Chapter 5 - Homework
“So what else does this book say about fusion reactor restart failure?”
I open the manual up to where I was and continue reading.
Since you are reading this, the restart must have failed. If you have not done so already, ask the computer to run an analysis of the restart attempt and suggest improvements.
There are many factors in starting or restarting a fusion reactor. Among them is fuel temperature, magnetic containment field density and size, impulse frequency, charge and angle of impact. These factors have been parameterized in the ERS and can be modified with the development tools on the main computer.
When the analysis is complete have the computer bring up the development tools with the command “Invoke ERS Development” The syntax of this command is different from any others to help prevent accidental activation of this tool suite since it could damage the systems beyond your ability to repair them if used improperly. As with the reset protocol you will need the override code. This one is my / your GSA ID number. I would have gone for a retinal scan as well, but I didn't have anywhere to put the reader.
There are several Invoke commands throughout this manual. I would say commit them to memory, but that my not be possible.
Yeah, that really is my sense of humor.
Make liberal use of the on-line help documentation in the development tools. There are no hard-copy records of this help on-board your ship. The one thing that I will point out now is that there is NO verbal interaction with the development tools. All control is through the main keyboard, pointer and display. Again this is to help ensure security and accuracy of the information entered into the ERS and the HCU control programs that are generated by the tools.
The computer announces that it has some preliminary analysis available.
“Computer, Display Analysis”
The main screen fills up with tables of numbers and a couple of chart showing plasma density, temperature, and magnetic field status for a nominal restart and the failed one. Our curves are significantly lower and shallower than the normal restart curves.
“As your can see the plasma did not reach any of the critical temperatures or densities required for a continuous fusion reaction. The initial temperature is too low. This can be adjusted at the injector heating phase by increasing the power and frequency of the RF field used to do the preliminary heating by 2500 kilovolts and 4000 megahertz respectively.”
I make note of that in the margin of the manual.
“Further analysis shows that the ion pulses are too slow. Increasing the fire rate by 3 times a second should be enough. Any more than that and the heat loss through the firing aperture would be overcome the gain from the increased rate.”
“The magnetic containment field could be increased just prior to the second phase of ion pulses by 300,000 gauss for 5 seconds, then another 500,000 gauss for 3 seconds during the third phase. This should boost the heat and density beyond the threshold for self-sustaining fusion reaction.”
“Any further changes should be done after another test start and with the analysis of that data as well.”
“End recommendations.”
Well, that is interesting. Let's see if I can figure out how do do this.
“Computer, Invoke ERS Development. Override Code: zero, nine, four, six dash five, five, seven dash two, three, eight, one, one, alpha.”
I open the manual up to where I was and continue reading.
Since you are reading this, the restart must have failed. If you have not done so already, ask the computer to run an analysis of the restart attempt and suggest improvements.
There are many factors in starting or restarting a fusion reactor. Among them is fuel temperature, magnetic containment field density and size, impulse frequency, charge and angle of impact. These factors have been parameterized in the ERS and can be modified with the development tools on the main computer.
When the analysis is complete have the computer bring up the development tools with the command “Invoke ERS Development” The syntax of this command is different from any others to help prevent accidental activation of this tool suite since it could damage the systems beyond your ability to repair them if used improperly. As with the reset protocol you will need the override code. This one is my / your GSA ID number. I would have gone for a retinal scan as well, but I didn't have anywhere to put the reader.
There are several Invoke commands throughout this manual. I would say commit them to memory, but that my not be possible.
Yeah, that really is my sense of humor.
Make liberal use of the on-line help documentation in the development tools. There are no hard-copy records of this help on-board your ship. The one thing that I will point out now is that there is NO verbal interaction with the development tools. All control is through the main keyboard, pointer and display. Again this is to help ensure security and accuracy of the information entered into the ERS and the HCU control programs that are generated by the tools.
The computer announces that it has some preliminary analysis available.
“Computer, Display Analysis”
The main screen fills up with tables of numbers and a couple of chart showing plasma density, temperature, and magnetic field status for a nominal restart and the failed one. Our curves are significantly lower and shallower than the normal restart curves.
“As your can see the plasma did not reach any of the critical temperatures or densities required for a continuous fusion reaction. The initial temperature is too low. This can be adjusted at the injector heating phase by increasing the power and frequency of the RF field used to do the preliminary heating by 2500 kilovolts and 4000 megahertz respectively.”
I make note of that in the margin of the manual.
“Further analysis shows that the ion pulses are too slow. Increasing the fire rate by 3 times a second should be enough. Any more than that and the heat loss through the firing aperture would be overcome the gain from the increased rate.”
“The magnetic containment field could be increased just prior to the second phase of ion pulses by 300,000 gauss for 5 seconds, then another 500,000 gauss for 3 seconds during the third phase. This should boost the heat and density beyond the threshold for self-sustaining fusion reaction.”
“Any further changes should be done after another test start and with the analysis of that data as well.”
“End recommendations.”
Well, that is interesting. Let's see if I can figure out how do do this.
“Computer, Invoke ERS Development. Override Code: zero, nine, four, six dash five, five, seven dash two, three, eight, one, one, alpha.”
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