[meteorite-list] Silica Gel Drying

From: Michael Blood <mlblood_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:49:02 2004
Message-ID: <3BABDE33.6350_at_home.com>

Rob,
        Boy, do I stand corrected - good info to have - I wondered
why my butter still melted in the middle when I was just
trying to bring it to room temperature!
        Thanks for the info.
        Michael

--
FERNLEA4_at_aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 21/09/01 23:01:08 GMT Daylight Time, mlblood_at_home.com
> writes:
> 
> << I can tell y'all are not cheffs! >>
> 
> This is very true......I've been known to burn the cornflakes.
> 
> << Most microwave ovens have
>  the ability to set the degree of heating capacity prior to setting
>  the timer.     Typically, there is a "defrost" setting - which is typically
>  50% of full power - but normally, you can also choose the
>  % of power, from 10% to 90% in 10% incraments (100%
>  is what you get if you DON'T set it otherwise). A little
>  experimenting here would prove usefull. >>
> 
> The power setting on a standard microwave can be a bit misleading, because
> it's not actually reducing the power output in real time.....during
> operation, it is either fully on, or fully off, with nothing in between. What
> the power setting does is to vary the "on" TIME against the "off" time,
> giving longer or shorter burst of microwaves into the oven itself. For
> instance, power level 9 is on all the time, while power level 5 could be on
> for 10 seconds and then off for 10 seconds.....level 1 may be on for 5
> seconds and off for 15 seconds, and so on. The table continues to rotate and
> the internal light stays on throughout, giving the impression that it's still
> cooking, but the microwaves are actually cycled on and off. If you're cooking
> on a low power setting, you'll hear a "clunk" every few seconds as the
> microwaves are turned on and off.
> Those little beads/granules of silica gel desiccant need to release their
> water vapour without damaging their microporous structure.....if they get
> blasted with microwaves, there's a strong risk that the water vapour will be
> evaporated and expand faster than it can escape, and burst those microscopic
> pores in the process.
> Use an oven, it's much more controllable and safer.
> 
> Anyone interested in the recipe for Haggis a la Microwave? ;-)
> 
> Cheers,
> Rob.
> 
> http://fernlea.tripod.com/forsale.html
> Fernlea Meteorites,
> The Wynd,
> Off Dickson Lane,
> Milton of Balgonie,
> Fife. KY7 6PY
> United Kingdom
> Tel: +44-(0)1592-751563
> Fax: +44-(0)1592-751991
> Email: fernlea4_at_aol.com
--
My friend in NJ photographed & compiled the following outstanding 
5 pages of photos of the disaster, the heros and the healing in NY:
http://www.notkin.net/disaster.htm
--
Those who desire to give up Freedom in order to gain 
Security, will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. 
...Thomas Jefferson
--
Michael Blood Meteorites for sale at:
http://www.meteorite.com/Michael_Blood/catalog.htm

Received on Fri 21 Sep 2001 08:41:23 PM PDT