🚀 go-pugleaf

>    Well, I just can't let this one pass...I have to add my $.02 to this
>*interminable* thread.  Would anyone out there care to be in the same car,
>or for that matter within several hundred yards of a car, where 200 lb of
>water had suddenly and very rapidly been converted to superheated steam? 
>This would convert the whole car and occupents (sp?) to a large
>fragmentation grendade.  Just because something is vaporized does not mean
>it is rendered harmless; hot, expanding gases are what do the damage in all
>explosions.  When water is vaporized, it's volume increases ~1000X, so that
>200lb of water(25 gallons) suddenly wants to take up 25,000 gallons; wants
>to *bad*.  If constrained to remain at its original volume, it will be at
>1000 atmospheres, attained within microseconds.  The pressure vessel
>capable of containing this *will* weigh more than a battery pack, or a car.

Well I didn't want to get involved with this discussion but...

I think comparing expanding gases or fluff or whatever in a flywheel and 
that of gunpowder in a gun barrel is not justified.  The gasses released
from black powder in a gun barrel act to push an object to "mach 1" or
whatever speed was posted earlier in ONE direction.  You cannot compare this
to gas or whatever explaning in 3-D space.  I pile of black powder won't move
an object placed on top of it at all or a very small amount, probably 1/100000
the acceleration of it in a barrel.  That actally turns out to be a great
example. In a previous post it was said that 7 grains of black powder can
push a bullet to mach 1.  That may be true IN A GUN BARREL.  Take 1 pound of
black powder and place it on the ground and put a bullet on top of the pile.
Light the pile and you get a lot of fire and heat and the bullet will most
likely not even budge, just get really hot!  I wish I could include the 
amount of hot gasses released from a pound of black powder as compared to 
7 grains, but I can't and the ratio between 7 grains and 1 pound should
describe the situation well enough...

I am not saying flywheels are safe or they will work, actually I said very
little about flywheels here ;-)

								  - Dan



-- 

             Daniel Joseph Rubin     rubin@cis.ohio-state.edu 
     
                       GO BENGALS!      GO BUCKS!