tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post575579781656265274..comments2024-03-29T09:08:47.702-04:00Comments on The Silicon Graybeard: Musk Posts Explanation of March Engine FailureSiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-85019071941799243302020-04-26T21:17:35.806-04:002020-04-26T21:17:35.806-04:00Looking like they might do the cryo pressure test ...Looking like they might do the cryo pressure test tonight. I'll keep this running in the background. <br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-4740133968366984202020-04-26T20:46:31.697-04:002020-04-26T20:46:31.697-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Benjamin Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16009728629993976621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-85502813346311418902020-04-25T15:40:58.608-04:002020-04-25T15:40:58.608-04:00If anyone is interested in SN4's progress, kee...If anyone is interested in SN4's progress, keep a watch on the Lab Padre You Tube channel. They stream live video from Boca Chica.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFwMITSkc1Fms6PoJoh1OUQ<br /><br />I think there is a road closure tonight on Texas State Highway 4 that runs out to Boca Chica Village/SpaceX. They may start pressure testing. Currently it appears that they are just working on SN4. BillBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17593147581583316765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-10500148547350596122020-04-25T14:49:34.353-04:002020-04-25T14:49:34.353-04:00I'm glad you agree the reasons for the ban on ...I'm glad you agree the reasons for the ban on CFCs are all economically, scientifically, and morally bogus. Now imagine if an American was inspired to make and sell freon, and then defend himself from the depredations of the commies by shooting the enforcers and their leaders. I imagine most Americans would only approve of going so far as civil disobedience, to be a celebrity legal test case and attempt to get a different result from democratic majority rule. Most Americans are commies, and will cease work and go bankrupt when ordered.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-44869340261200681632020-04-25T10:10:22.392-04:002020-04-25T10:10:22.392-04:00My understanding is the ban on freons happened bec...<i>My understanding is the ban on freons happened because the patent ran out for DuPont, and they needed to invent some new reason to ban free enterprise. </i><br /><br />My take on it (from a documentary in the dim, distant past) was the patent ran out and DuPont needed a new refrigerant under patent to maintain their monopoly. They didn't start the ozone hole nonsense but happily pushed it and offered their new refrigerant that wasn't going to damage the ozone.<br /><br />It's like how one of the insulin formulations has always stayed under patent by constant, small tweaks to the formula. Keeps the price up and competitors away.<br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-11144662793871839432020-04-25T10:05:50.341-04:002020-04-25T10:05:50.341-04:00D'oh! Thanks, Malatrope!D'oh! Thanks, Malatrope! <br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-83979118241714253442020-04-25T10:03:55.976-04:002020-04-25T10:03:55.976-04:00Excellent write up, so thanks!
My knowledge and ...Excellent write up, so thanks! <br /><br /><i>My knowledge and experience is in industrial process controls not aerospace systems. However they share many processes and instrumentation techniques</i><br /><br />Oh, for sure. They had to start somewhere and you just have to know that the people who started knew the industrial processes and adapted some for the new environment. <br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-87570507468664652302020-04-25T03:17:11.454-04:002020-04-25T03:17:11.454-04:00HCFC-225
My understanding is the ban on freons ha...<i>HCFC-225</i><br /><br />My understanding is the ban on freons happened because the patent ran out for DuPont, and they needed to invent some new reason to ban free enterprise. My understanding is the ozone layer damage turned out to be natural and seasonal, and freon wasn't contributing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-16012663923110427752020-04-24T23:32:26.847-04:002020-04-24T23:32:26.847-04:00More than 10' in diameter? I should say so! Th...More than 10' in diameter? I should say so! They are 9 <i>meters</i> in diameter. You could fit a small McDonald's franchise inside one.Malatropenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-20175112507207759172020-04-24T23:25:38.684-04:002020-04-24T23:25:38.684-04:00Sensor dead leg. In instrumentation piping there i...Sensor dead leg. In instrumentation piping there is often multiple piping connections and maifold valves at the sensor input which may have been a static pressure, or differential pressure sensor which converts the physical process pressure to an electrical signal for use in the vehicle control system. The valves act to 1. isolate the sensor from the process, 2. open the sensor pipe to atmosphere to blow down the sensing line, and 3. to enable calibration of the sensor. The “dead leg” in this case could have been a capped off calibration line or separate blow down line. These lines are typically capped at the dead ends to prevent foreign objects from entering what would otherwise be an isolated open pipe end to atmosphere. The “dead” ends are these capped calibration or blow down lines. Dead meaning not containing process pressures. <br />A blow down is when the sensing pipe is opened to atmosphere thru a blow down valve that blows any foreign materials that may have collected in the sensing line out to atmosphere. I use the terms “line” and “pipe” interchangeably. <br /><br />A Process and Instrumentation Diagram P&ID would detail such a sensors piping and valving<br /><br />We might reliably assume that the process sensor was not in an oxygen containing system as flourine containing cleaners are typically the standard in cleaning oxygen systems. For example HCFC-225<br /><br />However NASA does list isopropyl alcohol as a “test solvent “ for use in cleaning oxygen systems in the following manual. A test solvent is not a cleaning agent. <br /><br />NASA PROCEDURES FOR CLEANING OF SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT FOR OXYGEN SERVICE:<br /><br /><br />https://www.scubadoctor.com.au/downloads/NASA_O2Clean_2001.pdf<br /><br />My knowledge and experience is in industrial process controls not aerospace systems. However they share many processes and instrumentation techniques<br /><br /><br />I think there is more to this mishap than Musk is revealing. <br /><br /><br /><br />Fladavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11121044726811784873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-1239617612670666362020-04-24T23:24:10.147-04:002020-04-24T23:24:10.147-04:00Great write-up, thanks!
Every day of this march, H...Great write-up, thanks!<br />Every day of this march, Heinlein becomes more and more prescient: business is going to open space.<br /><br />Government, via NASA, from 1970-present, has been the problem, not the solution.<br /><br />We could've had our flying cars and jet packs, and been living in artificial G in orbit decades ago, dammit!Aesophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07834464741531503378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-22279559463829347922020-04-24T22:31:23.672-04:002020-04-24T22:31:23.672-04:00Makes sense to use Iso to clean the system, and al...Makes sense to use Iso to clean the system, and also makes sense that a small amount, not drained or dried out, would freeze and cause problems. <br /><br />I bet the fix to this issue is to run purified hot air through the system for a reasonably long time. Maybe even hook the engine into a rotating frame.<br /><br />Can you imagine Boeing being able to give a 2 month response time on any fault, let alone openly stating the issue rather than burying it deep in some report?<br /><br />Interesting news on SN4. Will be interesting to see what goes wrong this time.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.com