Propulsion Systems

Propulsion Systems

Engineering's main work revolves around the Propulsion Systems -- Aboard a Federation vessel, there are three main propulsion units: The warp drive, Impulse Drive, and Reaction Control System or Thrusters.

Warp Drive: Common name for the Continuum Distortion Drive which is the faster than light propulsion system on Federation ships. Impulse Drive: Slower than light, or sub-light, drive Reaction Control System: Also known as thrusters, the Reaction Control System is generally used for station-keeping (making sure the ship stays in one position and orientation) as well as moving the ship in and out of dock.

Warp Drive

Fuel System

Report fuel consumption to the Command team Maintain integrity of the tank and its piping as well as flow Make sure that the containment system within the antimatter pods does not fail. If containment began to fail, it would be necessary to eject the pod. Monitor the entire length of piping from the antimatter storage pods to the warp core and the magnetic field as well as adjust constriction parameters to maintain the flow.

Warp Core

Magnetic containment fields must be maintained for the entire core from the matter injector to the antimatter injector. Monitor dilithium crystal alignment and make sure that the injectors and dilithium are appropriately aligned so that reaction will take place at the right part of the core. This is especially important during intermix changes (the ratio amount of matter and antimatter as well as the speed in which they are injected into the core). Such changes in the ratio are the Chief Engineer's duty. Alignment checks are also important during acceleration/deceleration. Physical adjustments can be made to the injector nozzles or the dilithium articulation framework. Adjustments can be made to the magnetic containment fields within the core itself for the purpose of alignment. Engineering can also make adjustments to maintain containment of both the antimatter and radiation within the core. Re-crystallization of the dilithium to prevent complete loss of dilithium regulation.

Power Transfer Conduits

Monitor efficiency drops in the power transfer conduits Monitor containment fields on the conduits to prevent plasma and radiation from leaking Monitor heat and pressure from the plasma (too much and the conduits can rupture). Pressure is regulated by magnetic containment fields; heat is taken care of by the use of coolant. Monitor pressure and heat regulation system Monitor the EPS taps on the power transfer conduits

Nacelles

The firing rate of the plasma injectors are controlled by the computer and the programming for that firing rate is loaded at the time the ship was built. Adjustments can be made to the mass-produced system to make it ideal for the ship.

Monitor the firing rate of the plasma injectors to make sure that the injectors are firing properly Manage the warp field grill to tune the warp field Monitor the warp field coils to make sure they do not overheat and that the structure of the nacelles themselves do not overheat Monitor the plasma vents, make sure they are functioning properly so that plasma is released and held only when necessary with the proper flow rate. Maintain the equipment used to mask plasma and ion trails within the vents

Impulse Drive

There are five main subsystems used by the Impulse Engine:

Fuel System Fusion Cores Accelerator/Generator Space-Time Driver Coil Vector Exhaust Director

Fuel System

The fuel systems are the same as those used by the Warp Drive and there is overlap in maintenance procedures; however, care and maintenance of the sub-tanks used by the Impulse Drive is separate.

Fusion Cores

The fusion core has an inner liner of crystalline gulium fluoride 40 centimeters thick that must be maintained to protect the reactor from the reactions and radiation within. Once eroded, the reactor sphere is replaced with a new one. Swap out occurs on the average after 10,000 hours of use, if 0.01 millimeters of the inner line is ablated, or if 2 or more fractures measuring 3 centimeters are found. Adjust size of frozen deuterium pellets used to fuel the reactor (affects power output) Maintain the fusion initiators

Accelerator/Generator

The Accelerator/Generator is the switch that uses the energy from the impulse reactors to either power the impulse drive or the ship. Normal wear and tear change out is 6250 flight hours, however damage or anomalies may accelerate this.

Connections to the reactors, driver coil, and electroplasma system must be monitored and maintained Only the accelerator portion of this subsystem may be disconnected and put through testing while the ship is away from a starbase but the testing cannot be destructive. Efficiency of both portions must be maintained to Starfleet standards

Space-Time Driver Coil

On vessels that have them, this coil must be maintained to keep the vessel moving under impulse. Replacement of and scheduled repair on the driver coil assemblies cannot be done without a dock-capable starbase. Servicing is scheduled at 62500 flight hours. Following flight rules prevents most early replacement and the Chief Engineer is charged to enforce these rules absent of emergency situations.

Vectored Exhaust Director

The device that controls the direction in which the ship goes must be synchronized, each vent and each separate engine. Programmed and human input commands must be verified from time to time to test mechanism communication. The directional veins within each vent can be replicated and replaced if damaged or not performing to specifications.

Reaction Control System

Also known as thrusters, this propulsion system is generally used for station keeping, making sure that the ship stays in one position, and orientation. They are also used to move the ship in and out of dock.

Thrusters are similar to the Impulse Reactors; they use gas-fusion, not solid fusion. Their fuel is deuterium, so most of the checks necessary for the fuel system have been covered, the only addition is the immediate-use supplies for each thruster package, the piping from the main deuterium tank, and proper flow maintenance. Each thruster package has:

Initiators Magnetohydrodynamic field traps Vectored thrust nozzles Mooring tractor beam emitters

Initiators

The initiator must be synchronized with the fuel intake. This includes firing rate timing and ignition strength. The ability of each thruster package to act in unison with any other package or group of packages is key. The reaction chambers can withstand 400,000 firings and 5,500 hours of operation before the inner wall requires resurfacing.

Magnetohydrodynamic Field Traps

This device performs energy recovery in the first stage maintenance must ensure it is capable of returning the appropriate amount of undifferentiated plasma to the power net. The plasma return channels are rated for 6,750 hours before the inlets must be replaced. The second stage performs partial throttle operations, as the exhaust enters the thrust nozzle. Proper flow must be maintained.

Vectored Thrust Nozzles

These devices exert so much force against the space-frame of the vessel that they must be checked for secure mounting regularly. Flow checks among the nozzles should also be done regularly.

Mooring Tractor Beam Emitters

Nothing special is required to maintain this equipment. See Tractor Beam Emitters.