Advanced Fuel Management Parts

[Capt Snuggler]

Sorry, if this has been suggested before.

been thinking about thinking about fuel management.

there are mods available. TAC fuel balancer for one, but I thought that allot if not all of fuel transfer and balance issues could be solved with 1 new part.

Fuel balance pipe.

it works just like the Fuel pipe you attach to one tank, then the other in any direction. from that point on the two tanks are effectively the same vessel.

fuel is drained evenly by volume (the same % in each tank). you can also close a tank with the existing tick/cross interface.

the final thing to add to fix fuel management is adding transfer in/transfer out function to docking ports. maybe also a Dump Fuel option if the docking port is not connected to anything.

having the ability to setup "tank groups" would make fuel transfers and balancing much much easier.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Capt Snuggler

[bigyihsuan]

Yes. This would make my overly large launch stages with shared capacity much easier to build.

[Red Iron Crown]

Doesn't a fuel line loop achieve the same thing?

[Capt Snuggler]

Doesn't a fuel line loop achieve the same thing?

no. as i understand it, it will always drain from one tank first. causing craft (especially space planes) to become unbalanced. I remember Kasuha did some research in to the fuel flow system.

also, if you transfer fuel into a tank that is in a fuel line loop it will not balance between all the tanks in the loop. it will only top up the one tank.

*edit: here it is (thanks to Kasuha for taking the time to do this)

[PlonioFludrasco]

"Intelligent pipes" that automatically moves your fuel around to keep your CoM fixed: that could be interesting!!

[Red Iron Crown]

no. as i understand it, it will always drain from one tank first. causing craft (especially space planes) to become unbalanced. I remember Kasuha did some research in to the fuel flow system.

also, if you transfer fuel into a tank that is in a fuel line loop it will not balance between all the tanks in the loop. it will only top up the one tank.

*edit: here it is (thanks to Kasuha for taking the time to do this)

Sorry, was thinking about a specific type of loop using lines in both directions (it's described in the thread you mention on page 4), but you're right, there are situations for which it doesn't work. And your point about transfers is definitely true.

That said, I'd rather just have TAC-like functionality implemented. It's one of the most useful mods I use, and it doesn't add anything to the part count.

[Capt Snuggler]

"Intelligent pipes" that automatically moves your fuel around to keep your CoM fixed: that could be interesting!!

maybe not intelligent pipes, but maybe a fuel balance computer module or some such? but I think that's a bit of a stretch.

That said, I'd rather just have TAC-like functionality implemented. It's one of the most useful mods I use, and it doesn't add anything to the part count.

the functionality of TAC fuel balancer is a bit too advanced. functions and automation of TAC FB would need to have a part count and weight penalty.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Capt Snuggler

[Majorjim!]

the final thing to add to fix fuel management is adding transfer in/transfer out function to docking ports. maybe also a Dump Fuel option if the docking port is not connected to anything.

having the ability to setup "tank groups" would make fuel transfers and balancing much much easier.

It would be great to fill all tanks from the docking port. And if you want to fill individual tanks you can just click on them as before.

[Sky_walker]

Nice suggestion, I like it, especially the part about quick refuelling through the docking port, but I doubt it'll hit the game any time soon if at all.