Expanding ice Pressure
Most recent answer: 03/16/2012
Q:
hi there, i have a motorcycle exhaust pipe which i have dented and slightly bent. filling an exhaust up with water and freezing the pipe will cause the water to expand and therefore push out the dents.
my question is, whats the best liquid to cause the most preasure when frozen?? i thought about filling the pipe up with soda water??? whats beter than water??
- Russell (age 27)
New zealand
- Russell (age 27)
New zealand
A:
This is an interesting idea. I don't know if it will work well, or even if it could damage the pipe. At any rate, you'll need to make sure that the ends are frozen first to trap the water before starting to freeze the middle part.
This is just guess-work, but I think you'll want to have some solvent (maybe a little antifreeze) in the water. That way when its partly frozen, there will be stable liquid with more concentrated solvent around it. The liquid will help distribute the pressure around evenly. Of course when even pure water is partly frozen, there's still some liquid, but having the solvent gives you a window in temperature where the mixed solid-liquid is stable. Then you can gradually crank up the pressure by lowering the temperature.
Mike W.
This is just guess-work, but I think you'll want to have some solvent (maybe a little antifreeze) in the water. That way when its partly frozen, there will be stable liquid with more concentrated solvent around it. The liquid will help distribute the pressure around evenly. Of course when even pure water is partly frozen, there's still some liquid, but having the solvent gives you a window in temperature where the mixed solid-liquid is stable. Then you can gradually crank up the pressure by lowering the temperature.
Mike W.
(published on 03/16/2012)