Power in the Verge and Bleed
Average Tech Level: TL 11
Associated Skills: Chemistry/TL11 (IQ/H), Economics (IQ/H), Electrician/TL11 (IQ/A), Electronics Repair/TL11 (electrical) (IQ/A), Engineer/TL11 (electrical) (IQ/H), Fast-Draw (power cells) (DX/E), Hazardous Material/TL11 (radioactive) (IQ/A), Mechanic/TL11 (power plant type) (IQ/A), Physics/TL11 (IQ/VH).
Associated Skills: Chemistry/TL11 (IQ/H), Economics (IQ/H), Electrician/TL11 (IQ/A), Electronics Repair/TL11 (electrical) (IQ/A), Engineer/TL11 (electrical) (IQ/H), Fast-Draw (power cells) (DX/E), Hazardous Material/TL11 (radioactive) (IQ/A), Mechanic/TL11 (power plant type) (IQ/A), Physics/TL11 (IQ/VH).
Power and Batteries
Even the most remarkable device is little more than a paperweight without the proper power to make it work. Few people realize just how much of a bottleneck power is on economic and sociological scales; for much of human history, civilization remained relatively same because the means of collecting power stayed the same: human or animal power, supplemented by muscle or animal power. The invention of the steam engine kickstarted a revolution in how work could be done, since a team engine could provide much more power. And to demonstrate just how useful the steam engine is, it's still used today, except instead of coal it's powered by antimatter. The energy density of material and how humans collect that energy dictates exactly how much work can be done using it; the more energy, the more work that can be done. As a result, humans have come up with a wide range of ingenious methods for tapping, storing, and using power.
At its most basic, power available in the Verge and Bleed comes in one of two forms; power cells or power generators/collectors. Power cells are what's used to power a variety of gadgets and devices, while power generators provide power. For more information on power, see GURPS: Ultra-tech pg. 18-21.
At its most basic, power available in the Verge and Bleed comes in one of two forms; power cells or power generators/collectors. Power cells are what's used to power a variety of gadgets and devices, while power generators provide power. For more information on power, see GURPS: Ultra-tech pg. 18-21.
Power and Power supplies
Equipment is useful - when it works. The most powerful laser pistol may be no more useful than a cheap club without power, and the fastest computer is little more than a paperweight if it lacks power. Personal equipment often uses power cells (which are often included in the object when they're manufactured) while larger devices often require external power - usually plugging them into a vehicle power supply or building outlet. Power is so important that it's the way humanity measures civilizations; the more power they produce and consume, the larger and more powerful they're assumed to be. Technology needs power - and humans in the 29th century need technology.
Power Cells
Power cells are the batteries of the 29th (or 28th, or 27th, or 30th; time may vary based on location) century. However, they have little in common with historical batteries; modern power cells make use of carbon allotropes to produce a room-temperature superconducting loop that doesn't lose power due to friction (because it's a superconductor at room temperature). This means that they store power indefinitely, and their power never runs down, giving them infinite shelf life. Furthermore, they are completely rechargeable (unless designed not to be), taking half as long as their operating duration to recharge - thus, a device that uses 2A/20hr means each A cell requires 5 hours to recharge properly, since each A cell lasts for roughly 10hr. Each type of cell is ten times more powerful than the next smallest cell; thus, A cells are 10 times more powerful than AA cells, and B cells are 100 times more powerful than AA cells, and so forth. Smaller power cells are often bought and sold in bulk, usually packs of 10 or 15, to make handling them and their mass easier; the larger the pack, the cheaper the overall price is compared to quantity. AA cells. AA cells are tiny superconducting loops that are used in very small robots, brain implants, and similar devices with minimal power requirements. They are 2/3" in diameter and 2,000 weight 1 pound, and are generally sold in 10-packs and 15-packs. They take 5 seconds to replace. [$10.00/0.005lbs; $13.00/0.007lbs.] A cells. A cells are power cells that are used in low-power devices, like clothing and similar computer, small computers, and similar consumer electronics. Some very small cybershells make use of A-cells. They are 9/10" and 200 weigh 1 pound, and are generally sold in 10-packs and 15-packs. They take 3 seconds to replace. [$20.00/0.05lbs; $28.00/0.07lbs] B cells. B cells are larger power cells, 100x the power of A cells and 1,000x the power of AA cells, that are used in some personal computers and other devices that require modest power output. They are 2" in diameter and 20 weigh 1 pound, and are generally sold in 10-packs and 15-packs They take 3 seconds to replace. [$30.00/0.5lbs; $43.00/0.7lbs] C cells. C cells are the workhorse power cell; most devices and weapons require C cells in order to operate, and they appear for most types of large computers and other electronic devices. They are 5" in diameter and 2 weigh 1 pound, and are generally sold in 2-packs and 5-packs. They take 3 seconds to replace. [$20.00/1.0lbs; $48.00/2.5lbs] D cells. D cells are much larger than the conventional C cell and are the most common energy source for personal energy weapons and high-power-consumption electronic goods and devices. They are about 5" in diameter and weigh 5 pounds each, and are generally sold in 2-packs and 5-packs. They take 5 seconds to replace. [$200.00/10.0lbs; $480.00/25.0lbs] E cells. E cells are used to power smaller vehicles, smaller cybershells, support weapons and other power-hungry devices that can still be considered "man portable," despite their size. They are about 10" in size, have a built in harness for those that connect to weapons, and are 20lbs. They are sold singularly and take 5 seconds to replace. [$2,000.00] F cells. F cells are the largest commercially available power cell and are use to power large vehicles. They are usually 30" tall, deep, and wide, and weigh around as much as some adult humans at 200lbs. They take 20 seconds to replace, assuming the individual can lift them or has the equipment necessary to lift them. [$20,000.00] Flexible Cells. Flat power cells are used to power clothing and similar printed devices. They often stamp on and peel off without much difficulty, and are usually embedded into smart labels, smart paper, and similar disposable items. [AA and A cells are the same cost; all other cells multiply their costs by x4] Power Cell Downward Adaptor. Power cell downward adaptors are used to hook a power cell of one type up to a device that uses a different type of power cell. Generally, most adaptors are C-adaptors, meaning they adapt C cells to other types of cells; for instance, a C-adaptor can be used to adapt a C cell to an AA, A, or B device. Meanwhile, a D adaptor can adapt a D cell to any device that uses a AA, A, B, or C cell. C-adaptors are roughly 1/3" with adjustable ports, and D-adaptors are 2/3" with adjustable ports. They take anywhere from 10 to 15 seconds to use properly. [$55.00/0.05lbs; $75.00/0.05lbs] Power Cell Upward Adaptor. The Upward Adaptor functions like the downward adaptor, but it increases power, not decreases. The B-adaptor allows 10 B cells to be connected to power a C-cell device, while the C-adaptor allows 10 C cells to be connected to power a D device. While rare, the D-adaptor allows for 10 D cells to be connected to power an E device. The B-adaptor is 5-2/3" in diameter with adjustable ports, the C-adaptor is 5-3/4" in diameter with adjustable ports, and a D-adaptor is 10-2/3" in diameter and has adjustable ports. They take anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds to use properly. [$45.00/1.5lbs; $55.00/2.5lbs; $150.00/5lbs] Power Generators and Collectors Some devices are too large to be run using even the largest of power cells; these require external power. In urban areas external power is often very easy to come by, but when one is "off-the-grid," power is a little harder to get. Generators and collectors are ways to receive power while staying off the grid; humanity has produced a number of generators over the years, and produced a lot of ways to get power, and while most of the generators have been replaced, not all of them have. Below are the most common generators. Keep in mind that all of these generators are portable. Fuel Cell Generator. The portable fuel cell generator is roughly 19" tall and 13" wide, and uses an electrochemical reaction to produce energy. Methanol is combined with oxygen (often in the form of water) to produce energy that can be converted to electricity. One gallon of methanol is enough to last a modern portable generator for a day, during which time the generator can power up to 4 devices (double the devices for half the duration). [$2,500/20lbs] Internal Combustion Generator. The portable internal combustion generator is a small, clean, and relatively silent device that produces minimal - but not no - harmful emissions and thus should still be used in a well-ventilated area. It converts one gallon of ethanol or gasoline into a 12 hours' worth of energy for up to 4 devices (double the devices for half the duration of the generator). [$300.00/15.0lbs] Mechanical Generator. The Mechanical generator turns human muscle power into electrical power, allowing humanity to produce their own power. While this technology is very old, predating the interplanetary era, modern designs are far more efficient and better at converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. For 1 hour's work and 1 FP, the hand-crank device can recharge roughly 100lbs of power cells. It can also be used to power external power to one device. While these are usually purchased, it's also possible to produce these using the Machinist skill in a couple of hours, at the appropriate tech level of the materials used to make it. [$50.00/10.0lbs] Solar Power Collector. Solar power is far and away the most common personal mechanism for collecting power in the Verge and Bleed (the largest power sources, however, are solar, antimatter, and fusion). The majority of solar power arrays make use of photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electrical power at a highly efficient rate; much more efficient than hydrocarbons. The solar power array is a semi-portable system that takes roughly one minute for the robotic arms to deploy, at which point it is capable of powering an entire house for as long as there's sunlight, and it stores excess power over the course of the day in two large E cells that it can use to power devices in the dark. Once fully deployed, it covers 400 square feet; planets around red dwarfs and dimmer stars, or at higher latitudes, may need larger surface areas to produce similar power. [$10,000.00/500lbs] Solar Paint. Solar paint makes use of cheap photovoltaic cells that can be painted on any surface to collect power. This includes clothing and rooftops, as well as vehicles. It is sold by the gallon, and takes a few hours to fully apply; each gallon covers 200 square feet. [$500/10lbs] Wind Turbine Collector. Wind power is a popular option on some worlds like Bluefall or worlds where there is a great deal of wind, usually where the ocean meets the sore. While most windmills are not remotely portable, with many being the size of buildings and having to be transported through trains, this represents a small, man-sized portable wind turbine that is capable of powering up to 2 gadgets when fully deployed, so long as the wind speed is constantly above 13 miles per hour. For every Beaufort number beyond 2, add another electrical device. However, it is only rated up to a Beaufort Force 5; any faster and the winds will damage the delicate electrical equipment, and if they get too fast, they'll pick the wind turbine up and blow it away. It takes 5 minutes to fully deploy and stands about 8 feet tall, although it packs up into a 3 foot long football shaped device. [$2,000.00/20lbs] |
Power Supplies
The following section details some of the hardware that's commonly used around power cords and generators. It's worth noting that some devices, like voltage converters, no longer exist in most civilized areas since most technology related to power is smart enough to convert between voltages based on user input. Furthermore, most electronic devices also feature a radio microcommunicator, allowing them to mesh with computer hardware and giving users a chance to control the flow of power through a computer interface. This means that a great deal of technology simply no longer exists, or has been rolled into the computer. However, there are some important power technologies that are still around. Microwave Power Transmitter. A microwave power transmitter is a large device that connects to a generator and is paired with another MPT, which takes 2 minutes. Once the two devices are paired, the MPT will wirelessly beam power from the generator to the paired receiver, so long as they are within range. An MPT can only be paired with one device at a time, and the size of the MPT determines how much power it provides. There must be nothing interrupting the line of sight that is opaque to microwaves. Very Large MPT. A very large MPT has a 250 mile range and can provide power to any device. [$2,000.00/5lbs] Large MPT. A large MPT has a 25-mile range and can power an AA, A, B, C, D, or E cell device. [$1,000.00/1.5lbs] Medium MPT. A medium MPT has a 2.5-mile range and can power an AA, A, B, C, or D cell device. [$500.00/0.5lbs] Small MPT. A small MPT has a 500-yard range, and can power an AA, A, B, or C cell device. [$100.00/0.5lbs] Tiny MPT. A tiny MPT has a 50-yard range and can power an AA, A, or B cell device. [$20.00/0.05lbs] Micro MPT. A micro MPT has a 5-yard range and can power an AA or A cell device. [$5.00/neg.] Smart Power Cables. While beaming power is possible, it's still far more common to connect devices using power cables, since cables aren't subject to environment interference and they can be split to provide power to multiple objects. These cables are often smart extension cords which have a skin made of tough carbon allotropes and other materials, with superconductive cable run through them. They start at 10', but they're capable of extending themselves out to 100', or any length in between, owing to their unique structure. They also have an inbuilt electromagnetic detector, so they can alert the user when they are close to a plug. In a pinch, they also make for decent ropes.[$55.00/2.0lbs] Smart Cable Strip. The Smart Cable Strip is a power strip that connects directly to the smart power cable (or to an MPT receiver) that allows multiple devices to pull power from the same source. Smart Cable Strips take a few minutes to set up but once set up they determine how much power each device uses and can adjust the power flow to each device to maximize the device. They come with a built in radio microtransmitter that allows them to connect with a receiving device, allowing the user to adjust the flow of power to each connected device through a single interface, in addition to a small A cell battery that can provide up to 1 hour's worth of power in the event of an outage, giving the user time to save important data an shut down electronics properly, as well as a smart circuit breaker that can compensate for incoming electricity, adjusting to match what it set to receive, so it never experiences power surges. [$45.00/1.5lbs] Fuel Even the most efficient engine is useless without fuel. Fuel is a vital part of many engines and civilian logistics; even with long-lasting fuel cells, many fuel-driven engines still exist. Antimatter. Antimatter is matter composed of antiparticles or patterns of corresponding particles of "ordinary" mater. Producing antimatter in large amounts is difficult; antimatter often requires more energy to produce than it puts out, which makes it a terrible fuel source for power plants, but this makes it an excellent source of fuel for starship engines. However, this energy cost is one of the reasons why only meta-empires have the resources necessary to create antimatter. Antimatter produces power by colliding with its matter companion, leading to "mutual annihilation." This makes antimatter exceptionally difficult to store, and as such, is stored in a Penning trap. It is stored in amounts of 2.2lbs (1kg), which produces 1.8 x 10¹⁷ J, or roughly 43 megatons of TNT. [$6.5M/2.2 lbs] Ethanol. This is alcohol that is distilled from various food crops. Functionally, it's alcohol, of at least 80% purity. Fuel isn't always suitable for consumption, either; notably, commercial "denatured alcohol" is ethanol with chemicals added to make it poisonous. [$1.30 per gallon/6.8lbs] Helium-3. Helium-3, also called Tritium, is a major component in nuclear fusion, usually fused with itself in massive fusion chambers. Modern fusion chambers use ³He + ³He fusion since it is more efficient and is aneutronic. Only small amounts of ³He are required to run these plants; roughly 20 tons of ³He a year can produce around 1,140 billion kWh, which is comparable to the total energy consumption of the United States during the interplanetary period. The fuel is often bought and sold by the pound, and producing it is not as easy as many in the early interplanetary period suggested it wound (which is why D-T fusion dominated for so long, followed by p-¹¹B fusion before finally ³He-³He was achieved). [$1.50 per pound/1lb] Hydrocarbon Fuels. Crude oil - or petroleum - is what becomes of dead organisms after millions of years under tremendous heat and pressure. Petroleum comes in a wide range of colors, from thick and black to thin and clear, or maybe even with a red or green tint. It's only found on worlds that have had a long history of native life, which are few and far between; finding it requires the Prospecting skill. Once crude is found, it needs to be refine it. The chief constituents of petroleum are hydrocarbons - a class of compounds composed only of hydrogen and carbon. Various petroleum products are characterized by the length of their hydrocarbon chains. Since their boiling point increases with size of molecular, they can separate by boiling. This process is often called straight-run refining or fractional distillation. Petroleum and its products are customarily measured in 42-gallon barrels. A modern refinery produces more than 500,000 barrels or more a day. Crude is stored in above- or below-ground tanks of several thousands gallons - or in underground salt domes created by pumping water in to dissolve the salt, and then pumping it out while pumping in millions of barrels of oil (a barrel of crude weighs roughly 303 lbs). Diesel Fuel. [$1.25 per gallon/6lbs] Gasoline. [$1.50 per gallon/6lbs] Kerosene [$1.50 per gallon/6.5lbs] Wood. Wood is a fuel customarily measured by the cord; a pile weighing 1-2 tons. Wood has the advantage of being a sustainable fuel; an acre of average forest produces about a cord a year. The cost of a wood depends on the wood and whether it's seasoned or green. [$50.00 - $200.00 per cord/1-2tn] |