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Mars Colony Power Simulator
- Lambdanaut 7y agoI noticed that power drops randomly on some days. Is this to simulate dust storms?
- samcheng 7y agoInteresting stuff! I recommend starting the batteries out at full. Otherwise it seems you always have curtailment early on... Seems more realistic (charged batteries don't weigh any more than empty ones). Also, what about fuel cells that run on CH4? It would be interesting to model that. How much CH4 / batteries / solar do you need to kick-start a self-sustaining Sabatier-based colony? Could CH4 storage replace battery storage?
- sprucely 7y agoCompletely off-topic, but your assertion about the weight of charged batteries caught my attention. It would seem that E=mc^2 comes into play here. I believe charged batteries actually do weigh more than uncharged, though probably not by any measurable amount.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- dredmorbius 7y agoDepends on battery tech. Metal-air batteries, in which atmospheric oxygen (on Earth) is the cathode, weigh more when discharged. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal–air_electrochemical_cell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal–air_electrochemical_cell
- _Microft 7y ago100 kWh are equivalent to 4e-9 kg.
- davedx 7y agoNice suggestion! I’m reading Zubrin’s Case for Mars at the moment, the different possibilities for chemical processes are really extensive. Will look into adding fuel cells.
- 9nGQluzmnq3M 7y agoIf you're looking for an obsessively detailed full simulation of a Mars colony, check out mars-sim: https://mars-sim.sourceforge.io/ https://mars-sim.sourceforge.io/
- jon-wood 7y agoAnd if you’re looking for something a bit more lightweight take a look at Surviving Mars, and the newly released Green Planet expansion which adds terraforming to the game.
- mLuby 7y agoNice work! For casuals it'd be nice to have a few preset scenarios, like MarsOne, some space agency proposals, The Martian, etc. Also maybe a tool-tip to explain what a "Kilopower" is. Some RTG?
- samcheng 7y agoIt's a really interesting concept between an RTG and a full-on small fission plant. Basically, a tiny, simplified, nuclear fission generator. There's a link at the bottom of the page. Something I learned about today! https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20160012354.pdf https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/201600...
- mLuby 7y agoAh yes, the nuclear mushroom! :P The brand name annoys me. Thankfully we don't call forklifts "Ton" or water treatment plants "Potable".
- ed312 7y agoThanks for that link - an interesting set of ideas! Do you have any insight if these proposed solutions have gone through further testing/green lighting? Could a power plant solution like this be used for terrestrial remote research facilities?
- RickJWagner 7y agoSpeaking of Mars, here's a way to send your name there: https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/orion-first-flight/ https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/orion-first...
- mmanfrin 7y agoSuggestion: include either default values, example values, or buttons to fill in predefined scenarios. I don't know what would be typical in any given setup, and I'm not sure what a Sabatier is.
- zkms 7y ago> I'm not sure what a Sabatier is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction#Manufacturing_propellant_on_Mars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction#Manufacturin...
- dredmorbius 7y agoMethane generator, for in situ fuel production. "Sabatier reaction".
- crakenzak 7y agoIt's talking about the Sabatier process, which takes hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and puts them with a nickel catalyst and high pressure to make water and methane (useful for rocket propellant)
- davedx 7y agoThanks! Good suggestion. A few alternative “scenarios” with some presets could be nice.
- nixpulvis 7y agoFor distributed power generation on earth, check out https://www.homerenergy.com https://www.homerenergy.com.