On Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 1:58 PM, David Roberson <dlrober...@aol.com> wrote:
We need a better understanding of exactly what happens to a gas which > undergoes a rapid increased to particle numbers followed by a return to it > initial composition in this type of environment. > I was thinking in terms of an "adiabatic" system. Imagine the system is completely isolated from the external environment, and that there are reflective walls in the containment that reflect any radiated energy back to the engine. Here we have a closed system. In this case, it seems like the release of energy of the alpha emitter is efficiently transmitted into mechanical energy by way of the expanding ionized gas. Any increase in temperature as the gas recondenses will be smaller than the initial energy released by the alpha emitter when the decay was induced, as some of it will go to heating the motor. It is here that Robin's question becomes interesting (assuming I've understood it). If we work backwards from the work needed to move the piston through a cycle, we can ask, how much induced alpha activity is needed in order to provide the work for a full cycle, and how much alpha emitter would that imply? Is the scenario even realistic? Eric
