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For all mechanical devices other than vehicles and computers. We could use some more quizzes here.
12 Machines quizzes and 168 Machines trivia questions.
Sub-Categories:
Elevators Elevators (2 quizzes)
1.
  Machines that Made a Difference   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Of the thousands of machines that make our lives easier, these are just a few. Can you match the machine to the clues given?
Very Easy, 10 Qns, VegemiteKid, Nov 17 19
Very Easy
VegemiteKid gold member
Nov 17 19
859 plays
2.
  Simple and Compound Machines   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Many machines can be broken down into six simple devices which are used as a method of force. Here you'll need to match examples of six simple machines and four compound machines to their components.
Average, 10 Qns, PDAZ, Aug 09 23
Average
PDAZ gold member
Aug 09 23
426 plays
3.
  Going Up the Down Escalator    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Lots of statistics, with none of that awful statistics question taste. I think you'll find this quiz an uplifting experience - for your bodies AND your soles!
Average, 10 Qns, goatlockerjoe, Jan 21 16
Average
goatlockerjoe
422 plays
4.
  Boilers    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The following are a series of questions relating to steam boilers which those learning the trade may find very interesting.
Average, 10 Qns, meremaleaus, Dec 15 20
Average
meremaleaus
Dec 15 20
716 plays
5.
  Plug it in, but only if you have GFCI!    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
How well do you know your appliances? Here's looking into everyday gadgets - hairdryers, toasters, vacuum cleaners, etc. After taking this quiz, you may give a pause the next time you plug one in!
Average, 10 Qns, swetha_sk, Jan 19 24
Average
swetha_sk
Jan 19 24
624 plays
6.
  Boilers Steaming Along   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Trouble shooting boiler problems and things are getting a little tricky, have fun.
Average, 10 Qns, meremaleaus, Jul 25 17
Average
meremaleaus
528 plays
7.
  Boilers Big and Small    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
For the beginners and experienced alike.
Tough, 10 Qns, meremaleaus, Jul 16 19
Tough
meremaleaus
Jul 16 19
1143 plays
8.
  Gas Turbines    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about gas turbines, both on land and in the air.
Difficult, 10 Qns, wilhelm33, Jul 29 07
Difficult
wilhelm33
774 plays
9.
  Boilers 2    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Test your knowledge of boilers and enjoy the challenge.
Tough, 10 Qns, meremaleaus, Jun 22 13
Tough
meremaleaus
494 plays
10.
  Steam Turbines    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Most of this quiz is related to condensing steam turbines. Enjoy the trip.
Tough, 10 Qns, meremaleaus, Apr 23 09
Tough
meremaleaus
462 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What is the main negative affect of excess air?

From Quiz "Boilers Big and Small"





Machines Trivia Questions

1. When were the first working escalators built?

From Quiz
Going Up the Down Escalator

Answer: in the 1890s

The Great Wall and the pyramids were built of stone. Stone is great for durability, but not so good on movability! So those structures never had escalators. Aircraft? I can find no proof of escalators on aircraft at any time.

2. In the movie "What Women Want", Mel Gibson gets electrocuted from a hair dryer falling in the bath tub. How could he have prevented it?

From Quiz Plug it in, but only if you have GFCI!

Answer: by installing GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) either in the home outlet or in the hair dryer

Since 1991, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission requires that hair dryers have GFCI's installed internally in their circuitry. However, even if the dryer unit does not have GFCI, installing one in the home outlet can prevent severe shocks. If the GFCI senses any loss of current, it immediately switches off power to that circuit. Switching off the device itself is not sufficient to protect from electric shock when it comes into water if the switch is located on the device.

3. What turbine trip is designed to occur at 10% above normal operation?

From Quiz Steam Turbines

Answer: Overspeed trip.

The Australian electrical system runs at 50 cycles per second, therefore the turbine operating speed will be 3000 rpm. Taking into consideration any electrical grid fluctuations, the over speed trip is safely set above any such acceptable fluctuations at 3300 rpm.

4. On a battery of boilers, why is it important to have a non return valve fitted after the main steam stop valve?

From Quiz Boilers Big and Small

Answer: To prevent steam from the main steam range flowing back into the boiler.

Once boilers are supplying steam to a range it is their steam flow which will fluctuate. This is caused by differing firing rates across the boilers. If a boiler fining rate decreases too much then as the steam flow decreases then also the pressure will drop below that of the range. When this is achieved the non return will close and prevent any steam flowing back into that particular boiler.

5. What are the effects of scale build up?

From Quiz Boilers Steaming Along

Answer: Poor heat transfer.

As scale builds up on the internal, water side of a boiler the transfer of heat is reduced. As the scale gets thicker it reduces the amount of heat transferred to the water and begins to cause the over heating of the fire side of the metal surface. This will then cause the metal to overheat and begin to blister and eventually fail.

6. What is a fire tube boiler?

From Quiz Boilers 2

Answer: A boiler which has the fire and hot gases within the tubes.

As opposed to a water tube boilers where the water in the boiler is in the tubes, a fire tube boiler requires that the hot gases are within the tubes.

7. What is a steam boiler?

From Quiz Boilers

Answer: A closed steel vessel, containing water which is heated for the purpose of generating steam.

A steam boiler is designed to contain water and steam of both high temperature and pressure.

8. What power source is used on nearly all modern escalators?

From Quiz Going Up the Down Escalator

Answer: alternating current motors

Plain and simple, folks - AC motors. Any of the other choices would be inefficient for moving lots of people rapidly. And that's the whole purpose of escalators.

9. Where would you find a magnetron in a house?

From Quiz Plug it in, but only if you have GFCI!

Answer: in a microwave oven

Magnetrons were used in World War II to detect enemy ships. Dr. Percy Spencer, an engineer with Raytheon Corporation, was testing a magnetron for defense research when he discovered that the candy bar in his pocket melted. This intrigued him and led him to experiment with popcorn, eggs, etc till he concluded that microwaves emitted by a magnetron can be used to heat food.

10. What is the purpose of the thrust wear down, or low thrust oil pressure trip?

From Quiz Steam Turbines

Answer: To prevent excessive axial movement of the rotor.

With the steam flow moving in parallel with the rotor, this causes axial thrust in that direction. The trip is designed to function before any moving parts make contact.

11. What is the purpose of the bypass valve fitted around the main steam stop valve?

From Quiz Boilers Big and Small

Answer: To warm through and equalize the pressure of the main steam line.

This bypass valve, once open, will allow only a restricted flow of steam into the main steam line and therefore prevent any rapid heat expansion to the steam line. Once equalized pressure is reached, there will be no rapid flow of steam into the main steam line which could cause violent movement in the line.

12. What are the indications that you have a water tube failure?

From Quiz Boilers Steaming Along

Answer: Together, all answers are correct.

In most cases, depending on how severe the tube failure is, it will be heard as you would expect to hear any high pressure leak. Your feed water control system will try and make up for the water losses from the failed tube leak. The firing will increase in much the same way as it will try and compensate for the loss of pressure the tube failure will cause.

13. Relating to boilers, what is foaming?

From Quiz Boilers 2

Answer: The process where boiling water steam bubbles do not burst.

Foaming is caused by poor water quality control which allows the surface tension of the water to increase, which prevents the steam bubble from bursting.

14. What is the purpose of a gauge glass on a steam boiler?

From Quiz Boilers

Answer: To indicate the correct water level in the boiler.

The gauge glass is an essential mounting fitted to a boiler. The boiler should not be operated if the gauge glass is faulty.

15. In the ideal Brayton Cycle, compression of the gas is assumed to be:

From Quiz Gas Turbines

Answer: Isentropic (constant entropy)

In the ideal Brayton Cycle both the compressor and the turbine are assumed to operate isentropically (i.e. they do not change the amount of entropy of the gas). Gas pressure, temperature, and enthalpy (heat content) all increase as the gas is compressed. Of course, since no real compression process is isentropic, the ideal Brayton Cycle is only an approximation of the operation of a real engine.

16. In 2014, it was the world's smallest escalator. It's so small, I'd feel foolish riding that tiny thing! I'd look better on a motorcycle! Where on earth is this "microlator"?

From Quiz Going Up the Down Escalator

Answer: Kawasaki, Japan

The shortest escalator is in a shopping mall in Kawasaki Japan. The machine is five steps high, and has a total lift of 33 inches (18 cm). It all seems like someone's idea of a joke. Incidentally, the longest individual escalator - 449 feet (137 m) - in 2014 was in the St Petersburg Russia Metro. If you're hungry for more record setting escalator trivia - facts like longest on your continent, longest escalator SYSTEM (there's a difference), or longest FREESTANDING unit - you're on your own!

17. What causes the emergency steam trip valve to close?

From Quiz Steam Turbines

Answer: Spring pressure.

Although there are many reasons why the trip valve would operate, it is the spring tension which actually closes the trip valve.

18. What is the main negative affect of excess air?

From Quiz Boilers Big and Small

Answer: Inefficiency.

With too much air, the fire tends to be lifted higher in the furnace and causes the flue gases to carry that heat further into the back end of the boiler. With this extra heat, the super heat temperature increases too high and will need to be cooled to bring it back to normal operating temperature. This requires more fuel as you are cooling steam which has already been heated.

19. Black smoke is billowing from the stack. What is the problem?

From Quiz Boilers Steaming Along

Answer: There is insufficient air to complete combustion.

Black smoke can be a symptom of many problems like loss of atomizing steam, dirty burners, cold oil, poor performance of a coal mill or other such problems. The fundamental cause of black smoke is the inability to provide enough air to complete the cycle of complete combustion.

20. What does a feed water regulator do?

From Quiz Boilers 2

Answer: It is a control device which regulates the operation of a valve which controls the water level in the boiler.

There are many types of feed water regulators available but all essentially do the same thing. It is far more beneficial to control the water level this way as it takes away surges in level control and is therefore more stable for the boiler.

21. What is the vital part of all boilers?

From Quiz Boilers

Answer: The first part of the boiler which becomes over heated due to the lowering water level.

As the water level continues to fall in a firing boiler, this will cause the metal to become overheated and could cause the catastrophic failure of the boiler pressure parts.

22. In the ideal Brayton Cycle, heat addition (usually in the form of combustion) occurs:

From Quiz Gas Turbines

Answer: Isobarically (at constant pressure)

In the ideal Brayton Cycle, heat addition is assumed to occur at a constant pressure. Unlike the ideal cycle's isentropic compression and expansion, this portion of the cycle more closely matches what happens in a real gas turbine.

23. They are an effective means of locomotion, but not everywhere. Which location has NOT used escalators?

From Quiz Going Up the Down Escalator

Answer: passenger trains

Believe it or not: for about a decade beginning in the mid 1940s, at least 15 US Navy Essex class aircraft carriers (CV) had escalators installed during a modernization program called SCB-27. This allowed gear-encumbered flight crews to transit from ready rooms to the distant flight deck without being exhausted. Improved design of later CV classes eliminated the need for escalators. Practically speaking, all railways have size limitations on rolling stock. In the USA, passenger trains are design limited to about 16 feet (4.9 m) in height and 10 feet (3 m) in width; no passenger cars are higher than two levels. An escalator would use far too much (revenue producing) room to provide vertical lift of about 7 feet (2.1 m). It's also impractical - in 60 years of train riding, I've never had to wait longer than about 15 seconds for a fellow traveler clear the (admittedly narrow) stairwell between levels.

24. What keeps the emergency steam trip valve to remain open?

From Quiz Steam Turbines

Answer: Tripping oil pressure.

Commonly known as tripping oil, this oil pressure remains in operation unless there is a cause to trip. Once a trip situation occurs, the tripping oil will be dumped and the emergency steam trip valve will shut.

25. Why is it important to open the boiler air vents while there is still pressure in the boiler?

From Quiz Boilers Big and Small

Answer: To prevent a vacuum in the boiler pressure parts.

Boilers are designed to withstand great pressures, but they are not designed to hold a vacuum. As the steam condenses in the boiler the reduced volume of the steam will cause a vacuum. This vacuum is likely to break seals around the man hole doors and could also break the glass of water level indicators.

26. What is a stay tube?

From Quiz Boilers 2

Answer: A strengthening tube.

These tubes are distributed within the boiler's normal tubes. As they are thicker, they add crucial design strength to the boiler end sections. When cleaning the boiler tubes, the stay tubes are easy to recognise as the cleaning brush is far more difficult to push through.

27. In fire tube boilers, what type of plug is fitted to put the fires out when the vital part is exposed?

From Quiz Boilers

Answer: A fusible plug.

A fusible plug has a soft metal center which melts due to the boilers excessive heat. The now hollow plug allows the steam to enter the furnace space which will put out the fire.

28. In an axial-flow gas turbine's compressor (the type commonly seen on an airliner engine) the spinning blades are called:

From Quiz Gas Turbines

Answer: Rotors

Stators are the stationary blades located between the rotating stages of the compressor. An impeller is the spinning portion of a centrifugal compressor. The only gas turbines found with a propeller are turboshafts (on helicopters) or turboprops (on airplanes), which spin the propeller through a series of shafts and gears. The propeller does not participate in the thermodynamics of the gas turbine portion of the engine.

29. Take your time and read the answer choices carefully. What advantage does an escalator have over elevators?

From Quiz Going Up the Down Escalator

Answer: an inoperative escalator can still allow transit

In an emergency - fire, for example - using operating elevators is often prohibited. People are directed to stairs. A stopped elevator is useless in any case! But a stopped escalator is a staircase; it can be used as such, allowing pedestrian movement. Escalators are designed as "people movers," not freight haulers. They are almost always narrow; trying to board an escalator with any large/unwieldy item is risky at best. Most systems have signs forbidding use when a rider's movement is hampered. So, no pianos! Both devices are machines, of course. And like any other machine, both OBVIOUSLY require careful maintenance for safe, reliable operation. Think about it; unless we are hindered by infirmity, large luggage, or babies in strollers, most of us would use the escalator. It's always ready and it's quicker than waiting for the elevator to return from wherever. But if we're burdened by baggage, the elevator is a wiser, safer choice. Have you ever noticed that escalators are usually near staircases? Looking down at my own "burdened" waistline, it seems the stairs would be the wisest choice of all for me.

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Last Updated Nov 30 2024 5:44 AM
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