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watertube

 counteract global warming and get energy
  (+8, -7)
(+8, -7) 		  [vote for,
against]

Create a tube leading from one of our oceans into space. Whenever sea levels start to rise we can send some of the water into space just by opening a valve at the bottom of the tube. This is because there is a vacuum above and high pressure below so the water is sucked into space. By putting a turbine at the top we can even generate electricity.
—RobertKidney, Jun 19 2001

Pizza Satellite http://www.halfbake...a/Pizza_20Satellite
One of the HB classics. [Aristotle, Jun 19 2001, last modified Oct 05 2004]

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       This idea may conceivably keep sea level constant, but in itself will certainly not counteract other effects of global warming. Sounds like fun, though
—snarfyguy, Jun 19 2001
   

       Robert, do you understand why our atmosphere isn't sucked into the vacuum of space?
—centauri, Jun 19 2001
   

       Nope. Hello: vacuum doesn't suck, air pressure pushes. In the case of water, atmospheric pressure will push it about 34 feet, which is a long long way from "space," wherever that is. Rmutt suggests people ignorant of high-school physics stay away from the technical stuff.
—rmutt, Jun 19 2001
   

       RobertKidney! Have a thought for the poor fish ejected into space to freeze and suffocate. Have a thought for the whales falling back to Earth like tremendous blubbery meteors. Think how the little green men on Mars will laugh when they see Earth taking a whiz into space. My God, man, think!
—Dog Ed, Jun 20 2001
   

       You could always harvest the frozen fish in orbit, box them up and send them down to Earth using the Pizza Satellite delivery idea (see link).
—Aristotle, Jun 20 2001
   

       OK so the physics aren't quite right.... How about we put a tiny bit of antimater at the bottom of the tube just after we let the water in? The energy released should vaporise the water and give it a bit of a boost.(Then when the piza satellite picks up the fish they are already cooked). How about if the tube was pointing at the moon? Its gravity would probabley help.
—RobertKidney, Jun 20 2001
   

       Maybe if we all wish really really hard...
—lubbit, Jun 20 2001
   

       I have tried this and it does work.
—benfrost, Jun 20 2001
   

       [benfrost] I take it you are refering to a small scale model....   

       If you do have a supply of carbon nanotubes, anti-matter and pizza satellites I want to know about it...
—RobertKidney, Jun 20 2001
   

       sorry, I re-read the idea - I thought you meant a tube leading from the ocean into space ..!
—benfrost, Jun 20 2001
   

       then we just have to harnes the energy from thier laughter and my idea becomes even more effective...
—RobertKidney, Jun 21 2001
   

       Robert, water really *is* your element, isn't it?
—The Military, Jun 24 2001
   

       Just put a filter at the bottom to save the fish if you're that bothered about them!
—Zwe, Jul 07 2001
   

       Years ago I read about an in-ocean pipe-siphon system used to generate electricity via a turbine, based on the temperature differential between surface water and deeper water. It was published in an Asimov-edited "science fact" book that listed a variety of alternative energy sources... Can't remember the book title though - any clues?
—Troubadour, Feb 01 2003
   

       Sorry, won't work. You need to understand why our atmosphere doesn't just fly away and you will understand why. I think that it was in A Brief History of Time that I read why our atmosphere doesn't fly away, but I don't want to bother to look it up because I know it wont work. For energy, look to fusion and He3 on the moon.
—empty89, Dec 27 2003
   

       I don't see how anyone could vote positively. Unless they didn't think a lot about its workings. Plus, it would be too expensive for a flawed plan. But a good idea for limited information. But it won't work.
—empty89, Dec 27 2003
   


 

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