Pneumatics

Pneumatics is a technology for automation. On Mars there are many processes to maintain in an artificial habitat, which needs automatic control and alarming. Pneumatics is an alternative to electronics and can provide exactly the same functionality and precision.

The things we are used to do with electronics are not really bound to the flow of electrons and the creation of semiconductors. Complex circuits can be constructed with flowing air instead of flowing electrons. This technology seems to be almost forgotten, and people tend to think of electronics as the only way of doing automation. On Earth it is easy to go to the electronics merchant and buy a handful of transistors and rectifiers. But on Mars? The settlers may not be able to build a transistor factory with all the costly technology required for making a transistor out of sand.

The functional elements of pneumatics are made from metal tubes of different diameter and length, vessels, gaskets from synthetic materials, etc. All this does not require hi-tech processes, and hence are easier to reproduce, making it an interesting alternative for automation technology on Mars.

Physical basics

Air pressure is the analogon to electrical voltage.
Flow of air is the analogon to electrical current

Elements

Resistor

Laminar Flow Resistor

This element has an effect upon flowing air just like a linear electric resistor has upon the flow of electrons. It is built from a metal tube of small diameter. The value of the resistance is linear and depends on the length of the element.

Turbulence Flow Resistor

This element has an effect upon flowing air like a non-linear electric resistor, such as a diode. It is built from a metal tube that is closed at one end with a small puncture. The resistance depends on the flow.

Capacitor

This element is a vessel that can store an amount of air with more or less high pressure.

Non-Linear Capacitor

This is just an empty vessel. The accumulated air volume is non-linear with the pressure.

Linear Capacitor

The cylindric vessel contains a piston that is held by a spiral spring. The accumulated air volume is linear with the pressure.

Inductance

This element has an effect upon flowing air just like a coil has upon the flow of electrons. It is built from a metal tube of big diameter. The flowing air has a certain inertia, which pushes the air forward for a little while after the inital pressure has ceased.