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Geyser Clock
Large vertical pipes filled with water designed to go off at different times | |
Natural geysers don't keep as good
time because they are uneven in
shape and change due to events like
mineral depositing, erosion and
earthquakes.
They way a geyser works is when the
super heated water overcomes the
denser colder water on top with an
explosive force. A slight constriction
helps bisect the super hot and colder
water. Changes in the container of
that water can have effects on when
this explosion happens or if it even
does.
With this design I have chosen 6 such
pipes that will each heat up water to
go off on a different hour. Each pipe
will only have to go off 4 times in a
day.
Instead of a minute hand, I have
decided that the pipes will be coated
with liquid crystal around the area at
the top where the water is cooler.
This way a color change will be used
to indicate what part of the hour we
are into. Finally, the pipes will be
numbered (possibly also in liquid
crystal paint) to keep people from
being confused.
These structures could also be built
into the ground and take advantage
of the natural thermal energy in
areas where that energy is abundant.
One can vary the length and the
inside diameter of the pipe to get
other time intervals.
[link]
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This would be quite elegant. Can it have music too? + |
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It could even be used to boil an egg for you in the morning as part of your alarm call. |
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Can't you just glance at your wristwatch? Or look at the nearest clock? Or ring the talking clock? Or look on your mobile phone (spits)? |
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Also the areas where natural thermal energy is abundant tend not to be built up areas so who is going to be there to need to know the time? |
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//Can't you just glance at your wristwatch?//
But this is the halfbakery, squeak. If we were content with all the current ways of doing things, none of us would be here. |
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Yeah sure [kerlnik] but, for pete's sake, another clock!? Why not make it custard flavoured and mounted on a segway. |
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Isn't there a category for clocks? I
don't understand your problem. |
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By that logic, people should stop
painting or writing since we
already have many paintings and
books in this world. |
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Absurdity belongs here just as much as sensible suggestions, so you're all right. It's just that suggesting looking at your watch to check the time isn't very interesting. |
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