h a l f b a k e r yI think, therefore I am thinking.
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Rather than spending several hours plowing every time it snows just deploy your fleet of pre-programmed Snowmbas. When not in use, the machines stay in individual dog-houses which provide power from solar panel roofs and vertical wind turbines to convert their internal salt water to hydrogen and oxygen. These
machines are steam engines which burn the hydrogen to both propel themselves and use their waste heat to melt the snow and carry it with them in the form of water until their hopper is filled. The hopper is then allowed to freeze as the secondary hopper begins filling. This continues back and forth while an ever growing chain of clear ice blocks gets dragged along behind. They continue to produce their own hydrogen by condensing the exhaust to melt the snow and feeding it back into the salt-water electrolysis chamber until fuel begins to run low.
When this happens, the Snowmbas take on their secondary mission; to become autonomous 3D printers working together to build large stable dome like igloos from ice bricks.
A copper pan rapidly distributes excess heat to the top side and underneath of every brick laid ensuring a continuous weld for structural integrity.
...
Version 2.0 would build each block with an outer layer of Pycrete to insulate against melting and extend the life of these ice houses well into the summer months.
Robots in the snow
https://www.thesnowbot.com/
It's a start; not as "self-contained" as yours. [neutrinos_shadow, Dec 13 2024]
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Annotation:
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You had me at steam [+] Furthermore this is extremely inefficient, as it will require the somewhat more electricity than melting the ice directly with resistance coils. |
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Right but in this context, how does the inefficiency manifest itself? As waste heat? Which is actually a good thing? |
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As a need for more solar panels. And waste heat isn't a good thing. If you want your machine to produce heat, add heating coils where you want your heat. |
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The heating coils would be the condenser lines for the exhaust system. |
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Your exhaust is mostly oxygen. I'm not sure how you're going to condense that without a very cold freezer. Blowing on it won't help, no siree |
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hmmm, I thought that the exhaust from burning hydrogen was pure water vapour. The oxygen will have been removed by electrolysis and there is enough free oxygen in the piston chambers for combustion leaving little to none in the exhaust. |
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Right, sorry, I was thinking of a two step process. Yes, absolutely. Use electricity to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen and then immediately recombine them, salvaging the heat for power. I see no problem with this process whatsoever. |
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Une that power for a 2nd stage of electrolysis. In fact you could daisychain these as much of you like, earning extra tax breaks at every stage (albeit sacrificing efficiency) |
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//Use electricity to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen and then immediately recombine them, salvaging the heat for power. I see no problem with this process whatsoever.// |
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Maybe I'm not explaining well.
The electricity for electrolysis is garnered passively when the machine is not in use. the steam engine burns the hydrogen for propulsion and recoups the heat from the steam to melt snow and partially refill the salt water tank in a closed loop.
The water tank can be constantly refilled with just snow melt alone and the stem engine can produce enough electricity to generate some hydrogen while in use to prolong the time it can remain active. |
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The steam engine burns hydrogen for power and also generates hydrogen? That's pretty impressive. You should install two of them. |
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It's basically regenerative braking. It won't power your car, but it will keep the battery from dying as quickly. |
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My hero! [2 fries] you have entirely too much free time on your hands. [+] |
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The Snomba would move at the rate which it melts snow... hence having excess power to electrolyze its internal salt water tank while in use. |
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Steam engines are powerful. |
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P.S. I have no free time on my hands... |
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Who hasn't wanted a 'boring machine' to tunnel out a drain for pooling water alongside packed roadside snow? Drop a few Snowmbas™ at intervals to do just that and retrieve them later. |
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