Re: More on Air Consumption...

In our last episode, Thomas O. Magann Jr. said:
>>	The numbers I got when I wrote my page are *way* different.
>>When I first finished the calculations, I thought I was way off, but
>>then I talked to my friend (who's in the Navy, on a submarine), and he
>>said that they *looked* about right.  They're probably off a bit because
>>I didn't take into account cooking fires and lanterns and so on.

>you also didn't take into account the reduced air pressure. I assume your
>calculations were based on  sea level pressures. air thins as the altitude
>increases. Eventually this thinning would stop in a SJ based system, but the
>reduced pressure would also make for a reduced amount of oxegen, and a need
>for a rather higher air consumption.

	You're right in assuming that I used sea level pressures to start
with, but it says in the rules somewhere that atmosphere is also a bit
binary in nature.  It's eithere there or it's not there.  Not that I agree
with what they say... (:  I'm assuming that an active helm will be able
to keep the pressure "at sea level."

>Also, even wih the ship moving at SJ speeds the crew will be anything but
>inactive. In addition to the normal maintainence a ship requires, and certain
>basic jobs that always need to be done, there's a far amount of make work so
>hat the ship's crew isn't idle. Idle crews mutiny far more than active and
>busy crews. Marines and weapon crews also need to drill to keep their edge
>and their combat readyness. All this uses more air.

	Yup.  But the stats given in the paper I read say that *on average*
the SCFH is equal to 1, over long term.  Short term (like fighting with only
your own air envelope) will probably change that.

>Also, every bit of trash and garbage thrown over the side, and every missle
>shot at another ship will take a bit air along with it as it leaves the
>ship's air envelope further reducing the amount of usable air.

	Yeah, but that probably adds up to less than a cubic foot per day,
but more during heavy combat.

	Phantom also said that the figure should be more like "standard
cubic feet per minute" instead of hour.  I totally agree, since I have
no idea what SCFH really stands for.  The equations are a bit wierd, but
the values they give are about right.  For example, take a 27x10x10 room
(about 1 ton of air, i.e. a flitter's envelope) and hermaticaly seal it
with someone inside.  How long do you think they would last, assuming
that they had food, water, a bathroom and entertainment?  It sure wouldn't
be 8 months.

	Please keep in mind that I'm saying that anybody's figures are
wrong.  I'm just trying to figure this thing out, like everybody else... (:

-Static

ps.  My Navy friend said that he would try to find out more from that book,
so I may have new information.  Problem is, he's out at sea right now (I
think), and communication is a bit difficult.  :(

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