Nuclear Reactor Setup Discussion...

[ErusPrime]

Anyone have a safe setup for a nuclear reactor with 6 chambers? I've been using badashgames 3 chamber setup. But I can only one run quarry efficiently (with an energy link) at a time and I'd like to be running 2 or 3.

edit: This thread has changed topic to general reactor discussion. I've got my quarries sorted, thank you.

[Bmandk]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

There's a Mark 1 CASUC that uses ice machines to power them. It has 1820 EU/t which is almost maximum. Though if you didn't set it up correctly it will go boom!

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Actually maximum output for a nuclear reactor is 2400 EU/t. No reason to create it though since not even HV Cables can safely transfer that power.

Here is a tool that can help you plan a reactor, and this is my current "safe" setup: Nuclear Reactor Planning Tool w/ a Mark I-O EC setup

EDIT: If you're feeling more ballsy, or EC isn't efficient enough for you, here is a Mark II-1 EB reactor design that can operate a full cycle and needs 76 mins, 11 seconds of cooldown in between.

EDIT2: Here is the obligatory super-efficient hardcore-mode where you need good redstone skills in order to run it properly. The EU/t it generates is just barely usable and its efficiency is about the best you can ask for. Mark V-SUC EA

[ErusPrime]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Actually maximum output for a nuclear reactor is 2400 EU/t. No reason to create it though since not even HV Cables can safely transfer that power.

Here is a tool that can help you plan a reactor, and this is my current "safe" setup: Nuclear Reactor Planning Tool w/ a Mark I-O EC setup

So I'd be better off daisy chaining a few reactors into a bank of MFSU's. I want to be able to run the thing with my chunkloader while I'm in the caves searching for spawners and the like.

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

I'm not sure how much EU/t you need to run fully automated, so that will influence your decision.

[ErusPrime]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

For now it's just a couple of quarries so I should be fine for a little bit.

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

EDIT2: Here is the obligatory super-efficient hardcore-mode where you need good redstone skills in order to run it properly. The EU/t it generates is just barely usable and its efficiency is about the best you can ask for. Mark V-SUC EA

So If I (theoretically) setup a redstone time to run the reactor for 15 seconds(to avoid harsh negative consequences) And a 15 second(or possibly longer) off time, I could (again, Theoretically) run this reactor until all the uranium cells die off, generate 408 MILLION eus, and never have to watch it? I think I might just play around with this idea later ;)

[MechaCrash]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

My preferred nuclear reactor setup is here. It's a Mark II, so you can just throw the uranium in and let it run until it's empty, and as long as you let it cool down between full cycles, it will never explode. It's also pretty efficient and gives 120 EU/t, which I think is pretty good. It's also a lot cheaper than most Mark II reactors with the same efficiency and output. I'd give credit to the original designer, but sadly, I don't know who did it.

Alternately, you can use a few Geothermal Mark II generators and liquid teleport pipes. I found that if you build a golden waterproof pipe and stick two generators on each side and two on top, you can pump lava into them from a tank and keep them all running. It produces the same 120 EU/t, but because it doesn't need to stop and cool down, the effective EU/t is higher. Of course, it brings a different set of challenges and limitations, but at least none of them turn your base into a crater if you fuck something up.

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

So If I (theoretically) setup a redstone time to run the reactor for 15 seconds(to avoid harsh negative consequences) And a 15 second(or possibly longer) off time, I could (again, Theoretically) run this reactor until all the uranium cells die off, generate 408 MILLION eus, and never have to watch it? I think I might just play around with this idea later

Yes but keep in mind each ice block represents a stack of 64, and thus they will need to be replenished in some manner.

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

so it goes through a stack of 64 ice in 17 seconds?

That could definitely complicate things XD

However, I still am going to take up this challenege....At some point XD

And obviously, Not legitly to start with... if my testing goes well i might however actually attempt it legit(wish me luck)

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

I don't believe it goes through all 4 stacks of 64 in 17 seconds. If you go to "SUC Options" it says how many stacks are used. However, I am unsure if it is per generation time (17 seconds) or per Uranium cell loading (2 hours of generation time). Apparently it uses 1.94 stacks.

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

In the More Info Seciton It also state IceBlock Stack:256

I think It means it goes through 1.94 stacks per generation time, and 256 stacks of ice per cell loading.

I tried doing the math, i ended up getting about what it says, 1.94.... I actually got anywhere from 1.8 to 2.5, but in the end,it depends on exactly which numbers you choose to use for the variables, so theres no way to be sure what they calculated it with. Either way, only way to find out for sure is to test it...

Didnt have time today, probably wont tomorrow, but I do plan on doing it, as that would be one crazy reactor to have running. I will admit, the redstone aspect of the timing is an awful scary thought.. :-\

[Diamond_Hammer]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Ive found this is a nice setup, ive run it through numerous cycles and never had a problem I hook it up to multiple MFSU's and uranium was never a problem for me , ran 2 quarries and all the general doodads from it, its a turn on and forget about it setup in my experience as long as you dont have massive needs.

http://www.talonfiremage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/reactorplanner.html?9101miutm3pimjvmmeebkw5z1mms65316=1k10101001501521s1r01r10

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Im going to be honest... I have no Idea how You're powering a QUARRY using IC2 power. Maybe I'm missing something...

I also get confused when people start talking about mark II versions of geothermal generators and stuff, I don't remember ever seeing anything of the sort in my install...

I'd love to here how You're powering the quarries though...

[FelixCiceroMedd]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

There are several ways to change BC power to IC2 power, I found that Blue Xephos on youtube does quite a good series of videos on the Technic pack and one of them includes him looking at a converter. Hope this helps!

[Arcten]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Gloom Walker, there is a mod called power converters that is meant to bridge between Buildcraft and IC2. It is usually meant to be in the technic pack but something happened at it wasn't in this release. It adds an IC2 geothermal which accepts piped lava, machines that take buildcraft power and turn them into eus, and vice versa, an oil and lava fabricator, and a water strainer which generates EU from pumped in water.

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Ah thankYou arcten. I did find that mod a little before You posted, and I installed it and am currently playing around with it as I type this...

It is very helpful, It would have been nice to see this in the official release, but regardless:)

And Felix, I did watch the Yogscasts videos on the technic pack, but as far as I remember, they were more a mod spotlight, and it wasnt even this release that they filmed it in... And the series they did in technic was more of a adventure as they are prone to getting themselves into.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the Yogscast, but their videos tend to be less helpful at figuring out a mod and more funny in watching them screw up almost everything and listening to them screw around the entire video.

Thank You for the suggestions :)

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Ive found this is a nice setup, ive run it through numerous cycles and never had a problem I hook it up to multiple MFSU's and uranium was never a problem for me , ran 2 quarries and all the general doodads from it, its a turn on and forget about it setup in my experience as long as you dont have massive needs.

http://www.talonfiremage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/reactorplanner.html?9101miutm3pimjvmmeebkw5z1mms65316=1k10101001501521s1r01r10

I hate to say it, but you could be running three reactors with the same amount of uranium you're using to produce twice as much power total as you currently are with this setup.

Also it is a "turn on and forget" setup as well.

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Hey SimpleGuy, You seem like a capable Nuclear Engineer, What do You think of My setup? or at least, the one i plan on using?

http://www.talonfiremage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/reactorplanner.html?93qkkjfufykbie9pp8uqkalr76aw69z4=1k10101001501521s1r11r10

It only uses 3 uranium cells, and its another "turn on and forget type", but it only has a 21 second cooldown, doesn't require filling the reactor with huge amounts of cooling components, and the components will never break.

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

First let me give you the context of my thoughts so you can see where I am coming from.

When it comes to 1, 2, 3, and 4 uranium celled reactors and efficiency, for each of them are pretty set.

With 1 Uranium Cell, the maximum efficiency you can get is 1.00 (it by itself) [Net gain: +1]

With 2, the maximum efficiency you can get is 2.00 (placing it next to the first one) [Net gain: +1]

Now with 3, you can't place it next to both of the two previous cells if they're already next to each other, so the maximum efficiency you can get is 2.33. [Net gain: +0.33]

With 4, you can finally form a square, which yields an efficiency of 3.00. [Net gain: +0.66]

...or with 4 you can form the tetris T shape for an efficiency of 2.50 [Net gain: +0.17]

...or with 4 you can have two sets of two cells for an efficiency of 2.00 [Net loss: -0.33]

Note that no matter where you place a 5th U-cell next to a square, the efficiency is still 3.00 [Net gain: +0.00]

This is purely looking at the efficiency of Uranium use. If you need to conserve iron/copper/tin for other projects and want to utilize minimum cooling components (and don't need a huge energy demand) then you'll have other factors in choosing.

I think your setup is ridiculously great, because you're generating at 2.33 efficiency with minimal cooling components (Note that if you change one of the platings to an integrated cooling unit then you can run it infinitely, Mark I-O EC), and you've already surpassed the lackluster 0.33 Net Gain from adding a third cell, so once you're ready to expand into a 4-cell reactor you have many many options available to you:

• 
  [li]The Ridiculously Efficient but Long Cooldown Time

Mark II-1 EB (3.00 Efficiency, 76 mins CD, 82.36 Effective EU/t)
[/li]
[li]The Efficient 4-celled shorter Cooldown Time Mark II-3 EC (2.50 Efficiency, 38 min CD, 81.4 Effective EU/t)[/li]
[li]The Less-Efficient-Than-A-3-Cell But More Sheer Power & Safety Mark I-O EC (2.00 Efficiency, 0 CD, 80 Effective EU/t)[/li]

Those are just some examples of what you can expand into once your (awesome, did I mention awesome?) 3-celled system isn't providing enough juice. I'm not 100% sure they're the most efficient setup, so let me know if you find one better!

[Mehungary]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

http://forum.industrial-craft.net/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=2963&s=f1086a1df4c5fe85d2159a2e76df4baee53c475a

In that thread are lots of reactors take a look and pick one that looks good to you.

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Thanks SimpleGuy

I'm glad that it's

(awesome, did I mention awesome?)

For now, I think the reactor i posted will be plenty powerful for me If for some reason I need more, I might make a copy, or possibly use one of the ones You suggested, I never had much luck making 4-cell Reactors...

Thanks for pointing out that, I'll most likely change it up so that theres no cooldown then

I have been wondering though, If my cooldown is already only 21 seconds, Is there any other benefit other than not having to wait 21 seconds to put new cells in?

What i mean to say is, If I had a reactor with a 0 second cooldown, is there someway to entirely automate the process, from running it to refilling it and such?

As far as I can think, There'd be no way to refill the reactor with all the empty spaces left over in my design... I suppose if I filled them with Coollant cells(cheapest part to make) it could be done?

Edit: I have managed to refine my reactor to have the same stats as before, however using 2 less Heat dispensors. It's not that big of a deal, But i figured I'd post it to show the difference in layout in case anyone's interested.

Note:I didnt change the hull plating over as You suggested SimpleGuy simply to show the reduced materials, and because I'm relatively okay with a 21 second cooldown

My Reactor Revised

My Original Reactor

[Diamond_Hammer]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

some really nice reactors simpleguy, I think im going to try what you recommended. Ive only spent a few weeks with the mod, played tekkit, but then came back to technic all the other mods seem to distract me thats why i prefer a mark I setup so i dont go boom while exploring .. thanks again :)

[SimpleGuy]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

As far as automating nuclear reactors, that I am not 100% on as I almost exclusively play Tekkit so I personally would rather have a "hands-on" relationship with my reactor (don't take that as women advice). However, I do recall someone mentioning that only the center chamber (not the six addons) is the only thing capable of accepting items from a BC pipe. I haven't confirmed it, mostly because I use RedPower pipes.

As for the whole cooldown timers in general, if they're very low then as long as you're not using an automated reactor that doesn't account for the CD timer then you're fine, because the CD Timer really measures your ability to run a reactor with consecutive generation lifetimes. And if it takes you 21 seconds to load the thing before starting a new generation cycle, then you're fine. :)

[gloomwalker]

Re: 6 chamber Nuclear Reactor Setup

Well, I'll play around with it at some point then to see if its possible to do it one way or the other, \as i mostly use BC pipes, I actually havent ever used Redpower pipes.

Yea, As long as I'm putting the cells in myself, Im not too worried about having such a short cooldown on it.