Cooling systems ensure that all components are operating within their
optimal temperature ranges. Inadequate cooling can cause serious issues
including (but not limited to): inaccurate sensor readings, component
failure, violent component failure, pilot death, and localized
space-time collapse.
A wise mech pilot ensures that his mech is adequately cooled.
Types of Coolant Systems
Liquid Cooling Systems
Liquid cooling systems are usually fairly uncomplicated, typically a
series of tubes through which coolant flows, conducting heat away from
sensitive subsystems and towards some sort of radiator.
Sodium Potassium Alloy (NaK) Coolant
Uses an alloy that is liquid at room temperature to cool the mech. While
this coolant conducts heat readily and can transfer large amounts of
heat quickly, the alloy is corrosive and can explode if its conduits are
damaged. As a result, using this type of coolant effectively requires
large amounts of expensive armored conduits. The alloy however, is
relatively cheap. Recommended for hot-running mechs that use fission
reactors and the like.
Sulfur Hexafluoride Coolant
An chemically and electrically-inert gas that, in addition to being a
decent system coolant, adds some versatile abilities to a properly
equipped mech. The gas can be vented and combined with solid lithium to
power certain types of thrusters as a last ditch fuel source. It can
also be run through high voltage power conduits to reduce the amount of
conduit space required.
Silicone Oil Coolant
A standard coolant, used in many different mechs. Mechs with very high
heat output may want a different coolant type.
Laser Cooling Systems
Laser cooling systems are very complicated, very expensive and very
vulnerable to incorrect calibration. Generally they are not used for
overall system cooling, but for specific subsystems like [[Power-Supply
| power supplies]] that require very powerful heat dissipation that the
rest of the mech may not require. There are a few different lasers
available, but they have a fairly linear relationship between cooling
ability and price.
Peltier Systems
Peltiers allow a fairly direct conversion from power core energy output
to watts cooled. In modern times, Peltier systems are very efficient and
can be the first choice for cheaply cooling a mech. If the power fails
however, without a backup cooling system, some subsystems can fail in
spectacularly violent ways.
Migrated from original Mech wiki:
Cooling systems ensure that all components are operating within their optimal temperature ranges. Inadequate cooling can cause serious issues including (but not limited to): inaccurate sensor readings, component failure, violent component failure, pilot death, and localized space-time collapse.
A wise mech pilot ensures that his mech is adequately cooled.
Types of Coolant Systems
Liquid Cooling Systems
Liquid cooling systems are usually fairly uncomplicated, typically a series of tubes through which coolant flows, conducting heat away from sensitive subsystems and towards some sort of radiator.
Sodium Potassium Alloy (NaK) Coolant
Uses an alloy that is liquid at room temperature to cool the mech. While this coolant conducts heat readily and can transfer large amounts of heat quickly, the alloy is corrosive and can explode if its conduits are damaged. As a result, using this type of coolant effectively requires large amounts of expensive armored conduits. The alloy however, is relatively cheap. Recommended for hot-running mechs that use fission reactors and the like.
Sulfur Hexafluoride Coolant
An chemically and electrically-inert gas that, in addition to being a decent system coolant, adds some versatile abilities to a properly equipped mech. The gas can be vented and combined with solid lithium to power certain types of thrusters as a last ditch fuel source. It can also be run through high voltage power conduits to reduce the amount of conduit space required.
Silicone Oil Coolant
A standard coolant, used in many different mechs. Mechs with very high heat output may want a different coolant type.
Laser Cooling Systems
Laser cooling systems are very complicated, very expensive and very vulnerable to incorrect calibration. Generally they are not used for overall system cooling, but for specific subsystems like [[Power-Supply | power supplies]] that require very powerful heat dissipation that the rest of the mech may not require. There are a few different lasers available, but they have a fairly linear relationship between cooling ability and price.
Peltier Systems
Peltiers allow a fairly direct conversion from power core energy output to watts cooled. In modern times, Peltier systems are very efficient and can be the first choice for cheaply cooling a mech. If the power fails however, without a backup cooling system, some subsystems can fail in spectacularly violent ways.