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Vortex Cannon construction

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LAN_403

Superkuh

Sat Aug 26 2006, 03:27AM

Registered Member #59 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:45AM
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 12

Tesladownunder wrote ...
Blowing over a mannequin is a lot easier than blowing over a real person.

Yes, though the ~500 joules of energy stored in the rapidly rotating core of the SARA combustion prototype is enough to knock both of the mentioned objects over--especially if the coherent core is carrying an appropriate incapacitating chemical agent (to disable the active balance system of the later object). They are just vehicles for the chemical agents if you are talking about crowd control uses.

The empirically derived formula for predicting vortices behavior at these high energy levels should work just as well for optimizing less non-linear (at the formation; vortices are still soliton-like when formed) air compression/pressure sources.

HV Enthusiast

Wed Sept 06 2006, 01:40PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

I plan on using a very sturdy commerical plastic garbage can (35 gallon i think). Do you think a small smoke machine (like the one you have), placed inside the unit would affect performance at all? Of course, i can just try it, but thought i'd ask based on your experience first.
Thanks again

Tesladownunder

Wed Sept 06 2006, 03:00PM

Registered Member #10 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
Posts: 1424

You wont be able to mount the smoke generator transversely and only just longitudinally. I would just use some duct tubing into a hole in the side from the generator. It doesn't have to be really air tight as everything is low pressure.

I would just make it first and blow smoke in with the generator from the front. You will have a good idea of what it is like then and how to join it up. Don't have to be too clever with these things as no rockets involved.

While cycling the other day I picked up water dispenser container. I suppose 20litre but has a 2 inch outlet at one end and nearly fully open at the other. Couldn't pass it by as it was 10k from the nearest town. It might be interestig to try to shape the outlet with a central cone to see what effect it has on efficiency.

Peter

HV Enthusiast

Wed Sept 06 2006, 03:37PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Cool, thanks again!
Dan

EEYORE

Fri Sept 08 2006, 03:16PM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

Hey guys,
while browsing United Nuclear, I came across something you may fimd interesting...

Matt

Dr. Slack

Sat Sept 09 2006, 07:40AM

Registered Member #72 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:29AM
Location: UK St. Albans
Posts: 1659

I saw this thread start while I was painting the ceiling. Finally the 5 litre paint can's empty, and I've got a few minutes to cut a hole in the bottom. A dead air-bed I've kept for who knows how long yielded a rubber diaphram. I used a 'smoke match' for the smoke generator. These are available from plumber's merchants, gas fitters use them for looking for back-flow down flues. A box of 20 for 50p, they burn for 20 seconds or so, so are fine for a quick look, but would get expensive for an open day demonstration.

With a 60mm hole, I saw 2x diameter rings out to 1.5m in daylight, but I'm sure with a torch in the dark I would see better than that.

A smoke generator I made years ago (don't ask me) consisted of a 1 watt resistor wound with several turns of paper, held in place by wire. A few watts pumped into it was enough to char the paper for a minute or two, without it bursting into flames, and allowing the resistor to be used again. Now these would be cheap enough to use continuously just by replacing the paper, rewinding one while the other was smoking.

ragnar

Sat Sept 09 2006, 11:32AM

Registered Member #63 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:18AM
Location:
Posts: 1425

I've used rolled up newspapers to make smoke. The idea being to ignite it at the bottom, on the inside, then extinguish the flame so that it smoulders. By controlling the width of the opening at the base, and the looseness between layers, you can vary the length, density and pooey-yellowness of the smoke. ^^

An A3-sized sheet of newspaper would smoke horribly for at least two minutes =-D

HV Enthusiast

Sat Sept 09 2006, 01:53PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Thanks again for the help. Vortex cannon is complete and i'm ready to do my cousin's 4 year old birthday party this afternoon. Should be the hit of the party!!! I'll post some photos tonite.

Dan

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