Hah! They all laughed when he sat down at the drawing table with his second hand drafting tools.

All right then, the gauntlet has been thrown down! I don't think I could patent an idea like this anyway, so why not let it slip out (as if it was something worth stealing). More importantly, the only way my device will work is if another technology is first perfected: solenoid powered valves.

I read that those are a long sought breakthrough in conventional, gas engines, one that would enable infinitely variable valve timing. Solenoid valves are scary to me, because imagine the software burps -- if you have an interference engine, goodbye major $$. Bonehead and I discussed this once, he's not sure if you could have a diesel that wasn't interference -- that is, with that high of a compression ratio, no room for the luxury of valve indents (there's a term for that) in the pistons.

I've heard of port valves, sort of like a port hole in a boat that is shut by sliding a pocket door like device. These would eliminate the possibility of bent valves and broken pistons, but how well do they work? I've read that they were formerly used in 2 stroke engines.

Anyway, trust me, I think you'll be surprised.

Two stroke diesel engines have been around for years and they don't have valves, only ports on the side of the cylinder. There is a valve called an "aspen valve" that was conical shaped and had a hole or port on one side. The valve rotated and when the port lined up with a hole in the head, the gases could enter or exhaust the combustion chamber.

Most of them have exhaust valves (Detroit Diesels).

Oh man, that's a cute bit of junk science. If that device worked at all like the first link stated, our energy needs would be over forever and several billionaires, at least, would hoist glasses of brandy every Christmas to the good Mr. Hilsch.

I would guess that at any instant in time, some molecules are moving slower than others in a body of air. However, I imagine that any one molecule would stay in that state for a nano-second of two before being agitated by it's fellow molecules to a more ambient speed.

The auto air conditioner with no moving parts that I'd like to see exists already: the propane refrigerator. I traded for an old one out of a converted camper and it works just fine on 120 AC down at my shop/warehouse.

(BTW Brian, this is NOT the foundation of my ground-breaking invention in the sky I referred to earlier. I'm not THAT naive. ;))

Add heat -- harvest ice. What a miracle of science, and it requires only ammonia, water, and hydrogen gas, I believe. I'll need to refer to howstuffworks.com again. Oh, here 'tis:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/refrigerator5.htm

I mean, every car has waste heat. Why not use that to power one of these coolers? Actually, I may know the answer to that. I've read that this type of cooler does not move thermal mass as quickly as more conventional compressor type coolers. Perhaps there's no way it could work in an auto.

Sure seems like it would be worth a try. Mine is old and rusty but it works fine: a sealed sysem w/ no moving parts and it's totally silent!

The link you provided gave the following link, which is a lot more detailed.

Bot

http://www.nh3tech.org/absorption.html

Carl, the device does work, exactly as advertised. The units are sold and are in use at the various airline facilities that I deal with. They do provide air that is about 40 degrees colder than ambient.

But, nothing is for free. To function, they need a steady supply of compressed air. You don't get the compressed air for free. In fact, it's a rather costly way to get the cold air. But, it's readily available and convenient to use.

So guys, what about using the vortex as a source for an intercooler using the compressor off the turbine?

Bot

Nice try. :D

The device dumps most of the air that it receives as warmer air, so, you would need a huge amount of air to get a much smaller amount of cold air.

The compressor is not able to provide anywhere near enough airflow to allow this device to provide sufficient airflow to the engine.

Additionally, the air from the compressor is about 200°F. The discharge air would then be 160°F. A small benefit, but, nothing like an intercooler, which can probably get down to 120°F. in 80°F. ambients.

Whale Oil Beef Hooked. (Say phrase really fast, over and over). I stand corrected. These lines from the first link gave me pause:

"When the device is properly adjusted, the hot pipe will deliver air at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the cold pipe air at about -70 degrees (a temperature substantially below the freezing point of mercury and approaching that of "dry ice"). When the tube is adjusted for maximum temperature on the hot side, air is delivered at about 350 degrees F. It must be mentioned, however, that few amateurs have succeeded in achieving these performance extremes. Most report minimums on the order of -10 degrees and maximums of about + 140 on the first try."

From this, I jumped to the conclusion that refrigeration and heating could be had for far less energy than that required by conventional means. That it works at all is interesting. Sure sounds implausible, that is, seperating one class of molecules from another.

Your subsequent description sounds more realistic.

You're right, that's a good one. I may have clicked on it once, months ago, it looks familiar, but I didn't study it and had forgotten it.

I've read here and there that the propane style is not nearly as efficient as the comressor type. Wish I had better information. More searching is needed. I've lived in small places where the damn refrigerator cycle would wake me up now and then. I hate the damn humm/buzz combination. My propane/elec./no moving parts model is an incredible luxury: SILENCE!