James Cox developed a timepiece powered by a barometer.
Acknowledging barometric pressure as a source of power
Cox's timepiece is an example of how changing barometric pressure may be used to do useful work [1]
The problem with this piece:
- Material components degrade over time
- Excess energy is wasted not stored
Project Goals
Bringing about an object with the purpose of powering society rather than keeping time using longer lasting materials and a correct vessel for energy storage may be beneficial. Benefits may include:
- Freedom from negative aspects associated with many other power sources.
- No polution
- No reshaping of the environment
- No unsightly constructions
- No material spent in process
Drawbacks may include:
- Potential catastrophic changes of weather patterns in the distant future due to removing otherwise naturally balanced energy from the current cycle. Low pressure brings about storm systems. If a device like the one being described was used on a large enough scale to lower atmospheric pressure, locations it operated in could experience storm systems resulting from the lowered pressure.[2]
Things we need to make such a device:
- Appropriately sized and sensitive barometer
- A location that experiences changing atmospheric pressure
- Power storage vessel
- A series of flywheels using magnetic bearings may be an appropriate vessel to capture energy with little machine wear.
- Flywheels with magnetic bearings in a vacuum can work with up to 97% efficiency and little to no maintenance for the 20 year life of the mechanical portion and are constructed of carbon-fiber with no loss of capacity or usefulness over time like is sometimes seen in a battery.[3]
- A series of flywheels using magnetic bearings may be an appropriate vessel to capture energy with little machine wear.
Potential questions
- May I somehow better understand how a barometer is constructed?
- Yes. Here. [4]
- What pray tell is a barometer?
- A barometer is a device for measuring levels of atmospheric pressure.[5]
- How is this done?
- To learn how to use a barometer check here. [6]
Design
Merging a barometer similar in design to the one engineered by James Cox and those close to him with an appropriate power storage vessel could potentially harness more efficiently than a wind turbine otherwise untapped atmospheric pressure.
Costs
The largest cost of this device would be mercury assuming we are using a mercury barometer like James Cox. Mercury sells for ~~$1950/flask as of 2011 on the free market. [7]
- A flask is 34.7kg[8]
Apparrently if we do not care about being fancy you can make a barometer using water too.[9]
- Water is at least 100% cheaper
Conclusion
Build lots of these. Everywhere. Make it rain forever.
References
- ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=022yYXnS_GQC&lpg=PA113&ots=0DMBPw4VYd&dq=Concerning%20those%20perpetual%20motions%20which%20are%20produced%20in%20machines%20by%20the%20rise%20and%20fall%20of%20the%20barometer%20or%20thermometrical%20variations%20in%20the%20dimensions%20of%20bodies&pg=PA115#v=snippet&q=james%20cox's%20timepiece%20was%20rendered%20self-winding%20by%20the%20attachment%20to%20it%20of%20a%20barometer%20arranged&f=false
- ↑ http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/air_pressure/weather.html
- ↑ http://www.beaconpower.com/files/Flywheel_FR-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- ↑ http://www.google.com/patents?vid=4238958
- ↑ http://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+is+a+barometer
- ↑ http://www.uwplatt.edu/chemep/chem/chemscape/labdocs/catofp/measurep/pressure/baromete/baromete.htm
- ↑ http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/mercury/mcs-2012-mercu.pdf
- ↑ http://www.convertunits.com/from/flask/to/kg
- ↑ http://www.stuffintheair.com/how-to-make-a-barometer.html