Yes, I almost went into that sidebar in my previous post.
HEPlaR is designed so that fusion products are not vented into the
exhaust. That CAN be done, the same way that in a pressurized water
nuclear reactor the steam that goes into the turbine is not radioactive.
The primary coolant that goes through the core passes heat to the
secondary coolant that goes into the turbines. That's the same premise
with HEPlaR.
HOWEVER, since there is fission/fusion going on nearby, there can be
leaks. I would imagine that a HEPlaR in poor repair could put out some
trace radioactivity.
> So, why would it be either necessary or allowable for a
> space ship of any type to be allowed anywhere near an occupied planetary
> system wilst spewing a radioactive cloud all about?
It wouldn't. If you saw one coming to your planet, orbital control would
say, "you're staying in orbit until you get that fixed." Unless there is
no orbital control, you're a military ship attacking, etc.
If you're asking about fusion rockets, we put that it because people asked
for them. When the TNE basic rules came out, people assumed that HEPlaR
WAS fusion rockets (and we may not have had that name yet; we may have
come up with that name later to make clear the distinction with fusion
rockets), and when we told them, "no, it's not," a lot of them said, "but
fusion rockets are cool, we want to be able to play fusion rockets in a
universe where stardrives are really dangerous and stuff."
And we said, "cool, dude, fusion rockets coming up in FF&S. Have a ball."
Fusion rockets were not intended to be used in the 3I based background we
are familiar with.
Did I answer your question?
> Many of our designs assume that because the drive is powered by an atomic
> or fusion powered source that the exhaust must be radioactive. However I
> think this assumption is misplaced. True an improperly maintained system
> could easily vent some radioactives into the environment, but so could any
> of our current nuclear power systems.Â
> Yet, the current ones do not habitually cause environmental problems due
> to radiation. So, why would it be either necessary or allowable for a
> space ship of any type to be allowed anywhere near an occupied planetary
> system wilst spewing a radioactive cloud all about?
> Â
> Your thoughts please
> Tim
>
>
>>________________________________
From: Antony Farrell
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 10:30 AM
Subject: [Traveller_TNE] Alcatraz class in-system prison transport
>>
>>
>>Â
>>
>>This is a new design which came about when I started reviewing the old
>> ones on the web site. It could also be used as a specialised boat on a
>> starship.
>>Â
>>Antony
>>Alcatraz class in-system prisoner transport (QL)
>>Federated States of Sol (United Worlds Commonwealth)
>>The Alcatraz class of in-system prisoner transport is another variant of
>> the Calliope class cargo sloop. The vessel generally carried its
>> complement of prisoners in cryo-suspension. A small number of conscious
>> passengers such as prison staff could also be transported. A number were
>> also used during the Centauri war to ferry critically wounded in
>> cryo-berths to places where they could be treated.
>>Â
>>General Data Â
>>Displacement:400 displacement tons Hull Armour:24 (6cm Composite
>> Laminate)
>>Length:44 meters Volume:5,600 cubic meters
>>Price:330,693,157 Cr. (including series discount) Target Size:S
>>Configuration:Cylinder SL Tech Level:9
>>Mass:(Loaded/Empty) 3,277.6817/2,677.5907 tons
>>Â Â
>>Engineering Data Â
>>G Rating:2G (Fusion rocket, produces 80Mw per G), No Contra-Grav Lifters
>>G Turns:140, 10 cubic meters each
>>Atmospheric Performance:The vessel is capable of atmospheric entry and
>> may manoeuvre at up to 1,100kph. However the exhaust is radioactive.
>>Maintenance:168 Â
>>Â Â
>>Electronics:3xTL9 Standard Computers (0.25Mw each)
>>Communications:30,000km Radio (1 hex; 1Mw), 30,000km Maser (1 hex; 0.15Mw
>> each)
>>Avionics:TL8+ Flight Avionics Â
>>Sensors:30,000km Passive HRT with folding array (1 hex; 0.06Mw), 30,000km
>> Radar (1 hex; 4Mw), 3xNavigation Lights (0.0001Mw each)
>>ECM/ECCM:None
>>Controls:Flight Deck with 5xWorkstations
>>Â Â
>>Armament: Â
>>Offensive/Defensive:None
>>Â Â
>>Accomodations: Â
>>Life Support:Extended (1.12Mw), Hamster cage (13m radius producing 0.14G
>> pseudo gravity; contains 2xAirlocks, 31xLarge Staterooms, 12xSmall
>> Staterooms and 6xCryoberths)
>>Crew:9 (2xElectronics, 2xManeuver, 1xMaintenance, 2xFlight Crew,
>> 1xCommand, 1xMedical)
>>Crew Accomodations:1xLarge Stateroom (0.001Mw), 8xSmall Staterooms
>> (0.0005Mw each)
>>Passenger Accomodations:4xSmall Staterooms (0.0005Mw each),
>> 120xCryoberths (0.001Mw each) Â
>>Cargo Capacity:464.2 cubic meters (464.2 tons), two large cargo hatches
>>Small Craft and Launch Facilities:2 TL9 28 cubic meter Skyreach class
>> aircars or similar with internal hangers (minimal) and one launch port
>> each Â
>>Airlocks:4xAirlocks Â
>>Additional Fittings:None Â
>>Design Notes:Fuel purification equipment is sufficient to purify 700
>> cubic meters of L-Hyd in 6 hours. Fuel scoop capacity is 1,120 cubic
>> meters of L-Hyd per hour (1.25 hours to refuel exclusive of power plant
>> fuel.)
>>
>>Â
>>Â
>>Operational Notes: Normally used as an orbit to prison transport vessel
>> with some cargo capacity. The radioactive exhaust was generally not
>> considered a problem as most prisons were constructed on/in asteroids or
>> on bodies which were either airless or the atmosphere was already
>> poisonous to human life.
>>Â Â
>>DAMAGE TABLES:
>>Area Surface Hits Internal Explosion Systems
>>1 1-8:Ant Hold FPP-9H, MD-9H,
>>2-3 Â Hold LS-4H, ELS-2H,
>>4-7 Â Qtrs Hanger-1H, LSR-1H,
>>8-9 1-5:CH Hold PP-1H, Radar-1H,
>>10 1:AL,2-9:LP 1-13:Qtrs,14-19:Elec,20:Hold AG-1H, SSR-(2h),
>>11 Â 1-13:Qtrs,14-20:Hold All others-(1h)
>>12,15 1:AL 1-13:Qtrs,14-20:Eng Â
>>13-14 Â 1-13:Qtrs,14-20:Eng Â
>>16-17,19 Â 1-9:Eng,10-20:Hold Â
>>18 1:AL Eng Â
>>20 Â Eng Â
>>Â
>>
HEPlaR is designed so that fusion products are not vented into the
exhaust. That CAN be done, the same way that in a pressurized water
nuclear reactor the steam that goes into the turbine is not radioactive.
The primary coolant that goes through the core passes heat to the
secondary coolant that goes into the turbines. That's the same premise
with HEPlaR.
HOWEVER, since there is fission/fusion going on nearby, there can be
leaks. I would imagine that a HEPlaR in poor repair could put out some
trace radioactivity.
> So, why would it be either necessary or allowable for a
> space ship of any type to be allowed anywhere near an occupied planetary
> system wilst spewing a radioactive cloud all about?
It wouldn't. If you saw one coming to your planet, orbital control would
say, "you're staying in orbit until you get that fixed." Unless there is
no orbital control, you're a military ship attacking, etc.
If you're asking about fusion rockets, we put that it because people asked
for them. When the TNE basic rules came out, people assumed that HEPlaR
WAS fusion rockets (and we may not have had that name yet; we may have
come up with that name later to make clear the distinction with fusion
rockets), and when we told them, "no, it's not," a lot of them said, "but
fusion rockets are cool, we want to be able to play fusion rockets in a
universe where stardrives are really dangerous and stuff."
And we said, "cool, dude, fusion rockets coming up in FF&S. Have a ball."
Fusion rockets were not intended to be used in the 3I based background we
are familiar with.
Did I answer your question?
> Many of our designs assume that because the drive is powered by an atomic
> or fusion powered source that the exhaust must be radioactive. However I
> think this assumption is misplaced. True an improperly maintained system
> could easily vent some radioactives into the environment, but so could any
> of our current nuclear power systems.Â
> Yet, the current ones do not habitually cause environmental problems due
> to radiation. So, why would it be either necessary or allowable for a
> space ship of any type to be allowed anywhere near an occupied planetary
> system wilst spewing a radioactive cloud all about?
> Â
> Your thoughts please
> Tim
>
>
>>________________________________
From: Antony Farrell
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 10:30 AM
Subject: [Traveller_TNE] Alcatraz class in-system prison transport
>>
>>
>>Â
>>
>>This is a new design which came about when I started reviewing the old
>> ones on the web site. It could also be used as a specialised boat on a
>> starship.
>>Â
>>Antony
>>Alcatraz class in-system prisoner transport (QL)
>>Federated States of Sol (United Worlds Commonwealth)
>>The Alcatraz class of in-system prisoner transport is another variant of
>> the Calliope class cargo sloop. The vessel generally carried its
>> complement of prisoners in cryo-suspension. A small number of conscious
>> passengers such as prison staff could also be transported. A number were
>> also used during the Centauri war to ferry critically wounded in
>> cryo-berths to places where they could be treated.
>>Â
>>General Data Â
>>Displacement:400 displacement tons Hull Armour:24 (6cm Composite
>> Laminate)
>>Length:44 meters Volume:5,600 cubic meters
>>Price:330,693,157 Cr. (including series discount) Target Size:S
>>Configuration:Cylinder SL Tech Level:9
>>Mass:(Loaded/Empty) 3,277.6817/2,677.5907 tons
>>Â Â
>>Engineering Data Â
>>G Rating:2G (Fusion rocket, produces 80Mw per G), No Contra-Grav Lifters
>>G Turns:140, 10 cubic meters each
>>Atmospheric Performance:The vessel is capable of atmospheric entry and
>> may manoeuvre at up to 1,100kph. However the exhaust is radioactive.
>>Maintenance:168 Â
>>Â Â
>>Electronics:3xTL9 Standard Computers (0.25Mw each)
>>Communications:30,000km Radio (1 hex; 1Mw), 30,000km Maser (1 hex; 0.15Mw
>> each)
>>Avionics:TL8+ Flight Avionics Â
>>Sensors:30,000km Passive HRT with folding array (1 hex; 0.06Mw), 30,000km
>> Radar (1 hex; 4Mw), 3xNavigation Lights (0.0001Mw each)
>>ECM/ECCM:None
>>Controls:Flight Deck with 5xWorkstations
>>Â Â
>>Armament: Â
>>Offensive/Defensive:None
>>Â Â
>>Accomodations: Â
>>Life Support:Extended (1.12Mw), Hamster cage (13m radius producing 0.14G
>> pseudo gravity; contains 2xAirlocks, 31xLarge Staterooms, 12xSmall
>> Staterooms and 6xCryoberths)
>>Crew:9 (2xElectronics, 2xManeuver, 1xMaintenance, 2xFlight Crew,
>> 1xCommand, 1xMedical)
>>Crew Accomodations:1xLarge Stateroom (0.001Mw), 8xSmall Staterooms
>> (0.0005Mw each)
>>Passenger Accomodations:4xSmall Staterooms (0.0005Mw each),
>> 120xCryoberths (0.001Mw each) Â
>>Cargo Capacity:464.2 cubic meters (464.2 tons), two large cargo hatches
>>Small Craft and Launch Facilities:2 TL9 28 cubic meter Skyreach class
>> aircars or similar with internal hangers (minimal) and one launch port
>> each Â
>>Airlocks:4xAirlocks Â
>>Additional Fittings:None Â
>>Design Notes:Fuel purification equipment is sufficient to purify 700
>> cubic meters of L-Hyd in 6 hours. Fuel scoop capacity is 1,120 cubic
>> meters of L-Hyd per hour (1.25 hours to refuel exclusive of power plant
>> fuel.)
>>
>>Â
>>Â
>>Operational Notes: Normally used as an orbit to prison transport vessel
>> with some cargo capacity. The radioactive exhaust was generally not
>> considered a problem as most prisons were constructed on/in asteroids or
>> on bodies which were either airless or the atmosphere was already
>> poisonous to human life.
>>Â Â
>>DAMAGE TABLES:
>>Area Surface Hits Internal Explosion Systems
>>1 1-8:Ant Hold FPP-9H, MD-9H,
>>2-3 Â Hold LS-4H, ELS-2H,
>>4-7 Â Qtrs Hanger-1H, LSR-1H,
>>8-9 1-5:CH Hold PP-1H, Radar-1H,
>>10 1:AL,2-9:LP 1-13:Qtrs,14-19:Elec,20:Hold AG-1H, SSR-(2h),
>>11 Â 1-13:Qtrs,14-20:Hold All others-(1h)
>>12,15 1:AL 1-13:Qtrs,14-20:Eng Â
>>13-14 Â 1-13:Qtrs,14-20:Eng Â
>>16-17,19 Â 1-9:Eng,10-20:Hold Â
>>18 1:AL Eng Â
>>20 Â Eng Â
>>Â
>>