Materials Science

[Mark]

I came across this topic in a magazine yesterday. Yet another methanol/platinum reaction that is useful.
Mark
http://nanotechweb.org/articles/news/5/3/18/1
http://www.devicelink.com/mddi/archive/06/06/017.html
http://feed.proteinos.com/item/4168
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-F ... ewsNum=573

"Bender attended Bending State college, where he majored in Bending and minored in Robo-American studies. Sadly, his father was killed by a can opener."

[Mark]

I should have included this in the last post.
Mark
http://tinyurl.com/f5qxb
This is a variation on the theme.
http://tinyurl.com/mycca

[Mark]

http://tinyurl.com/3ntna

[Mark]

I was holding one of these cans in my hand today at the store. They are much lighter than the typical disposable thick-walled canisters. Kind of a neat propane package. If you look at the bottom of the can, it is peculiar. I saw a freon can with the same curious bottom too today. I don't know what it is for if not a safety feature.
But again, I found the Power-cell quite light weight, interestingly so. There were complete kits and an entire box of refill cans sold separately.
Mark
http://tinyurl.com/gkdao
http://tinyurl.com/glpf6

[larry cottrill]

I was holding one of these cans in my hand today at the store. They are much lighter than the typical disposable thick-walled canisters. Kind of a neat propane package. If you look at the bottom of the can, it is peculiar. I saw a freon can with the same curious bottom too today. I don't know what it is for if not a safety feature.
But again, I found the Power-cell quite light weight, interestingly so. There were complete kits and an entire box of refill cans sold separately.
Mark

Those look like the same cans that auto air conditioning refrigerant is sold in, at Wal-Mart et al. Should do the job OK, probably a lot less "safety factor" for bad handling than the usual torch cylinders. though.

Might make a nice fuel cell for flying pulsejets if crash-protected with sufficient foam padding to ward off disaster. You wouldn't want your FWE slamming forward into the top or bottom of it on a sudden stop ...

L Cottrill

[Mark]

The can feels really light, that's the impression you will get if you shake it. Mark

[larry cottrill]

8 ounces net weight seems like a really nice fuel load for flying, too - at least for the kind of flying I'm interested in (U-control). The only real problem I can see is that this little package would chill down mighty quickly with heavy flow. Oh, yes: And the fact that the outlet is probably very restrictive. Still, it might turn out to be just enough for an FWE-class engine. I'll see if the cost makes it worth trying out for some static testing.

Obviously, it might be a challenge getting the right fitting for the cylinder valve - but, I've bought one nice propane torch and cut it down for just such a purpose! So, I guess I could do that again. Might be just the thing for playing with very small engines, like my little Shark design. It could be exactly the same fitting they use for the Freon refills (though I would think they'd make it different, just for safety reasons).

L Cottrill

[Mark]

Well it looked like a freon type thread and the 8 ounces is the propane weight, not the entire weight. Still you know how when you pick up a can of butane and shake it, it feels unfamiliarly light. That's how the propane can feels, I tried to get a photo of it without the torch head on it, the can is a bit taller than a 12 ounce Coke can, perhaps 2.5 inches or so.
There's always a bit of heat you could bleed off the pulsejet to heat the can if you think it might chill too quickly. Some assembly required to perfect the distance the tank is from the fire. I don't think the company recommends putting the can directly in a fire, but still should anything happen, there is that quarter-sized safety looking pop-top deal on the bottom. ha ha ha
Mark

[Mark]

Today I was talking to a man on oxygen at the library. He was telling me about his machine at home that makes oxygen from the air. I didn't know about such a device so here is what I found out.
Mark
http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u01/u01_009.htm
http://www.themedsupplyguide.com/oxygen-concentrators/

[Mark]

http://tinyurl.com/mq4t2

[Mark]

Maybe a gasoline/propane mix for special occasions. Propane certainly seems soluble in gasoline. ha
Mark
http://tinyurl.com/ljjwg
http://www.jecec.com/propane_history.htm

[Mark]

http://tinyurl.com/efq4x

[Mark]

http://www.tpipm.com/