THE KINGFISHER'S BEAK
NATURE HAS IT FIRST! We will be looking at THE KINGFISHER'S BEAK.Traveling at a speed of nearly 300km/hr
, the Japanese bullet train is one of the fastest in the world. In parts, it owes it success to a small bird- the KINGFISHER. Why? In pursuit of a taste meal, the kingfisher can dive into water with very little splash. The fact intrigues Eiji Najatsu, an engineer who directed the testing of the bullet train. He wondered how the fish adapted so quickly from low resistance air, to high resistance water. Finding the answer was a key to solving a peculiar problem of the bullet train. When a train rushes into a narrow tunnel at high speed, Nakatsu explained, this generates atmospheric pressure waves that gradually grows into waves like tidal waves. These reach the tunnel exit at the speed of sound, generating a low frequency wave that produces a large boom and aerodynamic vibration so intense that residents 400 meters away have registered complaints. The decision was made to pattern the front end of the bullet train after the kingfisher's beak.
, the Japanese bullet train is one of the fastest in the world. In parts, it owes it success to a small bird- the KINGFISHER. Why? In pursuit of a taste meal, the kingfisher can dive into water with very little splash. The fact intrigues Eiji Najatsu, an engineer who directed the testing of the bullet train. He wondered how the fish adapted so quickly from low resistance air, to high resistance water. Finding the answer was a key to solving a peculiar problem of the bullet train. When a train rushes into a narrow tunnel at high speed, Nakatsu explained, this generates atmospheric pressure waves that gradually grows into waves like tidal waves. These reach the tunnel exit at the speed of sound, generating a low frequency wave that produces a large boom and aerodynamic vibration so intense that residents 400 meters away have registered complaints. The decision was made to pattern the front end of the bullet train after the kingfisher's beak.
The result? The bullet train now travels 10% faster, and consumes 15% less energy. In addition the air pressure produced by the train has been reduced by 30%. Thus there is no large boom as the train passes through a tunnel. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Did the kingfisher's beak come by chance? Or it was designed? (AWAKE)
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