Goonhub
01-27-2013, 09:21 PM
Given that Cogwerks has mentioned his long-term intention to implement a nuclear reactor on his map, I figured it might be worth discussing how that might be done. To that end, here is my proposal for a nuclear fuel cycle on-station.
The Reactor
The nuclear reactor itself consists of three main elements: fuel, control rods, and coolant.
Fuel: The station would initially start out with some Uranium fuel rods. Uranium is a relatively safe and reliable fuel, enough to run the station for a bit, but you will eventually need to either switch over to solars and reduce power usage, or order/mine/synthesize additional fuel. More on this later.
Control rods: The reactor's control rods serve to slow down the reaction, their effectiveness depending on number inserted and to what depth. Standard rods are made of a mauxite-pharosium alloy, but mining can turn up materials that can be used to produce rods that are either more effective at slowing the reaction, or actually speed it up. The control room includes a SCRAM button that will shut down the reactor by fully inserting the control rods.
Coolant: Because the reactor does not burn plasma, a liquid coolant is used to transfer heat from the reactor to the heat exchanger. The standard coolant is water, although chemistry can create additives to enhance heat transfer efficiency. Welding fuel, napalm, and radium may produce adverse effects if used.
Refueling
Every so often, depending on your fuel and how far your control rods are inserted, the reactor requires refueling. This should be done quickly, though hopefully you have enough power from solars/SMES to hold you over. There are two main ways to refuel a reactor.
Slow, safe way: Using the control room computer, fully insert the control rods and order the reactor room robot to remove the fuel and place it in the fuel encaser. This will surround the fuel in a radiation-resistant coating, making it safe to handle. Place a replacement (coated) fuel element in the encaser to remove the coating, and order the robot to place it in the reactor.
Quick, dangerous way: SCRAM the reactor. Take the (only) industrial space armor suit and enter the reactor chamber through the airlock. Remove the spent fuel element, and splash it with a mixture of stabilizing agent, chlorine and hydrogen to encase it. Splash your replacement fuel with polytrinic acid to dissolve the coating and place it in the reactor. Leave, and press the SCRAM button again.
Producing fuel
Eventually, the station will deplete its fuel stocks. Once this happens, you will have three main avenues for getting more.
QM: The Quartermaster can order additional fuel at a very high price, and can only order Uranium, although traders might occasionally offer more exotic fuels.
Mining: Mining can locate additional Uranium, as well as Thorium (less power, longer life). This is dangerous, and requires that the miner have industrial space armor to perform safely.
Science: The best and coolest option, scientists can use their particle accelerator to reprocess spent fuel as well as produce better fuels. NOTE: The accelerator comes with safety interlocks to prevent operation over 100 kW. Bypassing these interlocks may allow the production of unstable elements, and should not be attempted.
tl;dr: Run engine on fuel that is mined, purchased, or refined. Accidentally breach primary coolant loop and flood reactor room with radioactive smoke. Mix uncased fuel element into cake batter. Emag the accelerator and make elements with unusual properties. Emag the SCRAM button to fully retract the fuel rods. Emag the encaser to make it spew radioactive smoke and debris into the control room.
The Reactor
The nuclear reactor itself consists of three main elements: fuel, control rods, and coolant.
Fuel: The station would initially start out with some Uranium fuel rods. Uranium is a relatively safe and reliable fuel, enough to run the station for a bit, but you will eventually need to either switch over to solars and reduce power usage, or order/mine/synthesize additional fuel. More on this later.
Control rods: The reactor's control rods serve to slow down the reaction, their effectiveness depending on number inserted and to what depth. Standard rods are made of a mauxite-pharosium alloy, but mining can turn up materials that can be used to produce rods that are either more effective at slowing the reaction, or actually speed it up. The control room includes a SCRAM button that will shut down the reactor by fully inserting the control rods.
Coolant: Because the reactor does not burn plasma, a liquid coolant is used to transfer heat from the reactor to the heat exchanger. The standard coolant is water, although chemistry can create additives to enhance heat transfer efficiency. Welding fuel, napalm, and radium may produce adverse effects if used.
Refueling
Every so often, depending on your fuel and how far your control rods are inserted, the reactor requires refueling. This should be done quickly, though hopefully you have enough power from solars/SMES to hold you over. There are two main ways to refuel a reactor.
Slow, safe way: Using the control room computer, fully insert the control rods and order the reactor room robot to remove the fuel and place it in the fuel encaser. This will surround the fuel in a radiation-resistant coating, making it safe to handle. Place a replacement (coated) fuel element in the encaser to remove the coating, and order the robot to place it in the reactor.
Quick, dangerous way: SCRAM the reactor. Take the (only) industrial space armor suit and enter the reactor chamber through the airlock. Remove the spent fuel element, and splash it with a mixture of stabilizing agent, chlorine and hydrogen to encase it. Splash your replacement fuel with polytrinic acid to dissolve the coating and place it in the reactor. Leave, and press the SCRAM button again.
Producing fuel
Eventually, the station will deplete its fuel stocks. Once this happens, you will have three main avenues for getting more.
QM: The Quartermaster can order additional fuel at a very high price, and can only order Uranium, although traders might occasionally offer more exotic fuels.
Mining: Mining can locate additional Uranium, as well as Thorium (less power, longer life). This is dangerous, and requires that the miner have industrial space armor to perform safely.
Science: The best and coolest option, scientists can use their particle accelerator to reprocess spent fuel as well as produce better fuels. NOTE: The accelerator comes with safety interlocks to prevent operation over 100 kW. Bypassing these interlocks may allow the production of unstable elements, and should not be attempted.
tl;dr: Run engine on fuel that is mined, purchased, or refined. Accidentally breach primary coolant loop and flood reactor room with radioactive smoke. Mix uncased fuel element into cake batter. Emag the accelerator and make elements with unusual properties. Emag the SCRAM button to fully retract the fuel rods. Emag the encaser to make it spew radioactive smoke and debris into the control room.