I had an insane idea to create an unlimited amount of energy but dont know if it would work.
If you ran one large cable from the north pole to the south pole and grounded them properly, would you essentially turn the entire world into a dynamo? You would have a large conducter spinning around a huge iron core through the earths magnetic field. I know it would be the largest construction project ever and some would think its nuts but unlimited power would solve most of the problems on this planet. Even if the planet heated up as much as it could the power created would provide everything from clean drinking water to heat and cooling.
QUOTE (Scamentology+Jul 23 2009, 09:28 PM)
I had an insane idea to create an unlimited amount of energy but dont know if it would work.
It won't. There's no such thing as unlimited energy.
However it looks more like you're proposing a functionally unlimited source of energy.
Well, I see a few problems with the idea...
1. The earth's magnetic field is not particularly strong, it ranges from 0.3 to 0.6 gauss.
2. Doing anything to deplete the earth's magnetic field (which this would) is likely not a good idea, as it protects us from a great deal of solar radiation.
3. The cable would have to not be grounded, but connected to a series of batteries, capacitors or power conditioners in order to work.
4. The cable would have to spin around the earth. At distances at which this becomes possible, I don't think the magnetic field of the earth is strong enough to produce much current.
5. Building such a device would be a logistical nightmare.
You want a functionally unlimited source of energy? Develop extremely durable and highly efficient photovoltaic and thermovoltaic materials which are fairly inexpensive to produce, then use them to repave all or most of the roads and re-roof all or most of the buildings in the developed and developing world.
It won't. There's no such thing as unlimited energy.
However it looks more like you're proposing a functionally unlimited source of energy.
QUOTE
If you ran one large cable from the north pole to the south pole and grounded them properly, would you essentially turn the entire world into a dynamo? You would have a large conducter spinning around a huge iron core through the earths magnetic field. I know it would be the largest construction project ever and some would think its nuts but unlimited power would solve most of the problems on this planet. Even if the planet heated up as much as it could the power created would provide everything from clean drinking water to heat and cooling.
Well, I see a few problems with the idea...
1. The earth's magnetic field is not particularly strong, it ranges from 0.3 to 0.6 gauss.
2. Doing anything to deplete the earth's magnetic field (which this would) is likely not a good idea, as it protects us from a great deal of solar radiation.
3. The cable would have to not be grounded, but connected to a series of batteries, capacitors or power conditioners in order to work.
4. The cable would have to spin around the earth. At distances at which this becomes possible, I don't think the magnetic field of the earth is strong enough to produce much current.
5. Building such a device would be a logistical nightmare.
You want a functionally unlimited source of energy? Develop extremely durable and highly efficient photovoltaic and thermovoltaic materials which are fairly inexpensive to produce, then use them to repave all or most of the roads and re-roof all or most of the buildings in the developed and developing world.
Laying a wire 20,000km long is nothing special. We've done much more than that, first for the telephone, now for the Internet. But such a cable, rotating together with Earth and its magnetic field, doesn't see any flux variation and hence produces no electricity.
And anyway, the energy density of Earth's magnetic field, B*B/2µ, is very low: 1mJ/m3. Consider rather Earth's heat: using it from +250°C to +200°C brings about 60MJ/m3. Over one billion times better, and this one is really usable and used.
And anyway, the energy density of Earth's magnetic field, B*B/2µ, is very low: 1mJ/m3. Consider rather Earth's heat: using it from +250°C to +200°C brings about 60MJ/m3. Over one billion times better, and this one is really usable and used.
QUOTE (Enthalpy+Jul 25 2009, 10:41 PM)
Laying a wire 20,000km long is nothing special. We've done much more than that, first for the telephone, now for the Internet. But such a cable, rotating together with Earth and its magnetic field, doesn't see any flux variation and hence produces no electricity.
Are you serious? A continuous cable 20,000km long? This is especially naive since it would either have to go underwater all the way, or cross international boundaries. There are much better and cheaper ways to generate electricity.
Are you serious? A continuous cable 20,000km long? This is especially naive since it would either have to go underwater all the way, or cross international boundaries. There are much better and cheaper ways to generate electricity.
QUOTE (flyingbuttressman+Jul 26 2009, 03:03 PM)
Are you serious? A continuous cable 20,000km long? This is especially naive since it would either have to go underwater all the way, or cross international boundaries. There are much better and cheaper ways to generate electricity.
I think we have made some progress since the TransAtlantic cable was laid.
My wild idea is to drill a big tunnel from Gulf to Death Valley.
not to generate hydroelectric power but to provide water to a water evaporator/reclaimation dome to provide water for genetically engineered algae to provide hydrocarbons.
One serious idea I like was a huge tower in Austraila's outback that would essentially be one ginormous greenhouse and the rising updraft inside from all the heat would trun giant turbines.
I think if Iran was serious about wanting nuclea reactors for power, then the interenational community should help them build the solar heat rising air turbines.
I think we have made some progress since the TransAtlantic cable was laid.
My wild idea is to drill a big tunnel from Gulf to Death Valley.
not to generate hydroelectric power but to provide water to a water evaporator/reclaimation dome to provide water for genetically engineered algae to provide hydrocarbons.
One serious idea I like was a huge tower in Austraila's outback that would essentially be one ginormous greenhouse and the rising updraft inside from all the heat would trun giant turbines.
I think if Iran was serious about wanting nuclea reactors for power, then the interenational community should help them build the solar heat rising air turbines.
QUOTE (buttershug+Jul 26 2009, 07:47 PM)
I think we have made some progress since the TransAtlantic cable was laid.
True, but the idea was for a conductive cable, not a fiber optic cable.
I'm not so sure this is a good idea. For one, you're turning Death Valley into the Dead Sea. Secondly, tunnels take a long time to dig. Further Reading: Gotthard Base Tunnel
I'm not so sure this is a good idea. For one, you're turning Death Valley into the Dead Sea. Secondly, tunnels take a long time to dig. Further Reading: Gotthard Base Tunnel
One serious idea I like was a huge tower in Austraila's outback that would essentially be one ginormous greenhouse and the rising updraft inside from all the heat would trun giant turbines.
I've heard about that idea, I would definitely like to see someone make one.
I think that Iran's "peaceful" nuclear energy program is dubious at least. I can't blame them for wanting "in" to the nuclear club though.
My SciAm article is newer. Maybe the idea is still feasible?
I haven't read the article.
Could the tether be tried off the ISS? It would probably be simpler and cheaper then shooting it up on a rocket. A 22 Km antenna.
They could even put a tennis ball on the end of it
True, but the idea was for a conductive cable, not a fiber optic cable.
QUOTE
My wild idea is to drill a big tunnel from Gulf to Death Valley.
not to generate hydroelectric power but to provide water to a water evaporator/reclaimation dome to provide water for genetically engineered algae to provide hydrocarbons.
not to generate hydroelectric power but to provide water to a water evaporator/reclaimation dome to provide water for genetically engineered algae to provide hydrocarbons.
I'm not so sure this is a good idea. For one, you're turning Death Valley into the Dead Sea. Secondly, tunnels take a long time to dig. Further Reading: Gotthard Base Tunnel
QUOTE (->
| QUOTE |
| My wild idea is to drill a big tunnel from Gulf to Death Valley. not to generate hydroelectric power but to provide water to a water evaporator/reclaimation dome to provide water for genetically engineered algae to provide hydrocarbons. |
I'm not so sure this is a good idea. For one, you're turning Death Valley into the Dead Sea. Secondly, tunnels take a long time to dig. Further Reading: Gotthard Base Tunnel
One serious idea I like was a huge tower in Austraila's outback that would essentially be one ginormous greenhouse and the rising updraft inside from all the heat would trun giant turbines.
I've heard about that idea, I would definitely like to see someone make one.
QUOTE
I think if Iran was serious about wanting nuclea reactors for power, then the interenational community should help them build the solar heat rising air turbines.
I think that Iran's "peaceful" nuclear energy program is dubious at least. I can't blame them for wanting "in" to the nuclear club though.
QUOTE (flyingbuttressman+Jul 27 2009, 01:27 AM)
True, but the idea was for a conductive cable, not a fiber optic cable.
I'm not so sure this is a good idea. For one, you're turning Death Valley into the Dead Sea. Secondly, tunnels take a long time to dig. Further Reading: Gotthard Base Tunnel
I've heard about that idea, I would definitely like to see someone make one.
I think that Iran's "peaceful" nuclear energy program is dubious at least. I can't blame them for wanting "in" to the nuclear club though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_telegraph_cable
They didn't have fiberoptic cables in 1886.
I didn't say it was a good idea, just that it was my wild idea
I'm not so sure this is a good idea. For one, you're turning Death Valley into the Dead Sea. Secondly, tunnels take a long time to dig. Further Reading: Gotthard Base Tunnel
I've heard about that idea, I would definitely like to see someone make one.
I think that Iran's "peaceful" nuclear energy program is dubious at least. I can't blame them for wanting "in" to the nuclear club though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_telegraph_cable
They didn't have fiberoptic cables in 1886.
I didn't say it was a good idea, just that it was my wild idea
QUOTE (buttershug+Jul 29 2009, 09:13 PM)
They didn't have fiberoptic cables in 1886.
I didn't say it was a good idea, just that it was my wild idea
My bad. A quick scan of the page led me to an interesting article: Wildman Whitehouse
If that's not an example of a 19th century "crank" I don't know what is.
I didn't say it was a good idea, just that it was my wild idea
My bad. A quick scan of the page led me to an interesting article: Wildman Whitehouse
If that's not an example of a 19th century "crank" I don't know what is.
QUOTE (MjolnirPants+Jul 24 2009, 03:51 AM)
It won't. There's no such thing as unlimited energy.
i thought energy was just transformed not used up ?
how does 0 energy run out -1 energy?
i thought energy was just transformed not used up ?
how does 0 energy run out -1 energy?
This wouldn't work on Earth, but a similar idea of having tethers attached to satellites (that would then go very quickly with regards to the magnetic field) could be used around, for example, Jupiter.
Here's a link to an article in Scientific American regarding the concept. It could be used as a search phrase for more discussion. Unfortunately, it's a subscription article.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article....amic-tethers-in
Here's a link to an article in Scientific American regarding the concept. It could be used as a search phrase for more discussion. Unfortunately, it's a subscription article.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article....amic-tethers-in
QUOTE (El_Machinae+Aug 12 2009, 12:48 PM)
This wouldn't work on Earth, but a similar idea of having tethers attached to satellites (that would then go very quickly with regards to the magnetic field) could be used around, for example, Jupiter.
Here's a link to an article in Scientific American regarding the concept. It could be used as a search phrase for more discussion. Unfortunately, it's a subscription article.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article....amic-tethers-in
This has been tried at least twice. A cable was reeled out a few kilometers from a satellite. The second time was by, I think, a private firm or an organization as proof of concept.
Unfortunately the cables broke both times.
Edit: my memory is fading. Here is the NASA article.
http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/tss
Here's a link to an article in Scientific American regarding the concept. It could be used as a search phrase for more discussion. Unfortunately, it's a subscription article.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article....amic-tethers-in
This has been tried at least twice. A cable was reeled out a few kilometers from a satellite. The second time was by, I think, a private firm or an organization as proof of concept.
Unfortunately the cables broke both times.
Edit: my memory is fading. Here is the NASA article.
http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/tss
Well, darn it. I would hope that our tether technology has improved. The Space Elevator competition has a tether contest, but I'd imagine that there's commercial demand for improved tethers too.
My SciAm article is newer. Maybe the idea is still feasible?
My SciAm article is newer. Maybe the idea is still feasible?
QUOTE (El_Machinae+Aug 19 2009, 09:12 PM)
My SciAm article is newer. Maybe the idea is still feasible?
I haven't read the article.
Could the tether be tried off the ISS? It would probably be simpler and cheaper then shooting it up on a rocket. A 22 Km antenna.
They could even put a tennis ball on the end of it
QUOTE (El_Machinae+Aug 19 2009, 09:12 PM)
I would hope that our tether technology has improved.
For information and entertainment. This is why the tether snapped. It worked better then expected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As-wYmFYb3I
Disregard the UFO bull.
For information and entertainment. This is why the tether snapped. It worked better then expected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As-wYmFYb3I
Disregard the UFO bull.
What I find funny out of all this is the false assumption that this would "use up" the Earth's magnetic field. Please read how the Earth gets it in the first place. It's like saying that we are using up the sun by using solar panels.
QUOTE (H2O+Aug 28 2009, 10:43 AM)
What I find funny out of all this is the false assumption that this would "use up" the Earth's magnetic field. Please read how the Earth gets it in the first place. It's like saying that we are using up the sun by using solar panels.
No-one is saying that it would 'use up' the magnetic field. It would just be extremely costly to do with little to no benefit..
No-one is saying that it would 'use up' the magnetic field. It would just be extremely costly to do with little to no benefit..
Really? Nobody said that you say? Go back and read point number 2 in the first reply made in this thread...
QUOTE (H2O+Sep 9 2009, 10:52 AM)
Really? Nobody said that you say? Go back and read point number 2 in the first reply made in this thread...
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes
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