KSP Interstellar Extended Support Thread

[Ciro1983811]

@FreeThinkerJust to advice you that fixed truss radiators, graphene and titanium flat skin radiators are in electrical category instead of thermal, in editor.

 

Bye!

[Babalas]

On 2017-5-29 at 1:53 PM, Babalas said:

Need a little help figuring out some reactor values. Specifically I'm looking at the Tri-Alpha reactor (for reference https://youtu.be/JpYrkQ_-P2k?t=19m14s). So to start you have max power output. I assume this is primarily based on your research tech but is this also modified by any property of the fuel mode? Here I'm trying to figure out how the fuel mode comes into play regarding reactor power, reaction energy, reaction rate.

Next how does it go from Max Power Output to Charged Power? Is this related to the Charged Particles column?

Finally the Charged Particles resource when I right click the reactor itself is acting odd. It fills then drops a little every tick. This causes the reactor to ramp up. If I click the button to stop flow of charged particles it settles down, and as far as I can tell doesn't affect the useable power output. The connected atilla keeps producing the same thrust and electrical energy doesn't seem to be affected.

 

Ah ha! A lesson in ignoring documentation and always going straight to the code. Looking at ReactorFuels.cfg I see the reaction rates are 0.7 vs the tables 0.6, but that one of them (FusionHydrogenLi7) has a higher PowerMultiplier of 1.1875 (vs 0.977). Doesn't look like the TriAlpha uses the straight Lithium (as opposed to LithiumHydride) resource but it must have been available in the youtube video.

[ZarDan]

I am having issues with with the CANDLE nuke engine not producing power electricity or megajoules  in orbit. I am using KSP 1.2.2. (The latest version crashes with one of the mods that I have installed and I haven't figured out what one(s) is causing that.) I am currently updated to KSPI_Extended_1.13.10 , but the issue was happening before that. I note that it says "requested power: 0.000 MJ" This issue is not affecting other power generators like the Solid Core Nuclear Engine. In tests it seemed that I could trigger it via time warp, and I do have the "Time Control" mod installed. I tried a test install of KSP 1.2.2 with no mods and then added Time Control to it. The bug did not show up either way. Then I thought to test AMP Year to see if it could be causing it, but adding it to he test install did not trigger the bug either. I even tested Mech Jeb, but no issue.

 

I do have a lot of other mods on my main install, and going through each one may not be the fastest way for me to track down what is going on. What are some of the messages that I should be looking for in the event log that I should be looking for that could be related to this?

 

 A screen shot of the engine settings. The screen shot cut off part of the info, but it does have plutonium.

 

Side note, I have the Distant Object mod installed and unfortunately it "spams" the event log with it's messages. I did a search and so far I haven't found any reference to this. Anyone know about this and how to suppress this? I would remove it for my test, but it "breaks" some of my ships and I don't really know why that should be the case.

 

 

More information: The probe with the CANDLE nuke engine still has a booster attached. It is intended to be used to send it on it's way when the launch window opens. (I'm using punish the lazy so I'm not just time warping to the launch window) I had not noted the power issue because I have a lot of batteries on the probe to smooth out the power. I think that in earlier versions of KSPI - Extended that there were issues with power generation when time warp was used.

In any case if I use a save file where the probe still has power and stage it to separate the booster and the CANDLE still does not generate EC or megajoules, however it does generate thrust. If I take and do a new quick save and then restore from that new quick save the CANDLE starts generating EC and megajoules. 

 

Yet even more info: I just looked at my screen shot again and noted that the cold bath temp was 500K while the hot bath temp was 300K. Not the correct configuration for power generation. I must have had an issue with my radiators.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by ZarDan
Yet even more info.

[ThoroughT]

I have this weird thing with KSP 1.3 and KSPI-E (using its latest beta): 

On startup, I get a message from Community Tech Tree to use KSP 1.2.2.

There is just no change to the Tech Tree. It's pure vanilla. BUT: In Sandbox, the parts appear. 

I saw that CTT hasn't been updated lately, but noone else seems to have that problem, so I'd like to know what you other folks do differently and/or any solutions/workarounds. 

Please note I'm new to using KSP mods, so if this is some basic thing, I apologize. 

[Stormie]

Ok, so I know others have posted about this, but I *still* can't find what I need, so I figured I'd ask directly

KSPIE is *massively* confusing to me, and all the guides I've come across...well, frankly, they suck. They just make me more confused T_T

I'm specifically trying to get the Kerbstein fusion engine to work, and I just...*can't*. I know you need a reactor, a generator, and that the generator needs radiators to function, and you need specific fuel types (Lithium 6 Deuteride, IIRC) for the engine...but nothing I've tried works.

Would someone be so kind as to give me a specific parts list and simple step by step procedure to get this thing functioning?

[FreeThinker]

next release KSPI 1.14.2 for KSPI 1.3 can be downloaded from here

Changelog

* Updated all dependencies to 1.3 compatible version

* Added Universal Drill by @EvilGeorgewhich allow collecting all available surface resource on a location

* Added ability to VISTA to function as beamed power transmitter

* Balance: integration with Community Tech Tree 3.1.0

* Balance: doubled size VISTA and increase mass by 50%

* Balance: Reduced Wasteheat Alcubiere drive by 50-75%

* Fixed bug where solar panels would not charge when Copernicus is loaded

Edited June 4, 2017 by FreeThinker

[SpaceMouse]

Hmmm, that fusion drive looks awfully familliar.

[mrgreco]

is fuel switch updated  to 1.3 ??

Edited June 4, 2017 by mrgreco
coz im dumb NVM found it

[FreeThinker]

7 hours ago, mrgreco said:

is fuel switch updated  to 1.3 ??

Yes it now fully updated to KSP 1.3

[Omnipius]

Ok, I'm been tearing my hair out all day trying to sort out ISRU for fusion fuels. I take the assumption here that I build all of my vessels using EL via the USI/MKS ISRU chain at a gargantuan ground industrial complex and orbital shipyard at Minmus. It's been real word months since I last launched anything from Kerbin (I'm overdue for a shipment of fresh victims recruits.)

What I know now:

Lithium 6 is a piece of cake. Silicates in - Silicon, Li (Lithium 7), and Li6 out. Slow due to Li6's low percentage of all Li, but nothing that building on a massive scale can't solve. That'll keep my tri-alpha's happy.

Tritium Breeding in the Molten Salt Reactor works great, but don't start breeding until you have at least 5% of the reactor's Li6 capacity sorted up. The more Li6 in the MSR, the slower it is expended. It's also best to build and enormous 10m MSR and have it run with only barely enough radiator area to prevent overheating. That makes it easy to get the thermal power of the MSR up to maximum, which in turn maximizes Tritium output. Productivity in the multiple kg/hr is possible.

It would be amazing if the KSPI/MKS integrations added non-radioactive KSPI resources to the MKS planetary logistics system. Why? Because making milk runs to feed the UF4 processors at your giant industrial plant gets boring after the 5th time...

What I don't know:

Deuterium....Beuler....Beuler..... What gives? This should be as simple as electrolysis on sea water, but no dice. Even if you manage to get ocean extraction working (it doesn't BTW unless you're in the water biome AND can make the stock drill touch the bottom) there's absolutely no storage provided for HeavyWater. I don't even see HeavyWater in the resource definition files. 

So...what am I missing here? Where is HeavyWater storage? Where is the resource definition?

Also, why isn't there a heavy water reactor cycle for breeding deuterium (like you would on a barren, oceanless, airless rock...)? Yes, I know this is tricky seeing as a HWR requires at least a certain mix of H2O/HDO in a constant volume and slowly converts the H20 to HDO, but I have faith. Just assume the reactor has an overflow tank and go from there. 

[FreeThinker]

3 hours ago, Omnipius said:

Tritium Breeding in the Molten Salt Reactor works great, but don't start breeding until you have at least 5% of the reactor's Li6 capacity sorted up. The more Li6 in the MSR, the slower it is expended.

Now this doesn't make sense. rather it should be the other way around, a full Lithium blanket allows maximum tritium production

3 hours ago, Omnipius said:

 I don't even see HeavyWater in the resource definition files.

It can be found in CRP 0.7

RESOURCE_DEFINITION
{
	abbreviation = D2O
	name = HeavyWater
	displayName = HeavyWater
	density = 0.001107
	hsp = 4183 
	flowMode = ALL_VESSEL
	transfer = PUMP
	isTweakable = true
    	isVisible = true
	unitCost = 1
	color = .3,.3,1
	volume = 1
}

 

[FreeThinker]

3 hours ago, Omnipius said:

So...what am I missing here? Where is HeavyWater storage?

Good point, I will add it to switchable storage tanks

[Kerbal101]

Hello @FreeThinker and Everyone!

Just letting you know I have merged the question by @Stormie in this thread and due to the time stamp, it has been placed just few posts above this post of mine.
Hopefully it won't be overlooked due to this.

Best regards

[Omnipius]

5 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

Good point, I will add it to switchable storage tanks

Is there a config file where I could implement that myself? I'm still avoiding 1.3.0 like the plague until all of the mods I rely on are compatible. *cough* NFT *cough*

 

5 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

Now this doesn't make sense. rather it should be the other way around, a full Lithium blanket allows maximum tritium production

Well, right now Li6 consumption rate is inversely proportional to the amount of Li6 in the reactor AND T production plateaus around 5% Li6 capacity.

So, 3 things could be happening:

1. The equations are wrong.
2. Your equations are marvelously accurate and are taking into account that a thicker Li6 shell will have a moderating effect on neutron flux, reducing Li6 consumption through the bulk while T production is constant as only occurs at the inner surface.
3. A combination of the two. The equations are right, but take the idealized case of an ever-thickening shell of Li6 around the reactor rather than a fixed-thickness tank that fills from the bottom up. So, theoretically correct math verses engineering reality.

 

What about HeavyWater breeding? Any chance of an implementation there? 

[Bubmer]

I might have done something wrong, on my install a single antimatter reactor requires around 700 GW of cooling, meanwhile the larger and supposedly more powerful singularity reactor produces less power and also requires far less heating. Is this intended or have run into a bug?

[FreeThinker]

20 hours ago, Omnipius said:

Well, right now Li6 consumption rate is inversely proportional to the amount of Li6 in the reactor AND T production plateaus around 5% Li6 capacity.

So, 3 things could be happening:

1. The equations are wrong.
2. Your equations are marvelously accurate and are taking into account that a thicker Li6 shell will have a moderating effect on neutron flux, reducing Li6 consumption through the bulk while T production is constant as only occurs at the inner surface.
3. A combination of the two. The equations are right, but take the idealized case of an ever-thickening shell of Li6 around the reactor rather than a fixed-thickness tank that fills from the bottom up. So, theoretically correct math verses engineering reality.

At first I though they were equal but at second inspection it appears you right

Notice the consumption rate is twice as big

Further analysis revealed I mixed up a divide.

Edited June 5, 2017 by FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

Alright, I fixed it and made it behave as expected

Notice at 50% Lithium-6, Tritium breeding is about at 70% of full Lithium-6 reserve

Also notice I added a Helium reservior. Helium is quite useful for RCS/thermal/electric propulsion.

Edited June 5, 2017 by FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

22 hours ago, Omnipius said:

What about HeavyWater breeding? Any chance of an implementation there? 

If you mean breeding Plutonium-239 from  fertile DepletedUranium, I plan to add if someone can help me get the number right, but It wouldn't require Heavy Water as a moderator, the Molten Salt Reactor is a faster reactor, which supposedly are significantly more efficient in converting Fertile material into Fissile material

Edited June 5, 2017 by FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

On 3-6-2017 at 7:19 PM, Stormie said:

Ok, so I know others have posted about this, but I *still* can't find what I need, so I figured I'd ask directly

KSPIE is *massively* confusing to me, and all the guides I've come across...well, frankly, they suck. They just make me more confused T_T

I'm specifically trying to get the Kerbstein fusion engine to work, and I just...*can't*. I know you need a reactor, a generator, and that the generator needs radiators to function, and you need specific fuel types (Lithium 6 Deuteride, IIRC) for the engine...but nothing I've tried works.

Would someone be so kind as to give me a specific parts list and simple step by step procedure to get this thing functioning?

Edit: this post was transferred by the moderator

This question should have been asked in the support thread, this thread  is reserved for development, but I'm going to make an exception

You were almost correct, but instead of LithiumDeuteride, it requires LithiumHydrate, which is also a 5th generation a-neutronuc fusion mode in the Tri Alpha Reactor

So the recommended combo to get a Kerbstein function well is

Tri Alpha (in LithiumHydrade fusion mode) + Kerbstein + Skin Radiator + Cargo Container switched yo LithiumHydrate resource

Edited June 6, 2017 by FreeThinker

[Drew Kerman]

5 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

This question should have been asked in the support thread, this thread  is reserved for development, but I'm going to make an exception

You got a little mixed up there, this is the support thread If you're going back and forth a lot I can understand how it would be easy to mix up which one you're in

[FreeThinker]

4 hours ago, Drew Kerman said:

You got a little mixed up there, this is the support thread If you're going back and forth a lot I can understand how it would be easy to mix up which one you're in

No, This post was originally posted in the dev tread after a moderator placed the question in the wrong forum. He corrected it later

Edited June 6, 2017 by FreeThinker

[raxo2222]

Why quantum plasma has mass? It just makes EM drive unnecessarily heavy.

Edited June 6, 2017 by raxo2222

[FreeThinker]

26 minutes ago, raxo2222 said:

Why quantum plasma has mass? It just makes EM drive unnecessarily heavy.

It has mass because that is required for any propulsion in KSP. The trick is to have sufficient amount so that it can operate at high time warp. Most likely it is curently too high. I will look into it.

On 5-6-2017 at 7:06 AM, Bubmer said:

I might have done something wrong, on my install a single antimatter reactor requires around 700 GW of cooling, meanwhile the larger and supposedly more powerful singularity reactor produces less power and also requires far less heating. Is this intended or have run into a bug?

What is the size of the antimatter reactor? A 2.5M reactor has a maximum power of 720 GW, but  only when used for magnetic nozzle propulsion. When used for power production, it only has 1/20 the power, which is 36 GW, still very high but not as high the Quantum Singularity Reactor which has a maximum output of 320 GW, but only if you crank up the power to the max, initially it power is at 10% at 32 GW, but all power can be used for power production, which makes it the ideal reactor for high power application like long distance (lightyears) of travel or beamed power applications

Edited June 6, 2017 by FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

On 4-6-2017 at 9:45 PM, Omnipius said:

Is there a config file where I could implement that myself? I'm still avoiding 1.3.0 like the plague until all of the mods I rely on are compatible. *cough* NFT *cough*

You could edit a part file of a contain, but you are likely to break it.

Edited June 6, 2017 by FreeThinker

[raxo2222]

5 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

It has mass because that is required for any propulsion in KSP. The trick is to have sufficient amount so that it can operate at high time warp. Most likely it is curently too high. I will look into it.

 

Reducing mass per unit of quantum vacuum 1000 000 times and increasing ISP 1000 000 times should do trick

This way it won't artificially increase weight of EM drive by noticeable margin.

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by raxo2222