Does anybody have any-- or any ideas about how to get-- several large, transparent, water-tight containers? Huge aquariums are the obvious first solution, but expensive. The containers need to be smooth glass (or plexi?) so the view through isn't distorted by uneven refraction-- flat surfaces are preferable, but round would be acceptable, and taller is better than wider...
Here's a way to see what it is for: you need a small aquarium, a yellow highlighter (preferably Sanford "Accent"), and a tube blacklight. Fill the aquarium with room temp water (too cold reduces the effect) and let it sit for a while so the turbulence settles. Take the ink cartridge out of the highlighter, and put it in the water, then put the blacklight on top of the aquarium and turn out the lights.
The highlighter ink will start bleeding out into the water, creating an intensely bright marker that reveals the fluid patterns of the water in the tank. Personally, I think it is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, and I would love to do a large scale version on the playa so the BM community can see it.
If anybody as ideas about how to make this happen, please take this ball and run. Right now, to do this (on a large scale at least) involves logistics that are beyond my means, and my only priority is seeing it happen...
highlighting fluid patterns installation
I was in the supermarket yesterday and saw this new kind of bottled water, when you're selling water there isn't a whole lot of difference so it's all about marketing and packaging. The latest gimmick is this company (can't remember the name) that's putting water in this tall glass tubes ( I think they are about a liter, maybe two). Anyway, they would seem perfect for this. Just buy a bunch of them and arrange them in a cicular pattern with the black light in the center. You could even have the black light set up to move/spin/rotate whatever, for an even more incredible effect.
-
Jordan 10-E
- Posts: 285
- Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 10:26 am
- Burning Since: 2002
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Contact:
Some considerations.
Fluid Dynamics is both art and science. Very much in tune with the "eolian" processes at work in Black Rock, like wind and dust devils, etc... I think it is a cool idea. This is something I also have thought about before. However, I have one "concern", that yet remains unresolved.
It seems to me that the experiment can only work once since the highlighter or dye (or whatever you happen to use) will very quickly become diluted in the water. The distinct patterns that display the process will become muddied. The only way I could see around this is to completely replace the water (which of course isn't going to happen at BM) or to have some sort of filtration system that can remove the introduced fluid. Or course I keep thinking of a lava lamp or some similar device that has two distinct substances that interact but do not mix, like oil and water. Even then a lava lamp, for example, does not really display the fluid dynamics you are apparently attempting to demonstrate, like eddies and vortices. I still think it would need to have a filtration system to periodically clean out the primary fluid and allow you to restart the experiment.
Do you have a way to address this issue?
BTW, a cylindrical container would work better for this type of experiment rather than a squared container. With a squared container the "chaos" within the system is multiplied immensely by all the various reflection patterns and is less likely to demonstrate the principles (circular vortices) involved.
It seems to me that the experiment can only work once since the highlighter or dye (or whatever you happen to use) will very quickly become diluted in the water. The distinct patterns that display the process will become muddied. The only way I could see around this is to completely replace the water (which of course isn't going to happen at BM) or to have some sort of filtration system that can remove the introduced fluid. Or course I keep thinking of a lava lamp or some similar device that has two distinct substances that interact but do not mix, like oil and water. Even then a lava lamp, for example, does not really display the fluid dynamics you are apparently attempting to demonstrate, like eddies and vortices. I still think it would need to have a filtration system to periodically clean out the primary fluid and allow you to restart the experiment.
Do you have a way to address this issue?
BTW, a cylindrical container would work better for this type of experiment rather than a squared container. With a squared container the "chaos" within the system is multiplied immensely by all the various reflection patterns and is less likely to demonstrate the principles (circular vortices) involved.
10E
Getter?
I wonder if there is a chemical or compound that if carefully added would react with the fluorescenct material and have it sink to the bottom.
That way you could use the same water over and over.
I would think that the highlighter recipe is a combination of chemicals that might not completely react with a single reaction chemical.
So I'd look for a simpler fluorescent material to add and it's "antidote".
Would be really cool if both compounds were fluorescent in different colors.
UV LEDs daisy-chained and helixed around a tube would be a low power way to have it run all night.
electrolysis could be another method but would require more external energy
That way you could use the same water over and over.
I would think that the highlighter recipe is a combination of chemicals that might not completely react with a single reaction chemical.
So I'd look for a simpler fluorescent material to add and it's "antidote".
Would be really cool if both compounds were fluorescent in different colors.
UV LEDs daisy-chained and helixed around a tube would be a low power way to have it run all night.
electrolysis could be another method but would require more external energy
The "Old School" way to create some of the more memorable cloud effects for Movies (see Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, Poltergeist, GhostBusters) was with a "Cloud Tank".
A variety of liquids with different viscosity/specific gravity would be carefully poured into a large tank and allowed to settle into their own "inversion layers." Then, a high speed Movie Camera would record images created as technicians would pour/drip/stir/squirt other liquids (like white paint, milk, or whatever looked good for the desired effect) into the cloud tank, at various depths thus, creating awesome, rapidly forming clouds, etc.
Obviously BM will not have it so easy w/controling the environment....
Hmmm Perhaps two layers of Plexiglass Sheet sandwiching some water and oil combo between them (like a half inch apart?) could yield something neat, that would be fast on the re-fill, easy to set-up/strike, and relatively inexpensive...
A variety of liquids with different viscosity/specific gravity would be carefully poured into a large tank and allowed to settle into their own "inversion layers." Then, a high speed Movie Camera would record images created as technicians would pour/drip/stir/squirt other liquids (like white paint, milk, or whatever looked good for the desired effect) into the cloud tank, at various depths thus, creating awesome, rapidly forming clouds, etc.
Obviously BM will not have it so easy w/controling the environment....
Hmmm Perhaps two layers of Plexiglass Sheet sandwiching some water and oil combo between them (like a half inch apart?) could yield something neat, that would be fast on the re-fill, easy to set-up/strike, and relatively inexpensive...
-
technopatra
- Posts: 727
- Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 3:04 pm
- Location: SF, CA
- Contact:
what'd you bring the water in?
If you brought the water in large, reuseable containers, you could fill them with the dirty water for exodus. Perhaps not ideal, but certainly better than a rorschach playa ('i see the man!')...