Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
(OP)
I have been approached by a member of a national luge team and he is interested in exploring differant materials to make his runners out of. The date gathered was that the runners of the sled cool down 4-7 degrees down the track. The pressure on the sled varies from 0-7 g's and in the high pressure portions the corners the steels heat up , and in the straight aways they cool down...the rules of luge make it so you have to stay within a ration of the ice to air temperature. However at the bottom of the run the runners are cooler than they need to be. If we had a material with the lowest friction possible, but that did not absorbe temperature at all, it would be ideal. The second question is if we were to hide a heater in the sled what type of material would heat up fast, cool off fast and have the lowest possible friction with the ice. The hidden heater would not be to cheat, just to maintain the runners at a legal temperature.
Any suggestions?
I am volunteering my time for this interesting project and the sled is to be used in the winter olympics next year, the total budget for this sled is 30,000, the germans will spend 500,000 on one sled...
Any suggestions?
I am volunteering my time for this interesting project and the sled is to be used in the winter olympics next year, the total budget for this sled is 30,000, the germans will spend 500,000 on one sled...





RE: Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
If it's not cheating, why hide it?
RE: Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
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Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.
http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm
RE: Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
go here for more info:
http://www.mse.mtu.edu/mse/projectlist.html
Look at 96/97....
RE: Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
RE: Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer
Also, if allowed, a thick CVD diamond coating on the runner would help. Diamond has a very low coefficient of friction and has the highest thermal conductivity of elemental materials(10 x more conductive than copper).
For pre heating, I'm thinking an exothermic reaction. A capule placed in the runner with two separated solutions (think instant hot packs at the drug store). When you want to heat an inertial pin breaks the fluid barrier when, say, the luge is banged on the ground just before the race.
RE: Least friction on ice, with good heat transfer