@neptune,

Except for the cost involved, I'd be building a table top version out of acrylic myself!  I was thinking different transparent tints of acrylic for the different moving members.  But I had not thought of tinting the water.

I was thinking of asking CLaNZeR or TinselKoala.  But the cost is too much to ask IMHO.  CLaNZeR might want to take a stab at it anyway regardless of expense (he is like that).  But both CLaNZeR and TK have interests mainly in magnetics and elctromagnetics respectively.

The patent and my own limited understanding of the device suggest that sizing of each member is important to achieve OU let alone to optimize the design.  So we would need a builder or team that could support "the numbers" as well.  But maybe Mr. Wayne's team already has such a teaching unit in mind?

M.

Quote from: neptune on June 08, 2012, 11:31:09 AM
    Another important question here . So we have 3 cylinders nested inside each other. So to increase the bouoyancy of the whole thing, I am presuming we have to force a [small] amount of air into this system . So to do that we need to input some energy into the system, to pump that air . Am I right in thinking that the energy we can gain by that buoyancy is greater than the energy needed to pump the air?

If you read the patent carefully you will find in the last few paragraphs that it is possible to move the *water* between the Zeds instead of the air to achieve the same switching of the power units.  This is the current way Mr. Wayne's team is going.  It is more efficient.

Like always, the air "pre-charge" of air is just to balance the forces of the static system.  Then water is pumped into the first Zed to raise the head pressure and initiate the first stroke.  That water is then transferred (first half will flow naturally into balance, second half needs to be pumped using some of the captured output from the first stroke) to the second Zed.  So in this case, no air is being pumped.  Since the water is pumped to the outer most chamber it should be easier for everyone to understand that buoyancy is causing the output motion and force, not classical pneumatics or hydraulics.

And yes, it takes less energy to transfer that second half of the water head to the second Zed than was captured in the first Zed's upstroke.  Lather, rinse, and repeat.

M.

Thanks again Mondrasek. So going back to my idea of a teaching aid which would run itself. Simplicity is the key here, not max efficiency . So imagine we have just one Zed in stead of two . [I am just thinking out loud here]  So as it alternatively floats and sinks, or rises and falls it drive a crank via a connecting rod.  The crankshaft drives a water pump to change the levels as required . Very simple , cheap, low tech, but illustrates the principle  . Might be worth some experiments . Maybe Mr Travis built something like this along the way.It would make a fantastic executive toy.
    My problem with the patent is that it comes up on the screen very small, and I do not know how to make it bigger , so it is hard work for me to read.

I have been asked for support and permission to have the demo model build, I am keen on the idea.

Wayne

Quote from: neptune on June 08, 2012, 12:11:19 PM
    My problem with the patent is that it comes up on the screen very small, and I do not know how to make it bigger , so it is hard work for me to read.

If you are here:  http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20120117957 and on an up to date Miscrosoft Windows Explorer (not sure with other browsers), try holding Ctrl and tapping the + key to make bigger.  To make smaller, hold Ctrl and hit -.  Ctrl and 0 resets to default.

Hope this helps!

M.