Contents
TOC(Table of Contents)
Topic 10
Thermodynamics
Click R24 " Physics Applets, University Oregan " and interact with"Thermodynamics" Applets.
Click R25 " NTNU Virtual Physics Laboratory" and interact with "Thermodynamics" Applets.
Starship Heat Engine with Black
Body Cooling
52 KB GIF
One concept being advanced for long distance space travel is ION propulsion using a nuclear reactor as an energy source. The knob at right sets the power going near ideal Carnot heat engine ( set at 96%). That is 96% of the thermal energy available in system is converted to mechanical energy. An old fashioned steam engine got about 10% efficiency. I've decided that with a little help from the Vulcans 96% will be attainable. The center gauge indicates temperature of "boiler" and the lower right gage indicates temperature of condenser/radiator that must cool itself by black body radiation. The top right gage indicates the power output.
Notes: nc = Carnot efficiency; n = actual efficiency. Output valve 1 on boiler is closed at temperature below 400 degrees Kelvin. Output Valve 2 starts opening at temperatures of 1123 and goes to full open at 1127. Valve 2 regulates maximum Boiler or Qh temperature at 1125.
See Full Baseline Animation and Perform System Troubleshooting
Test Setup
See the JavaScript version
this simulation in the Virtual Physics Lab. Click
Here!
Highly interactive. Tune and troubleshoot
heat engine.