Amusing Hydrogen tankage thoughts

[Condottiere]

1. Do the jump drives need hydrogen in liquid form?

2. Can liquid hydrogen be compressed?

 

[TamsinP]

1. I imagine that between the tank and the power plant or jump drive the hydrogen is warmed up and becomes gaseous.
2. Yes, but only by a tiny amount. At about 14K, and under extreme pressure, you will get solid hydrogen. I don't know what the density of that would be as it has only been done experimentally in tiny quantities.

 

[Spinward Flow]

1. Do the jump drives need hydrogen in liquid form?

I don't think it has ever been explicitly stated as being delivered in liquid form, just that fuel is stored in liquid form.

2. Can liquid hydrogen be compressed?

Yes.
Although I'm not sure if "shoveling" metallic hydrogen into high tech drives (the same way a fireman would shovel coal into the firebox of a steam engine) is quite what you had in mind.

 

[Condottiere]

My objection to that is cost and increased size.

Just attaching a hose and using tap water seems more attractive.

 

[kilemall]

Solid or metallic hydrogen would help with that leaky fuel business.

Feeding it all in 2000 or less seconds for a jump re drop tanks would be a problem.

 

[Condottiere]

Turn it to cream, and squeeze it in like toothpaste?

 

[Spinward Flow]

Turn it to cream, and squeeze it in like toothpaste?

Sounds like thixomolding for metallic hydrogen.

 

[infojunky]

Turn it to cream, and squeeze it in like toothpaste?

Actually someone is working on that now...

 

[Rupert]

Perhaps the Zhos have celebrations for successful adjustments in the same manner we do for ‘beating cancer’.

I can absolutely see that if someone's been away at a 'mental health clinic' for a bit. They'd have a 'welcome home' party.

 

[infojunky]

1. Do the jump drives need hydrogen in liquid form?

Heh, technically they can use water...

2. Can liquid hydrogen be compressed?

In general liquid hydrogen is.... Depending on the storage temperature.

 

[kilemall]

Heh, technically they can use water...

In general liquid hydrogen is.... Depending on the storage temperature.

Oxygen is unwanted fat and big, crowding out hydrogen and needing to be burned off or otherwise separated.

 

[Condottiere]

If you're using water to spin the jump drive turbines, it could depend as to where that liquid goes.

Because I don't think there is enough time to separate the oxygen from the hydrogen before it enters the jump drive, but should after it leaves.

Though that, depends on the condition of the exhaust.