Part idea: Geothermal Battery

[Pthigrivi]

We were talking in the SpaceX thread about thermal control systems on the moon and I discovered this study on using regolith as a thermal energy storage medium, most likely using heat pumps and bore holes to store heat energy during the day for use at night when temperatures quickly fall. It made me think a cool mechanic in KSP2 might be placing these like you do the wind or geothermal generators we've seen, except this part would act like a radiator during the day and a generator at night. Visually it would just look like a well head on the surface with a pump, compressor, exchangers and generator attached and maybe the hint of buried supply lines heading back to base. We don't know exactly how complex KSP2's thermal control systems will be, if day/night solar gain or habitation heating will be a factor, but if we're primarily worried about heat dissipation from resource and energy production and crew cabin heating is abstracted as cabin electrical draw then simplifying recovery by assuming a thermoelectric generator attached to the heat pump at the bore hole head seems appropriate. I would think it would cost more in terms of raw materials to produce than a battery and have less output, but of course its doing double duty as a radiator and the energy its producing is basically free. They would also be a nice offset for bases run primarily on solar panels because they're producing energy at all the times your panels aren't. 

Its pretty simple technology. We use them here on earth all the time:

Edited June 30, 2022 by Pthigrivi

[Xelo]

Im no engineer by far, but perhaps just so its more distinguishable above ground:

Edited July 1, 2022 by Xelo
image quality died

[Pthigrivi]

Love it! Technically it could be smaller than the full geothermal generator, but a tower to bleed off excess heat isn't a bad idea.