Ice as a sealant

[J'Dona]

This is a bit of a strange question, and maybe related to science fiction, so most people will just ignore it. Please move this to pseudoscience or engineering if it would be more appropriate there, and I'll take that cue on any further posts like this I might make.

 

Because in the future spacecraft built by different countries or companies might have different airlock mechanisms or external hathes, I was considering about the use of ice as a sealant in forming makeshift airlocks. Does anyone know if, when liquid water is sprayed onto a metal surface in space, would it just splash of off or would it crystallise and form a structure? Would that ice, if built up around an entire hatch on both of the ships, be strong enough to contain a small amount of atmosphere whih was pumped in, or would it shatter?

 

The reason I wonder is because it would make for a suitable universal docking process between ships, in case of different builds or an emergency which rules out the standard dock. The strength of the ice against forces due to any slight rotation between the two vessels would not be much of an issue, as either could be locked in place by metal clamps or some such. The clamps could also serve as a support for the ice if it were formed around it. Spacecraft in the future might use water as a propellant, so they would probably have a supply on board.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

It depends. If you are in shadow, then yes, it would work. But if you were in "day" (which is every 90 in Earth orbit) then the sun would melt the ice immediately.

[jordan]

Good thought there, Cap'n.

 

I was thinking that as long as the two ships docked before you pumped any water to seal them and the metal was made to be very rough in the spots where the water is to seal, it might be a reasonable idea.

[Glider]

I think you could probably build up a very strong layer by spraying water of a freezing metal surface. Ice has immense strength; look at glaciers.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Speaking of which, in WWII, they intended to make a fleet of aircraft carriers out of ice.

 

 

But anyways, if you were going to dock with ice, you need to keep the ice cold with refrigerant or some sort of sunshade thing. Otherwise it will melt right off in the 250 degrees (fahrenheit) heat from the sun.

 

 

by the way, it's nice to see glider being more active around here for a while.

[J'Dona]

A coolant would definitely be used, possibly coming from the metal supports, and if this were occuring between ships in space I assume that they would be able to turn themselves so that the docking areas were in shadow. I'm not certain how quickly the metal surfaces would radiate heat after facing away from the sun. But the surface istelf could be artificially cooled, particularly on the rough spots that jordan suggested. A reflective cover would be more energy efficient though. Maybe a cover can be made straight onto the ice, which is charged, via electrostatic coating with a reflective substance. That probably wouldn't work for some reason or another, because I thought it up.

 

It might be a little wasteful of water and so forth. but it would allow quick transfer of cargo and people between them, and for docking with a small, private spacecraft which doesn't have an airlock or can't afford to vent all the atmosphere in the cockpit.

 

 

Off topic, but what is the forum policy in regard to posts made by people like K. B. Robertson in the 'Temperature' thread? (I was preparing a reponse regarding his liberal use of adverbs, e.g. "arrogantly plebean opening barb", but I don't think it would be following the forum rules so I'm not anymore.)

[YT2095]

Ice would make an excellent temporary sealant for some applications, its only problem would be its vapour pressure in a vacuum and its modulus (very brittle), other than that, Neat Idea

[Sayonara]

If you are worried about fracturing and so forth, there's no reason it has to be pure water.

 

You could use some gelatinous fluid that enters a highly viscous state as it starts to freeze.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Actually, you could add sawdust to it. As I mentioned earlier, they intended to make aircraft carriers out of ice, but with sawdust in it. It gets to be as strong as concrete (or was it as dense? I'm not sure) and makes a very capable (and cold) ship.

 

 

Here's a link for it

And another one

What happens when you shoot pykrete:

[Gant]

I think that it would be quite useful in a deep space environment where it is extremely cold all the time,,,but in near earth applications the sun would be your biggest threat.

Good o' fashion docking mechanism are probably your best bet. But the idea is a good one.