I thought of an idea this morning running around the house looking for a pump that worked - a CHEMICAL REACTION PUMP.

Now I realize that this is a possible bomb in the making but with the right design (pressure relief valves, etc) and a chemical that can generate enough gas to inflate an average 12m kite.

Ideally the chemicals would be freely available, say something like bicarbinate soda and vinegar, drop a couple of bicarb tabs into a container and Bobs your uncle your kite is inflated.

Obviously it is not the most cost effective way but if you are traveling and the size could be kept down to a minimum it could be ideal. And if you have a bit of a binge drinking session you could down a bicarb tab.

Any Chem Engineers that could say Yay or Nay out there?

Rich

Im a process eng, not chem, but your idea is not really practical to produce the required volume and pressure. Vinegar in your bladders wouldnt be fun either and would eventually dissolve them over time. Have you tried using those tiny CO2 cartridges used to quickly inflate bike tyres? The valves are really simple and could easily be adapted.

From memory one small canister inflates two road cycling tyres to 110 psi. So id estimate that youd need 4-5 small canisters to get a 12m up to around 8-9psi. CO2 is about 1.5 the mass of air so it would be interesting to see what it does to kite performance. Nitrogen is about the same weight as air so nitrogen cartridges would be the go if they are available and cheap.

Firstly I don't blow, unless it is an inflatable toy - Hmm, my kite my toy but I was actually thinking of kids inflatable toys.

Secondly, Whats an MLC type -

I did a bit of a calc, may not be right, but I would need about a litre of bcarb and a 1/4 litre of vinegar to inflate a kite that holds about 15litres of air - f knows at what pressure, would most probably have to finish off with what RPM said.

I was desperate this morning, just finsihed off fixing the trailing edge of my new second hand 10m RPM, I must say I frighten myself some times, and not one of my pumps worked, the wife had left with my silicon lube and my only working pump in the car. The only pump that I had was one that I used to suck water out of the drain in the shower that was full of crap and you needed a tonne to push it down.

It was just an idea, maybe chlorine (pool chemicals) and brake fluid will work

Rich

MLC - Mid Life Crisis

Haven't got there yet even though I own a SUP, the wife is still useful and I can't afford a Porche) but it was a crisis without a pump.

Cheers
Rich

Just an idea.

suniboy21 said...

But on a serious note....
What about asmall compressed air bottle like you see fitted to paintball guns? 2-3litres
Fill it up at home with your air compressor?
Would it hold enough air?

Britney was in such a hurry getting there ahead of you she forgot to button her shorts up.

Far out, so nice of Britney to demo in her undies with her shorts half down.
I still havnt figured out what she is doing, the double messages have my brain reeling.

Phewwwwwww

Maybe Britney is a blow-up doll and her inflate valve was not buttonup properly.

I would give her a pri#$, sorry mean hand.

anyone had any expirience using fire extinguishers as air storage tanks ?? got a couple floating around

Is pumping up a kite really that hard?
I know it takes all of 60 seconds, it is such exausting hard work??

If you really don't want to pump, just charge up an old scuba cylinder or fire extinguisher and get 30 inflations out of it

would dry ice work? i remember reading somewhere that it expands 800 times its volume as it returns to a gas...
just take some eskys to the beach, keeps your beers cold too!!!

Or a wind powered compressor with fan blades (in a cage), attach to kite, point into the wind.....

Construct a windmill at your local kite beach, with a standard pump hose attachment, everyone can use it.

Till then air matress pump, powered by cordless drill battery.

Wisha said...

Or a wind powered compressor with fan blades (in a cage), attach to kite, point into the wind.....

Construct a windmill at your local kite beach, with a standard pump hose attachment, everyone can use it.

Till then air matress pump, powered by cordless drill battery.

We're gonna need a bigger car...........

AirSic said...

Air is approx. 78% N2 and 21% O2 the other 1% consists of various other components such as Ar (Argon), water vapour etc, etc therefore the volume of gas
required to inflate a kite would have no effect on performance whether you used pure N2 or Air.

LiveToFly said...

...Nitrogen is about the same weight as air so nitrogen cartridges would be the go if they are available and cheap.

yep AirSic thats what i said.. N2 and air are approx the same weight.

The tiny light weight bike tyre cartridges are CO2 which is slightly heavier and when i get time im gonna give this idea a go.

Hey Saffer,

That is such a brilliant simple, especially if you are travelling, i think I am going to make one with a one way valve.

When you have inflated one kite and need to change down or up is to use a piece of tubing, even the inflation tube and connect the bladders together and inflate the one kite from the other.