Thermoelectric Generator

This page is under construction.
The following information may be incomplete.
Pending construction as part of a phasing out of Powering_the_station (yes, its capitalization was inconsistent) for a less wrong engineering guide.

File:TEG.png

The thermoelectric generator (TEG) is the main source of power on Cogmap1, Cogmap2, Clarion, Atlas, and Kondaru. It generates power via the thermal interaction of hot gas and cold gas inside the generator. In order to create and maintain a supply of hot and cold gas, two separate loops of gas pipes move through the TEG: The hot loop and the cold loop. As their names imply, the hot loop has equipment designed to heat up the gas within, and the cold loop has equipment designed to cool down the gas within.

Parts of the TEG

Core

Blowers

The turbines on the left and right sides of the TEG are gas blowers designed to help increase the flow of gas through the TEG. Using a multitool, their target minimum pressure can be set, and they can be turned on and off. While on, the blower will attempt to pull gas through the pipe in order to maintain at least as much outlet pressure as the specified value. They consume power from the local APC while active, with the power draw being determined by the the difference between the outlet pressure and the inlet pressure. Larger pressure differentials require more power to push gas against.

Lubricant

The maintenance panel on the blowers can be accessed by using a screwdriver on them. Each blower contains a lubricant tank, which starts filled with 200 units of oil. The lubricant tanks can be emptied by using a wrench on them to open the drain caps, which will leak the existing lubricant onto the floor. Remember to close the drain caps before adding new lubricant in order to not waste it.

The quality of the lubricant effects how effectively and power-efficiently the blowers are able to operate against a pressure differential, with more slippery chemicals such as space lube and organic superlubricant providing greater efficiency. The total blower boost from the lubricant is based on the quantity and quality of the lube, meaning that filling the blowers to capacity will be more effective.

Other chemicals may do even more things aside from just lubricating the blowers. For example, pyrosium or cryostylane reacting with oxygen in the blowers will change the temperature of the gas that passes through the blower.

Semiconductor

Inside the central piece of the TEG is a prototype semiconductor, which can be removed by using a screwdriver, then wirecutters, then a crowbar on the TEG. After being removed, the semiconductor can be plated in another material using the arc electroplater, which will change how it performs in the TEG.