Can someone explain to me how the magnetizer works in a space shuttle to convert...

[Qaiphyx]

parahydrogen in to the orthohydrogen??

[D H]

The Shuttle does not have a magnetizer that "converts parahydrogen to orthohydrogen".

I assume you are referring to a certain product that purports to boost a vehicle's fuel economy. I will not give the web sites that hawk this piece of junk the light of day. A couple of points:

1. These web sites refer to a certain engineer who supposedly worked at NASA in the 50s. Nope. NASA is meticulous about its early history, including its predecessor agency, NACA. Google that person's name, restricting the search to NASA pages. Zero hits.

2. These web site cite a certain patent for the device. The US government did indeed issue a patent with that exact number -- on Oct. 20, 1885 to J.L. Wilbur. The patent is for a stock rack.

3. Here a few real ways to enhance your fuel economy: Easy on the gas pedal and on the break. Don't speed. Keep your tires inflated properly and keep your car well-maintained.

[Qaiphyx]

The Shuttle does not have a magnetizer that "converts parahydrogen to orthohydrogen".

I assume you are referring to a certain product that purports to boost a vehicle's fuel economy. I will not give the web sites that hawk this piece of junk the light of day. A couple of points:

1. These web sites refer to a certain engineer who supposedly worked at NASA in the 50s. Nope. NASA is meticulous about its early history, including its predecessor agency, NACA. Google that person's name, restricting the search to NASA pages. Zero hits.

2. These web site cite a certain patent for the device. The US government did indeed issue a patent with that exact number -- on Oct. 20, 1885 to J.L. Wilbur. The patent is for a stock rack.

3. Here a few real ways to enhance your fuel economy: Easy on the gas pedal and on the break. Don't speed. Keep your tires inflated properly and keep your car well-maintained.


Haha, no I was actually just wondering how they use a magnetic flux to flip the rotation of the H in parahydrogen.

I dont see any change that a magnetic flux would cause in fossil fuel to make it more combustable.

So what method do they use on the shuttles to convert para to ortho?? I read it was a magnetizer.

[StephenWeinst]

I found a website that cites patent number 3228868. This patent was issued January 11, 1966 to S.L. Ruskin and does mention "conversion of parahydrogen to orthohydrogen".

The Shuttle does not have a magnetizer that "converts parahydrogen to orthohydrogen".

I assume you are referring to a certain product that purports to boost a vehicle's fuel economy. I will not give the web sites that hawk this piece of junk the light of day. A couple of points:

1. These web sites refer to a certain engineer who supposedly worked at NASA in the 50s. Nope. NASA is meticulous about its early history, including its predecessor agency, NACA. Google that person's name, restricting the search to NASA pages. Zero hits.

2. These web site cite a certain patent for the device. The US government did indeed issue a patent with that exact number -- on Oct. 20, 1885 to J.L. Wilbur. The patent is for a stock rack.

3. Here a few real ways to enhance your fuel economy: Easy on the gas pedal and on the break. Don't speed. Keep your tires inflated properly and keep your car well-maintained.

[Q_Goest]

I'd bet there is no such thing on the Shuttle. I worked on Centaur (LH2 upper stage) for 8 years, and they didn't have such a thing. As far as I'm aware, the energy value of parahydrogen is no different than ortho, so there's no benefit in converting it. The other possibility is that it converts almost instantly as the LH2 is heated in the HX as it goes through the engine bell.

[SteamKing]

Besides, everybody knows that using the magnetizer on the Shuttle during flight interferes with keeping the flux capacitor adjusted correctly so the craft doesn't go back in time.