[1.12.4] Fuel Cells (FUEL) v0.9.99.0-prerelease `<Thank you Ph34rb0t>` edition [02 Jan 2023]

[zer0Kerbal]

  
   

Fuel Cells (FUEL)

These modules are an alternative to solar panels, also offering way better weight and endurance than batteries.

By zer0Kerbal, originally by @Ph34rb0t

adopted with express permission and brought to you by KerbSimpleCo

Preamble by @Ph34rb0t

These modules are an alternative to solar panels, also offering way better weight and endurance than batteries. They are set to last for 14 (Kerbin) days, so they should be useful for missions for which solar panels are not a suitable option due to aesthetics or such. Operation is fairly realistic: Hydrogen and oxygen (called FuelCellFuel for simplicity) are turned into electricity (ElectricCharge), heat and water (FuelCellWaste, for the latter). Some aspects of real fuel cell operation, like electrical yield, amount of water generated by the process, cooling of the fuel and oxygen, etc have been simplified or exaggerated for the sake of gameplay.

See more

Spoiler

• Marketing Slicks
• Parts Catalog for part pictures
• GitHub Pages
• Discussions or KSP Forums for discussions and news
• ChangeLog for more details of changes
• Known Issues for more details of feature requests and known issues

Help Wanted

Spoiler

• Compatibility patches - especially life support
• Contracts for these glorious parts
• Variant Textures
• Marketing Images and Videos such as hero shots, animated gifs, short highlights
• Have a request? Glad to have them, kindly submit through GitHub.
• Translations: See the [README in the Localization folder][MOD:local] for instructions for adding or improving translations. GitHub push is the best way to contribute. Additions and corrections welcome!

Localization

•  English
• your translation here

Installation Directions ¹

Spoiler

Use CurseForge/OverWolf App (currently does not install dependencies)

I take no part, nor am I interested in maintaining the CKAN mod metadata for my mods. CKAN is a great mod for those that can't use zip tools. If you are having issues please let the CKAN people know and refer to the CKAN thread. My support of CKAN extends as far as me checking the checkbox in Spacedock when I upload. Beware, CKAN can really mess up though it tries very, very, very hard not to.

or 

Dependencies

• Hot Beverage Inc (HBI) agency, flags, and common files
• Kerbal Space Program  ²

Suggests

• Hot Beverage Inc (HBI)
  • Irradiated Parts (HBEx) experimental parts
  • HBFuelCells (FUEL) Fuel Cells
  • Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators
  • Kerturn (KAT)
  • Fuel Cells (FUEL)
  • Fuel Cells (FUEL)
• Biomatic (BIO)
• Field Training Facility (FTF)
• Field Training Lab (FTL)
• GPO (Goo Pumps & Oils') Speed Pump (GPO)
• Kaboom! (BOOM)
• On Demand Fuel Cells (ODFC)
• OScience Laboratories (OSL)
• Papa Kerballini's Pizza (PIZZA)
• SimpleConstruction! (SCON)
• SimpleLife! (LIFE)
• SimpleLogistics! (SLOG)
• SimpleNotes! (NOTE)
• Solar Science (SOL)
• TweakScale

Supports

• Irradiated Parts (HBEx)
• Fuel Cells (FUEL) Stack Fuel Cells
• Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators
• Kerturn (KAT)
• Sensor Modules (SENS)
• Service Modules (SERV)
• Either ³
  • Module Manager /L
  • Module Manager

Tags

• agency, flag, config

red box below is a link to forum post on how to get support

Be Kind: Lithobrake, not jakebrake! Keep your Module Manager up to date

Credits and Special Thanks

• @Ph34rb0t for creating these glorious parts!
• see Attribution for more comprehensive list

Legal Mumbo Jumbo (License provenance)

Spoiler

Current (1) - zer0Kerbal

Forum: Thread - Download: CurseForge - Source: GitHub
License:  

Disclaimer(s)

All bundled mods are distributed under their own licenses
All art assets (textures, models, animations, sounds) are distributed under their own licenses

see Notices for more legal mumbo jumbo

Original (0) - Author: @Ph34rb0t

Forum: Thread - Download: CurseForge - Source: CurseForge
License:  

 

DONATIONS

Spoiler

How to support this and other great mods by zer0Kerbal

Completely voluntary, absolutely amazing, and really does help me out a lot! quote from creator of Kerbal Engineer

   

and it is true.

Connect with me

Track progress: issues here and projects here along with The Short List

 

Release Schedule

GitHub, reaching first manual installers and users of KSP-AVC. Right now.

CurseForge. Right now.

SpaceDock (and CKAN users). Soon™ (the button was pressed)

Spoiler

1. this isn't a mod. ;P↩︎

2. may work on other versions (YMMV)↩︎

3. Be Kind: Lithobrake, not jakebrake! Keep your Module Manager up to date!↩︎

Edited January 3, 2023 by zer0Kerbal
update links and lasso the birds

[theJesuit]

Nice. What a great idea!  Why havent I seen this before, or even considered it?

Thanks for adopting this.

[zer0Kerbal]

11 minutes ago, theJesuit said:

Nice. What a great idea!  Why havent I seen this before, or even considered it?

Thanks for adopting this.

@theJesuit

 

YVMW.

Original only has 3 stack parts (size 1,2,3) - but will be releasing with 0,1,15,2,3 and maybe even some fuselage parts.) will fully integrate with ODFC. If there is enough demand will supply in two variants: LFO and MP (or just use ODFC) Is ready to release - just need some time behind my eye lids to refocus. No rest for @zer0Kerbal.  

Apologize, I've been sitting on this one for several years. I would get sidetracked on other projects; time to get them out the proverbial door because this is probably the last year for KSP (1?) addons.

Also: there will be a range of RTG (stack at least) and the Kerturn V rocket parts; there even might be some 'experimental parts' kicking around.

Also - will try to include integration for RTG's in SimpleNuclear.

And Val has found Bill's can of fire engine red spray paint and a stencil. see if you can find all the places she tagged.

 

Spoiler

post-script: will get back to code based projects this coming week along with the high-demand (most downloaded) parts addons like SpaceY and WOS and KDVA and FTP and RSR and more after that.

 

also @theJesuit

https://github.com/zer0Kerbal/FuelCells/blob/0.9.99.0-adoption/docs/PartsCatalog.md

has a preliminary spec sheet; open to suggestions (pe

Spoiler

Fuel Cell Specifications

Specification Spreadsheet (WIP)

Mod	Name	Cost	Entry	Mass	Tech	maxEC	Fuel (L)	Battery
***				Cost	(t)	Required		(L)	(EC)
(S)	Fuel Cell	750	2250	0.05	Electrics	1.5	-	50
(S)	FC Array	4500	13500	0.24	Electrics	18	-	300
(HB)	0.3125m	330	750	0.03	survivability	0.45	5	10
(HB)	0.625m	495	1250	0.05	basicScience	0.75	15	50
(HB)	1.25m	895	2250	0.1	Electrics	1.5	30	100
(HB)	1.875m	2390	6008	0.2967	Miniaturization	4.45	90	300
(HB)	2.5m	4277	10753	0.59	advElectrics	8.85	180	600
(HB)	3.75m	7829	19683	1.2	largeElectrics	18	365	1225
(HB)	5m	2	35429	2.4	specElectrics	36	730	2427
(HB)	7.5m	17616	44287	3.3333	expElectrics	50	1010	3371
(HB)	10m	33031	83038	6.9444	expElectrics	75	1515	5056
(HB)	20m	49546	124556	11.5741	expElectrics	125	2530	8427
(HB)	mk0
(HB)	mk1
(HB)	mk2
(HB)	mk3
(HB+)	mk4
(HB+)	mk5
xxxxx	xxxxxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	xxxxx	xxxxxx	xxxxx

• (S) = Stock | (HB) = Hot Beverages | (HB+) = Hot Beverages + another addon | (US2) = Universal Storage 2 *

r usual)

Edited January 3, 2023 by zer0Kerbal
flocking the trees

[JadeOfMaar]

Hey @zer0Kerbal you really put up something interesting here. Inline fuel cells with tankage and able to sustain a probe core for a good few days.

You may want to check the part configs. Currently the have the issues of: There are two instances of ElectricCharge tankage; Their ElectricCharge amount is 0 (You don't release a battery empty. You release it fully charged); Their Oxidizer amount is greater than maxAmount.

As for your spec sheet, I would advise you spread the parts across the xyz Rocketry tech nodes (as these care firstly and size classes of parts) or otherwise don't spread them across more than 2 nodes (they're all the exact same tech and I'm sure there's no hint that these things become more mass efficient and energy efficient as they get larger). So I say:

• Keep the 1.25m and 2.5m in Electrics alongside the stock ones.
• Put the 3.75m and maybe 5m into Large Electrics (because large).
• Put the 0.625m into Miniaturization or Precision Engineering. And don't offer any smaller. Personally speaking, I don't see such a small "fuel cell" being practical at all. The stock RTG (producing 0.75 EC/s) is better than it. Just hang the RTG off the side of the craft.
• Don't offer anything above 5m (and maybe don't even offer the 5m). It's far better to have a nuclear reactor instead or stack a few of the 3.75m one in a 5m+ cargo bay. This becomes a clear case of "too much of an inefficient thing" when super-efficient things are just a step ahead in the progression path.

[zer0Kerbal]

On 1/3/2023 at 7:52 AM, JadeOfMaar said:

you really put up something interesting here

All credit goes to @Ph34rb0t

I loved it when I first saw it. Fuel Cells are part of history and deserve more props.

On 1/3/2023 at 7:52 AM, JadeOfMaar said:

check the part configs

Thank you. +1  - not enough read the configs, even fewer say something. I appreciate.

Love the suggestions and comments.

On 1/3/2023 at 7:52 AM, JadeOfMaar said:

Keep the 1.25m and 2.5m in Electrics alongside the stock ones.

just some random thoughts:

wasn't the Gemini / Apollo programs powered by fuel cells? Also since these are much larger in volume they should gain some advantages (plus part count)

I intend have the smallest using 0.3125 / 0.625 for the earliest KSP flights. As such they won't have much resource storage and will be ~25% less efficient but will be available much earlier. Much sooner than the stock RTG. You are correct, once you get the stock rtg - fuel cells become much more a niche/backup/backup use case.

lead-acid vs LiFePo4 = half the weight, twice the power.

also RTG's only appear in level nine (last level) of the stock tech tree.

On 1/3/2023 at 7:52 AM, JadeOfMaar said:

nuclear reactor

currently there aren't any 'stock' nuclear reactors (SimpleNuclear! aims to correct that); I won't be including the 5m+ size this release. Might offer them in a separate pack (Fuel Cells XL) someday. If they were to be offered, they would probably be either MP powered with significantly increased capacities and efficiencies and would be intended for large bases, stations, and interstellar craft (the later being best powered by Nuclear, but always good to have a backup plan)

 

Though the first step in balancing these is to determine just how much fuel is capable of being stored in each model.

updated sheet:

Spoiler

Fuel Cell Specifications

Design considerations

• Fuel cells first made their first official appearance during the Gemini/Apollo programs
• Continued their use for the Shuttle and ISS programs.
• As technology advanced, the mass of the storage (ec) was cut in half (Pb --> LiFePO4 as example from Apollo to SpaceX)
• Capacity of storage doubled during the same time
• Fuel storage containment improvements have also allows more fuel to be stored in the same sized container (not factored in)

Specification Spreadsheet

aim is 42 hours of runtime using only internal fuels. (which is seven kerbal days (six hours per day))

151,200 seconds of runtime (see runtime sheet)

Mod	Name	Cost	Entry	Mass	Tech	TTL	maxEC	Fuel (L)	RunTime†	Battery (EC)	efficiency‡
(S)	Fuel Cell	750	2250	0.05	largeElectrics	7	1.5	-	0h0m	50	baseline
(S)	FC Array	4500	13500	0.24	specializedElectrics	8	18	-	0h0m	300	baseline
(HB)	0.3125m	330	750	0.03	survivability	3	0.375	5	0h0m	10	-25%
(HB)	0.625m	495	1250	0.05	basicScience	4	0.75	15	0h0m	50	-15%
(HB)	1.25m	895	2250	0.1	Electrics	5	1.5	30	0h0m	100
(HB)	1.875m	2390	6008	0.2967	Miniaturization	5	4.5	90	0h0m	300	+10%
(HB)	2.5m	4277	10753	0.59	advElectrics	6	9	180	0h0m	600	+15%
(HB)	3.75m	7829	19683	1.2	largeElectrics	7	18	365	0h0m	1225	+25%
(HB)	5.0m	2	35429	2.4	specializedElectrics	8	36	730	0h0m	2427	+50%
(HB)	7.5m	17616	44287	3.3333	specializedElectrics	8	50	1010	0h0m	3371	+75%
(HB)	10m	33031	83038	6.9444	experimentalElectrics	9	75	1515	0h0m	5056	+100%
(HB)	20m	49546	124556	11.5741	experimentalElectrics	9	125	2530	0h0m	8427	+200 %
(HB)	mk0				basicScience	4			0h0m		-25%
(HB)	mk1				Electrics	5			0h0m		-15%
(HB)	mk2	4277	10753	0.59	advElectrics	6	8.85	180	0h0m	600
(HB)	mk3	7829	19683	1.2	largeElectrics	7	18	365	0h0m	1225	+15%
(HB)	mk4				specializedElectrics	8			0h0m		+25
(HB)	mk5				experimentalElectrics	9			0h0m		+50%

• S = Stock | HB = Hot Beverage | HB+ = Hot Beverage + Another | US = Universal Storage | US2 = Universal Storage 2 *

†: internal capacity only ‡: currently doesn't include efficency adjustment to maxEX/Battery/mass/costs - fuel capacity won't be affected

Effeciency scaled

Mod	Name	Cost	Entry	Mass	Tech	TTL	maxEC	Fuel (L)	RunTime†	Battery (EC)	efficiency‡
(HB)	0.3125m	330	750	0.0375	survivability	3	0.3	5	0h0m	7	-25%
(HB)	0.625m	495	1250	0.0575	basicScience	4	0.65	15	0h0m	43.5	-15%
(HB)	1.25m	895	2250	0.1	Electrics	5	1.5	30	0h0m	100
(HB)	1.875m	2390	6008	0.26972	Miniaturization	5	4.95	90	0h0m	330	+10%
(HB)	2.5m	4277	10753	0.23455	advElectrics	6	11.39	180	0h0m	760	+15%
(HB)	3.75m	7829	19683	0.96	largeElectrics	7	28.45	365	0h0m	1900	+25%

†: internal capacity only ‡: cumulative efficency adjustment to maxEX/Battery/mass/costs - fuel capacity won't be affected even though advances in tech would increase storage capabilities

Stock Specifications

Stock Fuel Cell

• cost: 750
• entry cost: 2250
• techRequired: Electrics
• mass: 0.05
• EC/s Produces: 1.5
• EC storage: 50

Stock Fuel Cell Array

• cost: 4500
• entry cost: 13500
• techRequired: Electrics
• mass: 0.24
• EC/s Produces: 18
• EC storage: 300

 

 

@theJesuit /  @JadeOfMaar

going to put some time in behind my eyelids - but am trying to do the math for how long  a fuel cell would run for (runtime) with just internal tanks:

should be: fuel units / consumption

so in the case of the 1.25

18 units of LF / 0.0005625 units of lf (per sec)?

Edited January 5, 2023 by zer0Kerbal
update links and lasso the birds

[zer0Kerbal]

starting to do a livestream demo / final test.

https://www.twitch.tv/zer0kerbal

[Ph34rb0t]

Nice to see my stuff is still being used! Cheers!

[zer0Kerbal]

8 hours ago, Ph34rb0t said:

Nice to see my stuff is still being used! Cheers!

@Ph34rb0t Glad to see you are still around! Thank you for making this glorious addon in the first place!

Hope you like your name graphic style/color on the hero logo!

Edited February 13, 2023 by zer0Kerbal
update links and lasso the birds