In reply to Abd ul-Rahman Lomax's message of Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:59:24 -0500: Hi, [snip] >Consider a well-insulated box. It contains a reservoir holding a >substance with high specific heat and high melting point. Into the >reservoir, and through a tube into the box, may flow water, and steam >may escape. Internal controls may regulate flow. Hot air may be used >to initially heat the substance. How much heat may be stored in the >substance and used to vaporize water? It is certainly not limited by >"chemistry."
If you check the phase change energy of various high melting point substances, then I think you will find that the energy / atom is generally less than chemical energy. IOW there is no real advantage in doing this, and the high temperatures required would make it difficult to embody in a device that has to be able to be touched on the outside without burning ones fingers. (However aerogel would probably work as an insulator). > >No claim is made by me that such a device has been used to >demonstrate heat generation, only that it is possible, and not >particularly difficult. Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/Project.html
