Updating RTGs for 4th ed and for radiation resistant aliens.

[Flyndaran]

Just looking at wikipedia's page on RTGs made me realize that 3rd edition vehicles is probably out of date on what is and is not possible.

Anybody want to take a crack at defining them in gurps-y terms for me?
And also what kind of savings could you get if the users could regenerate radiation damage over time?

[Þorkell]

What are RTGs?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Þorkell

What are RTGs?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiois...tric_generator

[Captain-Captain]

Originally Posted by Þorkell

What are RTGs?

IIRC radiothermal generator. The decay of an isotope produces heat which can become electricity

Edit: Radioisotopic thermal electrict generator

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Just looking at wikipedia's page on RTGs made me realize that 3rd edition vehicles is probably out of date on what is and is not possible.

It's been a long time since I used Vehicles 3e. What are the specifics about the RTG that don't agree with reality?

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

It's been a long time since I used Vehicles 3e. What are the specifics about the RTG that don't agree with reality?

That's partly what I'm asking. I don't know how the stats stacked up against reality when Vehicles was written, and lots of things have changed tech wise since then.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Just looking at wikipedia's page on RTGs made me realize that 3rd edition vehicles is probably out of date on what is and is not possible.

Anybody want to take a crack at defining them in gurps-y terms for me?
And also what kind of savings could you get if the users could regenerate radiation damage over time?

What new tech did you think you saw at Wikipedia? Most of this pretty old stuff and "true" RTGs are limited by elemental physics. There's a very limited selection of possible isotopes.

The higher TL progression of RTG stats (TL8+) in VE2 is probably overly optimistic and unrealistic.

The TL8 NPU or Nuclear Power Unit with the 6 month duration was probably inspired by the experimental Polonium units mentioned my Wikipedia. The progression of NPU stats is probably even more overly optimistic and unrealtistic.

As long as RTGs are built to harness alpha decay the required shielding is negligable. Superscience is highly likely to be required to handle gamma or neutron emissions and game stats would be arbitrary.

Sorry to be the wet blanket but I see nothing in particular out of date and no great potentials for future tech

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Just looking at wikipedia's page on RTGs made me realize that 3rd edition vehicles is probably out of date on what is and is not possible.

Anybody want to take a crack at defining them in gurps-y terms for me?
And also what kind of savings could you get if the users could regenerate radiation damage over time?

RTGs really are not a field with large quantities of development; you'll be fine with older stats. As for radiation resistant aliens, pretty much none, penetrating radiation isn't useful for RTGs in the first place, so they mostly use alpha sources that don't need shielding beyond the case you already need.

Essentially, an RTG consists of the following:
A lump of radioactive material. Its specific power is a limit on power output; for example, Pu-238 has a limit of 0.5W/g or about 225W/lb.
Insulation around the radioactive material. This will cause the radioactive material to heat up; how hot it gets depends on the quality of your insulation, and limits the efficiency of your power production.
A thermocouple or other heat engine to convert the heat into power.

None of these are particularly esoteric technologies, though combined inefficiencies make the specific power much lower.

[Flyndaran]

So little if any improvement past TL8 or so?
So what should the pounds per kilowatt be for RTGs and NPUs realistically?
And reasonable half lives?

[Captain-Captain]

More efficient power conversion perhaps. You won't get radium to stop decaying into radon gas or otherwise be more convenient/safe. Nuclei are nuclei and follow their own specific decay patterns.