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Topic: Science and Humanity
transientmind Joined Sat 03/10/07 Posts: 4827	Tue 04/08/08 05:28 AM
So, there's this little project I've been thinking on for some time now. Let's fix the world. Problem. Naive/naif scheme. Solution. Let's get off our laurels and out think the problems facing us. At the moment, we've got an energy crisis, combined with a pollution issue. I'm calling all scientists, schemers and nut and bolt tinkerers. Crazy seed #1, attract lightening via laser (path ionization), store via Leyden capacitor battery and dispense to the public. How would you step it down for the public mainlines? Environmental impact? Ethical issues? How do we make it sexy for capitalists when it's likely seasonal and nuclear energy isn't?

bunnykins Joined Thu 03/20/08 Posts: 420	Tue 04/08/08 05:31 AM


transientmind Joined Sat 03/10/07 Posts: 4827	Tue 04/08/08 05:33 AM
Oh, and alternatives. I know it's squishy but break out the open minds, whip out the pocket protectors... I'm uh, gonna go start some coffee.

bunnykins Joined Thu 03/20/08 Posts: 420	Tue 04/08/08 05:38 AM
Oh, and alternatives. I know it's squishy but break out the open minds, whip out the pocket protectors... I'm uh, gonna go start some coffee. I'm cool with that

bunnykins Joined Thu 03/20/08 Posts: 420	Tue 04/08/08 05:39 AM
I make some as well, meet you back here in 10 min

transientmind Joined Sat 03/10/07 Posts: 4827	Tue 04/08/08 05:39 AM
Mornin, sunshine.

snowangel2 Joined Fri 01/11/08 Posts: 3798	Tue 04/08/08 05:40 AM
Could go to fuel powered plants,our town is putting one in starting in may,it's a 232 million dollar project,but once it goes in it'll be powered by the slack piles from our coal mines and once we hook into it's power supply it'll cut our power costs by 45 percent.

Snoman1951 Joined Tue 04/01/08 Posts: 5731	Tue 04/08/08 05:41 AM
Don't know what a Leyden cap. is but if you could power high capacity pumps with it over short period..pump water from lower resevoir up to upper res. and reconvert to hydro-elec. thru exsisting grid

forever_fifites Joined Mon 02/25/08 Posts: 1092	Tue 04/08/08 05:48 AM
I like the idea of the capacitors but I surely would not want to be an electrician messing with all that voltage.

1956deluxe Joined Thu 12/06/07 Posts: 8559	Tue 04/08/08 05:53 AM
Last time I checked, it took 1.21 Jigawatts to operate a flux capacitor. This could work.

Etrain Joined Wed 11/21/07 Posts: 19684	Tue 04/08/08 05:56 AM
Oh, and alternatives. I know it's squishy but break out the open minds, whip out the pocket protectors... I'm uh, gonna go start some coffee. I was thinking the same stuff this morning...about the coffee

transientmind Joined Sat 03/10/07 Posts: 4827	Tue 04/08/08 06:01 AM
Coal may be a short term (non-renewable, smokey) alternative to treehuggers but serious kudos to town for ethics and saving the public dollar. There's a hydroelectric dam near my house, it's awesome.

bunnykins Joined Thu 03/20/08 Posts: 420	Tue 04/08/08 06:02 AM
yummy, the coffe ws good, little chocolate

snowangel2 Joined Fri 01/11/08 Posts: 3798	Tue 04/08/08 06:04 AM
It's not only gonna save us a bundle,it's also providing 2500 permenent jobs.

MrMxyzptlk Joined Tue 03/18/08 Posts: 628	Tue 04/08/08 06:26 AM
So, there's this little project I've been thinking on for some time now. Let's fix the world. Problem. Naive/naif scheme. Solution. Let's get off our laurels and out think the problems facing us. At the moment, we've got an energy crisis, combined with a pollution issue. I'm calling all scientists, schemers and nut and bolt tinkerers. Crazy seed #1, attract lightening via laser (path ionization), store via Leyden capacitor battery and dispense to the public. How would you step it down for the public mainlines? Environmental impact? Ethical issues? How do we make it sexy for capitalists when it's likely seasonal and nuclear energy isn't? Wish I could help with that one, <---No rocket scientist. Lightening as an energy source seems viable enough to me, if it can be harnessed!! How much energy can be stored and dispersed by these methods?

transientmind Joined Sat 03/10/07 Posts: 4827	Tue 04/08/08 06:39 AM
Perm jobs, now that's something America could stand more of. Like chocolate, it seems... There's none in the house. But the coworker who brought up her Columbian family blend... We're keeping her. The Leyden jar is a capacitor dating from 1746, depending on the version. Ben Franklin streamlined it to what it is today, throwing lightening across the room to liven up parties, and if stories are true, policy meetings.

transientmind Joined Sat 03/10/07 Posts: 4827	Tue 04/08/08 06:55 AM
I'm not a rocket scientist either, just like poking well endowed brains. The amount of energy harvested would likely depend on the location and season, I'll look up the average. I'd imagine the whole system is limited by effeciency of the ONE part you scrimp on.

MrMxyzptlk Joined Tue 03/18/08 Posts: 628	Tue 04/08/08 07:02 AM
As with anything, the weakest link, of course. I guess that would be the lightening itself, but as unpredictable as it can be, it is also reletively plentiful. If there's some way to do it, they'd ought to.........