Stack-able solid fuel segments

[SessoSaidSo]

IS it possible to create/add solid fuel segments? Simple idea really.

[legoclone09]

As a part mod it would be, it's been done with Behemoth Aerospace Engineering.

[Padishar]

The mod would also have to change the flow mode of the solid fuel resource as, in stock, it doesn't flow from part to part and I don't believe it can be transferred between parts manually either.

[Tantalus]

19 hours ago, Padishar said:

The mod would also have to change the flow mode of the solid fuel resource as, in stock, it doesn't flow from part to part and I don't believe it can be transferred between parts manually either.

I gont think it would have to change anything, fuel can drain from all connected segments simultaniously. Its like real SRBs work, AFFAIK. They burn from centre outwards, not from top down.

Regards

Tantalus

[Padishar]

No, the solid fuel resource in KSP uses the NO_FLOW flow mode which means it can't flow from one part to another.  Only the part the resource is contained in can use it...

[klgraham1013]

5 hours ago, Padishar said:

No, the solid fuel resource in KSP uses the NO_FLOW flow mode which means it can't flow from one part to another.  Only the part the resource is contained in can use it...

edit

Never mind.  I should learn to read more good.

Edited January 18, 2016 by klgraham1013

[Padishar]

To expand on that slightly, the Behemoth mod actually uses a new resource called ModularSolidFuel that uses the STACK_PRIORITY_SEARCH flow mode and the stock KSP engine code.  This has the amusing side-effect of allowing solid fuel to flow through other parts that are between the solid segments and even to flow through fuel lines.  E.g. you could build:  Nozzle, solid fuel tank, passenger compartment, liquid fuel tank, solid fuel tank in a single stack and it would burn both lots of solid fuel and not touch the passengers or liquid fuel.

Basically, without a new, specific flow mode for this (either implemented in the core game or in a mod if the resource flow system is made moddable) it relies on the user to restrain themselves from making ridiculous vessels (much like some other aspects of the fuel flow mechanisms only more so).

[kujuman]

Yes, it's very possible, even using stock SolidFuel in NO_FLOW, but then you need a custom engine fuel flow mode (which is actually pretty easy, but since the stock fuel flow types are enums and I don't think one can be added via mod, it's slightly more tricky) (that is, the fuel flow has to be programmed into the engine, rather than in the fuel config) http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/35551-part-advanced-srb-wip-v07-by-kerbal-science-foundation/&page=1

Considering how often better SRBs have been requested, and how relatively straightforward it is to make them better, I really don't know why other modders/Squad hasn't spent any time on doing them properly. The biggest hurdle for me was that it was difficult to figure out how to interface the new engine types with MechJeb/KER to get accurate dV counts, but I think that's even pretty simple, just I didn't know how to do it at the time.

And actually, even a NO_FLOW resource in one part can be used by another part, but it requires a slightly more involved resource request mechanism than just blindly requesting fuel and having the default fuel flow logic work out where to take it from.

 

 

 

[Padishar]

Well, yes, I really should have written "it is possible but you would need to also do one or more of: changing the stock solid fuel resource, creating your own resource and/or implementing your own replacement engine PartModule".  However, whichever of those you choose it will still have issues, e.g. weird flow behaviour, stock features not working (e.g. fuel gauges), compatibility with other mods, etc.

Also, it would not be possible to add a solid fuel segment to a stock SRB unless you changed the resource and/or the PartModule used by the SRB (and either of these would introduce the same issues as above, only more so, because you would be "breaking" stock parts).

In contrast, it would be almost trivial for Squad to add a new flow mode specifically designed for sectioned solid boosters (easier than what you had to do to make your mod work as well as it did and there are various other things you would have to do to make it play nicely with 1.0.5) and this would avoid all of these issues.

[Andem]

The way stock fuel tanks (Hypotheically) work is that you have two seperate tanks linked internally by piping. you can't do that with solid fuel because they are either pellets of fuel, or an entire solid compartment.