BigDogsRunning said:
I've always seen Traveller Fusion as hot fusion, using high-efficiency MHD turbines to generate power. In all probability, several different strategies could be used to capture energy. It could also use some sort of Peltier device, to pull more power out, and some sort of high-efficiency converter, like current solar technology.
The MHD/fusion plant seems like it might work. According to an abstract I found it (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.13182/FST86-A24848) was proposed using electromagnetic radiation from the plasma. So the hot fusion model would work.
The Peltier idea (thermo-electric generators, or what long-range space probes use plutonium-powered heat to generate) would work to capture more waste heat and convert to energy, but it seems the efficiency is on the lower-end of the scale. But maybe in the future they would be able to figure out how to make it more efficient, which would address the issue of the glaring lack of radiators on spacecraft to radiate away heat. If they were able to pull the heat of the ship into a TEG grid apparatus, that would be an answer. Though the theory sounds really cool, it's also worming it's way into the mythical perpetual motion energy generation arena.
Yatima said:
If 2300 AD is any guide to the thoughts of the original traveller authors about Fusion power plants, that uses MHD turbines extensively, including allowing the plasma to leak out one end of the magnetic 'Bottle' to use it as a thruster.
J
The only thing here is that thrusters in Traveller are kind of magical. There is no, or very, very negligible output from the thrusters. But it's a possibility with some rule re-jiggering.
AnotherDilbert said:
FFS said:
Fission and fusion reactors use the heat to boil water to turn a high-pressure turbine to generate electrical power.
I prefer not to think about how the heat is dumped...
Yah, the lack of radiators has always been an issue. And having a conventional reactor setup with steam generators seems rather odd for space flight. Though if JJ Abrams can do it... (ugh, some of the internal ST scenes were just plain stupid).
Condottiere said:
That could end up as steampunk, though I've never noted any such machinery on the deckplans.
I think no steam is a good idea. Deckplans, or what there are of them that show powerplant machinery, are relatively compact and always have been. I think this idea won't work.
Reynard said:
I thought Fusion Plus cold fusion systems was the established norm allowing for things as the fusion stills and portable fusion generators as well as vehicular sized fusion power systems and the efficiency of ship fusion power plants.
Cold fusion would almost have to be the norm for the very small craft that end up having fusion plants. Though I wonder if the game system would support two types of fusion - hot for starships and their very, very large power needs, and cold fusion for small craft who don't need nearly as much. It might be a way to rationally limit the firepower of carried small craft to balance them against their larger starship brethren.
baithammer said:
Could use Photon-intermediate direct energy conversion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon-intermediate_direct_energy_conversion
I wasn't aware of this (thanks for the link!). I guess I would have doubts about how much energy you could convert from the example flourescent manner since the power conversion is going to be limited by the amount of surface space. The example cited the similarity to solar panels, and they are limited by their surface area. Since the plants in starships are relatively compact and the converters would need to be on the inside of the reactor housing they are definitely going to be limited space wise.
Thanks everyone for the input!
