Fuel as Cargo

[DanDare]

In the various versions of Traveller there is mention of fuel tanks in ship design, but these are obviously fitted to the ship in such a way as to deliver fuel to the power plant and drive engines. What about carrying fuel as cargo, how does that work? Can cargo fuel be transferred to ship fuel tanks and if so what is needed? Do any of the ship design rules mention this or do I have to wing it?

Things I am trying to cover:

Transporting fuel to systems with no local fuel but a value in having ships stop there and refuel.

Transporting fuel to deep space depots to cover a long gap between important systems

Carrying fuel to refuel an accompanying fleet.

 

[aramis]

Fuel in a designated collier: just more fuel tankage
Fuel in demountable tanks: See TTA and/or Adv 5: TCS.

Fuel in cargo containers: one could build them as ships/small craft with nought but fuel tankage.

 

[pshrynk]

In the various versions of Traveller there is mention of fuel tanks in ship design, but these are obviously fitted to the ship in such a way as to deliver fuel to the power plant and drive engines. What about carrying fuel as cargo, how does that work? Can cargo fuel be transferred to ship fuel tanks and if so what is needed? Do any of the ship design rules mention this or do I have to wing it?

Things I am trying to cover:

Transporting fuel to systems with no local fuel but a value in having ships stop there and refuel.

Transporting fuel to deep space depots to cover a long gap between important systems

Carrying fuel to refuel an accompanying fleet.

Are you thinking fuel carried in the cargo hold of a subsidized trader? Or an actual tanker?

 

[Selandia]

A common occurance in description of ship's operations through canon material is the refueling shuttle. By definition, it use fuel as a cargo. It is usually streamlined to allow Gaz giant skimming or planetary landing in behalf of a ship that can't risk it.

They do not neet to be craft sized. Battle tenders will have, beside Batleriders, a large tanker both as reserve fuel tankage (T5 make it readily available fuel) as well as a way to skim the local gaz giant/collect ice cubes/water.

The only restrictions that I see, is the need to have the standard cargo hold adapted to liquid/pressurized cargo to match the state of the cargo and the matter of pumping gear. Tankers get fitted with an extensive pipe array while a subsidized liner with an occasional shipment of propane or bulk Coconut oïl is likely to have shippers using the proper type of tanks in container frames. That the cargo is to be used at destination as fuel rather than as salad dressing is imaterial to the carrier.

If this is a partial but regular cargo, a liner may have a special liquid hold fitted out of the cargo space and pumping arrangements made if more profitable.

have fun

Selandia

 

[flykiller]

are obviously fitted to the ship in such a way as to deliver fuel to the power plant and drive engines. What about carrying fuel as cargo, how does that work?

a tank is a tank, you move the contents around with pumps and pipes (and, in the case of traveller, artificial grav - you can drain them up, down, any way you like).

 

[Condottiere]

If it's a freighter, fit the holds with rubber bladders at five percent installation penalty, and pumping equipment.

 

[flykiller]

liquid hydrogen in rubber bladders? I dunno man ....

 

[McPerth]

liquid hydrogen in rubber bladders? I dunno man ....

I guess he meant inflable tanks, though I also doubt they are rubber (anyone's guess which materials they are made of).

 

[flykiller]

(anyone's guess which materials they are made of)

impervium.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

As cargo for economics (trading) value, depending on the version of Traveller:
Barring humans getting in the way, fuel is effectively free in most places?

Gas giants or water, some fuel skimmers and onboard refineries and you are set. If the Gas Giants or water is there you may have to pay if your ship is not equipped, but no need to import.
It is when do not have the supply at the location, where fuel becomes a viable option then?

 

[whartung]

a tank is a tank, you move the contents around with pumps and pipes (and, in the case of traveller, artificial grav - you can drain them up, down, any way you like).

But not all tanks are tanks are plumbed the same. A simple example, you may have tanks that are plumbed to meet the high demands of a Jump drive. You can have tanks connected to the power plant, and designed to feed them, but other tanks are not.

They may be able to feed into the operating tanks, but have different flow rates.

 

[Condottiere]

Looks like I got lazy.

Hydrogen and metal aren't the best of friends, either, so maybe impregnated with some form of liner.

Or just water plus a fuel purifier.

 

[flykiller]

Barring humans getting in the way, fuel is effectively free in most places?

could sell fuel to save a merchantman time spent going 100d, planetside, port fees, hooking up, and 100d again. or save him time going 100d, gas giant, risky skim, and 100d again.

different flow rates

not seeing an issue there.

Or just water plus a fuel purifier.

preferable. but skimming gas giants doesn't take in a load of water, and skimming gas giants is so much a traveller trope that we just have to run with it. it's hydrogen, dunno how it works ....

 

[flykiller]

thought. they're grav tanks. the hydrogen is held in a gravity well, never touches the tank walls. flow is achieved by altering the grav vector.

I deserve a reputation point for that.

 

[savage]

FSotSI has fuel ships in the Rebellion arsenal.
CT/MT had gas giant refueling vessels that would continuously go through the gas giant gathering fuel then take it to an orbiting vessel.
Starports offer refined fuel.

Yeah. You can transfer it, sell it.

 

[Claretcraig]

Always thought that for a trader vessel (j2/3) that fuel would be a cargo item. I mean, consider a 200 ton Far Trader (j2)....why on earth have move an extra 20 tons of fuel doing a jump 1? wouldn't it make more sense to just have enough fuel to do a jump 1, THEN if a j2 is required, extra fuel can be carried? (in inflatable bladders, some high tech silicon compound). that way, an extra 20 tons of cargo could be carried.

Just a thought

 

[kilemall]

IMTU fuel is definitely a cargo, a lot of J-2 routes with only J-1 tech so fueling stations in the in-between. Oort clouds ease the need/demand but there are still empty spots.

Militarized and contracted ships for military operations would also be paid a pretty penny to refuel fleets with the concomitant risks, doubly so for pirates and smugglers.

However, if the need is consistent enough, one could fire off chunks of ice in low-C speeds on a constant feed to the station. Even if it takes 75 years to get there, a constant stream of ice could keep everyone fueled and put the tankers out of business.

 

[Condottiere]

Assuming any of the companies involved haven't gone out of business in the meantime.

 

[warwizard]

There could also be a need for stellar refinery ships that gather the solar wind from the local class O star and provide refueling where even schemes like: "However, if the need is consistent enough, one could fire off chunks of ice in low-C speeds on a constant feed to the station. Even if it takes 75 years to get there, a constant stream of ice could keep everyone fueled and put the tankers out of business.", don't work due to the local star subliming the ice before it can reach it's intended destination.

 

[Enoki]

Given that most of the fuel in refined form is cryogenic in nature I'd think that somebody would offer standard shipping containers that were fitted as dewers for holding it for shipping in vessels not normally designed to carry fuel as cargo.