The science of aircrete

Jim White's cool stuff channel --- The science of aircrete--

More Jim's cool stuff experiments Aircrete part 2

Part 3-- device to measure strength

Part 4--- halfway cured testing

Part 5--- fully cured tests. Strength, heat, water absorption. Observations

Comment:

It would have been easy to click off this video at an early stage because the guy isn't entertaining. Well, if the point is to be entertained, maybe better to find something else to occupy oneself...

Although it isn't really entertaining, it is interesting because it imparts information in which you can have some confidence. He is careful and methodical in his approach.

He shows conclusively, I'd say, that aircrete is significantly weaker than the Portland cement that you start with in mixing up the aircrete. There are some significant points to keep in mind. One should be very, very careful about making aircrete walls. They must not be load-bearing. They will offer some insulation. They won't resist water very well. You'd have to cover it from the rain. If you use it correctly, it does have its uses.

Off-grid, 10-23-21

NHK world-- Japan film-farming

Unique idea to farm off of permeable film. The film is made from the stuff used in disposable diapers. The fibers are stretched out to form a clear film with tiny holes that allow nutrients to filter through, but not viruses and bacteria.

It was developed in Japan over a period of many years. By the time of the Fukishima nuclear reactor accident resulting from the tsunami, the material was ready to be used. Much of the farm land in the area was covered in salt water and ruined for farming. So the material came in handy to start raising crops again in the area.

The result is a type of cherry tomato which is quite sweet for tomatoes. It is nearly comparable to a watermelon. Quite interesting. As for other crops, the video didn't cover that, but he did begin with lettuce.

I like the idea because it is a way to control the environment to conform with my plans for raising crops. Such an environment would be easier to protect from pests, I would imagine.

Stirling Heat Pumps

Just have a think Youtube page

As I dig down a bit into the subject of Stirling heat engines, I came across this channel, which discusses the Stirling Heat Pump. Actually, a Stirling Engine is reversible. That is to say, if you apply work to it, it can cool down something. It can work so well that it can produce cryogenic conditions. For "those in Rio Linda", cryogenic temperatures are pretty danged cold.

So this guy on this Youtube channel mentions another dude who is working on the Stirling Heat Pump. It isn't exactly the same thing as the reverse of the Stirling Engine, which uses heat to do work. Or is it? Cryogenic Stirling coolers are not exotic things. They've been around. A heat pump is a different application altogether, but it can use the same principles.

Now to move on to the other guy, which is mentioned in the Just have a think channel. His name is Mike Crowley, and his company is called Fluid Mechanics Ltd. It says that their machine improves the efficiency significantly. This would have applications in climate control, which uses a lot of energy in today's world. There is global concern about carbon emissions, but my local interest is in something efficient which would not require a lot of energy to run. Off-the-grid applications are required to have their own energy sources. It would be best if these requirements are kept to a minimum.

Let Crowley explain his system in his own words in the video below...

Foam making machine

Comment:

The guy's name is Don, and his channel is Prana Tech. He says he'd rather make what he needs as opposed to buying it. With me, it is the other way around. It is a pronounced tendency I suspect.

The video is about how to make the machine that makes aircrete. Before you can build anything with aircrete, you need a machine that can make the foam. This is taking DIY to a new level.

I've watched a few of his videos. It may be getting a bit too much to do all these new things all at once. I'll take it slowly.

Here's the video...

Aircrete--- off-grid post, 10-20-21

This seems like an exciting new subject for me. I really like the idea of something that is strong enough to build with, but it fairly light.

If you haven't heard of it before, aircrete is concrete, but with a lot of air bubbles introduced into it so that when it hardens, it is much, much lighter than concrete. It is something of an experimental substance, because it is hard to get uniformity with the stuff. The problem is that the bubbles can collapse before the concrete hardens, which forms voids, and that's bad.

All the same, I like the concept. Ideas are swimming around my noggin with the prospect of experimenting with the stuff. There are a lot of videos on YouTube which show what it is, and how to make the stuff yourself. It doesn't have to cost a bunch of money, which is another thing I like.

It's probably not strong enough to pour a slab with. But you may be able to walk on it, so sidewalks aren't out of the question. You can make bricks out of it, and it is strong enough to support its own weight, so that walls aren't out of the question either.

For my purposes, this could work.

Going to the dogs

Robot dogs with rifles

Comment:

Those dogs don't bite, they shoot. I wonder if they have those that only bark. Nice doggie.

But what about sharks with friggin' laser beams attached, instead?

But what would really be great would be some fembots. Get your mojo going and make their heads explode.