New power source?

[m-98]

Would it be possible or practical to power a paintball gun with helium?

[nerobro]

Yes, it's possiable. No it's not practical. It's been covered a few times here in deep blue. Search for helium and air source and you'll probally find it.

[m-98]

thanks, now that I know please feel free to get rid of this thread

[Crimson_Turkey]

I suggest Neon

[bjjb99]

If you're going to go ahead and use Neon, you might as well move on up to Krypton or Xenon. Continuing on to Radon would probably be too much of a health hazard.

BJJB

[AutomagBoy]

Or you could just use chlorine, so that way you will die after 3-5 shots. You know the 1 of the 2 gases used in WW1 chlorine and mustard.

[nerobro]

Though they require redesings to handle them right. IIRC heavier gasses have more energy in them ;-) For the sme reason co2 wil let you run a slightly lower pressure than n2. checking out "denser" gases might be a good idea. Btut this is an idea that's been visited a few times before ;-)

[cockersuk14]

I have heard of argon being used as a power source but heard it is very expensive

[TRIAD]

I posted this in the 'Weight of Compressed Air' thread:

""It is unclear to me how a gas with a higher molecular weight would benefit the propulsion of a paintball. At any given temperature, all substances have the same average KE (temperature being a relative measure of the average kinetic energy of a substance). Thus, while one gas molecule might be more massive (let's compare a molecule of Ar to a molecule of N2), the one that is more massive will also be traveling at a lower velocity. (KE=(1/2)M Vsquared).
So, a mole of Ar gas and a mole of N2 gas will have (essentially) the same kinetic energy (considering they have the same average kinetic energy, and you have a specific amount of each). When you fill a tank wwith Ar, since Ar has a molecular mass of 18, the molecules have, on average, a higher velocity than molecules of molecular nitrogen (molecular mass of 28.0134). Molecular weight is therefore a moot point when dealing with the propulsion of a paintball (as far as I can see), because the average KE of each molecule of gas is still the same.

oh yeah, and for temperature to pressure comparisons, you can use the formula:

P/T=P/T

T is in K
P units must be the same on both sides

*Finally, since this is Deep Blue and we're getting all technical here, K is an absolute measurement, and thus has no units. It is not degrees K, it is just K. There is no unit used with K. Also, you want to use the term mass and not weight.""



I do not see why everyone is looking for a different power source. Unless the gas being used has a significantly lower molecular mass, and thus a tank of that gas has less mass than a tank of air, there is no point.