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Titan AC - What's next for Titan? Hydroelectric power?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 15th 05, 07:45 PM
Tkalbfus1
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Default Titan AC - What's next for Titan? Hydroelectric power?

Now we know what the surface of Titan looks like, its a world with oceans,
lakes and rivers of something. How about a follow on mission? Clearly its a
unique body. Perhaps there is a Case for Titan. Humans could settle Titan, and
I thought about a unique form of power to power the settlement. How about a
hydroelectric dam? There are lakes and rivers of hydrocarbons, what if we built
a dam in front of one of those rivers and created an artificial hydrocarbon
resevoir behind it. The hydrocarbon lake would build up behind it and create
pressure on the dam. The pressure could turn a turbine and create electricity
for a manned base on Titan. Naturally some of that electricity can be used to
heat the base, and create oxygen to breath and water to drink from the surface
ice. Titan is the only other world in the Solar System besides Earth where you
could build a hydroelectric dam.

Tom
  #2  
Old January 16th 05, 01:58 AM
Blurrt
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"Tkalbfus1" wrote in message
...
Now we know what the surface of Titan looks like, its a world with oceans,
lakes and rivers of something. How about a follow on mission? Clearly its

a
unique body. Perhaps there is a Case for Titan. Humans could settle Titan,

and
I thought about a unique form of power to power the settlement. How about

a
hydroelectric dam? There are lakes and rivers of hydrocarbons, what if we

built
a dam in front of one of those rivers and created an artificial

hydrocarbon
resevoir behind it. The hydrocarbon lake would build up behind it and

create
pressure on the dam. The pressure could turn a turbine and create

electricity
for a manned base on Titan. Naturally some of that electricity can be used

to
heat the base, and create oxygen to breath and water to drink from the

surface
ice. Titan is the only other world in the Solar System besides Earth where

you
could build a hydroelectric dam.

Tom


I'm still not convinced that that is an ocean - it looks like we landed in
it but are on rather firm, but slightly pasty, ground.

I think it will turn out that the ocean is a thick hydrocarbon paste formed
as a result of simple mixing with ice. A kind of Titan Mud only thicker (and
backwards!).

Plus the gravity is about a tenth Earth's so even if there is a viable
liquid on the surface the power you could recover would be reduced by at
least that factor.
Nuclear batteries are the best way. Or power beaming.

Nathan

Nathan


  #3  
Old January 16th 05, 06:02 PM
Rodney Kelp
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A nuclear power plant would be the way to go.

"Tkalbfus1" wrote in message
...
Now we know what the surface of Titan looks like, its a world with oceans,
lakes and rivers of something. How about a follow on mission? Clearly its
a
unique body. Perhaps there is a Case for Titan. Humans could settle Titan,
and
I thought about a unique form of power to power the settlement. How about
a
hydroelectric dam? There are lakes and rivers of hydrocarbons, what if we
built
a dam in front of one of those rivers and created an artificial
hydrocarbon
resevoir behind it. The hydrocarbon lake would build up behind it and
create
pressure on the dam. The pressure could turn a turbine and create
electricity
for a manned base on Titan. Naturally some of that electricity can be used
to
heat the base, and create oxygen to breath and water to drink from the
surface
ice. Titan is the only other world in the Solar System besides Earth where
you
could build a hydroelectric dam.

Tom



 




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