R&D Report: Azurite Gas - Printable Version

"Colleagues and Board Members, what follows is the synopsis of the Ailuros' four-day study into the Azurite Reactor, located in Zone 42. This study will also include references to the previous "Project Copiam", involving the extraction and containment of Azurite."

Subject: Azurite Gas
Classification: Non-Reactive Gas (Noble Gas, Element #172)
Boiling Point: Undefined
Freezing Point: Undefined

>> does not liquify, solidify, or sublimate

State range: Gaseous at all tested temperature indexes
Source: Synthetic

>>Produced by unknown means of nebular compression

Notable Properties

While initial studies into Azurite gas deemed it to be unremarkable, it has been found through further study that this element is capable of absorbing and maintaining various forms of energy with, effectively, zero loss. This is a significant property, as 100% energy containment and transference efficiency is, previously, unheard of. While currently utilized forms of energy transfer and storage, including metallic and plasma-based systems, can be relatively efficient, they tend to lose as much as 30-40% of energy content over time in various forms; from infrared emissions to thermal conduction to simple kinetic vibration.

Azurite gas, once imbued with energy in one of the following forms:

Electrical
Photonic
Thermal
Kinetic

Maintains 100% of energy input until drawn upon via a specialized conductor array. The applications for this property are, effectively, limitless; from the more readily-apparent uses in power conduits and batteries, to new forms of weaponry which can transfer energy at full capacity directly to a target over vast distances. Of course, these applications are, as always, easier theorized than implemented, and extensive prototyping will be necessary for such technologies.

Initial Collection &Testing

During project Copiam, a prototype Variable-Focus Mining Array was designed and implemented for the purposes of harvesting Iridium. Further testing during Azurite mining operations discovered that this same array, once properly recalibrated, was equally efficient at collecting Azurite from the alien-built reactor located in Zone-42. In addition to the mining array, a custom collection and containment vessel had to be constructed, dubbed the Azurite Gas Collector, which served the purpose of compressing and storing volatile, charged Azurite harvested from the reactor.

Study of the Alien structure located in Zone-42 surmised that Azurite exists in a natural separated state within the Edge nebula, specifically the Palau Ice Cloud located in Omicron Delta, and the structure itself was constructed specifically to condense and form clusters of energized Azurite utilizing local bacterial life native to the cloud. Currently, no other source of Azurite is known to exist within Sirius, or elsewhere outside of it. It is likely that the constructors of the Reactor - currently speculated to be the Daam K'vosh - built the structure solely with the intent of collecting and utilizing Azurite in their technology, as an opportunistic find.

This is corroborated by trace amounts of Azurite found in many of the "active" xeno relics and alien artifacts found in Daam K'vosh ruins throughout Sirius. It is likely that, just as we plan to do, the K'vosh utilized Azurite for its unique energy transference properties in order to maximize the efficiency of their technologies. It should be noted, however, that none of the artifacts or technology found in the ruins on Planet Nauru have, thus far, contained any amounts of the gas.

Prototype Experimentation

The first experimental modification made to the Ailuros, during the course of this study, was to adjust our standard plasma conduits for Azurite compatibility (log#002). Exchanging drive plasma for energized Azurite in these conduits increased overall power capacity by roughly 133% and output by 40%, for as long as the energized Azurite supply lasted. It should be noted that this modification allowed the Ailuros to, quite easily, contend with similarly-sized Nomad forms in a hostile engagement, noted in our ship logs (log#003).

The primary drawback to this system is depletion of the charge contained in the gas reserves. Once the energy stored in a volume of Azurite is used up, the gas itself becomes inert and creates contamination in the power conduits and relays. Thus, it is imperative that discharged Azurite be re-energized immediately in order to keep the system flowing, and that requires a massive, constant-output source. Initial solutions were to utilize Nomad Power Cells, but due to the inherent dangers of organic technology I opted against this course of action. Instead, a transmission was sent to the Ingenuus Research Group requesting a number of their Ingenuus Power Cells, which should provide sufficient power to keep the Azurite flow from burning out in the conduits.

To this end my engineering specialist, Marcus Greele, has begun prototyping of several key components in a closed-loop Azurite power network, which will be implemented on the Ailuros as soon as we have received the power cells from the IRG. These prototypes include a primary reactor, which will direct depleted Azurite through an energy field coil assembly connected to the Ingenuus Power Cell, allowing it to quicky be returned to an excited state.

In-Progress Applications

In addition to the Azurite Recycler-Core that Greele is working on constructing, other projects are in the works. Foremost is a method of utilizing Azurite in limited, non-recyclable quantities for short term power needs via the Azurite Capacitor.

The Azurite Capacitor is, essentially, a standard power cell converted to a gas storage container. These Capacitors are easily manufactured, and contain a small amount of energized Azurite with the appropriate power conversion systems already implemented. In layman's terms, this is a "plug-and-play" power solution, interchangeable with nearly any modern-day system, that will afford temporary increased power efficiency for the duration of the stored charge.

These capacitors can replace power banks, power cells, batteries, and a number of other currently-utilized methods of mobile power procurement where a full sized reactor is not feasible or financially viable. I believe these capacitors will be extremely valuable to remote colonization efforts, station construction, and planetside mobile operations. Additionally, a full bank of these capacitors in place of standard batteries can be used for emergency or backup power requirements on nearly any ship or installation. Further development of these capacitors may enable them to be used in place of current shield capacitors, but that remains to be seen.

In the meantime, Azurite Capacitors could become a major export and source of income for AP Manufacturing, and I recommend fabrication begin immediately at Invicta Research Complex to assess interest in the devices.

Additionally, due to the heinous fuel and power requirements of hyperspace surveying, I've begun prototyping modifications to the subspace scanner array onboard the Ailuros, with the intent of utilizing Azurite Gas as a potential fuel source for surveying projects. This will be tested further as we begin our next assignment, surveying Core space and plotting jump coordinates for our vessels.

Initial tests flooding the power conduits of the scanning array produced desirable results, but regulation of the flow was a problem. Greele has been developing an Azurite flow regulator to install in the primary plasma conduit leading to the array, which will allow precise variable control of the power flow and account for inherent subspace instabilities and gravimetric distortions.

Azurite Conduit Flow Regulator

Simulations of the Azurite flow to the scanning matrix are underway, and look promising. Once Greele has completed the regulator and recycler core, and we have received the power cell from the IRG, field tests of the surveying system can get underway.

It should be noted that, due to power regulation requirements, utilizing the array with Azurite as a fuel source may be less spatially accurate than with greater quantities of traditional fuel sources, however I feel that the inaccuracy is still within an acceptable level and well-worth the reduced cost of operation. Only a small amount of gas expenditure should be necessary, given the power threshold of Azurite, which should nullify the need for support vessels during survey operations.

Summary

Additional applications for Azurite as a power transference medium are limitless, but currently the Ailuros team is focused on the following:

-Development of Azurite Recycler Core (Needed: Ingenuus Power Cells) COMPLETE
-Development of Azurite Flow Regulator (Needed: further prototyping) COMPLETE
-Usage of Azurite for Hyperspace Surveying (PENDING)

Future projects involving Azurite research will include:

-Enhanced weapon capabilities
-Enhanced sensor/scanning capabilities

"Acquisition of five power cells from the Ingenuus Research Group has been completed, as notated HERE. With requisitioned personnel and resources from Invicta, Marcus Greele has completed the Azurite Recycler Core and the Azurite Flow Regulator. Shortly, testing of the cartography array utilizing Azurite as a power-fuel source will commence."

Azurite Recycler Core (Pictured Above):
The Recycler Core utilizes a toroidal matrix of electromagnetic field generators to channel a stream of depleted Azurite returning from the Ailuros' systems via converted plasma conduits directly around the Ingenuus Power Cell. Here, the depleted gas is re-energized to its excited state through wireless energy transfer, before continuing downward into the Azurite Flow Regulator on the floor below.

Azurite Flow Regulator (Pictured Above):
The Flow Regulator, once again, utilizes electromagnetic field generators to create a concentrated stream of energized Azurite gas, leading directly from the Recycling core into the Ailuros' modified plasma conduits. Via the regulator, Azurite flow can be swapped between primary ship systems - including shields, weapons, etc. - to the ship's modified stellar cartography array. The flow regulator is heavily shielded with radiation-dampening materials to prevent the irradiating of the ship and crew via energy bleedoff. The same form of radiation encountered in the Azurite Reactor in Omicron Delta is present in high levels within the flow regulator, due to the presence of highly-energized gas.

Summary:

Properly energized Azurite, empowered by the IRG power cell via the recycler core, contains approximately 600% to 800% greater energy content by volume than H-fuel, Helium-3, MOX, or Deuterium. With this in mind, the mass and area taken up by modified systems in order to utilize Azurite as a fuel is a significant trade-off. These systems are also more volatile and dangerous than traditional systems, barring any near-future civilian applications. However, this line of development should be invaluable in improving the Core's arsenal and securing dominance in the Omicrons. I will begin work on additional Azurite-integrated systems shortly.