\"Age of Refinement\"

Darrell

I don't pretend to know the future, much less the cool gadgets that will come with it...heck, my cell phone scares me with all that it is capable of doing in the right hands! But, what I'm hoping for is a major innovation in supply houses actually having supplies...

And, while I'm whining...I'm really tired of telling folks that I'm sure their "Whatzit Magic Hot Water machine" that they got off the Internet has no viable warranty and no parts availablity, and no servicemen on this continent.

There...I feel better now.....

My sense, as a serviceman, is that the technology of combustion and the controls to deliver it have outpaced the ablity or willingness of the average installer/contractor and the learning/installer comfort curve will take some time to catch up. And I mean no disrespect to the installers that I follow around...the product lines available for a home now are mind boggling and the contractors simply don't have the time to keep up with all of it and default to what they know, are comfortable with, and has been proven to work long enough to justify the expense. The manufactures need to step up and do some major educating...maybe some printed materials for the contractors to thumb through when they have a spare minute or two. Seminars are cool...but they are always in prime time.

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Rich Kontny_5

\"Age of Refinement\"

I worked for a software engineer the other day and we got into an interesting discussion. He said that computer technology has plateaued and now they are refining it.As recent (seems recent to me) as 1978 I recall a conversion with an early computer salesman who claimed we were just on the tip of the iceberg relative to computers and their use. Could we possibly have moved through that computer iceberg (if you will) in less than thirty years?

Seems like we have reached that point in combustion technology and are refining the controls,distribution systems,delivery systems (pumps etc) and now the green movement.

What do you gents think are we also plateaued so to speak or are there things in the works that will create a heating tip of the iceberg?

Rich Kontny

Make Peace Your Passion!

Mark Hunt_3

Put me in


the "I agree 99%" category. I would have said 100%, but I still think there will be some innovation coming on the material side of things. I have a friend that is a graduate of RPI and now works for 3m. Some of the things he told me about sound like something from a Star Trek movie.

Other than that, I agree completely. Fine tuning the details.

Mark H

Steamhead (in transit)

Refinement

May be, but I seem to recall reading that some scientist in the 1890's predicted that the only discoveries remaining were only to be found in the 6th place down from zero...then came some paper from some obscure Swiss patent clark in 1905...it's all relative...

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Steve Ebels_3

Off the cuff

I'd agree with that. You can't improve the combustion side of things much more than where they currently are. Not a lot of room above 95% efficiency. I think the distribution side of things is what will really change in the next 10-15 years due to controls, circs, and different types of emitters. Alternate energy sources will come into play once the fuel price holds steadily above $3.00/ 100,000 BTU's regardless of type.
We live in interesting times!!!

Tim_41

Quantum Computers

I think the age of the microprocessor could be on the refinement end of things. However, there is work being done with quantum computers. This uses positve and negative electrons to transmit data which works close to the speed of light. Thus making the microporcessor look like a stone tablet. Also, nanotech is well on its why into the mainstream.

hot_rod

On the combustion side

the next big change will be sensors that adjust the firing as the gas supplies change. Currently fuels with different blends cause problems in the high tech burners.

I doubt the mod cons are burning as efficient as we suspect when they start seeing blended or imported fuels. They may be burning high 90% when you walk away after initial adjustments, but a month later???

Errant lockouts and disinergration of the HX are two of the symptoms.

Viessmann and Vaillant currently use this technology. I know HTP has been testing different versions.

hot rod

jp_2

getting rid of the combustion!

a boiler that converts nat gas straight to heat without a flame.

John Starcher_4

The FLUX CAPACITOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-)

Unknown

I still can't perfectly interface the internet while doing other tasks, anywhere, any time, without stopping what I'm doing.

Until that day comes, we still have a ways to go, IMHO.

For that matter, the internet should be presenting itself to me, not making me crawl all over it looking for stuff that I need.

Rich Kontny_5

Great Replies!

I have felt this way for several years and your answers almost all verified the fact! Variables will change of course(fuel shortages,wars etc) that may require multiple fuel or heat source capabilities. We also seem to resurrect technology that seemed promising but was not accepted (solar comes to mind.

I listened to a program where they were trying to simulate the way leaves and plants absorb and transfer the sun's energy. Nature's solar panels is what they called them.

We are in the "Age of Refinement" yet we have a great deal to learn about doing things in concert with nature versus in conflict with nature. This I believe is the driving force behind the "Green Movement"

The final and most elusive endeaver will be the ability to co-exist and live in harmony!

Rich K.


Make peace your passion!