4 ms·
I wonder how much it would help to have jets built in to the elevator which add support using compressed gas or something being pumped through the elevator from
by taneq 4y ago
I wonder how much it would help to have jets built in to the elevator which add support using compressed gas or something being pumped through the elevator from the ground? Then it would directly support the structure and also give the option of reacting to outside disturbances.
- Sharlin 4y agoThe ideal gas law tells you what happens when you do work on a system of gas molecules (in this case against the force of gravity).
- taneq 4y agoWhat are you thinking of? Yeah, compressing the air at the base will increase its temperature, and then the pressure (and so temperature) will reduce as it gets higher, but it’s still going to be at a higher pressure than the air outside and so can provide support and reaction mass. You might even be able to take advantage of this by chilling the compressed air before it goes into the beanstalk, so that it absorbs heat from the surrounding air on the way up. Or have separate pipes with one carrying methane to burn as fuel. Lots of options to evaluate.