Tutorial: Self-regulating Nuclear Reactors

    Heya. Elifre here with a tutorial on making a self-regulating reactor. I got the idea from this thread:
    http://forum.industrial-craft.…page=Thread&threadID=2532


    First off, you'll need IC2 and Redpower Logic, Redpower Core, and Redpower Wiring (part of the Integrated Redstone mods).
    You can check out the wiki for Redpower Logic here:
    http://integratedredstone.wikispaces.com/Redpower+Logic


    Next, you'll need some Red Alloy Wire (great stuff), two Timers, a RS Latch, and a Counter, in addition to all of the parts you'd need for a Nuclear Reactor.


    You'll need to make something like this:




    What this setup allows you to do is set the run time in the timer facing >, the cooldown time in the timer facing ^, and the number of cycles in the counter. When the lever is on, power is sent to the first timer and the reactor, preventing it from starting. When the lever is off, the run time timer > starts spinning, and pulses after the run time. This toggles the latch, which sends power upwards, stopping the reactor from running until the cooldown timer ^ finishes spinning. When the cooldown timer finishes spinning, it toggles the latch, which sends power down. This stops the cooldown timer from spinning, and also sends a pulse to the counter. The counter, once it reaches its set limit, sends power up and prevents the reactor from activating, no matter what the lever is set to. To reset the system, you hit the button which sends a pulse to the counter on its decrement side, and allows use of the lever again.


    Make sure you set the decrement to the number of cycles, or it won't run the desired number of times when you start it back up.


    I hope this helps you to set up a self-regulating Nuclear Reactor! ^^
    See the attached files for screenshots of the layout.


    -Elifre.


    EDIT:


    It looks like there was a bit of a bug with the Mark V death machine. Either it lagged just a tiny bit, or there may have been a glitch with the Redpower wiring (it looked like it wasn't connected when it went up a block for some reason. I might be mistaken since the machine's only on for five seconds, and goes boom in seven. >.>), but the Mark V is no more. I -can- say that I've tested this with a nice safe Mark III, however, and it's working perfectly (no booms, cooled down fully before starting back up again).


    Pro tip: give yourself a bit of leeway with the run time and cooldown time, and make sure your reactor is properly reinforced in case something goes wrong. You never know when the game's going to lag at -just- the wrong time. :D

    A rather compact/simple timer also using RP2, same dependencies as described in OP.
    Using this setup you can run your reactor indefinitely, all you have to do is set the timers correctly and replace uranium cells as they expire.
    And here we have a handy little Reactor Planner which will give you all the info you need to properly set up your timers. Example reactor setup included.



    And if you want an override switch to turn the reactor off, and leave it off, you simply need to wire a lever to the output.


    The basic setup

    Generation timer, Example setup: 18 mins (for safety's sake lower than optimum).

    Cooldown timer, Example setup: 32 mins 30 secs

    Example setup with kill-switch, place bare redwire directly on reactor or run ordinary redstone dust into reactor or an adjacent chamber.

    Please post a diagram of your system.


    Anyway, I've updated my design to work with Mark IV reactors (reactors that require switching out parts).


    Code
    R
      -
      -
    - - -
    -   -
L - - > # - -
    -   -   -
B - C - - - ^
      -   -
B - - C - -


    The Timers, RS Latch, and the bottom Counter all work the same as in my original post, but there's now the addition of a second counter in the middle. This counter has a maximum count of 1, and is there to shut off the machine until you switch out the overheating parts. This also acts as an additional safety, requiring you to hit a button after switching out the parts before the reactor will activate. The lever acts as an override as usual, but won't do anything if either counter reaches its maximum count, preventing you from accidentally blowing up your reactor (unless you hit the button before switching out parts, of course). Proper use of this system will allow you to regulate any reactor up to and including a Mark V (but not a CASUC), thereby making practically any reactor setup a safe one (with the proper settings in the circuitry).


    I hope this helps you out if you're looking for a good timer setup!


    -Elifre.

    Quote from doughboy_s_p83

    Example setup with kill-switch

    EDIT: Actually you have to run ordinary redstone to the reactor or it won't work.

    Just sneak while right-clicking the reactor with a wire in hand, being able to build such a good circuit you should know that. I just don't know if directly on it placed isolated wire will work, if not just use bare.


    Also both of your circuits are really nice, makes you almost wanna try to make such a 5 sec reactor of doom :3

    Quote from Alblaka

    On my install Mining Drill doesn't give off any sounds at all o.o
    Help! Somebody fix that please!
    Wait a sec... damnit.

    no idea if he was serious but either way that was damn funny xD

    Quote from BloodyRain2k


    Just sneak while right-clicking the reactor with a wire in hand, being able to build such a good circuit you should know that. I just don't know if directly on it placed isolated wire will work, if not just use bare.


    Also both of your circuits are really nice, makes you almost wanna try to make such a 5 sec reactor of doom :3

    Yeah I believe placing a bare wire directly on the reactor works, but if you're using a six chamber setup it has to be basic redstone feeding directly to one of the chambers, unless of course this has already been fixed?
    My timer for the reactor of doom, one lagspike though and you're screwed.
    Runtime: 5 secs
    Cooldown time: 7 mins 15 secs
    Effective EU/t: 33.03
    Total output: 480,000,000 EU

    Quote from Corbald

    Elifre, your MK-V popped because the timer circuit was in a different chunk (which was unloaded) than the reactor, possibly?


    Unlikely, but a simple way to prevent something like that from happening would be to have an unconnected teleport pipe (Buildcraft addon) near the reactor, and another near the timer. For those of you who may not know what this does, the Buildcraft addon that introduces teleport pipes also forces chunks to be loaded when you're not near them, so long as they have the pipe sections included in the addon.

    As of I think r29 of Additional Pipes, the TP pipe no longer acts as a chunk loader - there's a separate block (4 iron ingots, shapeless).


    Another option for the timer circuit is to use a one second timer feeding a counter. Wire the "max" output of the timer to its own decrement input, and also to a toggle latch. Wire one output of the toggle to the reactor. Wire a lever to the input of the timer, and also, via a repeater or buffer gate, to the wire to the reactor.


    Obviously, this only works if you want your on time and off time to be the same, but since the counter and toggle maintain their states, it has the advantage of having a simple on/off switch that will pick up wherever in the cycle you left off.

    Quote from SpeedDaemon

    As of I think r29 of Additional Pipes, the TP pipe no longer acts as a chunk loader - there's a separate block (4 iron ingots, shapeless).


    This. Also, if you press F9, it'll show the chunk outlines and center, where it's ideal to place said chunk loader block. :)

    Quote from _Tim_


    This. Also, if you press F9, it'll show the chunk outlines and center, where it's ideal to place said chunk loader block. :)


    f9 only shows outlines of chunks that are covered by the chunkloader blocks. not all chunk outlines.

    Quote from FnordMan


    f9 only shows outlines of chunks that are covered by the chunkloader blocks. not all chunk outlines.

    It's also currently bugged (off by one) in some situations, so if you're placing something within one block of the edge, do your own calculations to verify. :)


    Also, don't forget to force-load your energy storage, or you'll just be powering the Void!


    I'm working on a system of block breaker/deployer loops that will let me place and remove those loader blocks quickly throughout my base.