[Abandoned] SimpleNuclear - Unified, Simplified Multi-mod nuclear energy v1.0

[MatterBeam]

13 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

This mod definitely appeals to me, as I have all three mods installed, and have found myself overwhelmed by using some of the more complex ones (to the point of not using them entirely). Even reading through this thread made me realize how much I need something like this.

Regarding your last post: so like break it out into three different folders for separate installs? Honestly, I feel like that might be more work for you than would be necessary or more confusing for people. But running with your idea, would the 'Core Package' basically be your own version of what we already get in the three separate mods? If so, it feels like reinventing the wheel, but if you have a strong stylistic direction you want to take it in...eh, why not. Personally, the 'Integration Package' sounds more my speed, since I'd rather not replace anything outright from the mods, just, you know, get them talking a little better.

Either way, whatever direction you take it in, you've piqued my interest.

Cheers.

It's all about options.

The Core package is the 'simplest'. 5 reactors and 3 engines from KSPI-E, ready made. A true 'plug and play' mod.

The Integration package doesn't come with any models, only MM patches that would allow a player to use KSPI-E, Near Future and USI... and so on... together. However, I'm still deciding whether I should implement my own level of balance to all the parts, or stay faithful to their author's original intent (like the rather weak 200kWe Near Future Reactors or the overpowered Gigawatt-output Interstellar engines...).

To be honest though, I'm currently playing around with various Expansion options, mostly an Uranium resource system for now, and a Real Fuels integration + multi-mode engines after that.

[Stravinski]

Hi, I like the idea of this mod very much but here some notes on my brief acquaintance

1. Thermal turbojet

250 kN stationary thrust for 2.5 m engine is too weak (it shows only 62 kN in my quick test but maybe its a bug) Upscaled to 2.5 m Whiplash shows 650 kN. I know its not fair to compare different tech engines, but if we have to kick something out of the atmosphere the question of fuel efficiency is not on the first place.

I m not really into science but it seems to me that your thermal turbojet can use IntakeAtm instead of Intake Air.

2. Thermal rocket nozzle

500 isp is not something you want to see in your vaquum engine spec. Upscaled to 2.5 m LV-N is 800 isp and 330 KN thrust.  

3. Fission fragment reactor 50 tn 500 MWe Is it some mystype?

Again I like the concept at whole, including multifuel and uranium mining and reprocessing, but why and what for somebody will use these engines? Because of some "realism"?

Sorry for my english and I mean no offence (Its like critsize someone child, awkward feeling). 

[MatterBeam]

1 hour ago, Stravinski said:

Hi, I like the idea of this mod very much but here some notes on my brief acquaintance

1. Thermal turbojet

250 kN stationary thrust for 2.5 m engine is too weak (it shows only 62 kN in my quick test but maybe its a bug) Upscaled to 2.5 m Whiplash shows 650 kN. I know its not fair to compare different tech engines, but if we have to kick something out of the atmosphere the question of fuel efficiency is not on the first place.

I m not really into science but it seems to me that your thermal turbojet can use IntakeAtm instead of Intake Air.

2. Thermal rocket nozzle

500 isp is not something you want to see in your vaquum engine spec. Upscaled to 2.5 m LV-N is 800 isp and 330 KN thrust.  

3. Fission fragment reactor 50 tn 500 MWe Is it some mystype?

Again I like the concept at whole, including multifuel and uranium mining and reprocessing, but why and what for somebody will use these engines? Because of some "realism"?

Sorry for my english and I mean no offence (Its like critsize someone child, awkward feeling). 

These are all valid critisisms, don't worry!

Thermal turbojet: I based the numbers on the Tory-IIC engine, designed for the Project Pluto nuclear Ramjet. The Thermal Turbojet doesn't work like a normal jet engine. It has low thrust when stationary, but since it is also a ramjet, and higher speeds allow for compressing more air into the heat exchanger, its thrust increases with speed.

At Mach 0.8, it will produce 250kN. At Mach 2, it will produce 375kN. at Mach 6, it produces 750kN. It produces some thrust all the way up to Mach 10 (3000m/s), but it will not provide enough thrust to weight ratio to maintain that speed.

I still have to tweak the Isp curve, so it's till being balanced.

Thermal Rocket Nozzle: The Isp and thrust were calculated directly from the power output (700MW). The LV-N, when upscaled to 2.5m, weighs about 24 tons. A 2.5m Thermal Rocket Nozzle + 2.5m Solid Fission Reactor weigh together about 10.5 tons. This makes it have a much better thrust-to-weight ratio and even better deltaV. If you have radiators that can handle the heat, the Gas Core reactor allows you to get 300kN thrust out of 5.5 tons of engine and reactor.

Fission Fragment reactor is supposed to give you easy access to MWe in very small sizes. It is supposed to be very dense but have low output per weight ratio. I'm still collecting data for final balance.

If someone wants to use these engines, it is to give them more options in deciding their playstyle. In stock KSP, liquid fuel engines are very good, so even the slightly better nuclear engines are not needed. In rescaled (bigger) solar systems, like Real Solar System or x6.4 KSP, you will need the higher Isp.

I appreciate all criticisms, as it allows me to improve my mod. Just remember, this mod is still in development and hasn't been released yet.

[MatterBeam]

So, did some tweaking of the SN 'core' and added the first integration package for Near Future.

The Near Future reactors now don't use Uranium, produce MWe and the engines consume MWe as propellant.

I've kept the original balance (kW scale) and I'm working on creating a MW-scale balance for that package.

BTW, @Nertea, your models are beautiful.

Edited February 24, 2016 by MatterBeam

[MatterBeam]

Added a second Near Future integration package, this time with the power levels balanced from kW/MW levels to sub-GW levels, as in the core SimpleNuclear package.

I also added the 'gameplay-reasons' x2000 thrust mutliplier the Near Future engines had. The result is that the engines now obey the thrust power formula correctly ( Power = 0.5*Thrust*ExhaustVelocity) and the overall effect is that their thrust is halved.

For further balance, the Thermal Nozzle @ 350MW/ton is to be compared to the 333MW/ton Near Future engines... this might make me consider increasing the power density of the simpler thermal engines compared to the more complex electric engines. The other option is to further reduce the thrust of the NF engines, and frankly, they're rather weak as they are already.

 

[MatterBeam]

I've decided to remove the expansion packages and slate them for another mod, while focusing on completing the SimpleNuclear mod with integration packages instead.

I'll focus on KSPI-E next.

[Stone Blue]

@MatterBeam So the OP shows latest version as v1.0, but SpaceDock only shows v0.9...?? Was v1.0 the packs you said you removed?

[MatterBeam]

3 hours ago, Stone Blue said:

@MatterBeam So the OP shows latest version as v1.0, but SpaceDock only shows v0.9...?? Was v1.0 the packs you said you removed?

Development is halted while waiting for thermal updates in 1.1

[theonegalen]

Hello, as a fan of both the NearFuture and USI part packs (though less so of KSPI-E, mostly because of the complexity), I just wanted to let you know that I am indeed hoping this does get completed during the course of 1.1.x  No pressure, just encouragement that your work isn't going unnoticed, undesired, or unappreciated.

[MatterBeam]

SimpleNuclear will be abandoned.

A replacement mod will be published soon.

[theonegalen]

Dang / Yay ?