Manchester, New Hampshire is going to be the home of a new minor-league baseball team (the Fisher Cats -- I'm still disappointed they didn't keep the original name, the New Hampshire Primaries, with donkey and elephant mascots), and we're just finishing up building them a brand-new stadium just off downtown. And yesterday, April Fool's Day, they gave the brand-new stadium's plumbing system a stress test.
Thanks to the efforts of many volunteers, including dozens of Little Leaguers, stadium officials pulled off what might be the largest Synchronized Flush in the world, as they simultaneously pulled the handles on all 103 toilets in Fisher Cats Ballpark. The kids were repeatedly instructed that they were not to use the toilets, but to simply flush them on cue.
They were proud to report no sinkholes were opened in the field, but there was some concern about city residents who might have been taking a shower at the precise moment of the Big Flush.
Play ball!
J.
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Comments (9)
that my friend, is the desi... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Henry | April 2, 2005 5:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
that my friend, is the design problem for a naval arcitect/marine engineer. One of the huge problems with ships with large amounts of hotel usage (such as my school's training ship) is how to design the flushing system to always have enough pressure. My ship has a hydro-pneumatic tank. A tank with both water and air in it, the tank level is regulated by the pump next to it, and the tank pressure is regulated by how much air is in it.
I always wonder what would happen if every single toilet were to flush at the same time, what the demand load on the system would be, it'd probably suck the tank dry...
1. Posted by Henry | April 2, 2005 5:09 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 2, 2005 05:09
2. Posted by Tom | April 2, 2005 6:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
In a related matter, moments after the big flush, two tunnels collapsed 60 miles to the south in the heart of the Big Dig.
2. Posted by Tom | April 2, 2005 6:09 AM |
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Posted on April 2, 2005 06:09
3. Posted by Rob@L&R | April 2, 2005 8:48 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Sorry,...
In 1998, 1200 toilets were simutaneously flushed at (then) PSINet Stadium (now M&T Bank Stadium), in Baltimore, MD.
http://www.hpac.com/member/archive/0002want.htm
3. Posted by Rob@L&R | April 2, 2005 8:48 AM |
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Posted on April 2, 2005 08:48
4. Posted by Rodney Dill | April 2, 2005 9:25 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The real stress test is not just to flush them all at the same time, but to time the flushing based on distance from convergence points and the speed of the water.
4. Posted by Rodney Dill | April 2, 2005 9:25 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 2, 2005 09:25
5. Posted by Henry | April 2, 2005 11:18 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
rodney dill, you're talking about the drainage system, i was talking about the supply flushing water. On a ship, its an entirely different system, it is run by saltwater.
5. Posted by Henry | April 2, 2005 11:18 AM |
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Posted on April 2, 2005 11:18
6. Posted by Boyd | April 2, 2005 11:18 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You know waaaaay too much about this, Rodney.
6. Posted by Boyd | April 2, 2005 11:18 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 2, 2005 11:18
7. Posted by Joe Katzman | April 2, 2005 2:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You folks are in for a treat. I'm from Toronto, the Fisher Cats parent club. Last year, our AA team won the championship, and we have some very talented prospects at that level again this year.
A good blog that will help you follow the Jays org., with a lot of minor league coverage, is The Batter's Box at http://battersbox.ca/
PLAY BALL!
7. Posted by Joe Katzman | April 2, 2005 2:35 PM |
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Posted on April 2, 2005 14:35
8. Posted by Brian | April 2, 2005 4:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I don't know what the seating capacity of the new stadium is but they did the same thing when the Sydney Olympic Stadium was built. Its seating capacity was 110 000 at the time so might have a few more toilets. It also has a reused water scheme where runoff from the ground is treated, stored in a disused brick pit and used for watering and sewerage use. Hey, my flush is bigger than your flush!
8. Posted by Brian | April 2, 2005 4:10 PM |
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Posted on April 2, 2005 16:10
9. Posted by alexis | April 5, 2005 3:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
i love your show i never miss it.
9. Posted by alexis | April 5, 2005 3:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 5, 2005 15:40