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General Science => General Science => Topic started by: WannabeAstronomer on 26/11/2018 06:05:03

Title: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: WannabeAstronomer on 26/11/2018 06:05:03

Hello! I have an idea for a self sustainable source of electricity, and I would like to know if it is possible.
    So, what I have on mind is that you have a circlular hole dug into the ground with a cylindar coming up from the center. You build lots of Hydroelectric dams in it in a spiral and make sure that they can transfer water through them. Then you start filling it with water. After it's full, you cut of the water suply and shouldn't it be able to sustain itself? Excluding the fact that you would have to put water in once in a while due to evaporation.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: Bored chemist on 26/11/2018 07:29:57

"Is my idea for infinite power possible?"
No

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: Bill S on 26/11/2018 13:59:36

Hi WannabeAstronomer, welcome.

As BC points out, the discouraging answer to your question is "no".

One point that puzzles me, though, is how water is transferred from the last "dam", back to the first.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: WannabeAstronomer on 26/11/2018 14:06:33

You have a space of water in between each dam, so as a dam transfers the water to the next one, the one before it is filling it up. And I accidentally put 'infinite power' when I meant to ask if this could be a self sustainable source of energy

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: Colin2B on 26/11/2018 16:35:51

As each dam has to be higher than the one it feeds, I think @Bill S is asking how the water gets back to the highest dam.

Added: OK, I see what you are thinking. There is a central cylinder filled with water which fills the top dam, water runs down the dams and into bottom of cylinder. No, the water will just run out of the bottom of the cylinder. If the cylinder and dams are in a hole, the hole will fill up with water to half the height of the cylinder and stop.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: WannabeAstronomer on 27/11/2018 22:32:25

There are pumps that pull the water back up to the top. Is that enough to do it? Or do I have to improve on this.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: Colin2B on 27/11/2018 22:58:02

The pumps use energy and due to inefficiencies you will just spend money pumping the water around, you won’t get an energy output greater than you put in.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: WannabeAstronomer on 27/11/2018 23:01:31

Ok! But what if it didn't go down and it was just a flat circle?

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: Colin2B on 27/11/2018 23:05:09

For water to flow one dam has to be higher than another.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: WannabeAstronomer on 27/11/2018 23:07:20

Oh, ok.

Title: Re: Would this self-sustaining system work?
Post by: Colin2B on 28/11/2018 11:05:09

Quote from: WannabeAstronomer on 27/11/2018 23:07:20

Oh, ok.

Don’t let that stop you thinking. Always an opportunity to extend our understanding by going through these thought experiments.