>
> Archimedes was not joking. Found via Slashdot. This seems to be a step
> in the right direction wrt. (non)steam powered solar generation. 1100
> deg. F is ~590 deg. C, ~860 K and ~2.6 bars of air pressure in 'my'
> turbo system. 127 square feet of mirrors are ~11 square meters (11 kW in
> the full sun). Their target (illuminated area) seems to be about 4-5
> square feet (~0.5 sq. meters, from the photos) for a gain of ~25:1. I
> think that they put about 5kW into that 0.5 sq. meter with losses.
>
> I am surprised that such a high temperature could be reached in open air
> (without a baffle or shield). I suppose that the charcoal formed a
> porous surface that was both a blackbody and a shield against
> convection. This is a good lesson ;-) Blackened (smoked) steel wool
> looks good as 'blackbody' for the turbine experiments ;-)
>
> http://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/lectures/10_ArchimedesResult.html


They did this because Mythbusters tried it, and couldn't get it to work. 
The boat got a bit warm.

Slashdot has an update where Discovery Channel (produces Mythbusters)
invited MIT to have a go where they failed.

Didn't work.

No word on Round 3.

Tony

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