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Tornado in a Can
geyser writes "What stuff matters more than a device that can tear things apart? Frank Polifka has a patent on his Windhexe device that creates a tornado force wind. Besides pulverizing concrete, it can pulverize small objects including jelly fish, and chicken feet without destroying the organic compounds. The chickens don't like it. Is this really a prototype Quake weapon? I could only find newspaper articles about the device. Has anyone seen it in action and can you give us a first hand report?"
Read a little more, it can also destroy stone.
"Actually, I enjoyed this in the same vague, horrible way I enjoyed the A-Team" P. Opus
It's for Apparatus and method for circular vortex air flow material grinding.
P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Polifka&OS=Poli fka&RS=Polifka
It's dated March 7, 2002 and the applicant is listed as Polifka, Francis D..
You can read it at http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=
If you celebrate Xmas, befriend me (538
The point with the jellyfish is that it both dries them out and turns the dried jellyfish into powder. RTA.
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Seeing is believing; You wouldn't have seen it if you didn't believe it.
Oh the power of google and the wayback machine combined!
Polifka's webpage for the Windhexe
First of all, vortex technology is quite respectable nowadays. As well as the Dyson cleaner, which gets more effective with each generation, there is the work on vortex particulate removers for Diesel engines and powder paint shops. The basic principle seems to be that the air is made to spiral down the vortex chamber in ever narrowing circles. As it does so, its angular velocity increases so that particulates experience an increasing force which carries them to the vortex walls.
Now, in a conventional vortex cleaner, you want non-turbulent flow to keep those particles going in the right direction. But what if the flow becomes turbulent? As it breaks up you would have small localised regions of extremely high turbulence in an environment of increasing angular momentum - so that instead of having a turbulent flow of air scrubbing a single surface, you could have lots of small turbulent flows in three dimensions. That sounds like a pretty effective way of abrading things with a soft medium that would do what is claimed.
So why does the Post talk about scientists being baffled? Well, as a 2c worth, perhaps it's because they have to talk up the story and perhaps it's because the journo didn't know the difference between a vortex chamber and a plate of gefulte fish and wanted to report that everybody else stood around looking stupid too. (In view of the Dow Jones case decision in Australia perhaps I should add this is just my personal opinion, wild speculations, journalists are all genius saviours of mankind etc.)
Perhaps the next Dyson cleaner will not just pick up the dust but act as a dry waste disposal unit as well. Or perhaps not.
Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
Sorry about that, here's a direct link to the site.
Check the book Again. This is not a closed system. Which is the ONLY place the laws of thermodynamics apply. Perpetual motion would imply you're not adding anything to the system. Adding more waste + bacteria = more methane. I'm not saying that there would be enough methane to keep the system going, But I'm certainly not suggesting perpetual motion.
They want to know whether it really offers a new technology for mining precious metals, pulverizing trash, grinding concrete into a powder that can be reconstituted with water.
nope... if that claim is indicative of the rest of the story, then I'm pressing the "bullshit button" on this one... concrete hardening with water depends on some chemical reaction, and CANNOT be "reconstituted" again if pulverized...
Interesting link: Chicken McShitlets
Yummy chicken!