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Would a blender work in space?

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  • 04-11-2016 1:54pm
    #1
    Courtney_99
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭


    Random question but I'm thinking of doing a Nasa themed output 7 for my DCG Assignment on smoothie makers and dont know wether it could work or not and why?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,248 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    A blender sets up a vortex in a fluid.

    Research vortices. You're talking about a fluid dynamics question, not a gravity one.


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    #3
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,943 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    endacl wrote:
    Research vortices. You're talking about a fluid dynamics question, not a gravity one.

    Wouldn't you need gravity to at least start the vortex? I'm just thinking out loud here


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    #4
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,248 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    Wouldn't you need gravity to at least start the vortex? I'm just thinking out loud here

    The spinny thing at the bottom of the blender? That starts the vortex.


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    #5
    Brock Turnpike
    Registered Users Posts: 3,744 ✭✭✭Brock Turnpike


    Probably depends on how much you were willing to pay him?


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    #6
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,388 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    endacl wrote: »
    The spinny thing at the bottom of the blender? That starts the vortex.

    But if none of the material in the blender was touching the blade then how would it start it?


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    #7
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,248 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Jayop wrote: »
    But if none of the material in the blender was touching the blade then how would it start it?

    It would start with the air in the blender.


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    #8
    Courtney_99
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Courtney_99


    The compression in the blender caused by the rotation of the blade would have to cause movement? no?


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    #9
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,388 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    endacl wrote: »
    It would start with the air in the blender.

    There's no air in space?


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    #10
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,248 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Jayop wrote: »
    There's no air in space?
    Entropy. The contents of the blender (I'm presuming fruits, veg and fluids) would break down and average themselves over the enclosed space available.

    Practically speaking though, I'd imagine the experiment would have to take place on the ISS or suchlike. There'd be an atmosphere, or the experimenter wouldn't be in a position to experiment!


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    #11
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,248 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Courtney_99 wrote: »
    The compression in the blender caused by the rotation of the blade would have to cause movement? no?

    Exactly.


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    #12
    Maximus Alexander
    Registered Users Posts: 13,080 ✭✭✭✭Maximus Alexander


    As far as I understand it, the blades would push material up the sides and the vortex would pull it back down through the center. So I'm going with a tentative yes.


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    #13
    sKeith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,404 ✭✭✭✭sKeith


    The question needs to be refined.
    Do you mean, would in work away from gravity ( we have athmospere to breathe and are working with weighless ingredients), or , do you mean, will it work in the vacuum of space (assume we already supplied it with working power).


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    #14
    Popoutman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,363 ✭✭✭Popoutman


    I would think that a blender will work in micro-gravity environments, as long as there's enough material in the blender jug to ensure regular contact with the blender blades. The blade angles will push the blending material to the bottom of the jug and force it past past the outer edge of the blades, and should be able to set up a circulation from bottom to top along the outer edge of the jug and back down to the bottom along the central axis of the jug to be met by the whirling blades again and the cycle repeats. If the jug shape is non-circular there will be additional vortices along the outer edge that may assist with the movement of the blending material around the jug.

    I'd say, it will blend.

    It's quite an interesting thought experiment.


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    #15
    ps200306
    Registered Users Posts: 1,593 ✭✭✭ps200306


    A blender generally relies on gravity to keep the food in contact with the blades. The so-called "vortex" is just material centrifuged outward and sinking back down the walls under gravity. No gravity, no vortex. Even if the blender was full, you're relying on chunky bits that need more blending being less buoyant, and sinking to the bottom. No gravity, no buoyancy either. You would have to rely on the doofer that most blenders have for mushing food to the bottom. Even then, the buoyancy problem will probably affect operation.



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    #16
    Pat Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 3,001 ✭✭✭Pat Dunne


    As most smoothies rely on fresh whole ingredients to make them up. The logistics of moving fresh fruit, juices and dairy products is going put a serious strain on current delivery systems. Put that along with the development cost of a specialised zero g smoothie maker and its simply better to make them here on earth and reconstitute them in orbit using available water.

    Afterall this what they had to do to get a decent coffee on the ISS. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSpresso

    I know I'm been practical and that not part of the OP's brief. :)


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