Nuclear Reactor: Difference between revisions

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{{Version|0.15.13.0}}
{{Version|1.0.8.0}}
{{Infobox Tabs
|Reactor|
{{Installations infobox
{{Installations infobox
| image = Nuclear Reactor.png
| image = Nuclear_Reactor.png
| imagewidth = 300
| imagewidth = 300
| image2 = Outpostreactor.png
| identifier = reactor1
| imagewidth2 = 200
| description = Usable device for generating electrical power.
| category = Machines
| category = Machine
| tags = reactor
| itemslots = 4 [[#Fuel Rods|Fuel Rod]] slots
| itemslots = 4 [[#Fuel Rods|Fuel Rod]] slots
| repair = electrical
| maxoutput = 5 000
| electrical engineering = 55
| repairtype = Electrical
| repairitems = {{hl|Screwdriver}}
| repairskill = 55
}}
|Outpost Reactor|
{{Installations infobox
| image = Outpostreactor.png
| imagewidth = 200
| identifier = outpostreactor
| description = Usable device for generating electrical power.
| category = Machine
| tags = reactor
| itemslots = 4 [[#Fuel Rods|Fuel Rod]] slots
| maxoutput = 20 000
| repairtype = Electrical
| repairskill = 55
}}
}}
}}
The '''Nuclear Reactor''' is an [[installations|installation]]. It uses fuel rods to produce power to the [[submarines|submarine]].
=Function =
The nuclear reactor's function is to generate power for other installations on the submarine. As long as the reactor is active, every other connected device on the ship will remain active as well. Power generated by the reactor is sent to other installations via [[wiring]]. Power distribution requires [[Junction Box|Junction Boxes]] to work, as the reactor cannot send power to other installations directly. Maintaining the power network is one of the most important aspects of a round, as the submarine cannot function without power.


The nuclear reactor undergoes [[wikipedia:Nuclear fission|nuclear fission]], in which atoms are split apart, cause large amounts of energy to be released. The rate at which these reactions take place is measured by the fission rate. The resulting reaction also causes heat to be released that raises the overall temperature of the reactor. If the temperature raises past 6,000 degrees for too long, the reactor will catch on [[Maintenance#Fire|Fire]]. If the temperature stays over 9000 degrees for too long, it will meltdown, creating a massive radioactive explosion. It is possible to fix the submarine and reactor after a meltdown, but it is difficult due to radiation, lack of power and, often, hull breaches. Because of this, the cooling and fission rates must be adjusted to keep the temperature at a desired level - which is usually the same as the amount of power consumed by the electrical grid of the submarine.
The '''Nuclear Reactor''' is an [[installations|installation]]. It uses fuel rods to produce power for the [[submarines|submarine]].


'''[[#Fuel Rods|Fuel Rod]]s''' are required for the nuclear reactor to function. The reactor can hold up to four rods. They will be slowly consumed at a rate proportionate to the Fission Rate. Fuel Rods can be removed and replaced at any time.
__TOC__


If the reactor is in water, it will take damage over time, down to 10% condition.
=Function=


Even when not in water, a reactor will slowly deteriorate over time, proportional to turbine output and fission rate. A reactor will not deteriorate below 10% condition by itself.  
The nuclear reactor's purpose is to generate the power that most other installations on the submarine require in order to operate normally. Power generated in the reactor is distributed through [[Junction Box|junction boxes]] to the installations to be powered via the [[wiring]] system. Maintaining a stable and sufficient power output is extremely important, as critical systems such as oxygen generation, engines, and weapons will not function without power.


If the reactor reaches 0% condition and has a fuel rod in, it will instantly meltdown.
=Mechanics=
=Mechanics=
==Turbine output==
At maximum turbine output, the reactor has a maximum power output depending on the [[submarine]]. This can be changed in the [https://regalis11.github.io/BaroModDoc/Editors/SubmarineEditor.html Submarine Editor].
* Output can be increased via [[upgrades]].
Turbine Output is how much electricity the reactor will output, which will need to be adapted to the ship's consumption. So if 2000kW are required and 1000kW are produced, the turbine output will need to be doubled.


The Turbine in turn works off heat. If there isn't enough heat, then the turbine can't produce the output it is set to. The turbine is merely capped by whether or not it has enough heat. It does not produce more power via excess heat. It only produces as much power as it is set to, as long as it has enough heat to sustain that level of power output.
The nuclear reactor generates power from a combination of two processes: Nuclear fission, which converts the latent nuclear energy in fuel rods into thermal energy, and then turbine motion, which converts thermal energy into electrical power. Both the fission rate and turbine output can be controlled manually or automatically, and keeping them balanced is important for making sure that the reactor does not stall or overheat.
* '''Turbine Output constantly consumes heat''', so suddenly increasing the turbine output without increasing fission rate will reduce the temperature of the reactor.
 
** This will decrease the power output instead of increasing it, since the reactor won't keep up with the turbine.
==Fission Rate==
** Similarly, if turbine output is too low relative to fission rate a heat build-up may occur.
 
Therefore, Turbine Output must be balanced with heat generation by adjusting the Fission Rate.
Fission rate determines how much thermal energy each fuel rod is releasing. Rarer fuel rods have a higher heat potential, meaning that they will generate more heat at the same fission rate (necessitating lowering the fission rate to compensate). Inserting multiple fuel rods into the reactor will cause it to produce significantly more heat, meaning that fission rate should be reduced to maintain a balanced heat production.
 
==Turbine Output==
 
Turbine output determines the amount of electrical energy the reactor produces and the amount of thermal energy the reactor consumes. Higher turbine outputs require higher heat, but produce more power. Setting the turbine output too high may cause it to consume more heat than the reactor is providing, causing it to stall and produce no power. Setting it too low may allow heat to build up to dangerous levels if fission rate is not lowered to compensate.
 
==Fuel==
 
The reactor can contain up to four fuel rods, which produce heat determined by the fission rate and their heat potential. Rods deteriorate over time while being used in the reactor, and will stop producing heat when they are at 0% durability. Expended fuel rods can be recycled into new fuel rods or crafted into [[Depleted_Fuel|depleted fuel]] at a [[Fabricator_%26_Deconstructor|fabricator]]. The rate at which fuel rods deteriorate is determined by the reactor's fuel efficiency, the current fission rate, and the number of inserted fuel rods, per the following formula:
 
[[File:FuelFormula.png]]
 
{| class="responsive-table" style="width: 50%"
! style="width: 13%;"| Fuel Rod Type
! style="width: 6%;" | Durability
! style="width: 7%;" | Heat Potential
! style="width: 7%;" | Electrical Skill to Craft
! style="width: 8%;" | Crafting Materials
! style="width: 7%;" | Crafting Time
! style="width: 7%;" | [[Store]] Price
|- id = "Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Fuel Rod|60}}
| 100
| 80
| 25
| {{Hyperlink|Uranium}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 10
| 135-150 Marks
|- id = "Thorium Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Thorium Fuel Rod|60}}
| 200
| 100
| 60
| {{Hyperlink|Thorium}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 10
| 225 Marks
|- id = "Fulgurium Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Fulgurium Fuel Rod|60}}
| 150
| 150
| 40
| {{Hyperlink|Fulgurium Bar}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 10
| Not purchasable
|- id = "Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rod|60}}
| 400
| 150
| 70 and [[Talents#Engineer Talents|Danger Zone]]
| {{Hyperlink|Fulgurium Bar}}
{{Hyperlink|Thorium}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 25
| Not purchasable
|}
 
==Meltdown==


''Note: if the reactor outputs more power than is needed, junction boxes will gradually become damaged. And if load is higher than maximum output, electrical devices may flicker or stop working.''
If the reactor heat level is above the maximum safe temperature threshold (6482 degrees) for too long, it may overheat and burst into flames. If it is above the critical temperature point (7965 degrees) for too long, it will suffer a catastrophic meltdown. This causes a large explosion that is powerful enough to instantly kill nearby humans and breach hulls, and may cause radiation poisoning in those who survive. Melting down will also completely expend all fuel rods in the reactor. A reactor that is hot enough to melt down will glow red and emit a loud klaxon noise, alerting the crew to intervene.
==Generating heat==
The '''Fission Rate''' combined with the fuel rods determines how much heat is available. It is fully linear, so doubling Fission Rate will double the heat output which will allow doubling the power generation by doubling the Turbine Output. Inserting a second rod while ''halving'' the Fission Rate will leave the heat unchanged and allow keeping the same Turbine Output and power output without consequences.
''Note: if rods are added and/or fission rate is increased but heat is not used by increasing the turbine output, then the reactor overheats and takes damage, eventually leading to a meltdown''
* Time before meltdown occurs can be increased via [[upgrades]].


* Max power output is achieved at 5000 degrees, being less than 5000 will lower output proportionally.
{{Damage table
''Note: if the fission rate is too low, there won't be enough heat and the turbine won't be able to generate the actual output that it has been set to.''
| item = [[File:Nuclear Reactor.png|Nuclear Reactor|center|60x60px]]
=== Fuel rods ===
| afflictions = {{Affliction|Burn|||||||24}}: 500
Different fuel rods burn hotter for the same fission rate. Maxing out 100% on the Turbine Output requires a '''Heat Potential''' of at least 100.
{{Affliction|Deep Tissue Injury|||||||24}}: 500
* Heat Potential of all rods currently in the reactor is added together, this just means that a lower fission rate can be used to achieve the same heat.
<big>Special Case: Only 1 Uranium Rod</big><br>
The only way to get heat potential less than 100 is to use exactly 1 [[Fuel Rod]], which has a Heat Potential of 80.
Fission Rate has a maximum of 100% but it is limited by Heat Potential, so with only 80 Heat Potential Fission Rate is capped at 80%.


Due to the way heat generation works, 1 Uranium Rod can actually reach up to 85% maximum power output, however the Turbine output must be set to 85% or lower, because heat generation cannot be stably set past 80% fission.
{{Affliction|Stun|||||||24}}: 15
| structuredamage = 300
| force = 25.0
| explosionrange = 7.5
| item2 = [[File:Outpostreactor.png|Outpost Nuclear Reactor|center|60x60px]]
| afflictions2 = {{Affliction|Burn|||||||24}}: 500
{{Affliction|Deep Tissue Injury|||||||24}}: 500


If Turbine Output is above 85% with a single rod, the power output will drop to only 56% at 100% Turbine due to the loss in temperature.
{{Affliction|Stun|||||||24}}: 15
* In general, it is best to keep heat potential above 100 by using more rods or rods with higher heat potential; to avoid wasting overall power output.
| structuredamage2 = 300
* It is possible to momentarily pass 80% fission, though the reactor will quickly correct this back down to 80% on the gauge.
| force2 = 25.0
| explosionrange2 = 7.5
}}


==Fuel efficiency==
Fuel rods deteriorate proportionally to the fission rate and fuel consumption rate of the reactor, the lower fission rate the longer each rod lasts.
* In the [https://regalis11.github.io/BaroModDoc/Editors/SubmarineEditor.html Submarine Editor], the fuel consumption rate of reactors can be changed. (Default: 0.2)
* Fuel consumption rate can be decreased via [[upgrades]].
* The equation for per rod fuel consumption is (Fuel Consumption Rate * Fission%) / # of rods
**Therefore, The per rod consumption for a reactor containing 2 rods at 90% fission with the default consumption rate would be (0.2*0.9)/2 = 0.06/s
'''The fission rate is linear, so using rods one at a time or all at once provides the same amount of runtime overall.'''
''For example, using 4 of the same type of rod just causes each rod to lose durability at 1/4th speed.''


There are some other benefits to using multiple rods, mainly that changing rods is less frequent and less movement of the needle is needed for fission rate.
=User Interface=
* Reducing load to the reactor can decrease the fission rate and increase overall runtime.


==Indicators==
[[File:Reactor panel.png|thumb|1500px|The nuclear reactor's control panel.]]
[[File:Reactor panel.png|thumb|1500px|The nuclear reactor's control panel.]]
'''Critical Heat:'''
'''Critical Heat:'''
*The temperature is at or above 7742 and the reactor is on.
*The temperature is at or above 7965 and the reactor is on.
*The reactor is melting down.
*The reactor is melting down.
'''Critical Output:'''
'''Critical Output:'''
*The power output is more than 150% (1.5x) of the current load and the reactor is on.
*The power output is more than 150% (1.5x) of the current load and the reactor is on.
'''Critically Low Temperature:'''
'''Critically Low Temperature:'''
*The temperature is below 2258 and the reactor is on.
*The temperature is below 2331 and the reactor is on.
''Note: There are no penalties or consequences for having a critically low temperature provided there is enough heat to satisfy the Turbine Output.''
 
'''Gauges'''
'''Gauges'''
*The left gauge, labeled "Fission Rate", indicates the current fission rate of the reactor.
*The left gauge, labeled "Fission Rate", indicates the current fission rate of the reactor.
Line 84: Line 151:
*Yellow areas show "ok" settings.
*Yellow areas show "ok" settings.
*Green areas show recommended settings.
*Green areas show recommended settings.
'''Temp Low:'''
'''Temp Low:'''
*The temperature is below 3660 and the reactor is on.
*The temperature is below 3515 and the reactor is on.
''Note: There are no penalties or consequences for having a low temperature provided there is enough heat to satisfy the Turbine Output.''
 
'''Overheat:'''
'''Overheat:'''
*The temperature is at or above 6370 and the reactor is on.  
*The temperature is at or above 6482 and the reactor is on.  
*The reactor will shortly burst into flames.
*The reactor will shortly burst into flames.
'''Output Low:'''
'''Output Low:'''
*The power output is less than 90% (0.9x) of the current load.
*The power output is less than 90% (0.9x) of the current load.
'''Output High:'''
'''Output High:'''
*The power output is more than 110% (1.1x) of the current load.
*The power output is more than 110% (1.1x) of the current load.
'''Fuel Low:'''
'''Fuel Low:'''
*The available fuel is less than the fission rate and the reactor is on.
*The available fuel is less than the fission rate and the reactor is on.
'''Fuel Out:'''
'''Fuel Out:'''
*The available fuel is less than 1% of the fission rate and the reactor is on.
*The available fuel is less than 1% of the fission rate and the reactor is on.
'''Meltdown:'''
'''Meltdown:'''
*The reactor is halfway past the meltdown timer and is on. '''OR''' The reactor has condition 0 and is on.
*The reactor is halfway past the meltdown timer and is on. '''OR''' The reactor has condition 0 and is on.
'''SCRAM:'''
'''SCRAM:'''
*The reactor is powered off and the temperature is more than 0.
*The reactor is powered off and the temperature is more than 0.
'''Temperature Graph'''
'''Temperature Graph'''
*The colored squares indicate the current temperature of the reactor.
*The colored squares indicate the current temperature of the reactor.
Line 106: Line 183:
*The top red notches indicate the highest "ok" temperature for the reactor.
*The top red notches indicate the highest "ok" temperature for the reactor.
*A flashing red section above the top red notches indicate that the reactor is overheating, and may burst into flames or explode.
*A flashing red section above the top red notches indicate that the reactor is overheating, and may burst into flames or explode.
'''Power/Load Graph'''
'''Power/Load Graph'''
*"Load" indicates the current load of the connected power grid.
*"Load" indicates the current load of the connected power grid.
Line 111: Line 189:
*The yellow line is power output.
*The yellow line is power output.
*The blue line is grid load.
*The blue line is grid load.
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! Example scenarios
|-
|
*'''There is a spike in load from captain suddenly steering the ship'''
Load is increased instantaneously, causing a low-power situation while the reactor increases its Fission Rate (which takes a little bit to catch up) and possibly Reaction Rate (unless there was already enough extra heat being generated).
*'''There is a drop in load from unplugging oxygen generator'''
Load is decreased instantaneously resulting in far more power generated than required, which causes damage to the junction boxes until the Turbine Output decreases (and Fission Rate, too, to avoid excess heat).
*'''More fuel rods are added to the reactor'''
More fuel rods without changing the Fission Rate results in dramatically increased heat, causing damage to the reactor and a possible meltdown, unless the Turbine Output is increased to consume that heat. No extra power is generated unless the Turbine Output is increased accordingly.
*'''Turbine output is increased without increasing fission rate'''
Since heat level has not increased, the power generated won't actually go up, and might actually go down. This will be a "temp low" situation.
*'''Turbine Output is decreased without decreasing fission rate'''
The turbine is no longer consuming the heat that is generated, so the reactor will begin to get hotter and possibly overheat and meltdown.
|}


=Usage=
=Operation=
When a reactor is selected, a control panel opens up. The panel displays two gauges, a bar graph, and a line graph. They represent the fission rate, turbine output, temperature, and reactor load/output respectively.<br>
==Manual Control==
In this control panel, players can manually set the fission rate and turbine output of the reactor or toggle automatic control.
 
Under manual control, the Fission and Turbine are controlled manually. A player should be stationed near the reactor to adjust the fission and turbine appropriately for the ship's fluctuating power requirements. Manual control can respond to power fluctuations faster than automatic or circuit control, but requires player attention. The suggested regions on the control dials are affected by [[Skills|Electrical Engineering]] skill.


==Manual control==
Under manual control, the Fission and Turbine are controlled manually. A player should be stationed near the reactor to adjust the fission and turbine appropriately for the ship's fluctuating power requirements.<br>
Manual control can respond to power fluctuations faster than Automatic mode, but requires player attention. The suggested regions are affected by [[Skills|Electrical Engineering]], which can compensate for slightly inaccurate placement.
# Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
# Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
# Ensure automatic control is off. The light next to the switch should be off.
# Ensure automatic control is off. The light next to the switch should be off.
# The sliders beneath Turbine Output and Fission Rate can be drag & dropped. When hovering the mouse over one of the sliders, they can also be adjusted using the keyboard movement keys.
# The sliders beneath Turbine Output and Fission Rate can be drag & dropped. When hovering the mouse over one of the sliders, they can also be adjusted using the keyboard movement keys. Using the {{key|+}} and {{key|-}} will directly increase or decrease targeted temperature temporarily.
#* Horizontal movement (default {{key|A}} & {{key|D}}) controls the fission rate, vertical movement (default {{key|W}} & {{key|S}}) controls turbine output.
#* Horizontal movement (default {{key|A}} & {{key|D}}) controls the fission rate, vertical movement (default {{key|W}} & {{key|S}}) controls turbine output.
''Note: In general, the fission rate should be as low in the green region as possible (to generate exactly as much heat as needed). The turbine output should be near upper part of the green (to exactly meet the load).''


==Automatic control==
''Note: In general, the turbine output should be near center of the green zone (to exactly meet the load). The color-coded zones of the Fission Rate should be ignored, as they do not reflect the heat generation needed to support the Turbine Output. Optimal Fission Rate will often be in the yellow or red zones, and should be adjusted proportionally to Turbine Output and the fuel rods.''
 
==Automatic Control==
 
Enabling Automatic Control adjusts Fission and Turbine automatically. It reacts to changes in load slower than a human can, but requires little player attention.
Enabling Automatic Control adjusts Fission and Turbine automatically. It reacts to changes in load slower than a human can, but requires little player attention.
# Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
# Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
# Turn on automatic control using the switch on the top-right labelled "Automatic Control". The light next to the switch should be on.
# Turn on automatic control using the switch on the top-right labelled "Automatic Control". The light next to the switch should be on.
# The reactor will slowly adjust Turbine Output towards the load and Fission Rate towards the middle temperature (5000).
# The reactor will slowly adjust Turbine Output towards the load and Fission Rate towards the middle temperature (5000).
''Note: It is possible to use multiple fuel rods with regular Automatic Control, however this requires the fission to be lowered manually or shutting the reactor off before adding the extra rods. Otherwise the adjustment will be too slow and a fire will start if no preparation is done.''<div style="float:right">{{Connection panel
 
''Note: It is possible to use multiple fuel rods with regular Automatic Control, however this requires the fission to be lowered manually first or shutting the reactor off before adding the extra rods. Otherwise, the automatic fission rate adjustment will be too slow and a fire will start. Once the reactor has reached its target temperature, the number of rods used does not make it any more or less stable.''
 
==Circuit Control==
 
<div style="float:right">{{Connection panel
| input1 = Shutdown
| input1 = Shutdown
| input1tt = When it receives any signal, fission rate and turbine output are set to 0, and reactor is turned off.
| input1tt = Turns the reactor off when it receives any signal.
| input2 = Set_Fissionrate
| input2 = Set_Fissionrate
| input2tt = Sets fission rate to a fixed percentage (0-100)
| input2tt = Sets fission rate to a fixed percentage (0-100)
Line 153: Line 222:
| input3tt = Sets turbine output to a fixed percentage (0-100)
| input3tt = Sets turbine output to a fixed percentage (0-100)
| output1 = Power_Out
| output1 = Power_Out
| output1tt = Power output of the reactor.
| output1tt = Power output of the reactor (Limited to 1 Wire Connection)
| output1color = red
| output1color = red
| output2 = Temperature_Out
| output2 = Temperature_Out
| output2tt = Outputs the reactor's current temperature (0-10000).
| output2tt = Outputs the reactor's temperature (0-10000).
| output3 = Meltdown_Warning
| output3 = Meltdown_Warning
| output3tt = Outputs a signal of 1 when reactor is high temp (>6000).
| output3tt = Outputs 1 when reactor's temperature is high (>6000).
| output4 = Power_Value_Out
| output4 = Power_Value_Out
| output4tt = Outputs the current power level as a number (supplied power).
| output4tt = Outputs the reactor's power output value.
| output5 = Load_Value_Out
| output5 = Load_Value_Out
| output5tt = Outputs the current load level as a number (required power).
| output5tt = Outputs the reactor's load value.
| output6 = Fuel_Out
| output6 = Fuel_Out
| output6tt = Outputs the cumulative Heat Potential of current fuel rods as a number (see Fuel Rods).
| output6tt = Outputs the sum of the the fuel rods Heat Potentials.  
| output7 = condition_out
| output7 = condition_out
| output7tt = Outputs the Nuclear Reactor's current condition. (0-100)
| output7tt = Outputs the Nuclear Reactor's Condition. (0-100)
| output8 = fuel_percentage_out
| output8 = fuel_percentage_out
| output8tt = Outputs the sum of the fuel rods' condition percentage. (0-100)
| output8tt = Outputs the sum of the fuel rods percentage Conditions.
}}</div>
}}</div>


==Wire control==
The reactor can be controlled via the [[wiring]] system by connecting wires to the <code>Set_FissionRate</code> and <code>Set_TurbineOutput</code> connections in its wiring pane. These accept percentage inputs (0 to 100) and set the corresponding reactor slider to that percentage. Though much faster than automatic control, circuit control also takes some time to adjust reactor settings.
Wire control adjusts Fission Rate and Turbine Output remotely through [[Wiring Components]]. Wire control overrides both Automatic and Manual controls. It can also be used to warn about overheating, meltdowns, and used to remotely shut down the reactor.<br>
 
Wiring can change the Fission and Turbine much faster than Automatic, if calculated properly this can prevent overvoltage to junction boxes and other electrical devices.
# Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
* The shutdown input can be used to remotely shutdown the reactor, unlike other inputs it will activate if any non-null signal is sent. (So sending 0 still shuts it down)
# Ensure automatic control is off. The light next to the switch should be off. If automatic control is on, it may attempt to "fight" the circuit control settings if they disagree about what to set the reactor to, causing instability and unexpected operation.
* The reactor cannot be started remotely. However, it is possible to achieve a similar effect by setting Fission Rate and Turbine Output to 0 when you want the reactor to be "Off".


=Fuel rods=
''Note: While the reactor is being controlled by a circuit, it is still possible to adjust the sliders manually. This may be necessary if the circuit is too slow or is malfunctioning.''
{| class="responsive-table" style="width: 50%"
 
! style="width: 13%;"| Fuel Rod Type
=Mathematics=
! style="width: 6%;" | Durability
 
! style="width: 7%;" | Heat Potential
The power generated by a given turbine output is given by the following formula (where Power<sub>max</sub> is the maximum amount of power that reactor can produce):
! style="width: 7%;" | Electrical Skill to Craft
 
! style="width: 8%;" | Crafting Materials
* [[File:PowerFormula.png]]
! style="width: 7%;" | Crafting Time
 
! style="width: 7%;" | [[Store]] Price
The heat required to sustain a given turbine output is given by the following formula:
|- id = "Fuel Rod"
 
| {{hl|Fuel Rod|60}}
* [[File:HeatDemandFormula.png]]
| 100
 
| 80
The heat supplied by a given fission rate is given by the following formula (where FuelPotential is the sum of the Heat Potential of every fuel rod):
| 25
 
| {{Hyperlink|Uranium}}
* [[File:HeatSupplyFormula.png]]
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
 
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
Since the reactor will be stable when heat supplied equals heat demanded, the following relationship should be observed between fission rate and turbine output:
| 10
 
| 135-150 Marks
* [[File:HeatBalancedFormula.png]]
|- id = "Thorium Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Thorium Fuel Rod|60}}
| 200
| 100
| 60
| {{Hyperlink|Thorium}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 10
| 225 Marks
|- id = "Fulgurium Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Fulgurium Fuel Rod|60}}
| 150
| 150
| 40
| {{Hyperlink|Fulgurium Bar}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 10
| Not purchasable
|- id = "Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rod"
| {{hl|Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rod|60}}
| 400
| 150
| 70 and [[Talents#Engineer Talents|Hazardous Materials]]
| {{Hyperlink|Fulgurium Bar}}
{{Hyperlink|Thorium}}
{{Hyperlink|Lead}}
{{Hyperlink|Steel Bar}}
| 25
| Not purchasable
|}
Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rods inflict 0.2 {{Hyperlink| Radiation Sickness}} per second to nearby characters within 2.5 meters and 1/s within 1 meter, regardless of whether the rod is in the reactor, in a container, or in a character's inventory.<br>
Any crew handling them or in proximity of the reactor should be equipped with radiation protective [[Gear]].<br>
The {{hl|PUCS}} will grant immunity to Radiation Sickness, while a {{hl|Hazmat Suit}} paired with any other type of [[Diving Suit]] will provide 70% resistance.


=Meltdown=
Where the goal is to make power output equivalent to load (supply = demand), the previous formulae can be solved for turbine output and fission rate to determine the optimal settings, as such:
When a reactor reaches 0% condition, and if there is a fuel rod in it, it will meltdown, generating a large radioactive explosion. Fuel rods in the reactor will be completely exhausted.
{{Damage table
| item = [[File:Nuclear Reactor.png|Nuclear Reactor|60x60px]] Meltdown
| afflictions = {{Affliction|Burn|||||||24}}: 200
{{Affliction|Deep Tissue Injury|||||||24}}: 50


{{Affliction|Radiation Sickness|||||||24}}: 50
* [[File:TurbineFormula.png]]


{{Affliction|Stun|||||||24}}: 5
* [[File:FissionFormula.png]]
| structuredamage = 100
| force = 5.0
| explosionrange = 8.0
| item2 = [[File:Outpostreactor.png|Outpost Nuclear Reactor|60x60px]] Meltdown
| afflictions2 = {{Affliction|Burn|||||||24}}: 200
{{Affliction|Deep Tissue Injury|||||||24}}: 80


{{Affliction|Radiation Sickness|||||||24}}: 80
== Submarine Power Statistics ==


{{Affliction|Stun|||||||24}}: 5
| structuredamage2 = 100
| force2 = 5.0
| explosionrange2 = 20.0
}}
=Default Submarines Max Power Output=
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
! Submarine !! Max Output
! Submarine
!Fuel Consumption Rate
! Max Output
! Fuel Consumption Rate
! Junction Overload Voltage
! Reactor Fire Delay
! Reactor Meltdown Delay
|-
|-
| Azimuth || 3,500
{{#cargo_query: table = Submarines
|0.2
| fields = _pageName,name,poweroutput,fuelrate,overloadvoltage,firedelay,meltdowndelay
|-
| where = type {{=}} "Submarine" AND class !{{=}} "Shuttle"
|Barsuk
| order by = name ASC
|4,200
| format = template
|0.2
| template = SubmarinePowerStatisticsTable
|-
| named args = Yes
| Berilia || 6,500
| delimiter = \n{{!}}-\n
|0.3
| default = <big><span style="color:#FF0000">'''No results.'''</span></big>
|-
}}
| Dugong || 3,000
|0.2
|-
|Herja
|4,800
|0.2
|-
| Humpback || 2,950
|0.2
|-
| Kastrull || 5,000
|0.3
|-
| Orca || 3,500
|0.3
|-
|Orca 2
|3,500
|0.3
|-
| R-29 || 5,200
|0.2
|-
| Remora || 5,000
|0.3
|-
| Typhon || 5,000
|0.2
|-
| Typhon 2 || 5,000
|0.25
|-
|Winterhalter
|10,000
|0.2
|}
|}
=Related Talents=
{{RelatedTalents|Buzzin'|Cruisin'}}


=Media=
=Media=
<gallery widths=280 heights=200>
<gallery widths=280 heights=200>
File:Reactor Meltdown.png|A Nuclear Reactor during a meltdown.
File:Reactor Meltdown.png|A Nuclear Reactor during a meltdown.
Line 322: Line 312:


{{Installations nav}}
{{Installations nav}}
[[Category:Installations]]
 
 
{{Game Mechanics nav}}

Latest revision as of 10:52, 11 February 2024

Data is potentially outdated
Last updated for version 1.0.8.0
Last mentioned in changelog 1.1.18.0
The current game version is 1.2.8.0
Nuclear Reactor

Usable device for generating electrical power.
Statistics*
Item Slots 4 Fuel Rod slots
Max Power Output 5 000 kW
Repairable
Required Skill Electrical Engineering 55
Required Item Screwdriver
Technical
Identifier reactor1
Categories Machine
Tags reactor

Nuclear Reactor

Usable device for generating electrical power.
Statistics*
Item Slots 4 Fuel Rod slots
Max Power Output 20 000 kW
Repairable
Required Skill Electrical Engineering 55
Required Item Screwdriver
Technical
Identifier outpostreactor
Categories Machine
Tags reactor


The Nuclear Reactor is an installation. It uses fuel rods to produce power for the submarine.

Function

The nuclear reactor's purpose is to generate the power that most other installations on the submarine require in order to operate normally. Power generated in the reactor is distributed through junction boxes to the installations to be powered via the wiring system. Maintaining a stable and sufficient power output is extremely important, as critical systems such as oxygen generation, engines, and weapons will not function without power.

Mechanics

The nuclear reactor generates power from a combination of two processes: Nuclear fission, which converts the latent nuclear energy in fuel rods into thermal energy, and then turbine motion, which converts thermal energy into electrical power. Both the fission rate and turbine output can be controlled manually or automatically, and keeping them balanced is important for making sure that the reactor does not stall or overheat.

Fission Rate

Fission rate determines how much thermal energy each fuel rod is releasing. Rarer fuel rods have a higher heat potential, meaning that they will generate more heat at the same fission rate (necessitating lowering the fission rate to compensate). Inserting multiple fuel rods into the reactor will cause it to produce significantly more heat, meaning that fission rate should be reduced to maintain a balanced heat production.

Turbine Output

Turbine output determines the amount of electrical energy the reactor produces and the amount of thermal energy the reactor consumes. Higher turbine outputs require higher heat, but produce more power. Setting the turbine output too high may cause it to consume more heat than the reactor is providing, causing it to stall and produce no power. Setting it too low may allow heat to build up to dangerous levels if fission rate is not lowered to compensate.

Fuel

The reactor can contain up to four fuel rods, which produce heat determined by the fission rate and their heat potential. Rods deteriorate over time while being used in the reactor, and will stop producing heat when they are at 0% durability. Expended fuel rods can be recycled into new fuel rods or crafted into depleted fuel at a fabricator. The rate at which fuel rods deteriorate is determined by the reactor's fuel efficiency, the current fission rate, and the number of inserted fuel rods, per the following formula:

Fuel Rod Type Durability Heat Potential Electrical Skill to Craft Crafting Materials Crafting Time Store Price
Fuel Rod 100 80 25 Uranium

Lead Steel Bar

10 135-150 Marks
Thorium Fuel Rod 200 100 60 Thorium

Lead Steel Bar

10 225 Marks
Fulgurium Fuel Rod 150 150 40 Fulgurium Bar

Lead Steel Bar

10 Not purchasable
Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rod 400 150 70 and Danger Zone Fulgurium Bar

Thorium Lead Steel Bar

25 Not purchasable

Meltdown

If the reactor heat level is above the maximum safe temperature threshold (6482 degrees) for too long, it may overheat and burst into flames. If it is above the critical temperature point (7965 degrees) for too long, it will suffer a catastrophic meltdown. This causes a large explosion that is powerful enough to instantly kill nearby humans and breach hulls, and may cause radiation poisoning in those who survive. Melting down will also completely expend all fuel rods in the reactor. A reactor that is hot enough to melt down will glow red and emit a loud klaxon noise, alerting the crew to intervene.

Item
Afflictions on Hit
Structure Damage
Kinetic Force
Explosion Radius (m)
Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear Reactor

Burn : 500

Deep Tissue Injury : 500

Stun : 15

300
25.0
7.5
Outpost Nuclear Reactor
Outpost Nuclear Reactor

Burn : 500

Deep Tissue Injury : 500

Stun : 15

300
25.0
7.5


User Interface

The nuclear reactor's control panel.

Critical Heat:

  • The temperature is at or above 7965 and the reactor is on.
  • The reactor is melting down.

Critical Output:

  • The power output is more than 150% (1.5x) of the current load and the reactor is on.

Critically Low Temperature:

  • The temperature is below 2331 and the reactor is on.

Note: There are no penalties or consequences for having a critically low temperature provided there is enough heat to satisfy the Turbine Output.

Gauges

  • The left gauge, labeled "Fission Rate", indicates the current fission rate of the reactor.
  • The right gauge, labeled "Turbine Output", indicates the current turbine output of the reactor.
  • Red areas show unrecommended settings.
  • Yellow areas show "ok" settings.
  • Green areas show recommended settings.

Temp Low:

  • The temperature is below 3515 and the reactor is on.

Note: There are no penalties or consequences for having a low temperature provided there is enough heat to satisfy the Turbine Output.

Overheat:

  • The temperature is at or above 6482 and the reactor is on.
  • The reactor will shortly burst into flames.

Output Low:

  • The power output is less than 90% (0.9x) of the current load.

Output High:

  • The power output is more than 110% (1.1x) of the current load.

Fuel Low:

  • The available fuel is less than the fission rate and the reactor is on.

Fuel Out:

  • The available fuel is less than 1% of the fission rate and the reactor is on.

Meltdown:

  • The reactor is halfway past the meltdown timer and is on. OR The reactor has condition 0 and is on.

SCRAM:

  • The reactor is powered off and the temperature is more than 0.

Temperature Graph

  • The colored squares indicate the current temperature of the reactor.
  • The bottom red notches indicate the lowest "ok" temperature for the reactor.
  • The top red notches indicate the highest "ok" temperature for the reactor.
  • A flashing red section above the top red notches indicate that the reactor is overheating, and may burst into flames or explode.

Power/Load Graph

  • "Load" indicates the current load of the connected power grid.
  • "Output" indicates the current power output of the reactor.
  • The yellow line is power output.
  • The blue line is grid load.

Operation

Manual Control

Under manual control, the Fission and Turbine are controlled manually. A player should be stationed near the reactor to adjust the fission and turbine appropriately for the ship's fluctuating power requirements. Manual control can respond to power fluctuations faster than automatic or circuit control, but requires player attention. The suggested regions on the control dials are affected by Electrical Engineering skill.

  1. Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
  2. Ensure automatic control is off. The light next to the switch should be off.
  3. The sliders beneath Turbine Output and Fission Rate can be drag & dropped. When hovering the mouse over one of the sliders, they can also be adjusted using the keyboard movement keys. Using the Plus and Minus will directly increase or decrease targeted temperature temporarily.
    • Horizontal movement (default A & D) controls the fission rate, vertical movement (default W & S) controls turbine output.

Note: In general, the turbine output should be near center of the green zone (to exactly meet the load). The color-coded zones of the Fission Rate should be ignored, as they do not reflect the heat generation needed to support the Turbine Output. Optimal Fission Rate will often be in the yellow or red zones, and should be adjusted proportionally to Turbine Output and the fuel rods.

Automatic Control

Enabling Automatic Control adjusts Fission and Turbine automatically. It reacts to changes in load slower than a human can, but requires little player attention.

  1. Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
  2. Turn on automatic control using the switch on the top-right labelled "Automatic Control". The light next to the switch should be on.
  3. The reactor will slowly adjust Turbine Output towards the load and Fission Rate towards the middle temperature (5000).

Note: It is possible to use multiple fuel rods with regular Automatic Control, however this requires the fission to be lowered manually first or shutting the reactor off before adding the extra rods. Otherwise, the automatic fission rate adjustment will be too slow and a fire will start. Once the reactor has reached its target temperature, the number of rods used does not make it any more or less stable.

Circuit Control

Connection Panel for Nuclear Reactor
Hover over pins to see their descriptions.
Shutdown
Set_Fissionrate
Set_Turbineout
Turns the reactor off when it receives any signal.
Sets fission rate to a fixed percentage (0-100)
Sets turbine output to a fixed percentage (0-100)
Power_Out
Temperature_Out
Meltdown_Warning
Power_Value_Out
Load_Value_Out
Fuel_Out
condition_out
fuel_percentage_out
Power output of the reactor (Limited to 1 Wire Connection)
Outputs the reactor's temperature (0-10000).
Outputs 1 when reactor's temperature is high (>6000).
Outputs the reactor's power output value.
Outputs the reactor's load value.
Outputs the sum of the the fuel rods Heat Potentials.
Outputs the Nuclear Reactor's Condition. (0-100)
Outputs the sum of the fuel rods percentage Conditions.
Requires: Screwdriver

The reactor can be controlled via the wiring system by connecting wires to the Set_FissionRate and Set_TurbineOutput connections in its wiring pane. These accept percentage inputs (0 to 100) and set the corresponding reactor slider to that percentage. Though much faster than automatic control, circuit control also takes some time to adjust reactor settings.

  1. Start the reactor using the button on the top-right labelled "Power". The light next to the button should glow.
  2. Ensure automatic control is off. The light next to the switch should be off. If automatic control is on, it may attempt to "fight" the circuit control settings if they disagree about what to set the reactor to, causing instability and unexpected operation.

Note: While the reactor is being controlled by a circuit, it is still possible to adjust the sliders manually. This may be necessary if the circuit is too slow or is malfunctioning.

Mathematics

The power generated by a given turbine output is given by the following formula (where Powermax is the maximum amount of power that reactor can produce):

The heat required to sustain a given turbine output is given by the following formula:

The heat supplied by a given fission rate is given by the following formula (where FuelPotential is the sum of the Heat Potential of every fuel rod):

Since the reactor will be stable when heat supplied equals heat demanded, the following relationship should be observed between fission rate and turbine output:

Where the goal is to make power output equivalent to load (supply = demand), the previous formulae can be solved for turbine output and fission rate to determine the optimal settings, as such:

Submarine Power Statistics

Submarine Max Output Fuel Consumption Rate Junction Overload Voltage Reactor Fire Delay Reactor Meltdown Delay
Azimuth 3,500 0.2 1.7 10 30
Barsuk 4,200 0.2 2 18 45
Berilia 6,700 0.3 1.7 7 20
Camel 5,200 0.2 2 20 120
Dugong 3,000 0.2 1.7 10 30
Herja 4,800 0.2 2 20 120
Humpback 3,100 0.2 1.7 10 30
Kastrull 5,000 0.3 1.7 15 90
Orca 3,500 0.3 1.7 10 30
Orca2 4,000 0.3 2 10 30
R-29 5,200 0.2 1.7 18 40
Remora 5,000 0.3 1.7 8 20
Typhon 4,500 0.25 1.5 10 30
Typhon2 5,200 0.2 1.7 15 90
Winterhalter 8,500 0.3 2 20 120

Related Talents

Talent Tree Description

Buzzin'
ID: buzzing
Engineer
Physicist
Spec. 2
Your reactor's Max Output is increased by 10%.

Cruisin'
ID: cruising
Engineer
Physicist
Spec. 2
Your reactor's Fuel Efficiency is increased by 20%.

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