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Dry-Ice Heat Engines For Martian Colonists
LeadSongDog writes: Heat engines using the "Leidenfrost effect" can exploit the gas expansion as CO2 sublimates to drive turbines. "The technique has exciting implications for working in extreme and alien environments, such as outer space, where it could be used to make long-term exploration and colonisation sustainable by using naturally occurring solid carbon dioxide as a resource rather than a waste product. If this could be realised, then future missions to Mars, such as those in the news recently, may not need to be ‘one-way’ after all.
Dry ice may not be abundant on Earth, but increasing evidence from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) suggests it may be a naturally occurring resource on Mars as suggested by the seasonal appearance of gullies on the surface of the red planet. If utilised in a Leidenfrost-based engine dry-ice deposits could provide the means to create future power stations on the surface of Mars. " The research was published in Nature Communications, and one of the researchers published an explanatory article at The Conversation.
Dry ice may not be abundant on Earth, but increasing evidence from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) suggests it may be a naturally occurring resource on Mars as suggested by the seasonal appearance of gullies on the surface of the red planet. If utilised in a Leidenfrost-based engine dry-ice deposits could provide the means to create future power stations on the surface of Mars. " The research was published in Nature Communications, and one of the researchers published an explanatory article at The Conversation.
Nuclear satellites and probes use tiny reactors only capable of watts of output. Voyager 1's has 3 MHW-RTG weighing 37.7 kg, and making 147w each.
The S5G reactor compartment weighed 650 tons.
The S9G reactor compartment weighed 1,400 tons and measures 31 ft in diameter, 37 feet deep.
We (anyone on Earth) don't have anything that will lift a submarine reactor to LEO. To the best of my knowledge, nothing like that has even been designed.
For comparison, the ISS is about 460 tons, and it wasn't delivered in one shot. I believe most of what's there was delivered in 31 flights.
Also, nuclear reactors don't last forever. From what I could find, the S9G is designed to be refueled at about 30 years.
Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.