Impact Craters

[Greg]

Well... I was thinking of using nuclear power.

[mikedelaney16]

I assumed nuclear power would be the only viable choice for something so large and power hungry.

[shorty943]

Originally Posted by Greg

Well... I was thinking of using nuclear power.

Well. Something has to power all our "super conductive magnetic impulse engines".
And we all know damned well that SOLAR power is just not up to the job yet.

Geothermal?
Um, no. Cold water on hot rocks dug the Wells of Bathsheba.
I may be mistaken, but, I have a feeling that Geothermal power generation will only cause sisemic problems. There are experiments in the north of South Aust now.
Shorty don't like. Boffins, are doing "lab tests" on the real life mother earth. Not safe.

What else. Wind?
Doesn't always blow, then it blows so hard, the windmill falls over. Bugger.

Conventional coal or gas fire steam plants? Um, this is a desert. You need water, lots of very clean pure water, to make steam.

Yep, I agree. Just has to be a Natomic power plant.

Have you seen a pile in operation? So pretty. Such a pretty blue, it glows and shimmers, it's almost alive. And it sure is efficient. Yes, sorry, but I am a cautious advocate of NUKE power. I made that word cautious a bit prominent so people don't get the wrong idea.
Nuclear, (hey Mr Bush, NUCLEAR not NOOCOOLAR) Biological and Chemical warfare, defense and decontamination were a part of my speciality in the military. I know more than most, just how nasty it can be, if it gets out of control. Or if some "nutter" gets hold of dirty material.
So we clamp right down on security. No Monty Burns and Homer Simson types.
All "yes but what iffers" must be shot. Because they want the emotional not the factual to rule.

Oh, yes, and next elections, pick me as the worlds next benevolent dictator.

[Miros1]

Yeah, I read somewhere about seismic effects caused by geothermal experiments. Definitely not something you want to do in highly populated areas. Not to mention, the tunnels (probably not the right word) cool off in about 20 years, so you need to drill new ones. And we've talked in the other thread about how well politicians pay for infrastructure repair, maintenance, and replacement.

You can't be benevolent dictator. That's interfering with my role as Goddess.

[shorty943]

Originally Posted by Miros1

Yeah, I read somewhere about seismic effects caused by geothermal experiments. Definitely not something you want to do in highly populated areas. Not to mention, the tunnels (probably not the right word) cool off in about 20 years, so you need to drill new ones. And we've talked in the other thread about how well politicians pay for infrastructure repair, maintenance, and replacement.

You can't be benevolent dictator. That's interfering with my role as Goddess.

As always, your humble servant My Lady.
But, I still want to be the boss of these fool mortals, before they blow my darling mother earth to pieces.

[mikedelaney16]

I get really angry when I hear people going on about limitless boundless energy from wind, tides, ocean currents and geothermal.

Don't they realize we can only take so much from those sources without noticeable adverse effect?

We have no idea what the limits are. Personally I fear over development of "renewable" power may be far more detrimental than our use of fossil fuels.

[shorty943]

For quite a few years now, I have wondered at what all the oil pumping, is doing to the deep core cooling of the planet.
It's only personal conjecture, based on high temperature engine cooling needs.
Oil is used, not water based coolants, because water just evaporates out to superheated steam at VHT.
And I suspect, we have been draining, the earths engines radiator. Not good.
So with a bit of luck we won't have to worry about for too much longer.

(See shorty running screaming "we're all doomed I tells thee, doomed we are".)

Oh hell. It's okay. Stupid TV show, too many Mormon wives or what ever it is called just started. Push button, change station, no more annoying melodrama.

Sorry, I seem to have digressed. Now where was I? Oh, yes.

"Doomed I tell thee". Of course I could be wrong.

[Greg]

I'm not too worried about cooling Earth's radiator. The planet still has its radioactive core, which won't burn out until long after the sun goes nova.

From all I've read, we don't have to worry about solving the problem by next week, but in the very long view, humans have about 10,000 years before all the known reserves of carbon-based fossil fuels are exhausted. If they don't find some more stuff to burn before then, there will be no choice but to go nuclear or think of something else really clever.

Considering the advances in power technology of the past 200 years, the 10,000-year long view doesn't seem so scary.

[Greg]

Originally Posted by mikedelaney16

I assumed nuclear power would be the only viable choice for something so large and power hungry.

Yeah, and maybe some hugely huge capacitors. A mass driver is sort of like a microwave oven. When it's turned it, it seriously sucks power.

It's not too horrible, though. Assuming 2.5 g of constant acceleration and a muzzle velocity of 25,000 ft/sec (circular velocity in low Earth orbit), and 80% power conversion efficiency, a 100,000 pound payload would need 1,152 megawatts for 311 seconds.

To put that into perspective, let's use one of my favorite power units--hoovers.* That is the peak power output of Hoover Dam, 2.074 gigawatts.

The power requirement comes out to 0.56 hoovers.

Conclusion: The mass driver needs a dedicated power source equivalent to a fairly large industrial power plant, but only for 5 minutes at a time. Since I doubt that it would be acceptable to brown out Perth every time we launch something, we will need a new power plant. Considering the location, solar dynamic power might be a viable option.


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*Hoovers are much more applicable here than another of my favorite energy units, fudgies. A fudgie is the energy equivalent of a Death By Chocolate hot fudge sundae, 1500 kilocalories.

[shorty943]

Originally Posted by Greg

Yeah, and maybe some hugely huge capacitors. A mass driver is sort of like a microwave oven. When it's turned it, it seriously sucks power.

It's not too horrible, though. Assuming 2.5 g of constant acceleration and a muzzle velocity of 25,000 ft/sec (circular velocity in low Earth orbit), and 80% power conversion efficiency, a 100,000 pound payload would need 1,152 megawatts for 311 seconds.

To put that into perspective, let's use one of my favorite power units--hoovers.* That is the peak power output of Hoover Dam, 2.074 gigawatts.

The power requirement comes out to 0.56 hoovers.

Conclusion: The mass driver needs a dedicated power source equivalent to a fairly large industrial power plant, but only for 5 minutes at a time. Since I doubt that it would be acceptable to brown out Perth every time we launch something, we will need a new power plant. Considering the location, solar dynamic power might be a viable option.


----------
*Hoovers are much more applicable here than another of my favorite energy units, fudgies. A fudgie is the energy equivalent of a Death By Chocolate hot fudge sundae, 1500 kilocalories.

Fudgies? Ooh boy. And trust me, you have totally confused our British cousins now.
To the British, a "hoover" is a vaccuum cleaner.
The power of the brand name don't you know!

Okay, we need a Hoover generator? No problem.
North West is the Ord River, Lake Argyll, and the Argyll Dam.
We are talking about a monsoonal region, that measures rain in feet of water not inches.
Hydro power station already there, the backlog of water behind the dam wall is many times larger than Sydney Harbour.
I reckon we are halfway there mate. We can crank out a "Hoover " or two for you.

One for the girls.
Ask to be shown an Argyll Diamond. Pure Natural Diamond, in colour.
Yep, want champagne? Got champagne Argyll Diamonds.
Want pretty pink or pale blue? Argyll Diamonds come out of the earth in those colours.
REAL diamonds made by mother earth, but like nothing you have ever seen before.



Greg.
"I'm not too worried about cooling Earth's radiator. The planet still has its radioactive core, which won't burn out until long after the sun goes nova".

That's my worry exactly. Drain the radiator, the core goes "Chenobyl" on us. Or is it some how different, to other massive spinning metalic things? In that it can not induce heat via friction within itself?
Less cooling effect means greater heat build up, leading to more volcanic and sisemic action.
Maybe. It is something that has been in the back of my mind for almost 20 years now.

There does seem to be an increasing activity in that area.

One thing, "Solar Dynamic"? That, is a new one on me, must google.

[Miros1]

Originally Posted by shorty943

As always, your humble servant My Lady.
But, I still want to be the boss of these fool mortals, before they blow my darling mother earth to pieces.

Ok, you can be Secondary-to-the-Goddess-in-charge-of-prevention-of-large-scale-stupidity.

Originally Posted by mikedelaney16

I get really angry when I hear people going on about limitless boundless energy from wind, tides, ocean currents and geothermal.

Don't they realize we can only take so much from those sources without noticeable adverse effect?

We have no idea what the limits are. Personally I fear over development of "renewable" power may be far more detrimental than our use of fossil fuels.

Mike, you haven't chosen your Secondary-to-the-Goddess title yet. You cannot have Prince Michael I.

Part of it depends on what you do with the waste-products and by-products. If you divert them too far from where they're supposed to be, yes, I can see long term problems.

Originally Posted by Greg

I'm not too worried about cooling Earth's radiator. The planet still has its radioactive core, which won't burn out until long after the sun goes nova.

I figure the core is fairly safe from human tampering. However, I read something just a couple days ago about apparent seismic events stemming from drilling for a geothermal project in a populated area. The city fathers quickly said no more of that!

Originally Posted by Greg

From all I've read, we don't have to worry about solving the problem by next week, but in the very long view, humans have about 10,000 years before all the known reserves of carbon-based fossil fuels are exhausted. If they don't find some more stuff to burn before then, there will be no choice but to go nuclear or think of something else really clever.

Considering the advances in power technology of the past 200 years, the 10,000-year long view doesn't seem so scary.

By then the styrofoam plates we ate supper off will have undergone metamorphesis and can be used as a fuel source. (Can you tell styrofoam plates are a bone of contention here?)

[shorty943]

Joy of joy's, our Lady of Goodness and Niceness has bestowed upon little old me a "title".

And, it's got big words.

[mikedelaney16]

Originally Posted by shorty943

Joy of joy's, our Lady of Goodness and Niceness has bestowed upon little old me a "title".

And, it's got big words.

Be sure to wear thine armor whilst she dubs thee

[Miros1]

Oh, shush, I'm gonna wear my glasses while I dub Shorty! Hm, I better fix my title.

[shorty943]

I fear not our Lady, for she is of goodness and niceness.




So there.

[mikedelaney16]

Originally Posted by shorty943

I fear not our Lady, for she is of goodness and niceness.

Yes, but those bifocals effect her perception, and the dubbing sword is both real and sharp

[shorty943]

No problem, Ironbark eppaulettes.

Tape the ears to the head Rugby style.

Don the trusty fire helmet.

Purchase a pair of Zaphod Beeblebrox anti panic glasses.

The part I'm struggling with is working my title into my signature. It's a big one.

[mikedelaney16]

Originally Posted by shorty943

The part I'm struggling with is working my title into my signature. It's a big one.

Hmm, Secondary-to-the-Goddess-in-charge-of-prevention-of-large-scale-stupidity.
STTGICOPOLSS, still a bit long.

[shorty943]

Yeah. That's the trouble with self glorification isn't it.

[Greg]

Maybe you could shorten it to something pronounceable like "Stiggyploss."