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New car to run on iron filings
News.Com.AU ^ | October 21, 2005 | staff writer

Posted on 10/23/2005 5:33:20 AM PDT by yankeedame

New car to run on iron filings

The Daily Telegraph
October 21, 2005

THE green car of the future could run on a tankful of iron filings, it was claimed yesterday.

US scientist Dave Beach believes such a car would produce almost no pollution and be more fuel-efficient. Given a high enough temperature, powdered iron ignite, releasing energy. Rockets already use metal power. Aluminium is sprinkled into the space shuttle's solid rockets to give them an extra boost.

But to kick off combustion in most metals requires temperatures of at least 2000C, which would melt the average engine.

Dr Beach suspected the answer was to create very fine metal grains measuring millionths of a millimetre. Heating them to 250C could make them burn and unlike larger particles they did not vaporise or melt.

======================

From http://www.manoramaonline.com/
10/23/05:

Washington: Future cars could be run with a modified engine and a tank full of metal and could travel three times as far as the equivalent petrol powered vehicle, visualises a US researcher.

Dave Beach, a scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, says chunks of metal such as iron, aluminium or boron could be turned into powder and they will become highly reactive at high temperature, reports New Scientist.

Ignite it, and it releases copious quantities of energy, he was quoted as saying in the report.

Rockets already use metal power. Aluminium is sprinkled into the space shuttle's solid rockets to give them an extra boost, says another report in NEWS.com.au.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: energy; futuretech; whenpigsfly
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To: yankeedame

Even if this worked, it would have to emit a lot of iron oxide exhaust. Even if iron oxide is not particularly poisonous, I wouldn't think rust particles settling on everything could be called pollution free.

Secondly, most of the iron that we get comes from an oxide ore. You have to expend a lot of energy to produce the "fuel". Hydrogen has the same problem. It's just a way to store energy produced somewhere else, not a primary source.


21 posted on 10/23/2005 6:28:20 AM PDT by dinasour (Pajamahadeen)
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To: yankeedame

As a fuel, iron is just like hydrogen. It is not a source of energy, there is little or no free iron available on the Earth. You have to make it from oxidized iron. And to do that, you need an energy source.


22 posted on 10/23/2005 6:28:31 AM PDT by Dan Evans
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To: LizardQueen

LOL!


23 posted on 10/23/2005 6:29:24 AM PDT by Hadean (The NY Times makes for great kindling when burning terrorists.)
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To: son of caesar
It was sarcasm but given the containment/dissipation issues with that much heat, we'd all end up driving tank like vehicles.

It would cut down on highway deaths. ;)

24 posted on 10/23/2005 6:30:43 AM PDT by SouthTexas (Texans vote FOR prop 2, Nov 8th)
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To: yankeedame
"Dr Beach suspected the answer was to create very fine metal grains measuring millionths of a millimetre."

Very fine particles autoignite - and sometimes explode. Example - grain elevators.

We were making fine zinc particles in a pilot plant -- discovered that, when drying, the fresh zinc surface reacted with oxygen in the air and autoignited with a blue-green flame.

25 posted on 10/23/2005 6:31:29 AM PDT by gatex (NRA, JPFO and Gun Owners of America)
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To: LizardQueen

"My old Datsun tried this by itself and it didn't end well....

LQ"


I once had a Toyota Celica that did the same thing.....and I thought it was just a "rice grinder". Go figure!


26 posted on 10/23/2005 6:37:41 AM PDT by Howie66 ("America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people.")
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To: Howie66

Put "iron filings" in your engine block?

You might get really good gas mileage for the first mile.

Then, in the second mile, your vehicle and the tow truck combined wouldn't be doing as well.


27 posted on 10/23/2005 6:49:47 AM PDT by JustDoItAlways
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To: yankeedame

Swell, a Daisy Cutter on wheels!


28 posted on 10/23/2005 7:01:21 AM PDT by Solamente
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To: LizardQueen

ha-ha!

my old toyota attempted to create the proper degrees required to convert! We should have 'wed them'.


29 posted on 10/23/2005 7:03:28 AM PDT by bitt (THE PRESIDENT: "Ask the pollsters. My job is to lead and to solve problems. ")
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To: son of caesar
good luck to all who endeavor to find that new magic fire.

I think that they have already tried using taliban muslims over in Afghanistan. Haven't seen a paper on the results yet.

30 posted on 10/23/2005 7:06:25 AM PDT by Colorado Doug (Diversity is divisive. E. Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one))
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To: yankeedame

It's more than a little convenient that the exhaust from burning gasoline, coal, and natural gas is gaseous. Burning metals such as iron, boron, and aluminum produces a solid - which weighs more than the fuel did, being combined now with oxygen. Either the car litters, or it gains weight as it approaches empty.


31 posted on 10/23/2005 7:10:00 AM PDT by coloradan (Hence, etc.)
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To: yankeedame
"could run," "claimed," believes"

I stopped after a sentance-and-a-half.
32 posted on 10/23/2005 7:11:27 AM PDT by Fido969 ("And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).)
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To: Recon Dad

You probably reheat pizza at 400 F, which is only 204 C. Not 250 C (482 F).


33 posted on 10/23/2005 7:12:04 AM PDT by coloradan (Hence, etc.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
I'm assuming the waste product would be iron oxide. What do you do with it?

Reduce it and reuse it perhaps.

34 posted on 10/23/2005 7:13:41 AM PDT by TN4Liberty (American... conservative... southern.... It doesn't get any better than this.)
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To: TN4Liberty
This is old technology.

You get in a rickshaw and point a six shooter at the driver.

35 posted on 10/23/2005 7:18:01 AM PDT by battlegearboat
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To: gatex

"Very fine particles autoignite - and sometimes explode. Example - grain elevators."

How about coal? The air temp inside a diesel engine is quite high at the point of maximum compression. If you could come up with an injector for coal dust, it just might work.


36 posted on 10/23/2005 7:34:17 AM PDT by beef (Who Killed Kennewick Man?)
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To: yankeedame
"Rockets already use metal power. Aluminium is sprinkled into the space shuttle's solid rockets to give them an extra boost, says another report in NEWS.com.au."

Right!

A mixture of powdered aluminum and powdered iron is also what makes up "Thermite" grenades which burn right through an engine block or a tank's armor in a matter of seconds!

Harnessing it to do useful work is another matter, however.

37 posted on 10/23/2005 7:35:01 AM PDT by nightdriver
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To: ruiner
I'm going to sit around today and think of the best way to heat something to 250C . . . hmmmm . . . . not quite sure yet .

Just drain the oil from your engine. Viola!

38 posted on 10/23/2005 7:35:35 AM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: gatex
Zinc discovery
39 posted on 10/23/2005 7:49:34 AM PDT by PaxMacian
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To: yankeedame


Watching TV and all the talk about the Miers nomination

I was wondering if they can get a car to run on legal filings
That would be great


40 posted on 10/23/2005 8:00:10 AM PDT by grjr21
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