Heat management, recycling, $, and space ores

--- In spacesettlers@egroups.com, "Combs, Mike"
> From: Dr. Omni [mailto:dromni@i...]

> > Are there cases were we would not need to dump excess heat?
> > Hmmmm...
>
> Not hardly. Every use of energy results in waste heat, which
> must be shed.

True.

> Even in habitats without sunlit vales, and even in habitats which
> use very
> efficient methods for generation of power, waste heat will still be
> generated. It's somewhat harder to get rid of waste heat in a
> vacuum.

This is mostly/partly true. Consider: Apollo 13

In Apollo 13 when the problems happened the temperature actually
dropped to around freezing. They have to heat the capsule to
keep it warm.

Apart from the sun- space is actually very cold indeed.

On the earth the temperature should be below zero but the
natural greenhouse effect raises the temperature way
up.

Of course in a classical O'Neil habitat the problem is
reversed, you have something approaching a heat trap,
and heat dispersal is a real nuisance.

Still, by engineering the 'albedo' of your space
settlement I believe you can engineer the
default temperature of your settlement. The rest
you can make up by active elements of whatever kind
you choose...