Thermodynamics Project Help/Ideas +K

bdonn

bdonn

Member
Hey NS,

I'm working on a thermodynamics project and I'm looking to see if there are any other engineers on NS that might have a better approach than my current one.

Here is the assignment.

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My current idea is to use a long aluminum piston and insulate a "hot plate" from the piston and cylinder. Use about a 1'' diameter or smaller piston and plenty of vac grease for a seal on a rubber piston gasket. Gravity could also be used to my advantage.

If any NSers have suggestions or help that they could provide I would greatly appreciate that!

Thanks,

BDonn
 
simple hot air balloon could work, though it would be tricky getting it set up. Key is that it says any direction. Super busy now, but I'll see if I have any other ideas haha
 
The gasket in te cylinder would most likely hold it in place so gravity wouldnt be doing much work. You could make a crank and handle to make the piston go up an down like in a cumbustion or carnot style motor and then you turning the crank would supply the energy.

Dodnt read the assignment so im not sure if thats allowed. The text is too small to read on mobile.
 
sterling cycle engine, look them up they are pretty easy, will give you rotary motion and then you can pretty much do whatever you want from there
 
The piston idea works but you could make it simpler. Look at a thermometer... insert a piston at the top of the fluid and put the bulb over the flames. Just don't use mercury as the fluid.
 
thermal expansion is a property of matter, a state change may cross the lines, but it would also be hard without prepping the system (ice or something) using only two candles. I would consider chemical energy in this sense to mean something like using the heat from the candles to trigger a chemical reaction, like knocking vinegar into baking soda. Hot air balloon, think like one of the last scenes in hangover 2 if you know it. Tissue paper frame with basket for the candle. Drop the quarter in the basket and make sure the frame of the hot air balloon is semi rigid to help in start up. Not sure if it would work, but I feel like there is a decent chance. Just saw this and it looks like there is some potential for it.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mini-Flyable-Hot-Air-Balloon-with-Candles

 
Hot air balloon popped into my head when I was reading it, I would say that would be the easiest approach. or you could do half a rankine cycle and heat water to steam, spin a turbine and use that work. sounds like a pretty cool project tho
 
I also like the hot air balloon design. However I'm not sure how to implement tea candles into a balloon type design... I feel like they might have too much mass, opposed to candles that are used in birthday cakes. any ideas to expand on that?
 
I have a way better idea what are you talking about your idea sucks. The key is in the assignment it says you can attach your quarter to a string. You suspend the string from the ceiling or something tall and you put the quarter on the end of the string. You have to make a pendulum so attach the quarter to one end using wax and have the candle melt the wax until the quarter falls and swings 6 feet. Boom, its way easier and takes only a string and the side of a desk or something.
 
tie the coin to a rat, light the tea candle underneath the rats ass and let it run

would that count as potential energy?

 
alright so what I built doesn't work that well, but that's because I built it out of lego and aluminum foil. if you build this properly it will work well (and is really simple).

all you need is a gearbox, a light fan and a piece of thread. tie the thread to a spool on one end, tape it to the quarter. put the candles under the fan so the heat turns the fan and drives the spool through a gearbox.
 
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