How does Power Tower work?

I know power tower was built by S&S and it uses compressed air, but how exacly does the compressed air do it? I know there is a section on how TTD works, can someone show me or explain to me how?

Thanks

A cable is attached to the top of the car (actually one per side), and goes over a pulley at the top, and connects to a piston in the yellow tube. A cable goes from the bottom of the car around a pulley at the base of the tower, up the yellow tube and attaches to the same piston. Depending on whether it's a shot or drop, air is forced into the yellow tube, pushing the piston in one direction, which tugs the cable to move the car in the opposite direction.

Each tower has four of these, one per side, which makes it insanely redundant. It's really a brilliant design, and unfortunately not a moment of brilliance that S&S has really been able to repeat.

I am really intrigued by this system. I always knew that they were air powered, but I never really looked into the linguistics of the system. Sorry, Jeff, but could you further explain what you mean by they are missing the brilliance? I'm guessing you mean that they could make the car move with the same force as the initial launch more times throughout the ride cycle, but I'm not so sure.

I've always been interested in this also, as a matter of fact I was looking for info yesterday (but couldn't find anything).

Jeff, thanks for the info, it's the best explanation I've gotten so far, but what are the 4 green tubes for?

*** Edited 6/28/2005 5:20:56 AM UTC by GeeForce***

What 4 green tubes?

And Jeff(or anyone else), is the air forced into the tubes at the top and the bottom for each of the tower legs or is it forced at some different location within the legs? *** Edited 6/28/2005 6:24:53 AM UTC by TTD 120mph***

He means that any of the other rides they have tried (Although I hear Powder Keg is good - albeit they just re-did it) have been miserable failures compared to the Tower rides.

Those Green and Red tubes are for compressing/storing the air in, and then they transfer into the yellow tubes to put the ride in motion. That's why you'll hear the tube 'fill' with air from the compressors.

i remember seeing an interview once from the S&S people that said they could launch the space shuttle with the same technology. i'm wondering why they haven't made a coaster as fast as TTD or KK. i know S&S has launched coasters too, but not as big as intamins. anyone know why? (or at least have a guess!)

They don't like headaches. They know what they can do reliably, so why try and push the envelope when it just brings headaches. I think the higher ups at Intamin must own stock in Bayer or Tylenol.

I rode Hypersonic. Perhaps it would be a good ride if the restraints weren't the worst ever.

The air is pumped in at the opposite end of the tower from which the car starts. So for the shots, the piston has to be pushed down the tubes (therefore pulling the car up), meaning the air is injected at the top. Reverse is true for the drops.

Incidentally, the reason you get the "bounce" is that the air on the opposite side of the piston is compressed as the piston moves through the tube, kind of like a cushion.

The reason I called it brilliant is that it just works, it's reliable, very redundant and a lot of fun. It's so simple. Everything since then that S&S has done has largely been a flop, especially the Absolutely Insane (VertiGo) fiasco. It looks like the Screamin' Swing may be hot now, though no one has called it particularly fun yet.

Oh, by the way, while there are air accumulators in the middle of the towers, the actual compressors are on the other side of the fence under Corkscrew in that small building.

It's not very small, actually. The compressors are big.

They also make a lot of noise.

I have a question...

I notice that there are these silver rods that move up as the car begins it's ascent. Is it possible for the compressors to completely fail and the ride will drop down onto these, or is there some kind of one way valve that will not allow this to happen?

IF the ride failed to slow down, are those rods even meant to stop the car or are you doomed?

Those rods are mostly just to pad the landing. All 4 cylindars would have to fail, and the cart is weighed as it goes up. It also monitors the pressure in each one, and will cut the ride off before anything could happen.

Those rods are run by hydraulics. There's a tank that the oil drains into on each one. I'm sure if the cart came down full force on those it'd just blow the lines and tank to pieces.