On Thu, 17 Sep 2020 at 15:19, <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, Sep 16, 2020 at 10:29 PM Thomas RUX <xxxxxx@comcast.net> wrote:

That's just as valid a fix and preserves the relationship that the DMs establish which is C->B is +2 and B->A is +2.

One has to the two corrections to change from 150 to 160. Only one correction has to be made in the table to match the text 150. Being a lazy lout I prefer making one correction over two

<snipped Tom R's summary to bung into my Compleat Starport as an aide memoire>

Well, that's fine. I just prefer the one that prefers the relationship between starport levels as that seems more important to me.

Hmmm, I'm really split on this.  Like Tom R, when I do corrections of others' work, I like to look for the minimal change which here would be the one correction.  But like Tom B I like to keep things memorable and in-line as best as possible.  I hadn't really made up my mind to adopt The Compleat Starport wholeheartedly but TML (i.e. you two!) have done such a good job of firing up my enthusiasm for it, that I just may do.  Of course, then I'll have to decide...  assuming it comes up.

The methane might have soil or other contaminants and many other gases could have frozen by the time methane freezes so you may well have a lot of different substances in with your methane. I'm not sure that mess, by itself, would constitute 'unrefined fuel' in that it still is not hydrogen. To crack off the hydrogen, you'd have to either provide some input of energy or of other substances to react with the methane to break off the hydrogens and collect it. If you did this with a mix of soil or other substances in there (like other frozen gases), you'd have to be careful to avoid dangerous reactions (perhaps) or at least the contamination of the fuel. If you introduce heat, you might send the methane into a gas state which I'll bet isn't the most handy for the fusion plant so you'd have to then cool it in a separate holding area or compress it to a liquid with machinery.

Hmmm, my ignorance of this science knows no bounds and I've never really given this a moments thought prior to this BUT how about your Handy H20 Hose (TM) having a (let's say, TL12) attachment at the nozzle end that ha something like a metal 'gripper' and heater.  Instead of dropping the end of the HHH (TM) into your water supply you clamp it to the frozen methane and the attachment goes to work heating and 'burrowing'.  As the methane liquifies it can be pumped as usual or maybe the attachment includes a special lowtemp pump.  And yes, it all needs either much more (longer) processing once aboard or you need to be prepared for this (after all, you've got the Attachment in the ship's locker) and your wily Captain has had additional refining gear, (mobile or installed?) bought and prepared for action by the engineer.  Of course, next port you might want to replace your Handy H20 Hose (TM) because it's now much more brittle than it used to be after the cold temperatures...

 

Quite happy for this to be knocked on the head by those who know better.  It was just a thought.  Give a Belbin plant a bit of soil and light...

This all sounds to me to be a lot more involved and a lot more troublesome than dropping a hose into an H20 supply.

Certainly... but there's where the adventure is... ;-)

tc

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