Posted on 06/29/2006 10:22:47 PM PDT by Lori675
...which is one reason why I'm deeply skeptical we'll ever see it at the consumer level. I've inadvertently created a few enemies on this thread for that skepticism.
And actually, I thought at least the Satellite lasers (Thor's Hammer?) used a combustion mechanism. Perhaps the plane ones are different.
Carbon nanotechnology, yes. I'm no expert, just spouting off.
"If capacitors held as much energy as batteries, they could pose the same sorts of dangers."
What you say is true, and this will have to be a consideration that design engineers make before going forward with these in general usage.
I thank you for explaining your view on the potential of the supercaps to be a possible danger. I believe that the use of these will continue to grow, and I also believe that, just like other energy storage devices or fuel sources, that we will find a way to make them as safe as possible.
Nanotechnology is in it's infant stage, but growing rapidly, and the future looks very bright. Supercaps could go a long way towards solving the long recharge problem with batteries for vehicles, and provide a way to avoid being held hostage to oil and it's suppliers.
One day our children's children will look back and talk about how their grandparents were crazy to drive around with 20 gallons of highly volatile gasoline in a vehicle.
The world, she is a changing.
I agree. There is potential danger in any energy storage device, and any inherent dangers will be considered by the designers.
I am just glad you had the presence of mind to duck, otherwise we might not be having this conversation.
Thanks for the response. Reminds of the time someone in shop class filled a balloon with acetylene, then hit it with the torch. It wasn't pretty.
"Would a good reliability analyst have been able to predict that this might happen, I wonder?"
My guess is that the analyst might, but the cost to protect against that was too high considering the potential for occurrence.
"Perpetual motion machine"
yes.
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