Dynaverse.net
Off Topic => Engineering => Topic started by: Nemesis on May 01, 2006, 09:20:14 am
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Link to full article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4955398.stm)
Droplets can also climb over steps, and up inclines of up to 12 degrees. Filmed with high-speed cameras, the droplets appear to take on a life of their own, sliding along like sloppy amoebae.
Although the original intention was to devise an arresting demonstration of how random energy can be rectified into directed motion - the focus of Dr Linke's main work is with molecular motors - the researchers now think there may be a use for the effect in cooling computer microchips.
The electrical currents now passing through microprocessors are so large the heat they generate can limit computing performance.
Many chips have cooling circuits nowadays, but these require pumps to drive the coolant, which in turn generate even more heat.
Interesting concept. Would likely apply to other materials not just water. Some might well be better coolants for CPUs (non conductive oils perhaps). Would need to be demonstrated in a closed system with a stream rather than an open system with droplets though so at present more of a novelty than a useful pump.
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Useful only to small droplets: basically the vapor barrier reduces the frictional coefficient (or the surface energy depending on how you look at it).
Still must overcome gravitational body forces, and their "trick" does so by utilizing random motion in a heated droplet to take advantage of the momentary shift in the center of mass. Once the center of mass goes "over the ledge" the droplet moves.
Were the droplet to touch the top or side of a channel, this wouldn't work so well.....