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Post by srbrant on Oct 1, 2017 5:10:49 GMT
Sorry folks, it's been a while.
I might have found a way to have ships that aren't 75% reaction mass in tonnage: improving the fuel efficiency of engines.
Since my story takes place far into the future, the rules can be bent around a bit, but I want to make things believable of course. On each engine, between the nozzle and the engine proper, is a cylinder that, through some black-box method I need to figure out, is able to stretch out the delta-V of a ship ten-fold. Perhaps because of a better understanding of how hydrocarbons work?
If that doesn't work, then perhaps onboard algae farms can produce biofuel to act as a propellant. Sustainable too, if you're looking at the big picture on a cosmic scale and don't want to suck gas giants dry. Though I imagine that onboard production of the stuff would be like filling a fish tank with a squirt gun - all the more reason for refueling stations as well.
If the first suggestion works, I could scale down the remass tanks so that you can have more crew space and less fear about relativistic suicide bombers. Thoughts, comments or suggestions?
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Post by RiftandRend on Oct 1, 2017 6:29:03 GMT
Sorry folks, it's been a while. I might have found a way to have ships that aren't 75% reaction mass in tonnage: improving the fuel efficiency of engines. Since my story takes place far into the future, the rules can be bent around a bit, but I want to make things believable of course. On each engine, between the nozzle and the engine proper, is a cylinder that, through some black-box method I need to figure out, is able to stretch out the delta-V of a ship ten-fold. Perhaps because of a better understanding of how hydrocarbons work?
If that doesn't work, then perhaps onboard algae farms can produce biofuel to act as a propellant. Sustainable too, if you're looking at the big picture on a cosmic scale and don't want to suck gas giants dry. Though I imagine that onboard production of the stuff would be like filling a fish tank with a squirt gun - all the more reason for refueling stations as well. If the first suggestion works, I could scale down the remass tanks so that you can have more crew space and less fear about relativistic suicide bombers. Thoughts, comments or suggestions?
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Post by The Astronomer on Oct 1, 2017 7:18:15 GMT
Solution: use fusion rockets
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Post by Kerr on Oct 1, 2017 7:27:58 GMT
Sorry folks, it's been a while. I might have found a way to have ships that aren't 75% reaction mass in tonnage: improving the fuel efficiency of engines. Since my story takes place far into the future, the rules can be bent around a bit, but I want to make things believable of course. On each engine, between the nozzle and the engine proper, is a cylinder that, through some black-box method I need to figure out, is able to stretch out the delta-V of a ship ten-fold. Perhaps because of a better understanding of how hydrocarbons work? If that doesn't work, then perhaps onboard algae farms can produce biofuel to act as a propellant. Sustainable too, if you're looking at the big picture on a cosmic scale and don't want to suck gas giants dry. Though I imagine that onboard production of the stuff would be like filling a fish tank with a squirt gun - all the more reason for refueling stations as well. If the first suggestion works, I could scale down the remass tanks so that you can have more crew space and less fear about relativistic suicide bombers. Thoughts, comments or suggestions? 1. Idk what you mean by that, you think that this cylinder of yours can increase the chemical bond energy and thereby increase exhaust velocity? 2. Conservation of mass, mass inside a closed system must remain constant. But maybe your algae farm is made out of sixth dimensional algae which produce a wormhole to another universe where it extracts remass. |
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Post by bigbombr on Oct 1, 2017 8:24:35 GMT
Sorry folks, it's been a while. I might have found a way to have ships that aren't 75% reaction mass in tonnage: improving the fuel efficiency of engines. Since my story takes place far into the future, the rules can be bent around a bit, but I want to make things believable of course. On each engine, between the nozzle and the engine proper, is a cylinder that, through some black-box method I need to figure out, is able to stretch out the delta-V of a ship ten-fold. Perhaps because of a better understanding of how hydrocarbons work? If that doesn't work, then perhaps onboard algae farms can produce biofuel to act as a propellant. Sustainable too, if you're looking at the big picture on a cosmic scale and don't want to suck gas giants dry. Though I imagine that onboard production of the stuff would be like filling a fish tank with a squirt gun - all the more reason for refueling stations as well. If the first suggestion works, I could scale down the remass tanks so that you can have more crew space and less fear about relativistic suicide bombers. Thoughts, comments or suggestions? Use MPDT's for cruising, and NTR's or resistojets for high-acceleration maneuvers. Or use NSWR's or Orion drives if you want both acceleration and delta-v with current or near-future technology. |
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Post by srbrant on Oct 1, 2017 22:56:36 GMT
Sorry folks, it's been a while. I might have found a way to have ships that aren't 75% reaction mass in tonnage: improving the fuel efficiency of engines. Since my story takes place far into the future, the rules can be bent around a bit, but I want to make things believable of course. On each engine, between the nozzle and the engine proper, is a cylinder that, through some black-box method I need to figure out, is able to stretch out the delta-V of a ship ten-fold. Perhaps because of a better understanding of how hydrocarbons work?
If that doesn't work, then perhaps onboard algae farms can produce biofuel to act as a propellant. Sustainable too, if you're looking at the big picture on a cosmic scale and don't want to suck gas giants dry. Though I imagine that onboard production of the stuff would be like filling a fish tank with a squirt gun - all the more reason for refueling stations as well. If the first suggestion works, I could scale down the remass tanks so that you can have more crew space and less fear about relativistic suicide bombers. Thoughts, comments or suggestions?
It's not the algae that produces reaction mass, it IS the reaction mass, specially engineered to act as an efficient, renewable fuel. A special onboard farm would be able to produce more of the stuff, but at a very sluggish pace as previously mentioned. |
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Post by srbrant on Oct 1, 2017 23:04:42 GMT
Sorry folks, it's been a while. I might have found a way to have ships that aren't 75% reaction mass in tonnage: improving the fuel efficiency of engines. Since my story takes place far into the future, the rules can be bent around a bit, but I want to make things believable of course. On each engine, between the nozzle and the engine proper, is a cylinder that, through some black-box method I need to figure out, is able to stretch out the delta-V of a ship ten-fold. Perhaps because of a better understanding of how hydrocarbons work? If that doesn't work, then perhaps onboard algae farms can produce biofuel to act as a propellant. Sustainable too, if you're looking at the big picture on a cosmic scale and don't want to suck gas giants dry. Though I imagine that onboard production of the stuff would be like filling a fish tank with a squirt gun - all the more reason for refueling stations as well. If the first suggestion works, I could scale down the remass tanks so that you can have more crew space and less fear about relativistic suicide bombers. Thoughts, comments or suggestions? 1. Idk what you mean by that, you think that this cylinder of yours can increase the chemical bond energy and thereby increase exhaust velocity? 2. Conservation of mass, mass inside a closed system must remain constant. But maybe your algae farm is made out of sixth dimensional algae which produce a wormhole to another universe where it extracts remass. 1. A good idea, but the mechanism of that would require some emergency phlebetonium implantation. The stuff I'm working on is something that's realistic but at the same time and of equal measure something that will inspire engineers, physicists and scientists. 2. No, it produces algae that acts as a potent biofuel, using the onboard septic tanks as fertilizer to grow it all. Although you'd need a lot of people to produce the...stuff necessary to make it all happen. Perfect for large-scale exploration ships. But something isn't adding up... |
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Post by Kerr on Oct 2, 2017 0:16:46 GMT
1. Idk what you mean by that, you think that this cylinder of yours can increase the chemical bond energy and thereby increase exhaust velocity? 2. Conservation of mass, mass inside a closed system must remain constant. But maybe your algae farm is made out of sixth dimensional algae which produce a wormhole to another universe where it extracts remass. 1. A good idea, but the mechanism of that would require some emergency phlebetonium implantation. The stuff I'm working on is something that's realistic but at the same time and of equal measure something that will inspire engineers, physicists and scientists. 2. No, it produces algae that acts as a potent biofuel, using the onboard septic tanks as fertilizer to grow it all. Although you'd need a lot of people to produce the...stuff necessary to make it all happen. Perfect for large-scale exploration ships. But something isn't adding up... Ok, your algae farm idea won't work. The algae has to be grown out of matter. You can't get more mass out of the algae than you put in. Getting more remass within a closed system is impossible. The only there is to use a giant magnetic rings hundred kilometers in diameter to scoop matter out of the interplanetary/stellar medium. And that will give you only few kilograms at relativistic speeds, only if used with antimatter. |
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Post by Enderminion on Oct 2, 2017 0:57:11 GMT
I have no idea how that would work, what kind of engines are you using?Algae can't magically create mass, they need water and organics to grow. The energy in these ingredients would be much higher than any fuel they algae could possibly make. There is no point to carrying a farm except for biomass recycling for crew.Any kind in CDE. Sorry, it was really late at night.
It's not the algae that produces reaction mass, it IS the reaction mass, specially engineered to act as an efficient, renewable fuel. A special onboard farm would be able to produce more of the stuff, but at a very sluggish pace as previously mentioned. where would you get the food for the algae? its a closed cycle, you can't get more mass out then you put in |
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Post by The Astronomer on Oct 2, 2017 1:55:01 GMT
1. I don't understand how would that help improve exhaust velocity in any way. Probably good for a pseudoscience clickbait article for INTPAge goers, providing that they don't have enough rocket science studies. 2. What are you ( srbrant ) confusing about, you thought photosynthesis produces more matter? If you really want to synthesis matter out of energy, visit amat farm.
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Post by srbrant on Oct 2, 2017 4:13:30 GMT
1. I don't understand how would that help improve exhaust velocity in any way. Probably good for a pseudoscience clickbait article for INTPAge goers, providing that they don't have enough rocket science studies. 2. What are you ( srbrant ) confusing about, you thought photosynthesis produces more matter? If you really want to synthesis matter out of energy, visit amat farm. Hoo boy. This isn't looking so well. Perhaps have the biofuel grown on planets or in space and pumped into the ships rather than having them have it on board...? Kind of surprised that the biofuel thing didn't work out. What is wrong with my brain these past few days? |
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Post by The Astronomer on Oct 2, 2017 5:05:04 GMT
1. I don't understand how would that help improve exhaust velocity in any way. Probably good for a pseudoscience clickbait article for INTPAge goers, providing that they don't have enough rocket science studies.2. What are you ( srbrant ) confusing about, you thought photosynthesis produces more matter? If you really want to synthesis matter out of energy, visit amat farm. Hoo boy. This isn't looking so well. Perhaps have the biofuel grown on planets or in space and pumped into the ships rather than having them have it on board...? Kind of surprised that the biofuel thing didn't work out. What is wrong with my brain these past few days? You mean, biofuel production stations on planets? That doesn't help the ship at all. Zero efficiency improvement. |
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Post by srbrant on Oct 2, 2017 5:18:38 GMT
Hoo boy. This isn't looking so well. Perhaps have the biofuel grown on planets or in space and pumped into the ships rather than having them have it on board...? Kind of surprised that the biofuel thing didn't work out. What is wrong with my brain these past few days? You mean, biofuel production stations on planets? That doesn't help the ship at all. Zero efficiency improvement. Yep. Or on large orbital colonies. Then stuffed into a docked ship's remass tanks by the ton. Or as I previously mentioned, have a hydrocarbon-rich algae that's able to thrive on astronaut poop onboard. Another solution could be the use of "vacuum energy" propulsion like in Clarke's novel Songs of Distant Earth. Although that sounds like it dips its toes a little too deeply into Killing Star territory. |
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Post by The Astronomer on Oct 2, 2017 5:51:48 GMT
You mean, biofuel production stations on planets? That doesn't help the ship at all. Zero efficiency improvement. Yep. Or on large orbital colonies. Then stuffed into a docked ship's remass tanks by the ton. Or as I previously mentioned, have a hydrocarbon-rich algae that's able to thrive on astronaut poop onboard. Another solution could be the use of "vacuum energy" propulsion like in Clarke's novel Songs of Distant Earth. Although that sounds like it dips its toes a little too deeply into Killing Star territory. Why don't you recycle that poop back to food? Also, vacuum energy propulsion sounds weird as it seems. There are chances that the vacuum energy is crazy powerful or awfully weak. Choose one. |
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Post by srbrant on Oct 2, 2017 6:28:13 GMT
Yep. Or on large orbital colonies. Then stuffed into a docked ship's remass tanks by the ton. Or as I previously mentioned, have a hydrocarbon-rich algae that's able to thrive on astronaut poop onboard. Another solution could be the use of "vacuum energy" propulsion like in Clarke's novel Songs of Distant Earth. Although that sounds like it dips its toes a little too deeply into Killing Star territory. Why don't you recycle that poop back to food? Also, vacuum energy propulsion sounds weird as it seems. There are chances that the vacuum energy is crazy powerful or awfully weak. Choose one. One farm for food, one for biofuel. Not sure, but it may be a key factor into the vague workings of a warp core in Kemono. |
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