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Show Science May Overwhelm Germans With "Energy X-Rays" By An Expert in Air Dynamics TH10 other day two leading spirits in the Canadian Manufacturing Association As-sociation asked these questions of the writer': Can a beam of energy on the order of tle X-ray be driven two miles horizontally hori-zontally upon the German lines? Can the magnitude and intensity reach such proportions as to scorch and destroy living things in its path'.' My answer ,was emphatically in tho affirmative. Not only can the beam of energy be driven in a horizontal direction, direc-tion, but vertically downward from suitably equipped aircraft. The same type of magneto-electricity used for wireless uiephony is adaptable adapt-able for this purpose. Tho number of wireless vibrations or cycles used for wireless telephony are near the bottom bot-tom of the scale and cover only the "auditory range." The telephone vibrations, vibra-tions, or waves, are diffused In different differ-ent directions. By Intensifying, Increasing In-creasing the quantity of current and concentrating Ita direction, a most Intense In-tense heat may be obtained, to which that of a burning glass would compare com-pare as a candle to a house on lire. Tho main point of discussion .was Hi.- improvement of the design of propellers pro-pellers anil Hying surfaces of airciaL't. The fact that no matter how we may improve the engine, the waste of power increases as greater speed is sought in aircraft, is fundamental to any significant sig-nificant advance or new departure in design of such constructions. The first and Imperative requirement is greater efficiency in what the engine drives the propeller and the surfaces of the body and wings. For a" moment consider the waste of power of the propeller entirely apart from the engine. All progress of the aircraft is obtained exactly In the same way as with the modern steamship: steam-ship: namely, from the thrust of its propeller screw, or wheel, all referring to the : ame Instrument. . The engine furnlshos, say, 200 horsepower horse-power tn the propeller, while the plane goes ninety miles an hour. If this were exerted, all of it, as "thrust" without loss, it would be a steady push of 833 pounds at niqety miles an hour. But the fact Is that under the very best conditions less than 108 pounds of Ihrust is realized. So we see that about seven-eighths of the engine er is lost in various directions, while only one-eighth, or 13 per cent, remains aa driving or lifting power, which is the same thing, and this Is exclusively confined to the propeller operations. Further losses to which the 108 pounds of thrust are later subjected must not be confused with those incident inci-dent to operating the propeller itself and producing the thrust. To put the matter of propeller loss another way, if the power supplied to the engine were all utilized or transformed trans-formed into thrust by the propeller, being 108 pounds in the case stated, an engine of only twenty-six ' horsepower horse-power would be required. The saving of weight immediately assumes great importance. The 200-horsepower 200-horsepower engine weighs upward of 500 pounds. The twenty-six horsepower horse-power weighs only sixty-live pounds. Again, as to weight of fuel: the 200-horsepower 200-horsepower machine carries a weight of gasoline equal to the weight of the engine, or 500 pounds, while for the twenty-six-horsepower engine only sixty-five pounds of gasoline are needed. Taken together, the weight of 200-horsepower 200-horsepower engine and fuel is 1000 pounds at the very least, while the twenty-six-horsepower engine and fuel would weigh but 130 pounds, a saving of 870 pounds or more. To this can be added another very Important Im-portant saving, namely, a decrease in the structural weight of the piano Itself due to tho diminished strains, vibration and wrenching effect of the larger engine. In fact, the whole design of aircraft becomes subject to entire revision as soon as the great and unnecessary weight of engine and fuel is obviated. The reduction of weight and size of the body and wings of the craft reduces "head-on resistance" and swifter speed is at once obtained for this reason. The carrying capacity is not decreased, but on the contrary is increased at lenst to the extent of the 870 pounds saving In weight of engine and fuel. The demand of exceptionally good propellers has been accentuated by the problem of supplying several new classes of aircraft designed on better bet-ter principles. To such extent did this become urgent that, as long ago as 1915. Sir Robert Borden, the Premier Pre-mier of Canada, recognizing the enormous enor-mous advantages possible to the Allies, Al-lies, took step In the direction of a great change In propellers. He took up the question with McGUl University, Univer-sity, having personal reports made to him of the defects In the common design de-sign and what must he accomplished before these could be remedied. As a consequence of his olVorts significant sig-nificant progress has been made told results hitherto undreamed of have already been obtained. Fpr instance, the "slip" of the propeller in the air has been entirely obviated in a new type. To this loss is attributable a large part of the total waste of power before noted. Another noticeable gain is the freedom free-dom from noise and vibration that ara responsible for much consumption of energy. A great objective in propeller design is the elimination of friction causing turbulent vortices that are so noticeable in the wake of a ship and that are duplicated by air propellers, pro-pellers, although not evident to the eye. yet that waste power to an alarming degree. Recent (osts of the new type of propeller realize nil the advantages cited anil, strange to say. at a ration reduced speed of rotation in compart" sun with the ordinary propellers of th same siz1 Tho present t pe of propellers has a certain limit of rotation speed. H this is exceeded no Increase in thrust 1 ";M.iri,,l . ,i ,n. liter el' fjV ilce, e.i ! M,n- . e,i !' 'jV. :: 1 M.n e .. e w ,(l, !' '' ' " ' ' ' ' "' '"I , Tin- MICH, smaller and less cumbersome! ftft" slons are needed an.' that 1 running at higher speed may is I ' |