3 ms·
It's really easy to overestimate the efficiency of a mechanical system. Each of those swiveling joints, wheels, etc., is going to lose a few percent even if per
by wiml 14y ago
It's really easy to overestimate the efficiency of a mechanical system. Each of those swiveling joints, wheels, etc., is going to lose a few percent even if perfectly maintained. Some of the devices like the friction supports will lose more.
Regarding replacement, I suspect that in an oilfield in the back of beyond in the late-19th/early-20th century, many of the replacement parts for these systems would be made on-site with a saw or a farrier's anvil.
- wlesieutre 14y agoIt might come down to whether you're using the oscillating motion directly or trying to turn it back into rotation. There's no way that you'd get rotation more efficiently than a motor, but elements like the tripod pendulums seem like they'd have comparably small losses to the generator/motor. Then again, I've never seen any measurements of energy losses on pushing a pendulum back and forth, so as you say, I could be overestimating the efficiency of those too.