Many hours were spent in designing the drainage system for the compactor. It a compound grate with two layers. When staggered in alignment the grates are water tight. During the draining process, however, they are flush with one another, thus allowing the liquid to pour through.
While the theory behind the release of the liquid seems simple, it is not so in practice. The hydrolics that shift the grates have to be quite powerful in order to move the grates while under the extreme pressure of both the liquid and any other solid matter above. Such machinery is not quiet during operation. Designs are now being drafted to try and counter act the excess noise. Some Loompas believe flooding the entire area with marshmallow would be enough to quiet even the loudest of mechanical sounds.
Loompa engineering is not a perfect science. Thankfully tunnels and pipes do not require much in terms of design, which is why the entire chamber drains down one central pipe.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-03-22 02:37 pm (UTC)While the theory behind the release of the liquid seems simple, it is not so in practice. The hydrolics that shift the grates have to be quite powerful in order to move the grates while under the extreme pressure of both the liquid and any other solid matter above. Such machinery is not quiet during operation. Designs are now being drafted to try and counter act the excess noise. Some Loompas believe flooding the entire area with marshmallow would be enough to quiet even the loudest of mechanical sounds.
Loompa engineering is not a perfect science.
Thankfully tunnels and pipes do not require much in terms of design, which is why the entire chamber drains down one central pipe.