Re: air (vortex) projectors
Grant Fraser ( Grantham_Fraser@bc.sympatico.ca )
Tue, 14 Apr 1998 13:01:14 -0700
Bill McMurtry wrote:
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> Really don't know if your assertion is correct or not. A few years ago I
> built a number of smoke ring 'cannons' to observe how smoke rings work.
> They are fascinating critters.
>
> The largest cannon I constructed would project a 'toroidal wave' of around
> one foot diameter at a variable velocity up to fast running speed. I was
> able to use a large aircraft hanger type building for these observations.
> The cannon consisted of a wooden cylinder around 2 feet diameter and a foot
> long. The hole at the business end was one foot diameter and the two foot
> diameter diaphram inside the cannon was driven by a pulsed solenoid. The
> cannon chamber was filled with smoke before energising the solenoid to
> produce a smoke ring that sped off. I could project these waves
> horizontally to the floor and run along beside them for close observation
> of the layers of rotating smoke within the toroid. Interesting experiments
> like disrupting the laminar vortex air flow of the wave by poking my finger
> into it, while running alongside, and watching the wave 'unravel' were
> fascinating.
>
> The lenght of the building was about 200 feet, and while chasing these
> smoke rings from one end of the buiding to the other it occured to me that
> the smoke ring actually propells 'itself' along. The stored energy in the
> laminar air (and smoke) rotation both sucks and pushes the toroidal wave
> packet along through the surrounding air. The velocity of the diaphram has
> no direct relationship with the velocity of the wave, other than to create
> the required pressure (and turbulance) at the issuing end of the cannon.
>
> Anyway, in regards to the possibility of the jet engine using some sort of
> toroidal air/fuel approach, I've no idea. The only experiment I did along
> these lines was to fill the cannon with propane gas and shoot it at an open
> flame several feet away. This resulted in a nice burning smoke ring that
> collapsed fairly quickly.
>
> As a matter of interest, these projected toroidal waves are highly
> directional and can be created with great energy, they can be acurately
> shot at targets over large distances. Toroidal waves are one of the only
> ways, that I am aware, of directing a flow of gas (or liquid) from one
> location to another without the use of a pipe or duct, etc (with the
> probable exception of an 'open' vortex, i.e. tornado).
>
> Great fun.
>
> Bill.
>
> At 21:01 11/04/98 -1000, you wrote:
> >I have been trying to find out all I kind about the vortex projectors.
> >What I am wondering is this. Several years ago, I remember seeing a TV
> >special which mentioned, in passing, that the military was working on
> >some new kind of jet propulsion system. They showed a photo which showed
> >several bursts of exhaust from the rear of the plane, instead of the
> >usual straight plume of nasty gas. Is it possible they were using some
> >sort of vortex projector for the propulsion by igniting bursts of
> >fuel-air mixture? If I am not mistaken, this should provide higher
> >acceleration for the same amount of fuel. Is this a correct assumption?
> >
> >BillP
> >
> >
If you wanted to fling ball lightning, wouldn't putting a really high
negative charge on the inside of the barrel work? The airflow should
strip off the excess electrons on the way out. Say sorry to your cat in
advance.
Grant:?>