38 replies to this topic

[Gun Bear]

What do you think is the temperature (C and F) inside the command terminal of a Battlemech, what is the max temperature in the cockpit before a 'mech starts to shut down?

I imagine that the temperature inside a Battlemech command terminal running under normal conditions is probably about 90F(32C) which is warm but not too uncomfortable once you get used to it, I also think that it could get to 200F(93C) before the automatic shutdown starts to kick in to keep the pilot from being baked alive in their 'mech like a holiday ham. I figure 200 because that is about the extreme end of unprotected human endurance, and since mechwarriors wear little protective gear outside their coolant vests or on occasion coolant suits it makes sense in my mind that that is where the cut off point begins, it can be overridden and become even hotter but that's where I always imagine the safety cut off.

What about the rest of you? Who else has pondered this and what do you think is the average or normal temp and the maximum ceiling if any for the command terminal temperatures.

[DireWolf421]

I have thought about that for years.
A mech is in short a walking tank with arms.
Thus think along what a tank crew uses to keep cool inside the tank for long periods of time.
Cooling vests (like the ones the U.S. Army uses in the M1A1 Abrams tanks when in the field.
Air cooling system tied into a heatsink wouldn't be far from the mark either.
Air vents that can be opened or closed depending on current conditions etc.
Small fans blowing air on the pilot also.
The options are endless.

Later

[Gun Bear]

DireWolf421, on 13 May 2012 - 07:47 AM, said:

I have thought about that for years.
A mech is in short a walking tank with arms.
Thus think along what a tank crew uses to keep cool inside the tank for long periods of time.
Cooling vests (like the ones the U.S. Army uses in the M1A1 Abrams tanks when in the field.
Air cooling system tied into a heatsink wouldn't be far from the mark either.
Air vents that can be opened or closed depending on current conditions etc.
Small fans blowing air on the pilot also.
The options are endless.

Later

Not about how the heat is dissipated but what the average temperature is and how high does it reach before a 'mech's systems would say "Ok its time to shut down."

[Eximar]

It will depend mostly on humidity within the cockpit. If it can be held very low, then temperatures over 150 can be endured for a time, but as the humidity rises, that temperature goes down, to where, at 90%+ humidity, temperatures between 110 and 120 are very difficult to deal with in an active environment.

[ASC]

mech temps would probarbly go between 30C and 50C, any higher in more then very short bursts and the mechwarrior just won't be able to remain functional

[Gabriel Bekker]

200 F is far too hot to be survived, especially considering how humid a cockpit can potentially get. The air would only be a few degrees less than the boiling point of water, and would scald the skin, eyes, nasal passages, and even the lungs of the pilot. In a fairly dry cockpit (One with an excellent air filtration system) a pilot could probably withstand no greater than 160 F for more than a few minutes, even with a cooling vest. In a very humid cockpit, no higher than 135 F, and again only for a few minutes. For extended periods of time, we would probably be looking at numbers no greater than 130-135 dry and 115-120 humid. Even at those temperatures, we are talking about pilots sweating out a pound of water every 10-20 minutes, so all pilots would have to carry several gallons of an enriched hydrating fluid (Water with simple carbohydrates, salts, electrolytes, and water-solluable vitamins. Basically the ramped up equivilent of some high-quality sports drink) with them in an easily accessable location. The drink would have to be a minimum of 80+ degrees F as well, so that a pilot could drink a large amount in a short period of time without upsetting their stomach or even going into shock. Otherwise, pilots would be suffering from severe dehydration and heat exhaustion within 2-4 hours of combat heat levels. I have been wrestling all my life, I know a lot about sweating, hydration, and the heat limits of the human body.

[Haakon Valravn]

Cockpit CamelBak?

Definitely have to have some thermal breaking between the cockpit and the rest of the 'Mech. Probably a way to circulate air around it, too, to draw cool(er) outside air in and vent warm(er/hot) air out in an exchange. Would suck to operate a 'Mech on the sunny side of a low gravity world. No air and extremely high day-time temps... nasty. Would definitely need fans in the cockpit.

Edited by Haakon Valravn, 13 May 2012 - 10:00 AM.

[Wullf]

u do understand that mechs are pure imagination ?
and that if u wont to discus cocpit shutdowntemperature ingame
then the only boundries are a lack of imagination.

and if u read all the books, the mechs shutdown to prevent the fusion reaktor from going nuclear
not to save the pilot from being coocked.
and btw there is always a veto button. so temperature inside the cockpit dosnt matter, exept of a realistic pilot death by heat
during minigames

Edited by Wullf, 13 May 2012 - 11:28 AM.

[Morashtak]

from wiki answers;

The following are internal body temperature readings and physiologic effects of each. An individual's ability to withstand these temperatures will depend greatly on other influences such as age, location, overall physical condition, etc.

• 39°C (102.2°F) (Pyrexia) - Severe sweating, flushed and very red. Fast heart rate and breathlessness. There may be exhaustion accompanying this. Children and people with epilepsy may be very likely to get convulsions at this point.
  
• 40°C (104°F) - Fainting, dehydration, weakness, vomiting, headache and dizziness may occur as well as profuse sweating.
  
• 41°C (105.8°F) - (Medical emergency) - Fainting, vomiting, severe headache, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, delirium and drowsiness can occur. There may also be palpitations and breathlessness.
  
• 42°C (107.6°F) - Subject may turn pale or remain flushed and red. They may become comatose, be in severe delirium, vomiting, and convulsions can occur. Blood pressure may be high or low and heart rate will be very fast.
  
• 43°C (109.4°F) - Normally death, or there may be serious brain damage, continuous convulsions and shock. Cardio-respiratory collapse will occur.
  
• 44°C (111.2°F) or more - Almost certainly death will occur; however, patients have been known to survive up to 46.5°C (115.7°F).

* - Internal core body temps that have been reached due to extended periods in a high temperature climate.

The rate of temperature rise in the body is dependent on the climate as well. A Mech cockpit that is circulating dry air will keep a the core temperature lower than one circulating moist air. And a spike in the cockpit temperature does not directly translate to a immediately higher body core temperature.

Short answer... it depends.

Edited by Morashtak, 13 May 2012 - 01:13 PM.

[Kristov Kerensky]

Overheat shut down has nothing to do with the temp inside the cockpit, it has to do with the temp inside the fusion reactor powering the Mech.

As for how hot a cockpit can get, lore mentions death as a possible result of the temps reached inside an overheated Mech's cockpit, so I'd venture to guess it gets well over 160F inside them under the worst conditions.

[Deathz Jester]

So in short, I should spam flamers on the enemies cockpit if I want a salvage?

[Arikiel]

Using the Classic Battletech rules I'd just say they start cold at a comfortable 20°C and add +1°C per point of heat generated (up to +30). People will start the process of dying at prolonged temperatures of 40°C or higher. So 20-50°C sounds about right to me.

[Victor Miles]

Honestly!?

Nobody of you went to a sauna once?
I can withstand for about 15 Minutes with a temperature of 100°© with about 20% humidity...
If in an emergency I think I can go longer...

Not sure how the humidity/temperature goes. I'd guess the humidity within the cockpit is rater low.

Edited by Victor Miles, 13 May 2012 - 01:52 PM.

[Aldinvor]

Where is this sauna where you enter fully clothed are strapped into a chair, and placed in a high stress environment, please?

[Deathz Jester]

100 Degrees Celcius is 212 Degrees Farenheit, You will mostlikely die if exposed to that temperature for too long. Keep in mind you're in a small enclosed space, with lots of metal, and glass. And you're being shot at.

can you stand 15 minutes of being shot at and being that hot?

And as the post above stated, where's the sauna where you're fully clothed, strapped in a chair, and in a high stress environment?

Edited by Iron Harlequin, 13 May 2012 - 02:06 PM.

[Gun Bear]

I understand that the usual chatter is only about the 'mech shutting down if the reactor hits a certain temp but why wouldn't one have a safety mechanism for the pilot inside? Its all hypothetical anyway; I thought it would make an interesting conversation.

I work as a mascot, I've marched in parades for 2 miles in 110 degrees without any kind of cooling apparatus which took a good hour. 200 may not be unrealistic when you consider there are extreme sauna competitions where people sit in temps approaching that for as long as 4 hours and that a mechwarrior is equipped with a coolant vest, or sometimes a coolant suit, that keeps their core temperature close to what it should be it could be possible to pull extreme temps like that for a time in battle.

[Rivy]

This thread made me think... I'd like to be able to put one of those small car fans in my cockpit

[Pvt Dancer]

Well, the pilots are suppose to were coolant vests and swim wear to 'stay cool'. So banana hammocks and bikinis for everyone!

[SuomiWarder]

The dry heat of a sauna is easier to endure than heat with humidity.

I have managed to rider a motorcyle through 120 degree temps for four hours in Death Valley wearing a helmet and leather jacket. But that's only anticodal information.

I tried to find actual crew compartment temeratures of modern armored vihicles on the net but failed to find any useful information. Even with a cooling vest to keep your core temperture down, I would suspect that anything much higher than 120 over a prolonged times would start to degrade pilot performance.

[Insidious Johnson]

Aldinvor, on 13 May 2012 - 02:00 PM, said:

Where is this sauna where you enter fully clothed are strapped into a chair, and placed in a high stress environment, please?

Where in battletech do they remain fully clothed in a cockpit? Go check the mechwarrior fashion thread(s). Mostly just banana hammocks, cooling vests, and neuro helmets. Uniforms are for outside the cockpit where you are actually in danger of being saluted or having to return one.