 |
This article has not been revised for the current version (U51-600112). It was last updated for U39-490405. It may contain inaccuracies. |
 |
This article is related to DLC content of Spaced Out. |
Research Reactor uses Enriched Uranium to quickly heat up water-based coolant (Water, Polluted Water, Salt Water or Brine) which turns into Steam that can be used to power Steam Turbines. This process also creates large amounts of Radiation and Nuclear Waste as byproduct.
Coolant and Nuclear Waste are periodically expelled under the reactor unless the ambient pressure reaches 150 kg. If coolant cannot be expelled or no coolant is added, heat continues to rise inside the reactor until it eventually undergoes meltdown, violently exploding and producing the only source of Corium in the game.
The Reactor consumes 10kg/cycle of Enriched Uranium. Therefore 1000kg of Enriched Uranium will last for 100 cycles of continuous operation.
Heat Production[ | ]
Research Reactor heating up fuel produces heat by transferring heat to its coolant and by creating heated Nuclear Waste.
Once fueled with Enriched Uranium and coolant is added, the reactor begins heating up its internal fuel by 100 °C/s and constantly exchanges heat with its coolant. When the internal coolant reaches 400 °C, it is expelled under the reactor and quickly turned to Steam. The reactor then accepts more coolant intake and the cycle continues. The heat transferred to the coolant is approximately 5750 kDTU/s when constantly resupplied with more fuel.
Additionally, 10 kg/cycle of Enriched Uranium is converted to 1000 kg/cycle of Nuclear Waste of the same temperature and expelled once its internal capacity reaches 100 kg. Because fuel temperature is constantly fluctuating, calculating the exact heat production of Nuclear Waste is problematic.
Nuclear Waste Constituting Most of the Heat Output[ | ]
Although the Reactor does expel hot Steam eventually, the expelled Nuclear Waste will still constitute most of the heat output.
Thus, if the expelled Steam is not wanted, it is possible to have the upper half of the Reactor exposed to space in order to destroy the expelled Steam, and have the Nuclear Waste fall onto Metal Tiles that lead to a steam pocket. The cooled Nuclear Waste can later be pumped out into space for disposal.
Limiting fuel intake[ | ]
Since the reactor always uses the same amount of fuel and the heat applied ignores mass, any reactor under its maximum fuel intake will produce less heat energy. This may be desirable in some cases to limit how much heat is delivered to Steam Turbines, to prevent them from overheating or simply by design limitation. However, in cases where the stored fuel is permanently limited under 10 kg, it may be more desirable to let the reactor spike up then completely run out in order to save fuel.
The screenshot to side shows an example; incidentally, this method also uses Metal Tiles, preferably made of Aluminum, to divert the heat to a nearby Steam pocket. This also uses a Conveyor Meter.
Limiting coolant intake[ | ]
While limiting fuel reduces energy output, limiting coolant has the opposite effect as Nuclear Waste is created with 100 times the mass of the fuel while having the same temperature as the active fuel and having a Specific Heat Capacity of 7.44. While a typical reactor has its active fuel around 200 to 400 °C, limiting coolant intake allows the fuel to reach higher temperatures and therefore outputs more heat energy. For example, cooling 300 °C Nuclear Waste to 125 °C outputs 2170 kDTU/s, when cooling 2000 °C waste outputs 23250 kDTU/s.
Radiation Production[ | ]
During normal operation, the Research Reactor emits a constant 12000 rads per cycle (Maximum Hazard) in a 25 tiles radius. This can be used for Radbolt Generators, maintaining Plant Mutations or even removing Germs. Over time, Nuclear Waste filled with Radioactive Contaminants also bring an increasing amount of passive radiation. Each cycle, the nuclear waste itself brings a lasting 165 rads per cycle, while the contaminants will bring a temporary 55 rads per cycle.
During meltdown, the radiation emission is doubled to 24000 rads per cycle (Maximum Hazard) which then gradually drops while the reactor cools. During the explosion, several Corium debris filled with Radioactive Contaminants bring an additional 1100 rads per cycle (Significant Hazard) for each projectile.
Meltdown[ | ]
When the temperature of the Enriched Uranium fuel reaches 2726.85 °C, the reactor begins meltdown and a unique soundtrack begins playing. Corium debris are violently launched out of the reactor, each containing 1 million Radioactive Contaminants and giving nearby tiles Meteor Damage, while the reactor leaks Nuclear Waste which partly vaporizes into Nuclear Fallout.
Radiation emissions from the reactor are temporarily doubled then gradually droppped back down to 0 while the reactor cools over a period of five days.
