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==Re-imagined Tylium==
==Re-imagined Tylium==
[[Image:HandofGod.jpg|right|thumb|[[Lee Adama|Apollo]] [[Battle for the Tylium Asteroid|destroys a Cylon base]] to win supplies of tylium in "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]"]]
[[Image:HandofGod.jpg|right|thumb|[[Lee Adama|Apollo]] [[Battle for the Tylium Asteroid|destroys a Cylon base]] to win supplies of tylium.]]


Tylium is a material used to fuel the propulsion systems of Colonial and [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] spacecraft. Three forms are known of: tylium ore, refined tylium precursor, and refined tylium (the fuel itself).
Tylium is a material used to fuel the propulsion systems of Colonial and [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] spacecraft. At least three forms exist: tylium ore, refined tylium precursor, and refined tylium (the fuel itself).


Typically, tylium ore is mined from asteroids and is apparently not found on the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]] natively. Large tylium ore deposits can keep fleets fueled for years ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]). In its raw form tylium is a relatively fine, powdery substance, that is refined to a liquid in [[refinery ship]]s. Care needs to be taken to not introduce impurities into the fuel ([[Dirty Hands]]).
Typically, tylium ore is mined from asteroids and is apparently not found on the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]] natively. Large tylium ore deposits can keep fleets fueled for years ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]"). In its raw form, tylium is a relatively fine, powdery substance that is liquefied and refined by [[refinery ship]]s. Care needs to be taken to not introduce impurities into the fuel, which can cause engine malfunctions ([[TRS]]: "[[Dirty Hands]]").


According to Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]], tylium has the following characteristics:


According to Dr. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] in the episode  "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]", tylium has the following characteristics:
* Tylium ore is rendered inert and unusable when exposed to nuclear radiation
* Refined tylium precursor is more unstable and much easier to ignite than the finished fuel itself
* Refined tylium has a tremendous enthalpy to the order of approximately half a million gigajoules per kilogram, or about 6 times greater than uranium-235 and 81% that of deuterium fusion.
* A tylium detonation results in no radioactive fallout ([[TRS]]: "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]")


* Tylium ore is rendered inert and unusable when exposed to nuclear radiation
Pure tylium can be easily detonated by a conventional warhead. Moreover, igniting fuel lines on spaceships usually quickly result in their loss ([[TRS]]: [[Miniseries, Night 1]]). The fuel can also be used to construct improvised mines ([[TRS]]: "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]").
* It is extremely easy to trigger a chain reaction in (compared to uranium or plutonium), requiring only the heat and pressure generated by a conventional warhead exploding next to it
* Refined tylium precursor is much easier to trigger than the fuel itself
* Refined tylium has a tremendous energy density of approximately half a billion megajoules per kilogram, or about 6 times greater than Uranium-235 and 81% that of deuterium fusion. However, it's unknown how efficient Colonial and Cylon reactors are
* Tylium's detonation results in no radioactive fallout


==Original Tylium==
==Original Tylium==


Practically nothing on the fuel is told in the Original Series.
Practically nothing on the fuel is mentioned in the Original Series.


In the Original Series, the term was pronounced as "TIE-lee-um" as opposed to "TILL-lee-um" in the Re-imagined Series, as heard in "[[Saga of a Star World]]".
In the Original Series, the term was pronounced as "TIE-lee-um" as opposed to "TILL-lee-um" in the Re-imagined Series, as heard in "[[Saga of a Star World]]".
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==Notes==
==Notes==
*The official series web page on the [http://www.scifi.com Sci-Fi Channel] web site incorrectly spells the substance as "'''tyllium'''" in the description of the [[Mining Ship]] on the ships page. As the Original Series DVD material, as well as labels seen in "[[Dirty Hands]]", shows the spelling as "tylium," ''Battlestar Wiki'' contributors should use "tylium" as the correct spelling.
*[[w:Enthalpy|Enthalpy]] describes the thermodynamic potential of a system (H), and its simplest definition is the sum of the system's internal energy (U), and the product of its pressure (p) and volume (V): ''H = U + pV''.
*The official series web page on the [http://www.scifi.com Sci-Fi Channel] web site incorrectly spells the substance as "'''tyllium'''" in the description of the [[mining ship]] on the ships page. As the Original Series DVD material, as well as labels seen in "[[Dirty Hands]]", show the spelling as "tylium," ''Battlestar Wiki'' contributors should use "tylium" as the correct spelling.


==See Also==
==See Also==
[[Substances in the Re-imagined Series]] for a discussion on the nature of tylium.
*[[Substances in the Re-imagined Series]], for a discussion on the nature of tylium.
*[[Cylon Refinery]]
*[[Refinery ship]]





Revision as of 22:55, 14 June 2014

Tylium is a fuel used in both the Original Series and Re-imagined Series.

Re-imagined Tylium[edit]

Apollo destroys a Cylon base to win supplies of tylium.

Tylium is a material used to fuel the propulsion systems of Colonial and Cylon spacecraft. At least three forms exist: tylium ore, refined tylium precursor, and refined tylium (the fuel itself).

Typically, tylium ore is mined from asteroids and is apparently not found on the Twelve Colonies natively. Large tylium ore deposits can keep fleets fueled for years (TRS: "The Hand of God"). In its raw form, tylium is a relatively fine, powdery substance that is liquefied and refined by refinery ships. Care needs to be taken to not introduce impurities into the fuel, which can cause engine malfunctions (TRS: "Dirty Hands").

According to Dr. Gaius Baltar, tylium has the following characteristics:

  • Tylium ore is rendered inert and unusable when exposed to nuclear radiation
  • Refined tylium precursor is more unstable and much easier to ignite than the finished fuel itself
  • Refined tylium has a tremendous enthalpy to the order of approximately half a million gigajoules per kilogram, or about 6 times greater than uranium-235 and 81% that of deuterium fusion.
  • A tylium detonation results in no radioactive fallout (TRS: "The Hand of God")

Pure tylium can be easily detonated by a conventional warhead. Moreover, igniting fuel lines on spaceships usually quickly result in their loss (TRS: Miniseries, Night 1). The fuel can also be used to construct improvised mines (TRS: "The Eye of Jupiter").

Original Tylium[edit]

Practically nothing on the fuel is mentioned in the Original Series.

In the Original Series, the term was pronounced as "TIE-lee-um" as opposed to "TILL-lee-um" in the Re-imagined Series, as heard in "Saga of a Star World".

Notes[edit]

  • Enthalpy describes the thermodynamic potential of a system (H), and its simplest definition is the sum of the system's internal energy (U), and the product of its pressure (p) and volume (V): H = U + pV.
  • The official series web page on the Sci-Fi Channel web site incorrectly spells the substance as "tyllium" in the description of the mining ship on the ships page. As the Original Series DVD material, as well as labels seen in "Dirty Hands", show the spelling as "tylium," Battlestar Wiki contributors should use "tylium" as the correct spelling.

See Also[edit]