Random awesome technology: Boat lifts

[Viper007Bond]

Screw boat locks. Just use a canal inclined plane or a boat lift!


http://englishrussia.com/?p=1676










There's this awesome on in Scotland too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkirk_Wheel






Belguim (tallest in the world at 79 feet):




France:

[L2D]

Just, wtf.

[DanRoM]

From 1899: Germany

[Viper007Bond]

Just, wtf.

I can't help it -- the mechanical engineer in me is fascinated by this kinda stuff. So crazy and awesome.

[Labcoatguy]

In the words of Clarkson, I want one in my life!

[Matt2000]

It is awesome, but I was going to say the same as DanRoM, it's not new. A village near to me had this from 1900 to 1911:



And they're hoping to bring it back (they have been for the last I-don't-know-how-many years though, so not going to get my hopes up).

[bone]

^i heard that one doesn't use more electricity than a refridgerator. since both sides of the scale weigh as much, it takes little to no power to turn it over

another one in belgium

hellend vlak van Ronquieres

[Matt2000]

^i heard that one doesn't use more electricity than a refridgerator. since both sides of the scale weigh as much, it takes little to no power to turn it over

From the wiki page Viper linked to:

"These caissons always weigh the same whether or not they are carrying their combined capacity of 600 tonnes (590 LT; 660 ST) of floating canal barges as, according to Archimedes' principle, floating objects displace their own weight in water, so when the boat enters, the amount of water leaving the caisson weighs exactly the same as the boat. This keeps the wheel balanced and so, despite its enormous mass, it rotates through 180° in five and a half minutes while using very little power. It takes just 22.5 kilowatts (30.2 hp) to power the electric motors, which consume just 1.5 kilowatt-hours (5.4 MJ) of energy in four minutes, roughly the same as boiling eight kettles of water."

[bone]

From the wiki page Viper linked to:

"These caissons always weigh the same whether or not they are carrying their combined capacity of 600 tonnes (590 LT; 660 ST) of floating canal barges as, according to Archimedes' principle, floating objects displace their own weight in water, so when the boat enters, the amount of water leaving the caisson weighs exactly the same as the boat. This keeps the wheel balanced and so, despite its enormous mass, it rotates through 180° in five and a half minutes while using very little power. It takes just 22.5 kilowatts (30.2 hp) to power the electric motors, which consume just 1.5 kilowatt-hours (5.4 MJ) of energy in four minutes, roughly the same as boiling eight kettles of water."

can't be that easy...caus the water level in the rivers won't be the same all the time, and the lower the level, the less water will enter the lift...there has to be some monitoring system that adds/spills water to balance them

[cvrefugee]

Panama Canal?

[Viper007Bond]

it's not new

I didn't say it was.

[freefall]

They're extremely ugly

[ladora]

There's this awesome on in Scotland too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkirk_Wheel

I saw this on the Discovery Channel once. Effing gobsmacked.

[Elvis313]

finally there is a reason for me to visit scotland

[Nabster]

can't be that easy...caus the water level in the rivers won't be the same all the time, and the lower the level, the less water will enter the lift...there has to be some monitoring system that adds/spills water to balance them

Sure, but a water pump is a simple matter, trivial when compared to building the thing. Pumping water isn't a hard thing, so actually yes, it basically would be that simple.

[Matt2000]

I didn't say it was.

Ah, touché.

[teeb]

I saw this on the Discovery Channel once. Effing gobsmacked.

Been to it in person - it's an impressive feat of engineering (and you can see it from ages away). Going on it is hella cool too (there are 'tour' boats every hour or so).

What makes it particularly cool is that it links the two canals between the two biggest cities in Scotland. If you wanted to enjoy life in the slow lane, you could go from one to the other city by boat, which boggles me.

[vRS]

Been to it in person - it's an impressive feat of engineering (and you can see it from ages away). Going on it is hella cool too (there are 'tour' boats every hour or so).

What makes it particularly cool is that it links the two canals between the two biggest cities in Scotland. If you wanted to enjoy life in the slow lane, you could go from one to the other city by boat, which boggles me.

Seen it a few times but never been on it before.

[WillDAQ]

can't be that easy...caus the water level in the rivers won't be the same all the time, and the lower the level, the less water will enter the lift...there has to be some monitoring system that adds/spills water to balance them

Both ends will be connected onto rivers via weirs, so the height will remain pretty much bang on constant.

[Alasondro Alegré]

Here's another gif of that Scottish one,