleum. Liquid and solid products from coal can be used for fueling transportation vehicles, providing fuels for power generation, and yielding raw materials for chemicals. Coal-liquefaction plants will be expensive, but their products should be very competitive when world oil production declines.

Hi. I’m doing a science project in high school, in which I dismantled a microwave, and took the microwave magnetron, capacitor (no need to worry; the capacitor was discharged) and transformer out. Before I go on, the premise of the project was to get a magnetron to emit a microwave, which would be received by a rectenna (composed of an isolated microwave antenna—in this case a wi-fi antenna, connected by wire to a Schottky diode) which rectifies the AC current and turns it into DC current. In other words, wireless power transmission. Now, I’m particularly having trouble with the transformer. I’m planning to hook up the apparatus to a variable power supply, in whic…

Even I think it would be far safer (both for the general public, and for security purposes) just to automate transport and enclose it. Like said above, if enclosed there is nothing stopping an enclosed system running seamlessly at high speeds. There isn't actually a need for a general flying system of vehicles.The problem that needs to be solved is of safety, and congestion. Both of which automated systems can solve. But then again there isn't need of nuclear warheads either...

I'm analysing a heat transfer problem, but I am a bit rusty as it's been a while since I've taken the course. I have two concentric tubes (annulus), and the outside tube has water flowing through it, to cool the solid rod in the middle. I am interested in the temperature gradiants of both the rod and the water. I have the power of the rod (q), the flow rate (Q), the initial temperature of the water, and the area of both the rods. Can this be solved from this? It seems as though it would be an easy problem, but I have not found the correct equation yet.

I was clicking through Youtube on a cold evening during the holidays. I just want to share it with you all. I always knew the world was crazy during the cold war... but a nuclear powered ramjet cruise missile the size of a locomotive? It's a good documentary, considering it's from the Discovery Channel, or Discovery Wings - lots of info, and pictures of how it is actually built and how it works. It's in 5 parts (total of about 43 minutes): Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5. There's also a short wikipedia page about it. And just to have something to discuss - does anyone think that a nuclear missile that cannot leave the atmosphere makes sense? I think i…

Just as birds serve as a good inspiration for the design of heavier than aircraft, fish are a good inspiration for neutral buoyancy aircraft. Here's a video of a model airship that uses a tail, pectoral fins and dorsal fin for thrust, direction and stability control.

is there a way of incorporating a turbine onto a scramjet in order for it to be completely self propelled? that way it wouldn't need to be launched from another vessel.

I read this 5 years ago now. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/flying-car.htm They say within the next decade, and this is something I've always been looking forward to. Realistically though, what about it's fuel requirements? Not only do you have to power it's systems so it can move in the normal two dimensions a land car would have to, but you also have to contend with gravity and keep it above the ground. We don't even have self driving cars now (at least they aren't readily available at local dealer as far as I know) They have the parachute as a failsafe, surprised they don't have anything else, like a system which will automatically land the car before you r…

I'd like some advice regarding buying or building an air dehumidifier. I know they exist, but I have no experience with them whatsoever. I've got a small ( ~ 20 m2) cabin-like house with serious moisture problems. Food, papers and clothing will be ruined if left there. The surface is near ground-water level, and because of the surrounding trees it's in the shadow for most of the day. The average room temperature is pretty low. The trouble is that I haven't got electricity installed to run a dehumidifier. I'm willing to invest in a 20-30 watt solar panel or fan, but I know it can be done without electricity too. I'd prefer a solution that can run 24/7 also when I'm n…

Have a question. I noticed that all the outlets in one room have no ground. None in the boxes. This was a system that was used way back. I installed a gfci and used a test light which showed an open ground. When i connect a jumper between the ground screw on the gfci and the line neutral the tester reads normal. I have my own thoughts on the safety of this but would like to here some others. Thanks all

Well, I'm no good at sappy hello's, so I'll just say this: I need your help. See, I'm in the business of understanding things that interest me. As of now the intricacies of how a RFID chip works, and can be manipulated by an individual is one of them. To extenuate, I have no idea how when the receiver gets the signal it "reads" it, or what it does with those strew of lines dotting it. Also, how can Aluminum foil block radio frequency waves? Someone said that on this forum. Second is how EMP works. What is it, how can it be controlled and built safely by an individual. What are its uses. Third and last (as of now, can't overload y'all ) is how X-ray machines w…

I'm curios about robotic locomotion. I see some are pneumatic powered, some use regular servo motors, and some are in development to use that new Artificial Muscle polymer. What else can they be powered by? I did some reading on electrostatic motors. They're super compact, but not very powerful. I also see that there are torque motors, but those are heavy. What would be small, efficient and yield a large amount of torque? I guess speed is not important since you're only moving a limb/lever a short distance.

Hello, everyone. Looking at all the awareness programs coming up to save the planet from the carbon emissions, i thought of my self why not to make a topic here and gather a couple of engineer hobbits and electrical science hobbits and and plan out a way to make some kind of machine or ways to save the planet for our future and future generation. So your ideas are welcomed..

So, I've been doing a lot of renovating of my house since I bought it, and I'm doing all of the work myself. Yesterday, I spent most of my day in the master bathroom ripping down tiles and existing drywall. The bathroom has two walls that connect to the exterior of the house (it's in a corner, and two of the walls need exterior to interior insulation). I'll be using batt insulation, the cotton candy-looking stuff, which has a vapor barrier made of kraftpaper on one side. The insulation there now is in good shape, but is more than 30 years old. It's a faced insulation (fiberglass with a kraftpaper backing). I plan to add new insulation regardless, but my question …

A water pump, probably piston driven, that left floating at the side of an anchored boat, would use small 10 cm crest-to-valley waves to pump water 5 metres high to a reservoir in the boat with a 3mm hose ? -Nothing attached to the boat hull, that would be easy- A submerged 'umbrella' and a float, connected by piston/cylinder assembly ? A hinged float ? The flow can be small, but could it be made to rise 5m ?

http://www.geocities.com/shoobydoobyman/... Ok i am studying for my final exam and i have run into a problem. I can't do this question (mainly because there are not enough measurements given to do it the way i normally would). So please, some help would be appreciated. The 2.2 m uniform bar AB is supported by a ball-and-socket at A and two smooth walls at B, one in the x-y plane and one in the y-z plane. Determine the reaction components at A and B. Neglect the weight of the bar. First off, i think it means x-z plane, not x-y plane. And secondly, I am really confused. Please help and explain thoroughly how to solve. The answers are supposed to be Ax = …

Check out these commercially available home wind generators. http://www.treehugger.com/file/2008/11/five-home-wind-turbines-you-can-actually-buy.php

This is, without a doubt, the greatest wonder the world has ever known, yet the least well-known, primarily because it is controlled by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Read the 5 page slide show on the following webpage to see everything you need to know about its construction, what sets it apart from all the other wonders that try to come close, and how nobody can truly describe anything about it that flies in the face of reason. http://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_5b1.htm

hi, I have this problem that I have no idea how to solve, I’m trying to do some calculations for a project, so, does anyone have any ideas what calculations you might use to work out what force is required to push a wood working router through material, I want to apply these calculations to many different routers so I suppose the wattage or rpm isn’t important? Any suggestions, thanks

Hi , Guys its getting here being summer and I was thinking if there were any alternatives to building my own little air con system without the cost and bulk of normal systems , does anyone have a clue building cool air conditioning system without the fuss of spending 100's of dollars . The size doesn't matter but in preference a miniture size system would be swell . Thanks .