New Mars Forums

JoshNH4H

Member

From: Pullman, WA

Registered: 2007-07-15

Posts: 2,546

Website

Re: Heat

Nobody seems to have addressed this problem yet, but it is very important, and I figured I would ask. On mars, would there be problems with heat, like in space, where it builds up because there is nowhere for it to go? Or is it like the polar ice caps (on earth), where you lose heat very quickly, and need heaters and insulators?

If there is a nuclear reactor (there will be if we really want to be economical), then having too little heat isn't that bad, because you could pump some extra air through the reactor (it could be pressurized CO2 from the atmosphere) and use that in a heater. If it's too warm, that's more of a problem, because radiators are heavy and somewhat inefficient.

--I couldn't put just right in the poll option, but that's a little unlikely, so if you think that, just post it I guess--

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-Josh

cIclops

Member

Registered: 2005-06-16

Posts: 3,230

Re: Heat

The Vikings, Pathfinder and the MERs all successfully dealt with the Martian thermal environment. The new MSL has big fins on the back to radiate excess heat from its RTG. This doesn't seem to be a problem that can't be solved with current technology.

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JoshNH4H

Member

From: Pullman, WA

Registered: 2007-07-15

Posts: 2,546

Website

Re: Heat

Okay, but what about themps in the rovers (w/ people in them)  besides, I'm sure the rovers work to temperatures where the plants would freeze/burn, and humans would die.

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-Josh

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 28,927

Re: Heat

This site is a energy calculator for green house use.
As you can see that material effect how well it will retain heat.

Greenhouse BTU Calculator

Temperature Inside (°F.)
Temperature Outside (°F.)

Number of Connected Houses
Width of Each House
Length of House
Sidewall Height of House

Check if greenhouse has Heat Retention System
Check if Greenhouse is Ground to Ground Style

Select Greenhouse Covering on Greenhouse:
ACRYLIC, CPC (Corrugated Polycarbonate,
DBL POLY (Double layer of polyethylene with air space),
FIBERGLASS, GLASS (Single Pane),
INSUL STEEL (Steel siding with insulation),
NONE (Select where greenhouse adjoins heated space),
POLYCARB (8 mm Twin-wall polycarbonate),
SGL POLY (Single layer of polyethylene film),
STEEL (Steel siding).

JoshNH4H

Member

From: Pullman, WA

Registered: 2007-07-15

Posts: 2,546

Website

Re: Heat

It didn't work

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-Josh

Grypd

Member

From: Scotland, Europe

Registered: 2004-06-07

Posts: 1,879

Re: Heat

The difficulty of Martian greenhouses is not heat but light. Mars is much further out than Earth and daylight is the equivalent of dusk here. There is also the problem of the extremely strong ultra violet radiation which strikes Mars and this will have to be countered by filtering the greenhouse glass/ceramic.

Still we can use mirrors to put more light into the greenhouse and if designed well can block the ultra violet light as well. More solar energy more heat in the greenhouse. We can use the heat to probably power small engines and gain some electricity out of the system and any worry about heat will easily be resolved by a simple heat exchange/radiator system.

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