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1500 questions
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1 answer

One large fireplace flue versus two smaller ones

I am a mason contractor whom specializes in Rumford Fireplaces. I am helping design a fireplace that had a problem fitting in a single 18" x 18" flue pipe. So I installed two 13" x 13" pipes adjacent to each other. They start at the smoke chamber…
Francis Casini
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How does nuclear fuel reprocessing work?

As far I know, the depleted fuel cells are crushed, and solved in nitric acid. What is coming after that? This nitric acid should probably contain a very wide spectrum of different salts (practically, all of the elements between 35-65, and yet a lot…
peterh
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LED Lumen Calculations

I am using an LED as a point source for a school project. I have two questions in regards to the LED(s). I know that light follows the inverse square law when measuring perceived brightness, but all sources I can find show examples of a round bulb…
Klyer Norman
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Can high alloy tool steels be quenched in brine?

It is will known that most of tool steels are quenched in oil to prevent cracking and distortion which appears when quenching in water due to non-uniform cooling caused by formation of insulating vapor blanket "film boiling". but according to some …
madara
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What are the advantages of chemical oxygen generation over compressed tank storage?

Chemical oxygen generation (COG) is used in commercial airliners to supply emergency oxygen to passengers and crew if the plane is depressurized. Weight for weight it produces far more oxygen than compressed oxygen tanks. I read the original paper…
Leavenotrace
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How to mount a load-bearing gear shaft through a wooden plate

I don't have experience in mechanical engineering so I came here to ask for help. Here is sketch of one simple construction I want to realize: Here we have 5 cm thick wooden plate, 50 cm long and 35 cm wide. I will drill a hole through the plate…
etf
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Information regarding plastic hinges that can hold the position

I am trying to find some information regarding the design of plastic hinges that can move freely but also hold a position in any degree, like in this little camera:…
Kevin Mamaqi
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What is the physical meaning of pulse rate and blood pressure, from a turbo machinery point of view?

Our hearts are peristaltic pumps, which has a periodic compression and expansion. The head developed can be taken as blood pressure. There are situation when the blood pressure is normal while the pulse rate is high. What is the physical meaning of…
karthikeyan
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How efficient are jet engine thrust reversers?

Most reasonably sized commercial aircraft rely on jet engines for propulsion. Upon landing these aircraft use a number of means to come to a stop with the two most important being (I believe) mechanical brakes and jet engine thrust reversal. This…
Chris Mueller
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How does a compressor know to lower condensing pressure in chiller?

I am working on an indirect ammonia chiller that is used to cool the ice in an arena. The system consists of 3 reciprocating compressors, an evaporative condenser with a vfd on the fan, a float throttling valve and a plate heat exchanger acting as…
Prevost
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How can I calculate the temperature rise of a circuit board for a given power dissipation and area?

I have a PCB of approximately 4" x 4". It has a single long spiraling trace on it. The trace is 50 mil 4 oz copper, so nominally it's good for something like twenty amps before it overheats. But this board overheats much faster. My supposition is…
Stephen Collings
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What method can I use to make a pivot point in an aluminum linkage?

I recently had a project where I made an aluminum linkage (similar to a scissor lift) operated by linear actuators. Aluminum pieces were fabricated from 6061 "standard" aluminum stock, 6mm (0.25 inch) thick. The bars are at most 750x75mm (30x3").…
JYelton
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Must rifle scopes have revealing reflections?

It's a movie trope that snipers are spotted because someone catches a glimpse of a reflection of the scope. It seems to me that this is a serious design flaw. I also know that a good number of scopes have "lids" to protect against dirt, etc., when…
KlaymenDK
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Is compressed air energy storage economically viable in the home?

If I install a small air compressor/engine, generator, and tank in my garage, and I charge it up at night when electricity costs $\frac{5.4p}{kWh}$ and use it during the day to power my house when electricity costs $\frac{12.5p}{kWh}$ would this be…
jhabbott
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Can using different types of alcohol in a cloud chamber produce different particle tracks?

The design for a cloud chamber is rather simple, and many factors can be changed without producing different results. There is one curious point that I've stumbled upon, though: The type of alcohol vapor used. I've read about methanol, ethyl…
HDE 226868
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