Technology Updates

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-20 17:31:40

For SpaceNut re #207

Thanks for the tip for additional reading .... we are talking about superconducting magnets, of course, but I'm looking forward to finding out what Pierre discovered.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-21 11:35:28

Here's a technology update that should be of interest to folks who live outside cities, but who are served by power lines ...

Facebook has (according to this article) developed a robotic system able to install specially designed fiber cable on energized power lines.

If (I realize a big if) the US government were to get behind a push to deploy this technology across rural America, it could make a big difference at a lower cost than competing concepts.

A piece not mentioned in the article is how service would be distributed from the fiber, but ** one ** option is to simply install Wi-Fi terminals along the line where they would make sense.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/come-faceboo … 00604.html

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-07-21 21:06:54

Now here is a high tech Scientists are using brain-computer connections to restore a lost sense of touch

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-22 06:04:53

For SpaceNut re #210

Thanks! The news reported in the citations at the link you provided is encouraging! I noticed related citations about work to help folks suffering from "phantom limb" conditions.

***
Here is an update about solar panels:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/solar-power- … 27494.html

The first study, led by researchers at RMIT University, Australia's UNSW, and the University of Kentucky, found that low-energy light that's invisible to the human eye can be "upconverted" using oxygen to generate electricity, which could allow solar panels to generate more energy using the same amount of sunlight.

Work continues on investigation of perovskite for solar cells:

Another recent study led by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan found that solar panels may be more inexpensive and efficient if built with a material called perovskites rather than silicon, which most current solar panels are made of.

From Google search:

Natural and engineered perovskites | Sciencescience.sciencemag.org › content
Nov 10, 2017 - Perovskite is an unremarkable calcium titanium oxide mineral ... silicate perovskites are stable in the mantle of planets larger than Mars.
by P Szuromi - 2017 - Cited by 10 - Related articles

The following Google citations are from 2019:

Not only is perovskite an incredible conductor of electricity, but it also can be transported into space as a liquid and then printed onto panels on the Moon or Mars, unlike silicon panels that have to be built on Earth and then shipped to space.Oct 30, 2019
Building Solar Panels in Space Might be as Easy as Clicking ...www.nasa.gov › feature › glenn › building-solar-panels...
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NASA working to print perovskite solar cells in space ...www.perovskite-info.com › nasa-working-print-perovs...
Nov 1, 2019 - ... supply of electricity for an extended stay on the Moon or Mars would use an ink-jet-like printer to make super-thin solar cells from perovskites.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-22 13:28:03

Here's a report of progress on a robotic extension of a human operator, which (it seems to me) is essential for safe employment of humans in many industries and in many situations.

https://www.ien.com/product-development … on-to-feel

According to the article, there has been progress in delivering useful feedback to the operator.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-25 04:55:15

For SpaceNut ... this item could go in your dedicated Fusion topic;

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fusion-effic … 00550.html

The article reports on use of radio waves to break clots of plasma in Tokomak fusion experiments.

It contains background discussion that I found helpful in (trying to) understand the problem at hand.

Edit#1: For the physics (particle physics to be precise) students who chance across this forum, there is potentially a "sweet spot" in interplanetary travel which employs fusion of Hydrogen for thrust: Hydrogen "floating" in space between solar systems has been imagined as fuel for a fusion reactor. The most famous example (that I am aware of) is the Bussard ramjet.

However, as a vehicle accelerates with respect to the debris floating between solar systems, there will come a point at which the (relative) velocity of Hydrogen exactly matches the velocity that is ideal for certain fusion reactions. Up to that point the propulsion system would have to collect fuel (Hydrogen) and accelerate it to meet the requirements of the reaction in use. At that point, the Hydrogen could be used directly. Above that velocity, the Hydrogen would have to be slowed to meet the requirements.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-07-25 05:42:51)

Calliban · 2020-07-25 16:42:19

This innovation might be useful if it allows a higher beta factor, i.e the ratio between plasma pressure to magnetic field pressure. The problem is that to achieve reliable plasma containment in the face of instabilities, magnetic pressure must exceed plasma pressure by a factor of ~10. Because of limitations on achievable magnetic field strength, this places a limit on plasma pressure of no more than a few bars, from memory. The power density of a fusion plasma is proportional to fusion reaction rate, which is in turn proportional to the square of concentration of reacting plasma ions in the plasma. Ion concentration is of course a function of pressure - simple ideal gas stuff. So limits on plasma pressure, severely limit the power density of a reacting fusion plasma.

Unfortunately, at achievable plasma pressures, the power density of a tokamak is simply too low to seriously compete with a nuclear fission reactor. And that is assuming that poor power density were the only problem with magnetic confinement fusion. Any innovation that allows beta to be relaxed will bring magnetic confinement fusion closer to being realistically achievable in concept at least.

I have some doubts that it will ever be achievable as an economically competitive energy source. Though it could provide an excellent source of neutrons for thorium fast-fission. A fusion-fission hybrid reactor has advantages over conventional fast breeder reactors, in that the starter core does not need to carry fissile fuel. In a world that needs to rapidly increase nuclear generating capacity due to fossil fuel depletion, the hybrid may be the only way to generate enough fissile material to support the required nuclear build rate.

Last edited by Calliban (2020-07-25 16:49:25)

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-25 17:09:58

For Calliban re #214

Thank you for picking up on the report of efforts to improve the performance of magnetic confinement in Tokamaks. I appreciate your explanation of the ratio between magnetic field strength and plasma pressure (with a value of about 10). The next time I run across an article about the challenges of fusion, I'll look for that.

I'm pretty sure you've mentioned the hybrid breeder reactor concept before, and appreciate your bringing it up again.

(th)

Calliban · 2020-07-25 19:08:38

tahanson43206 wrote:

For Calliban re #214
Thank you for picking up on the report of efforts to improve the performance of magnetic confinement in Tokamaks. I appreciate your explanation of the ratio between magnetic field strength and plasma pressure (with a value of about 10). The next time I run across an article about the challenges of fusion, I'll look for that.
I'm pretty sure you've mentioned the hybrid breeder reactor concept before, and appreciate your bringing it up again.
(th)

The hybrid could be a potential nuclear power source for a Mars city. If it is politically difficult to launch fissile material from Earth, then a hybrid could make use of fertile depleted uranium launched from Earth or thorium mined on Mars. The problem is, a fusion reactor is so complex it may be difficult to build from scratch on Mars.

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-27 08:12:41

For Calliban re #216

I ** like ** the sound of a hybrid system on Mars that is ** not ** subject to the "social distancing" that occurs when nuclear fission is requested.

While I agree that a system like this (hybrid) would be difficult to build on Mars, ** everything ** will be difficult on Mars. The people who ** stay ** there will (most likely) be up to the challenges, or they'll bail out.

However, a search for Thorium on Mars would be a precursor for serious development of this idea. There would also be a challenge for ignition, in the sense that the breeder capability will require a ** lot ** of input power investment before the hoped-for payoff (fissionable material) appears.

***
For SpaceNut ... this item ought to be of interest to our numerous members from the UK ...

https://theconversation.com/the-uk-plan … ion-143053

The article reports on the opinion offered by a UK academic, suggesting that cars and trucks be used to build out the energy storage capability the government wants to achieve by 2050. The argument (as I understood it anyway) seems persuasive. Perhaps it will gain some traction, although good ideas don't necessarily win popularity contests, in the UK or anywhere else.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-27 10:08:20

Here's a new lighting display that is worth considering for habitats in space vessels or on Mars in habitats.

This is an extension of the flat panel TV concept (as I understand it) with the caveat that there is no digital display other than a spectrum for room lighting.

https://www.sciplus.com/dimmable-2-x-2- … Sale+items

The link above may go away since it comes from an advertising email. If someone thinks the concept is worth preserving, I'd appreciate follow up posting of a more permanent link.

(th)

Void · 2020-07-27 12:11:27

That is interesting. I would cost a lot today, (Too Much), but it might suggest how an opaque cave or surface structure, might actually have a interior surface that shines, and maybe would be able to support television to mimic a sky or mountain view. This might make habitats more satisfying to people and animals from a psychological view. You might have gardens and even farm fields actually in the caves, using the light, but the light while having the useful total spectrum for plant growth, would never the less be used to paint an illusion of sky, and perhaps objects on the horizon such as hills.

Even at the efficiency of diodes, though, there would be heat to dump. (Maybe into a body of water).

The technology might also be adapted to the gorges of Louis, where although the cover would be transparent, he has already specified some artificial light.

Too expensive now though.

Perhaps a persons entrance to the chamber could switch on what view they wanted, and if no one was there the displays would simply give the most effective light that would grow plants.

Done.

Last edited by Void (2020-07-27 12:15:23)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-01 13:52:55

Molecularly thin interface between polymers makes for efficient CO2 capture membrane

kyushu-molecularly-thin-interface-between-polymers-efficient-co2-capture-membrane-hg.jpg

Technological solutions for the massive CO2 emissions prevention are therefore critically needed. Some technologies for CO2 capture, for instance, sorption by liquid amine chemicals are already mature to be applied on a scale, however they are costly and come with a burden of toxic chemicals disposal once they lost their CO2 binding property. Alternative technologies are therefore of a great importance.
Separation of gases with the help of membranes is emerging as a key technology for the establishment of a sustainable energy society. Wide deployment of membranes can help to capture huge amounts carbon dioxide emitted in the variety of industrial processes. In contrast to conventional CO2 capture, gas separation with membranes provides a promise for cost-efficient solution.

I hope works under low pressure.

Research Report: "Critical role of the molecular interface in double-layered Pebax-1657/PDMS nanomembranes on highly efficient CO2/N2 gas separation"

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-10 05:28:21

SpaceNut posted this report in another topic recently:

Argonne National Laboratory uses new electrocatalyst to turn carbon dioxide into liquid fuel
new catalyst that can convert carbon dioxide and water into ethanol …
It breaks down carbon dioxide and water molecules and selectively converts them into ethanol using an external electric field. The electrocalytic selectivity or ferradic efficiency of the process is more than 90%, much higher than when using any other reported process.

The carbon capture technique reported in Post#220 would (presumably) feed raw CO2 directly into the Argonne Labs process.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-10 05:29:56

This update is about progress in designing equipment and procedures to reduce orbit pollution:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/japanese-sat … 40294.html

Japanese satellite to use laser to rid space of dangerous debris
Julian Ryall
August 10, 2020 5:23 AM

***
For SpaceNut ... humans have launched many tons of highly refined metals into space over the decades since 1954 ... Much of that material remains in orbit, and some of the objects are massive spy satellites. The default view appears to be that that material should be guided safely to burn itself up in the atmosphere. However, I would like to point out that the parts of that orbiting debris that can be salvaged for an interplanetary transport would represent a potential savings as compared to boosting material from the ground. Each object would have to be evaluated for potential value. The Soviet (and other) polar satellites are unlikely to be salvageable unless there are enough of them to justify building a large ship in polar orbit.

Edit#1: Earth/Moon L1 would be a possible location for a facility designed to build an interplanetary vessel using material salvaged from defunct Earth orbiting satellites. Polar orbiting satellites could be boosted to L1, as could satellites in other planes, with less penalty for plane change than would otherwise be the case.

Negotiations with the nations who put these objects into orbit would include a value proposition for participation in the interplanetary transport venture. This would make Russia and the United States major players.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-10 06:17:49)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-10 17:22:28

If it were only so simple to lay claim...

http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/t … index.html

1968 Rescue Agreement. The treaty requires that States Parties return any "foreign" space objects discovered in their territory to their owners and that they notify the Secretary-General of any such discovered objects.

https://thespacereview.com/article/3370/1

https://cjil.uchicago.edu/publication/r … uter-space

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-10 17:50:43

For SpaceNut re #223

Thanks for the links to articles on objects in orbit around Earth ... my proposal was NOT to lay claim. Your links make clear that objects in orbit are the responsibility of the launching nations.

Instead, I was proposing that the launching nations (primarily US and Russia) might find common cause in boosting large dead satellites to L1, where they could be converted (with some effort) into an interplanetary space transport.

The fact that the US and Russia continue to cooperate in support of the ISS implies to me that there exists a possibility that cooperation could be extended.

My guess is that the dead spy satellites in particular are built of the very highest grade materials that were possible at the time of launch.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-10 18:08:21

That would require refueling them by that nation or connecting a tug booster. These are very old and are just adrift without the ability to even deorbit to burn up on the way down.

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-10 19:02:28

For SpaceNut re #225

Thanks for picking up on the potential of very high quality metals already in orbit! The older Soviet spy satellites are particularly rich in materials, because they used brute force to shove massive satellites into position in those days. You're right that each object would need an investment of energy to move it to a work location, but please note that the responsible nation ALREADY invested great amounts of energy to put those objects where they are. I suggested the L1 site because the Cold War relics are in every possible orbit, but all of them can be moved to L1 with (I'm estimating of course) approximately the same amount of energy per kilogram of mass.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-10 19:03:13)

kbd512 · 2020-08-10 19:22:36

tahanson43206,

Yes, there are absolutely thousands of tons of riches, in the form of recyclable super grade metal alloys, floating around up there. All "junk" should be cleared as part of the "clear skies" program and recycled in orbit to assure smooth sailing for future interplanetary spaceships and to provide spare / repair materials for the same. Anyone who wants to recycle and reuse the various defunct upper stages or satellites should be allowed to do so. Otherwise, it's just squandered money. The non-operational nuclear reactors floating around up there should also be collected and recycled on the moon or flown into the Sun to dispose of them. We need an industrial module added to ISS with disassembly bays and smelters. The old ISS modules will be part of the initial materials stockpile.

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-10 19:36:15

For kbd512 re #227

Thanks for your support of the basic proposal. Diplomacy is called for, because of the reasons that SpaceNut pointed out.

It seems unlikely that international agreement on this scale will occur, but a sufficiently interesting global undertaking might provide a framework.

The ITER project to try to advance the understanding of brute force fusion is a massive international project on the scale of what is required here.

Since Putin will be in power as long as he wants to be, I'm assuming he'd be the decision maker who would approve the Russian participation in the project.

(th)

kbd512 · 2020-08-10 20:23:27

tahanson43206,

Russia needs a better form of energy production every bit as badly as every other nation on Earth does. Despite the pissing contest between America and Russia in political spheres, our space agencies still work hand-in-glove with each other. If they didn't, ISS simply wouldn't work. Since the Cold War ended, the American and Russian space programs have become co-dependent for resources, both human and material. There's only a handful of nations that "own" the space junk, with the bulk of it belonging to Russia / US / EU / China / India.

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-11 07:16:55

For kbd512 re #229

First, thank you for continued support of this initiative. What we are talking about here is a level of cooperation that is rare in human history.

I was intrigued by your hint that Russia might be involved in ITER (which I had thought of as a European project) so I checked with Google, and found that Russia is indeed a member of ITER. Excellent!

For forum readers who (like me) would appreciate a refresh on ITER, Google offers this:

The ITER Members—China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States—are now engaged in a 35-year collaboration to build and operate the ITER experimental device, and together bring fusion to the point where a demonstration fusion reactor can be designed.
What is ITER?www.iter.org › proj › inafewlines

The idea for this comes from the Mars Society. No one is going to care where inside the Mars Society it originated, if the idea itself has merit.

The treasure trove of expensive materials (metals, glass, rare elements, etc) represented by all those defunct satellites may contain enough material to make an interplanetary transport on the scale of the vision offered by RobertDyck, or perhaps even the rotating habitat design you tossed out recently in another topic.

The skills that are needed to persuade space going nations to contribute to the collection of materials for a Mars ship are of a very high order.

There may be no one alive on Earth with the capability required. However, among the younger population, there may be a person who could grow into a diplomat of this stature, given inspiration from a source such as this.

For SpaceNut ... in another topic, not long ago, you were thinking about the challenge of inspiring youngsters to think about Mars/space, and specifically to undertake education plans that would prepare them for a career in the fields that exist now and will become available.

Diplomatic skills at the United Nations Security Council level are needed for a project to collect defunct satellites to make an interplanetary ship.

Modest engineering skills are needed to work out the techniques that are required.

Solar sails might be an attractive option for movement of objects to Lunar L1, to reduce the costs of energy and mass.

Nations who are not currently space faring could be enlisted to sponsor the movement of specific objects. Obviously the "owners" of the objects would be key players in any such transactions.

Contributions could and (probably will) be valued for factors such as raw mass, material contents, and (perhaps) any salvageable technology that might be present. The technology present in those objects represents the very peak of capability of the population of the launching nations, at the time of launch.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-11 07:43:30)

Void · 2020-08-12 11:43:35

Storing energy in "red bricks":
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-ene … ricks.html
Quotes:

Red bricks—some of the world's cheapest and most familiar building materials—can be converted into energy storage units that can be charged to hold electricity, like a battery, according to new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

"Our method works with regular brick or recycled bricks, and we can make our own bricks as well," said Julio D'Arcy, assistant professor of chemistry. "As a matter of fact, the work that we have published in Nature Communications stems from bricks that we bought at Home Depot right here in Brentwood (Missouri); each brick was 65 cents."

"In this work, we have developed a coating of the conducting polymer PEDOT, which is comprised of nanofibers that penetrate the inner porous network of a brick; a polymer coating remains trapped in a brick and serves as an ion sponge that stores and conducts electricity," D'Arcy said.
The red pigment in bricks—iron oxide, or rust—is essential for triggering the polymerisation reaction. The authors' calculations suggest that walls made of these energy-storing bricks could store a substantial amount of energy.
"PEDOT-coated bricks are ideal building blocks that can provide power to emergency lighting," D'Arcy said. "We envision that this could be a reality when you connect our bricks with solar cells—this could take 50 bricks in close proximity to the load. These 50 bricks would enable powering emergency lighting for five hours.
"Advantageously, a brick wall serving as a supercapacitor can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times within an hour. If you connect a couple of bricks, microelectronics sensors would be easily powered."

Pressing Martian regolith into bricks:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/27/1543 … n-missions
Quote:

That made the researchers think there is some ingredient already in the Martian soil that helps it to stick together. They ultimately landed on iron oxide — a chemical compound that gives Martian soil its signature red color. When iron oxide is crushed, it can crack easily, forming fractures with very clean and flat surfaces, according to Qiao. And when these surfaces are firmly pressed together, they form super strong bonds.

Not only do you actually have a binder more than just iron oxide, but I expect the results would be very good in many ways.
It is hard to not think of this for Mars, in various locations, but I would also suggest that you could make air dams out of them in Mars lavatubes, to hold back air, not water, so partititioning off favored locations of a lavatube.
Probably just generating iron oxide on the Moon and other locations would allow for similar activities involving "Electric Storage Bricks".
Done.

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-12 18:29:30

For Void re #231

Your report on storing energy in bricks is quite interesting!

The topic deserves further study. I'm assuming bricks treated for this unexpected property need to be independent of their surroundings, so it may turn out that only new (or refurbished) bricks will be upgraded to store energy while performing their traditional duties.

***

Here is news in the Quantum realm ... I'm not sure where it could go, other than this topic:

https://news.arizona.edu/story/universi … m-internet

University of Arizona Awarded $26M to Architect the Quantum Internet
The University of Arizona will lead a new National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, called the Center for Quantum Networks, with core partners Harvard, MIT and Yale.
University Communications
Aug. 4, 2020

I'm glad to see the US in this important game. I had the impression that China has been making strides in this field.

End-to-end encryption of Internet traffic is one benefit of success in developing this field, but (I'm assuming) other benefits will become apparent.

(th)

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