Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Re: Microwave Water Heater
Message-ID: <1991May7.153014.4344@zoo.toronto.edu>
Date: Tue, 7 May 1991 15:30:14 GMT
References: <1991Apr28.182011.3357@rodan.acs.syr.edu> <7480018@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> <1991May6.152846.16704@tc.fluke.COM> <1991May6.211620.6876@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

In article <1991May6.211620.6876@rodan.acs.syr.edu> amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen) writes:
>>Yes.  Too bad the process of turning coal into electricity and delivering
>>it to your plug is only 25% efficient.  :-(
>
>In Steam by Babcock & Wilcox 38th edition, it is implied that 85-89% is
>to be expected...

Uh, for what?  I would be very surprised if B&W had found a way to repeal
the laws of thermodynamics, which make it very difficult to get an efficiency
of more than 40-50% out of a heat engine.  Methinks you are reading a number
for only part of the process, perhaps the efficiency *after* the heat energy
is converted to mechanical energy.
-- 
And the bean-counter replied,           | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
"beans are more important".             |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry