Guide to Gases ErisEN
Gases of Atmos
There are 5 major gases in the gas pipes of the CEV Eris. They are (in no particular order) Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen, Nitrous Oxide and Plasma. For most of the ship outside engineering it should be only the first 3 on the list. Standard atmosphere is about 78% Nitrogen with 21% Oxygen with a little bit of Carbon Dioxide due to respiration.
Gas Quick Reference
| Gas | Storage Canister | Specific Heat [J/(mol*K)] | Molar Mass [kg/mol] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxygen |  |
20 | 0.032 | Oxidizer, necessary for human life |
| Nitrogen |  |
20 | 0.028 | - |
| Carbon Dioxide |  |
30 | 0.044 | Byproduct of respiration and combustion |
| Nitrous Oxide |  |
40 | 0.044 | Provides a long duration anesthetic, knocks out most biological entities |
| Plasma |  |
200 | 0.405 | Toxic to most biological life, flammable |
Oxygen (O2)
Oxygen (more accurately Dioxygen) is necessary for life as we know it. Despite this, in a standard atmospheric mix Oxygen only makes 21% of the mixture. Typically crew members start with a small reserve bottle of Oxygen for use in an emergency in combination with a breathing mask.
Despite it's life-giving nature, Oxygen is still dangerous due to it's Oxidization properties. Common discussion of Oxidization usually brings up rust or other metal oxides, however it can also cover such things as fire. Fire, or combustion, is the violent oxidization of a material (such as hydrogen) and uncontrolled is a hazard to the ship.
In power engineering, oxygen can be used in the Supermatter core loop however it causes a runaway reaction as it causes a more violent reaction from the Supermatter than other gases such as plasma.
Nitrogen (N2)
Nitrogen (more accurately Dinitrogen) is a common gas that actually makes up the bulk of breathable atmosphere on the CEV Eris. At approximately 78% of a breathable mix, it is still dangerous at higher levels. Exceeding this level in a breathing atmosphere may lead to asphyxiation and eventually death for those without their own source of oxygen.
Pure Nitrogen however is useful in one (usually non-lethal) application: Supermatter regulation. The Supermatter's reaction is governed by several factors, one of which is the reaction retardation effect of Nitrogen. In the case of an emergency, flooding the core loop with Nitrogen could be a viable tactic, though at that point it becomes necessary to filter out the Nitrogen once the situation has stabilized as to restart power production.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Carbon Dioxide is the natural output of most forms of oxidization.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Nitrous Oxide (aka laughing gas) is a useful tool for putting targets to sleep without killing them. It has common application in small amounts for medical and research procedures and in large amounts when it becomes necessary to pacify a large area without being lethal.
Plasma (!!!)
Plasma is a blessing and a curse.
Dealing with Gases
Scrubbers and Vents
The first line of defense against messes involving atmosphere are the ship's ventilation and filtering system.
Repairing Atmos Pipes
Often damage to the ship will also break the pipes that transport gases throughout the ship. These breaks can be repaired these steps:
- Numbered list item
Protective Equipment
Individuals can protect themselves against errant gases by wearing the appropriate protective equipment.
Field Work
In the case that everything has gone wrong, the crew can manually work to filter their local atmosphere.
| Machine | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Portable Air Filter |  |
Filters gases out of the air into an air tank |
| Portable Air Pump |  |
Pumps atmosphere into a air tank |
