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Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

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Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#11

Post by redtehartykle »

MisterTea wrote: post #8

I cant imagine using a ferret or any animal to clean the inside of a vacuum system, let alone a scientific apparatus. These systems need to be clean and free of debris that can trap gas and water vapor or decompose and release more contaminates. Imagine if that ferret pooped and/or urinated in the middle of that 300 foot vacuum pipe. You wont be able to evacuate that pipe as those little turds will outgas and never l…

"They placed a custom collar around Felicia’s neck and a diaper around her rear; ferret poop in a tube would stop a proton, too."

Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#12

Post by MisterTea »

horsawlarway wrote: post #9
MisterTea wrote: post #8

I cant imagine using a ferret or any animal to clean the inside of a vacuum system, let alone a scientific apparatus. These systems need to be clean and free of debris that can trap gas and water vapor or decompose and release more contaminates. Imagine if that ferret pooped and/or urinated in the middle of that 300 foot vacuum pipe. You wont be able to evacuate that pipe as those little turds will outgas and never l…

They mention in the article that they put a diaper on her.

I seem to have missed that line somehow. But otherwise still - natural oils, hairs and dander can present an issue.

Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#14

Post by neilv »

If they couldn't just blow air through it (to feed the string, or push a swab), what about a specialized motorized vehicle (optionally using a long wire pair cable in place of the string, if that was better than battery onboard, or just swabbing as it goes with no cable/string)?

Did it come down to a $35+maintenance ferret being lower cost?

Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#15

Post by dj_mc_merlin »

neilv wrote: post #14

If they couldn't just blow air through it (to feed the string, or push a swab), what about a specialized motorized vehicle (optionally using a long wire pair cable in place of the string, if that was better than battery onboard, or just swabbing as it goes with no cable/string)? Did it come down to a $35+maintenance ferret being lower cost?

>> If they couldn't just blow air through it

They could:

> Meanwhile, the engineer Hans Kautzky created a “magnetic ferret” to deal with the debris in the main ring. He attached a dozen Mylar disks to a stainless steel rod, along with a flexible, 700-meter stainless steel cable—the equivalent of Felicia’s string—and a metal-attracting permanent magnet—the counterpart to the cleaning swab. He shot the device through a section of the main ring with compressed air.

>> Did it come down to a $35+maintenance ferret being lower cost?

Probably, since the guy who suggested it was brought there specifically for that reason.

Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#16

Post by ilyt »

neilv wrote: post #14

If they couldn't just blow air through it (to feed the string, or push a swab), what about a specialized motorized vehicle (optionally using a long wire pair cable in place of the string, if that was better than battery onboard, or just swabbing as it goes with no cable/string)? Did it come down to a $35+maintenance ferret being lower cost?

Read the article and you will know...

Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#19

Post by Tuna-Fish »

MisterTea wrote: post #10
galleywest200 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would the ferret's hair and dander nullify their cleaning efforts?

It will certainly effect the ability to evacuate the piping as the organic material will outgas. I can also decompose from heating releasing more contaminates and ruin the experiment.

The ferret was used to run a string through the tube, which was then used to pull a cleaning swab.

Re: Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

#20

Post by btilly »

MisterTea wrote: post #8

I cant imagine using a ferret or any animal to clean the inside of a vacuum system, let alone a scientific apparatus. These systems need to be clean and free of debris that can trap gas and water vapor or decompose and release more contaminates. Imagine if that ferret pooped and/or urinated in the middle of that 300 foot vacuum pipe. You wont be able to evacuate that pipe as those little turds will outgas and never l…

They didn't use the ferret to clean it. Just to put a string through it so that they could pull a more traditional cleaning solution through.
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