Space Station

[willpittenger]

As long as they stay with the mixed gas, great. What do they use inside Quest? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

Does that 3rpm limit hold regardless of the diameter? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[billslugg]

Here is a bit of trivia from my previous career as a tissue manufacturing process engineer. In the case of a cast iron drum, filled with steam, designed to dry tissue paper, the condensate inside must rim properly in order to be successfully extracted by the dipping straws. This happens when the upward velocity is just sufficient to counter the force of gravity. This rimming occurs at about 1000 feet per minute. It is irrespective of diameter or RPM, it is solely a function of tangential velocity. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[spacester]

<font color="yellow">Does that 3rpm limit hold regardless of the diameter?</font><br /><br />The 3 rpm is just a number I've chosen. Check out the discussion in the thread I linked to. The bottom line is that we don't know and we need to find out.<br /><br />But if in the end that happens to be the right number as a limit, then you could say, generally speaking, that yes, it holds independently of the diameter.<br /><br />It's all about the inner ear and the fact that your body is being rotated at a certain rate. How far away you are from the center of rotation does not matter - the fact is you are being spun at a certain revs per minute. But there's more to it.<br /><br />A less simple look at it indicates that perhaps if the spin-gravity is higher, for some individuals the tolerance for a certain rotation rate may be greater, so in that sense the distance from center does matter. <br /><br />Clear as mud? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[qso1]

willpittenger:<br />As long as they stay with the mixed gas, great. What do they use inside Quest?<br /><br />Me:<br />Quest utilizes a mixed gas arrangement, check this link out.<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Airlock <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

willpittenger:<br />You may have misunderstood me.<br /><br />Me:<br />The formula I posted was for a 1 mile diameter station. If you took a spoke tunnel leading to the ring from the central hub. The ring would be 2,640 ft (Radius of 5,280 ft). So at 1,320 ft...it appeared to me that you would be at .5 G because at the very center of the hub, you'd be at zero "G". Keeping in mind the 1 rpm spin which is effective regardless of where your located.<br /><br />If you know of a formula or something that refutes this, post it so I can make some adjustments. I used the formula I posted for a design I'm featuring in a graphic novel.<br /><br />I gotta check out spacesters link as well. BTW, spacesters comments on how high a "G" tolerance humans are believed to be capable of is consistent with what I found in my reference. The 1 mile diameter 1 rpm was chosen to be on the conservative side but my ref said it was thought as much as 4 rpms could be handled but nobody will know for sure till its verified thru actual tests someday. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[spacester]

Here's some more stuff from Ted Hall:<br /><br />http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/inhabiting_artificial_gravity.shtml<br /><br /><font color="orange">In artificial gravity, the effects of Coriolis acceleration and cross-coupled rotation arise only during relative motion within the rotating habitat. While stationary, one may forget about these effects - only to be rudely reminded of them when rising out of a chair, lifting a piece of equipment, or turning to the side. It's possible to minimize these effects by planning activities to avoid off-axis motion. Where off-axis motion is unavoidable, one may arrange things to provide inhabitants with the best mechanical advantage with respect to the Coriolis acceleration.<br /><br />CONCLUSIONS<br /><br />Adherence to the comfort zone for artificial gravity does not guarantee an Earth-normal gravity environment. Consequently, habitat designs that function well in terrestrial gravity are not necessarily appropriate for artificial gravity.<br /><br />Artificial gravity can approach Earth-normalcy within any non-zero tolerance, provided that the radius and tangential velocity are large and the angular velocity is small.<br /><br />A habitat carefully designed to accommodate the peculiarities of artificial gravity may provide adequate comfort at a smaller radius than would otherwise be acceptable. This would reduce the mass and energy necessary to provide such a habitat.<br /><br />Adaptations for artificial gravity can not be contained in some add-on package, to be installed after the habitat design is otherwise complete. On the contrary, artificial gravity is an overarching concept that should be forefront throughout the design process. Gravity permeates the environment. Artificial gravity is distinct from both Earth-gravity and weightlessness and demands the same attention to detail.<br /><br />At a minimum, activities should be arranged to avo</font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[qso1]

Good link, thanks. Some interesting stuff here, especially that wording about not guaranteeing an earth normal grav environment. The main point being artificial habs which is actually an area I'm checking into as I work up my general story concept before committing it to 3D modelling. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

Technically I guess there is no straight limit. It will be more the amount of risk you are willing to put up with. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[thegustav]

stevehw33: I'd point out that clothing is also flammable. Does this mean the astronauts should not wear anything in space to lower the fire risk?<br /><br />Me says: That's what I do at home. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> No need for such fire hazards!<br /><br />Mm.. well lots of interesting info here... And lots of changing info... <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> I need to decide quickly how large the diameter of my station should be...<br /><br />Since the earliest post said 1200 ft that's what I had started making it as.... Don't want to get too deep into it and have to change it...<br /><br />If all else fails with the gravity deal... I'll just have to make velcro then. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

 

[willpittenger]

I believe that after the Apollo 1 fire, the engineers when back in and replaced a lot of cloth-type materials with glass fiber based beta cloth. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>