Most efficient way to convert mechanical energy into heat.

AI Thread Summary
The most efficient methods to convert mechanical energy into heat primarily involve mechanical or fluidic friction, both of which can achieve nearly 100% efficiency. Mechanical friction is highlighted as a straightforward way to generate heat, while fluidic friction can also be effective, especially in industrial applications. Generating heat from a pulley system typically relies on friction, with suggestions including using automotive brake pads or creating resistance through stirring a fluid. More complex methods involve using the pulley to drive devices like air compressors or generators to produce heat. Overall, friction remains the key mechanism for converting mechanical energy into heat effectively.
ciurio
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Hi

What is most efficient way to convert mechanical energy into heat?
 
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ciurio said:
Hi

What is most efficient way to convert mechanical energy into heat?

Well you don't have a lot of choices, mainly mechanical friction or fluidic friction. Between the two I'd say mechanical friction is pretty good at converting work to heat, but if you need to harvest the heat drag in a fluid might be the way to go...
 
virtually any way you do it will be 100% efficient.
 
Perhaps the intended question was: what's the best way to get high quality (low entropy) heat from a mechanical process?
 
russ_watters said:
virtually any way you do it will be 100% efficient.
Exactly. Converting work to heat is relatively easy and conservation of energy says that all the mechanical energy must be converted to some other form so unless that energy is being stored as kinetic energy, potential energy or some other form that DOESN'T create heat, it's all going to be heat. For example, expanders used in industry (ie: to remove work energy from a fluid stream) convert that work to heat using either hydraulic resistance or electrical resistance. Same for engine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamometer#Types_of_absorption.2Fdriver_units".
 
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Q_Goest said:
Exactly. Converting work to heat is relatively easy and conservation of energy says that all the mechanical energy must be converted to some other form so unless that energy is being stored as kinetic energy, potential energy or some other form that DOESN'T create heat, it's all going to be heat. For example, expanders used in industry (ie: to remove work energy from a fluid stream) convert that work to heat using either hydraulic resistance or electrical resistance. Same for engine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamometer#Types_of_absorption.2Fdriver_units".

and how can we generate heat from mechanical energy? if we want to generate heat from some pulley system how can we do that?
 
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94yashwanth said:
if we want to generate heat from some pulley system how can we do that?

Really bad axle bearings... :rolleyes:
 
Light it on fire

But seriously, unless you have combustion or other chemical reactions, you will have to rely on friction to make your heat. That's easy enough to do.
 
  • #10
Travis_King said:
Light it on fire

But seriously, unless you have combustion or other chemical reactions, you will have to rely on friction to make your heat. That's easy enough to do.


and how to generate heat from that...i know that's easy but according to my project i need to plan out which would be suitable so kindly pls list out all the possible ways plsssss...
 
  • #11
94yashwanth said:
and how to generate heat from that...i know that's easy but according to my project i need to plan out which would be suitable so kindly pls list out all the possible ways plsssss...

Dude... unless you have access to national level multibillion dollar laboratory facilities, your only hope is friction. How you want to generate that is up to you. Something akin to automotive brake pads might be worth looking at as a starting point.
 
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  • #12
Danger said:
Dude... unless you have access to national level multibillion dollar laboratory facilities, your only hope is friction. How to want to generate that is up to you. Something akin to automotive brake pads might be worth looking at as a starting point.

soo...wat do u think will be the best way to get more heat from a pulley system through fricton...meant ...wats the best way to achieve as per ur opinion!
 
  • #13
How about shearing a fluid? Make a device that stirs a liquid and the liquid will heat up. The more difficult it is to stir, the better.
 
  • #14
How about using your pulley to drive a tilt hammer, driving a reciprocating air compressor, and squishing that air through an orifice, then using that compressed air to drive a little air turbine, connect that to a generator, and connect that to a set of heating elements. That would make some heat.
 
  • #15
make fire by spinning a piece of wood. That's the oldest example of mechanical friction causing heat that I know of.
 
  • #16
brewnog said:
How about using your pulley to drive a tilt hammer, driving a reciprocating air compressor, and squishing that air through an orifice, then using that compressed air to drive a little air turbine, connect that to a generator, and connect that to a set of heating elements. That would make some heat.

You are a cruel man... :biggrin:
 
  • #17
Is the pulley allowed to drive another device?
 
  • #18
iaing94 said:
Is the pulley allowed to drive another device?


yeah it is connected to a rotating fan in the cylonic separation tank
 
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