Portable Fusion Generators

BARD PAPER: VERA6005

20Mw Portable Fusion Generator
TL: 12
Weight: 42.33 tons
Cost: 2.0318 MCr
Weight: 14 kl
Maintenance: 4
Calling this system łportable˛ belies the fact that it is an enormously bulky and massive piece of equipment. Perhaps, independent is a better description. The power plant measures 2m x 2m x 3.5m and will sink into the earth if not properly supported. This model found frequent use as a semi-permanent power supply for bases, emergency teams, colonists and the like -- people who need a lot of power for months or years but donšt plan on needing a permanent structure. These devices are common all through the fronteir provinces due to their long life and simple, rugged design. The entire assembly is extremely durable, featuring a weather-tight armored shell (AV=3) that can withstand 10 atmospheres of pressure for extended periods of time. The power plant has an integral tank for 1000 liters of fuel, enough for 1.5 years of use at maximum power. The unit also has integral contra-grav lifters to make the device easier to transport and allows the machine to be placed on soft earth without settling into it. The contragrav units, while active, use .1 Mw while in use.

There is also a small cargo space (572 liters) that is used to hold tools, spare parts, power cables and the like. One common addition is a large, foldable mylar balloon. This can be filled with hydrogen bled from the tanks to provide neutral buoyancy for the generator, allowing the fusion plant to be moved with muscle power alone -- a slow, tedious process. Owners are warned not to overfill the balloon, as this can cause your fusion plant to float away and not come down until the hydrogen has leaked out of the balloon-- months later.

3Mw Portable Fusion Generator
TL: 13
Weight: 3038 kg
Cost: .204 MCr
Weight: 1.5 kl
Maintenance: 0 (.3)
Advances in fusion technology make this the first of the truly portable fusion units. Although still massing over 3 tons, it is compact enough to be placed in the back of an explorer vehicle or used to power a supply camp or wilderness retreat. It resembles a cube 115 cm on a side. This unit also sports an integral CG system, allowing it to be moved more easily. This unit shares the rugged nature of portable units, having a water-tight armored shell (AV=2) safe to 10 atmospheres. There have been several examples of this unit found operating after being submerged in water or mud for years and still operating at low power. The plant has a 300 liter tank, enough to provide peak power for 1 year. A 147 liter cargo box is placed on the side for tools and power cables (or cookware).

Several models sport a heat sink on the top of the device, allowing the surface of the reactor to be used as a makeshift stove. This unit was especially popular with wilderness guides who would cook their guestšs dinner on top of the reactor unit.

Unlike earlier fusion plants, this unit is small enough to not require annual maintenance. Instead, it needs to be serviced no more than once every three years.

0.75 Mw Portable Fusion Generator
TL: 14
Weight: 758.5 kg
Cost: 51, 160 Cr
Weight: 300 liters
Maintenance: 0
This design proved to be one of the most popular as it could actually be thrown in the back of a truck or air raft and taken to a destination without difficulty. It has the same CG lifters that the earlier units have. Itšs tough, weather-sealed skin has an AV=2. Units of this size and smaller no longer require scheduled maintenance other than to clean the filters and occasionally adjust the flow controls.

The reactor has a 19.8 liter tank that supplies the unit with fuel for over 26 years and quite a few have actually run out of fuel before they broke down. This unit has no space for tools or supplies, although it does come with handles and tie-down loops.

0.6 Mw Portable Fusion Generator
TL: 15
Weight: 201 kg (202 kg)
Cost: 15, 110 Cr (15, 500 Cr)
Weight: 110 liters (110 liters)
Maintenance: 0
These units were a common sight in the Imperium. Such devices were used to augment power for businesses that didnšt want or were unable to draw their full requirements from the local power grid. Because of the unitšs small size, it is not fitted with a CG lifter.

These units came with an armored shell (AV=1) but they could be equipped to run in hazardous areas by placing it in a heavier shell (AV=3) and coating that with a protective layer that allowed it to operate in corrosive environments. The numbers in parentheses above represent the upgraded version of the power plant.

The plant has 9 liters of fuel, enough for 17 years of service at maximum power.

0.52 Mw Portable Fusion Generator
TL: 16
Weight: 79 kg
Cost: 15, 840 Cr
Weight: 80 liters
Maintenance: 0
About the size of a large ice-chest (35cm x 30cm x 76cm), this is the most compact fusion plant that the Imperium could easily develop. It was extremely rare but such designs are becoming more common in Regency space, especially with the need for portable power supplies to aid in rebuilding and exploring. The cases are amazingly durable, having a coherent superdense body with an AV=8 and the ability to withstand nearly 40 atmospheres of pressure. It is also coated with an inert material that resists corrosive atmospheres

The power plant has 4.8 liters of fuel; enough to support it for 9.2 years.