Power Conversion

[Duke]

Sorry I couldn't search for this, but every time I tried, I got an "Internal Server Problem" error message.

How is the heat energy from a fusion reactor power plant converted into usable energy for the jump drives in canonical CT? Am I right in assuming that it is used to heat some substance (modern day would be water) in order to drive turbines that would provide the mechanical action to generate electricity? Or has some other method been engineered?

 

[LordVince]

Super-Tech Thermocouples. The heat is directly converted into electric current. That's why none of the ship designs have radiators...

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Otherwise, you'd have really small turbines in those backpack models....

 

[Drakon]

There is also an equivalent of solar panels. Panels tuned to specific infra red wavelengths of heat, and broadband enough to absorb all of it.

Note that none of the methods given so far are exclusive. You can use thermocouples, turbines and panels all in the same package.

 

[Plankowner]

Super-Tech Thermocouples. The heat is directly converted into electric current. That's why none of the ship designs have radiators...

Piezoelectric Thermocouples. Like the HeeChee had in Fredrick Pohl's Gateway books. Direct heat to electricity conversion.

Works fine, lasts a long time, drains to the bilge...

 

[Anthony]

How is the heat energy from a fusion reactor power plant converted into usable energy for the jump drives in canonical CT?

It has never been stated, though I would tend to assume MHD. I would avoid looking too closely at the physics of traveller fusion reactors, however; 250MW (1 ep) is an energy consumption of 7.2 grams of energy per month, which is the energy you get from fusing 1 kilogram of hydrogen, so what happens to the other 999 kilograms is a bit of a mystery.

 

[Duke]

Thanks everybody. Big help!

 

[Drakon]

Works fine, lasts a long time, drains to the bilge...

Won't rust, bust or collect dust.

Navy guy?