rust Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 Thank you very much again for the link ! I especially like the Solar Sailor catamarans, one of them looks almost exact- ly like my imagination of a typical short range passenger transport boat on Pharos IV, like the ones used to transport passengers between the space- port and the capital city. The boats on Pharos IV are equipped with solar panels, but until now I was convinced that they could only provide some additional energy for seconda- ry systems, not enough power to propel the boat - very good to know that this is possible even with today's technology. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 And more desalination ... Thank you again ! I have just decided to put a prototype wave energy and desalination plant high on the "To Do" list of the Avalon Reserach Center's marine technology department, with the aim to build the first such system at the Archipelago Algae Farms (an aquacultural settlement) in the near future - the ideas from the links are just too good not to use them. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 And now, energy from sound waves: Sound Waves May Be Used To Generate Energy, Produce Weapons And More And more free energy goodies:Free Energy Directory by PES Network Inc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 I'm really on a roll with the "green" and free energy today, I hope you don't mind:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 I'm really on a roll with the "green" and free energy today, I hope you don't mind:) Not at all, this is exactly the kind of "input" I need to improve my setting ! I am not sure whether my colonists would appreciate the idea to use sound to produce energy, especially since they are trying to keep their colony as quiet as possible (I think the players consider this helpful to attract tourists to the planet in the future - once the pirates have been dealt with and the trade routes are open again). However, sound is used for the colony's typical hunting weapon, a sonic stun- ner, and to some degree for the undersea mining equipment, although the so- nar operators of the submarines that serve the mines definitely hate this. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Directory:A2BE Carbon Capture LLC - PESWiki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Not at all, this is exactly the kind of "input" I need to improve my setting ! I am not sure whether my colonists would appreciate the idea to use sound to produce energy, especially since they are trying to keep their colony as quiet as possible (I think the players consider this helpful to attract tourists to the planet in the future - once the pirates have been dealt with and the trade routes are open again). However, sound is used for the colony's typical hunting weapon, a sonic stun- ner, and to some degree for the undersea mining equipment, although the so- nar operators of the submarines that serve the mines definitely hate this. The colonists could collect the sound wave energy from footsteps, talking, etc. It doesn't have to be very loud (this is a sci-fi setting, after all:lol:) and could be from normal human activity. And think of how much sound a typhoon would make:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Yep, another very good idea (the algae stuff) ! While my colonists have not much use for biodiesel as a fuel, I am sure that the stuff can also be used as the raw material for the production of some sort of "bioplastics", which could replace the expensive carbon fibre materials used now in many of the simpler applications ... there seems to be a kind of "green" chemical industry on the colony's horizon ... Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 The colonists could collect the sound wave energy from footsteps, talking, etc. It doesn't have to be very loud (this is a sci-fi setting, after all:lol:) and could be from normal human activity. And think of how much sound a typhoon would make:eek: I agree, but I still have doubts whether the colonists would like that techno- logy. The best way to find out is to let an NPC, probably one of the colony's scientists, make the proposal to the governing council of the players' PCs. I will try to "sell" the idea to them, but I am almost sure that they will not want to spend money on it. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 And you can use all these devices as props and places to go for the colonists:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 And you can use all these devices as props and places to go for the colonists:) Exactly. And there is still this megacorporation that wants to destroy the colony because it welcomes the escaped genetic slaves. Just think of all the possible ways to sabotage the construction of the various projects, or to send a few "terrorists" to destroy the expensive new equipment -and of all the additional "job opportunities" (adventures) this can provide for the colony's security officers ... >:-> Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Yep, another very good idea (the algae stuff) ! While my colonists have not much use for biodiesel as a fuel, I am sure that the stuff can also be used as the raw material for the production of some sort of "bioplastics", which could replace the expensive carbon fibre materials used now in many of the simpler applications ... there seems to be a kind of "green" chemical industry on the colony's horizon ... http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/15/2040213 Something the colonists can export. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Yep, and one step further, and the biomembrane can be used to filter oxy- gen out of the seawater, which could lead to the production of a new type of artificial gills. And other membranes could be used to filter valuable re- sources from the water. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 This is just plain interesting:Scientists Discover How to Make Robots Bounce on Water : Environmental News Blog | Environmental Graffiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 This is just plain interesting ... True, but unfortunately it will work only for very small and very light robots on a very calm sea. So, it would not be of much use in my setting, where the average weather conditions would sink such robots almost immediately - at least those that are not eaten by something. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Also, I was thinking that maybe the colonists would use some of the salt left over from desalination to create works of art like in this Polish salt mine:Wieliczka Salt Mine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia They would compress the salt and maybe use other processes to create halite:Halite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I don't know if it's possible to do in a machine, but it is a sci-fi setting:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Salt Art and Halite ... I will think about it, perhaps there is some good way to introduce it. Tomorrow I will "work" through the many fascinating links you provided me with and make a couple of notes for my setting - thank you again ! And if you have any more interesting ideas, please keep them coming, I will be back in just a few hours. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I will try to come up with some more ideas during the week. I think I will be leaving for the night pretty soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 However, the Starcluster rpg (a percentile game system much like BRP as it was heavily influenced by BRP) has some source books that might help in giving ideas for creating the civilization on Pharos IV. They even have a free download of a water world name Faren (I thought it was an interesting coincidence in how close the names are:)). Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Flying Mice LLC StarCluster RPG Page Maybe even look at this:Chine Games Aquavita RPG Page And this is basically links to the full product line:Better Mousetrap Games Main Page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 They even have a free download of a water world name Faren (I thought it was an interesting coincidence in how close the names are). Strange indeed. I took the name Pharos from the famous lighthouse of Ale- xandria, one of the Seven Wonders, perhaps they started with a similar idea. The download has an interesting description of a seamount, perhaps I will "borrow" a few ideas there. I took a look at the other links again, and among the things I will introduce to Pharos IV in the near future are: - sea wave power and desalination plants, - solar energy to power small watercraft (or at least to reload their energy cells), - bioplast and biomembranes produced from algae. Some of the other ideas I will discuss with the players (or offer them to their characters in the game). Again, thank you very much for your help ! Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Strange indeed. I took the name Pharos from the famous lighthouse of Ale- xandria, one of the Seven Wonders, perhaps they started with a similar idea. The download has an interesting description of a seamount, perhaps I will "borrow" a few ideas there. I took a look at the other links again, and among the things I will introduce to Pharos IV in the near future are: - sea wave power and desalination plants, - solar energy to power small watercraft (or at least to reload their energy cells), - bioplast and biomembranes produced from algae. Some of the other ideas I will discuss with the players (or offer them to their characters in the game). Again, thank you very much for your help ! Thank you very much for your praise and gratitude of the links I post. I take a keen interest in "green" and "free" energy. So you can expect more of it--as I become aware of more of it--from me in the near future:thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 I take a keen interest in "green" and "free" energy. A technology very often used on Pharos IV is the Savonius Turbine: Savonius wind turbine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It is very simple, extremely rugged and quite cheap, and it works with ocean currents just as well as with wind. On Pharos IV, almost all floaters and ships have some kind of Savonius turbi- ne as a secondary power production system, and even many seafloor habi- tats use them. Savonius turbines are also the type used for the colony's first ocean current power plant. While their energy output is lower than that of other types of turbines, the initial costs and the maintenance requirements are much lower, too. Due to the weather conditions on Pharos IV, the most common type is the "flat" one without any kind of mast, approximately like this one: Forgen Wind Powered Generator Another technology often used on Pharos IV is Solar Paint: Swansea University - Latest Research Since both floaters and SWATH ships usually have large horizontal areas that are not used very often for other purposes, it seemed a logical idea to use such "sun decks" for energy production by coating them with solar paint. Together, Savonius turbines and Solar paint provide just enough energy to keep the basic life support systems of a floater or ship running in emergency situations, for example when a cyclone interrupts the energy grid of a floater settlement (which usually has only one fusion reactor on a separate floater), or when a ship has to shut down its fusion reactor for some reason. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 A technology very often used on Pharos IV is the Savonius Turbine: Savonius wind turbine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It is very simple, extremely rugged and quite cheap, and it works with ocean currents just as well as with wind. On Pharos IV, almost all floaters and ships have some kind of Savonius turbi- ne as a secondary power production system, and even many seafloor habi- tats use them. Savonius turbines are also the type used for the colony's first ocean current power plant. While their energy output is lower than that of other types of turbines, the initial costs and the maintenance requirements are much lower, too. Due to the weather conditions on Pharos IV, the most common type is the "flat" one without any kind of mast, approximately like this one: Forgen Wind Powered Generator Another technology often used on Pharos IV is Solar Paint: Swansea University - Latest Research Since both floaters and SWATH ships usually have large horizontal areas that are not used very often for other purposes, it seemed a logical idea to use such "sun decks" for energy production by coating them with solar paint. Together, Savonius turbines and Solar paint provide just enough energy to keep the basic life support systems of a floater or ship running in emergency situations, for example when a cyclone interrupts the energy grid of a floater settlement (which usually has only one fusion reactor on a separate floater), or when a ship has to shut down its fusion reactor for some reason. Thank you for the links. I'm a bit confused on the solar paint, though. Wouldn't there need to be 'electrodes' and batteries to collect the energy the paint is absorbing? It seems from the article that all you have to do is paint some steel and you've got electricity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 I'm a bit confused on the solar paint, though. Wouldn't there need to be 'electrodes' and batteries to collect the energy the paint is absorbing? It seems from the article that all you have to do is paint some steel and you've got electricity? I think one would of course have to connect the "painted solar panel" to so- me kind of energy storage device like a battery (energy cells based upon su- perconductor loops in the case of Pharos IV). Here are some more informations about the basic idea of Solar Paint: Spray-On Solar-Power Cells Are True Breakthrough NJIT - PublicInfo: NJIT Researchers Develop Inexpensive, Easy Process To Produce Solar Panels CBC Toronto - Features - Solar Revolution Edit.: And this is the energy storage technology that the colonists on Pharos IV use: Superconducting magnetic energy storage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 The colonists have got to wash their clothes "green":) Detergentless Haier WasH20 Washing Machine I'm hoping someone on this forum from France has bought or used one of these and can tell us how good it works:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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