5 ms·

But a -70C superconductor could theoretically be used in space environment where the temperatures are even colder, no?

by rdudek 11y ago

pikeymick 11y ago
You still have to reproduce the immense pressure.
science4sail 11y ago
Space is "cold", but the problem is that it's hard to get rid of waste heat in space since you aren't surrounding by a heat-carrying fluid (air). Therefore a -70c superconductor would still require a large cooling apparatus to function properly.
- dghughes 11y ago
  Yeah that threw me too when I thought the same thing I never thought about how difficult it would be to get rid of heat in space I figured just let it go out into space not thinking there isn't anything to send the heat into; no medium. NASA has a nice info page about it: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast21mar_1/ http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/as...
  - logfromblammo 11y ago
    Basically, there's no convection, so the only way to dump heat is by radiation. And since a radiator absorbs as well as it emits, you need to create a shade with reflective material and point a directional radiator in its shadow at the emptiest space you can see. So sure, superconductors could be really cold in space, but if their solar shade or thermal control system fails, they are suddenly really hot.
- blacksmith_tb 11y ago
  But waste heat is a valuable resource, thermoelectric generators could turn it into electricity, for example.
  - science4sail 11y ago
    Yeah, you still need to get rid of the heat eventually. For example, thermoelectric generators depend on a temperature gradient to function, but you can't maintain a gradient without some kind of heat sink that draws heat away from the "cold" side.
- mkr-hn 11y ago
  That still sounds useful for something like a moon-based spaceport where they can drill heat sinks into the ground. Maglev catapults would help cut the amount of fuel they need to transport or produce.

But a -70C superconductor could theoretically be used in space environment where the temperatures are even colder, no?

by rdudek 11y ago

But a -70C superconductor could theoretically be used in space environment where the temperatures are even colder, no?

pikeymick 11y ago

You still have to reproduce the immense pressure.

science4sail 11y ago

Space is "cold", but the problem is that it's hard to get rid of waste heat in space since you aren't surrounding by a heat-carrying fluid (air). Therefore a -70c superconductor would still require a large cooling apparatus to function properly.

dghughes 11y ago
Yeah that threw me too when I thought the same thing I never thought about how difficult it would be to get rid of heat in space I figured just let it go out into space not thinking there isn't anything to send the heat into; no medium. NASA has a nice info page about it: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast21mar_1/ http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/as...
- logfromblammo 11y ago
  Basically, there's no convection, so the only way to dump heat is by radiation. And since a radiator absorbs as well as it emits, you need to create a shade with reflective material and point a directional radiator in its shadow at the emptiest space you can see. So sure, superconductors could be really cold in space, but if their solar shade or thermal control system fails, they are suddenly really hot.
blacksmith_tb 11y ago
But waste heat is a valuable resource, thermoelectric generators could turn it into electricity, for example.
- science4sail 11y ago
  Yeah, you still need to get rid of the heat eventually. For example, thermoelectric generators depend on a temperature gradient to function, but you can't maintain a gradient without some kind of heat sink that draws heat away from the "cold" side.
mkr-hn 11y ago
That still sounds useful for something like a moon-based spaceport where they can drill heat sinks into the ground. Maglev catapults would help cut the amount of fuel they need to transport or produce.