Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Thermite and other stuff...

[Carl Kem <dustyut@lasal.net>]

Anthony who knows, maybe you'll be the one to invent it too.  Gotta have a dream
to plan.
Carl


TeslaTony@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 3/8/01 3:15:33 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> lrrg@wantree.com.au writes:
>
> > Hi guys,
> >              it occured to me that if you were going to run a reactor with
> a
> > steam-turbine that was fuelled by thermite, wouldn't it be good if you ran
> > the exhaust gases from the thermite through the same turbine that the steam
> > was running through? This would surely increase your energy density, which
> is
> > what it's all about for a PSUB. An old turbo-charger would probably make a
> > very suitable turbine for these purposes. As always though, someone needs
> to
> > build one to really know what the deal is. Anyone out there feel up to the
> > task?
>
> If you reacted the thermite with water shooting into the chamber then the
> reaction would be cooled off enough to not turn your sub into a sauna (or
> would it be a steamer?) traveling at 300 knots either on the bottom of the
> Marianas Trench or somewhere near Jupiter or Saturn.
> But seriously, thermite does have its own Oxygen source (or at least that's
> what I was told.....), which means that adding water shouldn't cause any
> problems along the lines of O2 deprivation, so you could get a nice source of
> high-pressure steam to shoot through your turbine to power the sub.
>
> >  Point 2: What's the story with these space-age ceramics we were hearing so
> > much about a few years ago. They are probably the best thing in the world
> for
> > submarine hulls (they can be almost as stong as diamond). I'm sure they're
> > still very much on the pricey side, but they must be getting a bit cheaper
> by
> > now. Are the materials for their fabrication commercially available? I'll
> > look into it further and get back to you all, but I would like to know if
> > anyone else has more info on it in the meantime. Cheers.
> >
> >  Rich
> >
> >
> The problem with ceramics is that they are quite brittle (maybe not some of
> the newer ones), plus they aren't quite as easily machined as steel, aluminum
> or fiberglass. Add how expensive they are on top of it and old propane tanks
> start looking reeeeaaaall nice.
>
> Anthony
>
> P.s.: Maybe there will be some good ceramics suitable for PSubbers invented
> in the near future.

--
"In times like these, it helps to recall there have always been times like
these."-Paul Harvey