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Thread: Chemists, can you think of a way to make a flameless sky lantern?

  1. #1

    Default Chemists, can you think of a way to make a flameless sky lantern?

    This is a sky lantern:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongming_lantern

    Can you think of a fairly simple way to make something like without using a candle or a flame? Like, something solid or even liquid that generates a lot of heat without burning?

    I suck at chemistry, alas
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  2. #2
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    For what reason?
    When the stars threw down their spears
    And watered heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the lamb make thee?

  3. #3
    For making a flameless sky-lantern!

    I mean, er, for the greater good. Down with capitalism
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    This is a sky lantern:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongming_lantern

    Can you think of a fairly simple way to make something like without using a candle or a flame? Like, something solid or even liquid that generates a lot of heat without burning?

    I suck at chemistry, alas
    So it has to generate light, has to generate enough heat to cause a reasonably sustained lift, but not enough heat to cause combustion of anything it might eventually come into contact with?
    Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"

  5. #5
    Pretty much! The flying is the important part, for me, but the light would be nice as well. Inspired by my inner fantasy-geek otherwise I woulda turned to helium and diodes.

    Hmmm I wonder if you could use common substances to create a very simple small hydrogen balloon...
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  6. #6
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    There's nothing that suits your requirements. Sorry.
    When the stars threw down their spears
    And watered heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the lamb make thee?

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    Hmmm I wonder if you could use common substances to create a very simple small hydrogen balloon...
    They sell helium balloons.
    . . .

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Khendraja'aro View Post
    There's nothing that suits your requirements. Sorry.
    Ah, bummer

    Quote Originally Posted by Illusions View Post
    They sell helium balloons.
    Helium is too tricky in a fantasy setting
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  9. #9
    I mean there are plenty of flameless exothermic reactions, Minx, but they all have the problem of also being able to cause fires - they are heating up, after all. You're kinda running into a fundamental problem of thermodynamics here.

  10. #10
    Oh yeah I was thinking that I could at least put it inside some sort of enclosure so that only the top would be exposed, but I just realised that I could do the same with a regular flame
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

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