DocOck

That's an idea too, however, I was thinking more along the lines of using it for a car engine to power an electric car. I wouldn't want to be dependent upon solar for that, although it could be an option for day time travel, with another option for night. Also, I do not know everything there is to know about memory metals by a long shot, I just know a little. Does anyone know how available they are and who is involved in their manufacturing? Also, am I correct to say that they are made in such a way that their molecular structure causes them to return to their original shape? (Memory metal) Or is it some other method? Thanks.

What do you think about using memory metals as a constant torque spring (which looks like a roll of motion picture film). The idea is to use the spring normally like a regular steel spring for rotation to spin an electric generator. It is wound on one end and its natural tendency is to pull itself onto the take up spool thus providing rotation. It is connected to a generator to spin it to produce electricity. To rewind the memory metal spring you only need apply heat on it near the take up spool to make it go back the other way to rewind, using memory metals that respond to heat. I've seen some that respond to heat and some that respond to water. This could allow several things. One, if you are just heating say a bar that touches the metal to make it rewind, does this use as much energy as it would to just operate an electric motor to rewind a constant torque spring like you would with a normal spring made out of steel? Also, if your using a memory metal that responds to water, just add water for the rewinding process? See where I'm going with this? Is this as brilliant an idea as I think? I realize memory metals are hard to come by these days. I have an invention that is a new way to utilize constant torque springs, stacked in rows to spin a generator. However as you all know using normal steel springs you have several problems 1) lots of weight, and 2) rewinding them typically takes so much power you only have around a 35% efficiency ratio or around there. Maybe just as aluminum made the airplane possible, these new memory metals may make a spring generator feasible and desirable. Um? Anyone?

Thanks, its nice to be here, very helpful input.

I don't know if this makes a difference, and I'm well aware of the laws of thermodynamics, including experiments I've seen that seem to violate those laws, but that's another conversation. Point was is to heat something portable by conventional electricity (plugged into the wall) granted it would take a lot of juice to store your heat in your substance, but who cares about taking power from the grid. Point is to store it in a substance to then transport to a vehicle. Use the heat at one end to create steam/pressure whatever to spin a turbine to spin a generator, just like steam from burning coal, except your not necessarily burning anything, just heating something to extreme temperatures that creates a similar amount of heat as burning coal or what not. If that makes any sense, and I do appreciate you indulging a non-engineer. Also, would it serve an efficient enough purpose to also utilize an extremely cold end (with say dry ice, a substance readily available) to draw an extreme at one end to help with the pressure? Also, I realize your heat source would eventually cool down and the dry ice would eventually evaporate, but if you could get enough working time out of it, it may be worth it.

Thanks! What I was thinking something along the lines of a large bar of some type of metal or other material, that could be heated to extreme temperatures, then placed in a compartment for the heat storage area to utilize in a heat engine, preferably something that could be used over again, after its cooled down, you could place it in a special heater and re-heat it, trapping the heat in again, kind of like a battery, but this would be essentially a heat battery.

Thanks Freestar, would molten sodium be a practical substance to handle by a lay person, either using special equipment or a special loader? Or is it too volitile to be practical, this is including the building of special equipment to handle it. Reason I"m asking is I'm curious in energy storage and I was wondering if heat could be stored and utilized for the same purpose in essence in utilizing a bunch of coal burning to produce heat/steam/pressure etc., thanks again.

Along these lines, what type of material do you think would be best for absorbing heat to utilize as a heat source for a heat engine. In other words to make a heat type battery, that would stay sufficiently hot long enough to generate pressure through steam or some other system. You would utilize this heat "battery" to create steam to turn a generator. Instead of burning something, it would just stay hot enough to create steam for a period of time before it cooled off, to possibly be re-heated and re-utilized at a later time.

Hi all, we'll I'm not really a "scientist" but I did save a lot of money by switching to Gieco. Just kidding, really an inventor here, may chime in time to time or post new posts about inventions I have or parts thereof, thanks for looking asking and generally putting up with me.:bwa: