Dear FOTers,
I have just returned from being down at the shore for two weeks, and finally
finished the lengthily tyre pressure seminar. By now, it appears that all of
these tyres have finally gone flat. These discussions gave me a partially
nostalgic feeling and a semi-sick feeling in the stomach. My last seventeen
years out of thirty-seven years and ten months with Duquesne Light Company
were spent at the Beaver Valley Nuclear Plants.
My normal functions were to write the design concepts and installation
specifications for many multimillion dollar heating, ventilating, air
conditioning, and fire protection projects, plus coordinate the construction
activities concerning these projects. Suddenly, I received the albatross of
being the chief Smoke Screen Calculation Generator Artist for the site.
The purpose of these calculations was to avert the NRC from imposing many
more mega-million dollar modifications for HVAC and Fire Protection Systems
in vital areas containing safety related equipment. Most were transient heat
transfer calculations to generate room heat-up curves in safety related areas
during accidents or loss of ventilation. Others involved
pressure/temperature transients in containment due to fires, pipe ruptures,
and loss of cooling.
Eventually, the Analysis Group bought a Room Heat-up Program, and I thought
that I was done with these tasks. Not so. The Data Processing Group
couldn't verify the program, and I was still into doing alternate
calculations to verify those of the Analysis Group. I tried to use a Math -
Cad program, but never was able to develop to a point where I could rapidly
flush away these tasks.
Soon, I was spending countless hours of overtime out of my life doing these
hand, incremental calculations (paid, of course or I wouldn't be doing).
After several years of this, I felt like some long-haired Ph.D. would
eventually come in with INPO and start discrediting some of these
calculations. Should this happen, the two 800 MW plants would be off the
line.
That is exactly what happened, but this Ph.D. was bald. He started blasting
away at a seven year old lengthily justification calculation that I did for
the Emergency Diesel Generator Building. I had to recover this calculation,
take it home, and study it so that I could remember what I did.
Since I felt that I was reaching the end of my trail, I was determined to
play the same game he was, and disagree with every objection he came out
with. He would receive answers such as he is entitled to his opinion, but I
am also entitled to mine. I disagreed with what he was saying and give him
several reasons why. He then wanted to see my 1958 Brown & Marco Heat
Transfer Book, and that book suddenly got lost -- someone borrowed it two
years ago and never returned it.
He then finds this ancient book in the University of Delaware Library and
generates a document to discredit the calculation. I counter with a document
disagreeing with all of the points he made, plus showed where he was dead
wrong on some issues. The throne people then got cold feet, felt that this
pi***** contest was going to attract the attention of the NCR, plus their
hidden agenda of age discrimination might backfire. The Ph.D. was quietly
funneled out the door. To my surprise, I survived a couple more years and
left with their piddlely early out July 1, 1999. Hi-Tech. Bill Babcock
should be an INPO auditor. He could have every Nuclear Plant in the nation
off the line, and generate six lifetimes worth of consulting work at several
hundred dollars per hour (supposed to be a joke).
About 20 some years ago, there was a group at Nelson Ledges who was doing
tire pressure calculations for some reason. I asked them at the time about
the moisture in their air tank. Their answer was that they have a moisture
separator on their compressor, but they were still getting some moisture into
the tyres.
If I remember correctly, it was an 80 F day, and an average 30 F increases
was measured across the tyre width. They started with 26 psi in the tyres.
I am now three years removed from these activities, and will probably make an
elementary mistake. Larry Young already did something like this:
PV = mRT v = V / m Pv = RT R (air) = 53.35 ft - lb /
lbm - R
P1 = (26 psi + 14.7 psi) X 144 psi / sq ft = 5860.8 lb / sq ft
T1 = 80 F + 460 R = 540 R
v = RT / P = 53.35 ft - lb / lbm - R X 540 F / 5860.8 lb / sq ft =
4.916 cu ft / lbm
T2 = 110 F + 460 R / F = 570 R
P2 = RT / v = 53.35 X 570 / 4.916 = 6185.8 lb / sq ft
6185.8 psf / 144 sq in/ sq ft = 43.0 psia - 14.7psi = 28.3 psi tyre
pressure
It seems that my tyres gain more pressure than this, but I am probably using
wetter more sloppy air. I should buy another Sears moisture separator for
the compressor. The bottom blew out of the one that I had, and the
compressor ran several hours continuously before being discovered.
I think that I will just continue using the same most available gas, the one
that I have been using to gas-bag for so many years. I will just continue
using my discarded empty 50 lb Refrigerant - 12 cylinder that I converted to
an air tank, and bleed and feed the tyres every time I go out onto the track.
Big nitrogen cylinders are handy. I have seen people running air tools off
of them.
Now it is time for me to go flat, and give the list a break. Hopefully, most
of you will skip over most of the extraneous drabble.
|