Hydrogen offers low drag and good thermal conductivity: http://en.wikipedia.org/... | Hacker News

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		benxron2 on July 8, 2013 \| parent \| context \| favorite \| on: "Nothing like this will be built again" Hydrogen offers low drag and good thermal conductivity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-cooled_turbo_generator

nakedrobot2 on July 8, 2013 [–]

Why wouldn't they spin instead in a near-vacuum, instead of an environment of hydrogen?

bronson on July 8, 2013 | | [–]

Because near vacuum is a terrible heat conductor.

kragen on July 9, 2013 | | [–]

Vacuum has no drag but also no thermal conductivity, so you'd have to cool the generators some other way.

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