Rajan Wilcox
In the Kerbal Space Program, fuel tanks are used to provide fuel to engines. The type of fuel tank used depends on the type of engine. Liquid fuel tanks, for example, are used with jet engines and the LV-N Nerv Atomic Rocket Motor, as they don't contain the oxidizer required for rocket engines. On the other hand, monopropellant tanks provide fuel to RCS maneuvering thrusters. Additionally, players can mount extra fuel tanks and adjust fuel flow priorities to control how a rocket's mass distribution changes as it consumes fuel.
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What You'll Learn
- Liquid fuel tanks can be used for jet engines and the LV-N Nerv Atomic Rocket Motor
- Monopropellant tanks store monopropellant, which is used by RCS thrusters
- Xenon tanks will provide fuel to any engine attached to the rocket
- Asparagus staging involves draining outer tanks first and dropping them when empty
- Advanced Tweakables allow you to set fuel tank priorities
Liquid fuel tanks can be used for jet engines and the LV-N Nerv Atomic Rocket Motor
In the Kerbal Space Program, liquid fuel tanks can be used for jet engines and the LV-N Nerv Atomic Rocket Motor. This is because liquid fuel tanks do not contain the oxidizer required to operate rocket engines. Instead, jet engines can rely solely on atmospheric oxygen as an oxidizer.
Liquid fuel tanks can be used to provide fuel to any engine with a valid fuel delivery path. In most rockets, a fuel tank will provide fuel to any engine in its stage. Monopropellant tanks and xenon tanks will provide fuel to any engine attached to the rocket, regardless of the fuel delivery path.
In real spacecraft, the liquid fuel used is usually highly refined kerosene for the first stage and/or liquid hydrogen (LH2) for subsequent stages. The oxidizer is usually liquid oxygen (LOX). Both the fuel and oxidizer are stored under slight pressure in special fuel tanks to prevent them from vaporizing. This is because LH2 and LOX require temperatures below -252.87 °C and -182.96 °C, respectively, to remain in a liquid state.
Liquid fuel tanks can be mounted radially with or without decouplers, and their contents can be transferred to a central tank using fuel lines. This can be used to construct an asparagus staging system, where outer tanks are drained first and dropped once empty, while the central tank remains full. The flow priority of the tanks can be adjusted to control how a rocket's mass distribution changes as it uses fuel.
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Monopropellant tanks store monopropellant, which is used by RCS thrusters
In the context of the Kerbal Space Program (KSP), monopropellant is used by most RCS thrusters and the O-10 "Puff" MonoPropellant Fuel Engine. The FL-R120 RCS Fuel Tank is another example of a monopropellant tank used in KSP, providing fuel for all RCS thrusters on a spaceship.
The management of fuel flow and tank priority is an important aspect of using monopropellant tanks in KSP. Players can adjust the "Flow Priority" option to control the order in which tanks are emptied, allowing for more efficient fuel utilisation and mass distribution management. This can be done by right-clicking on a fuel tank and adjusting its priority. Additionally, features like Advanced Tweakables and Fuel Flow Overlay can be enabled to provide more control over fuel distribution and engine usage.
It is worth noting that monopropellant is also used by jetpacks worn by Kerbals on EVA (Extravehicular Activity). These jetpacks are resupplied when the Kerbonaut enters a command module.
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Xenon tanks will provide fuel to any engine attached to the rocket
Xenon tanks are an important component of a rocket's propulsion system. They are used to store xenon gas, which serves as a propellant for the rocket engines. Xenon is a chemically inert gas that can be easily stored in a compact form, making it an ideal choice for use in spacecraft propulsion systems.
In the context of the Kerbal Space Program, Xenon tanks play a crucial role in providing fuel to the attached engines. Unlike liquid fuel tanks, which require a valid fuel delivery path to supply fuel to specific engines, Xenon tanks can deliver fuel to any engine connected to the rocket. This versatility is a significant advantage, as it simplifies the fuel distribution system and ensures that all engines have access to the necessary propellant.
The ability of Xenon tanks to provide fuel to any engine is particularly useful in asparagus staging, a rocket design technique where outer tanks are drained and dropped once empty, while the central tank remains full. By utilising Xenon tanks, players can control the rocket's mass distribution and ensure that the outer engines have sufficient fuel to propel the rocket into orbit before being discarded.
Additionally, Xenon tanks offer flexibility in fuel priority management. With Advanced Tweakables enabled, players can set the "Flow Priority" option for fuel tanks, determining the order in which the engines draw fuel from multiple tanks. This feature allows for strategic fuel utilisation and enables players to customise their rocket's performance based on their specific mission requirements.
In summary, Xenon tanks in the Kerbal Space Program provide fuel to any engine attached to the rocket, regardless of the fuel delivery path. This unique capability enhances the rocket's performance, simplifies fuel distribution, and offers players strategic options for managing fuel priority and mass distribution during different stages of the mission.
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Asparagus staging involves draining outer tanks first and dropping them when empty
Asparagus staging is a rocket-building technique that involves radially attaching multiple fuel tanks and engines to a central stage. The key principle is that the outer tanks are drained first and jettisoned when empty, while the central tank remains full. This method optimises the weight-thrust ratio by eliminating the dead weight of empty fuel tanks, improving the rocket's efficiency.
To implement asparagus staging, you can mount additional fuel tanks radially and transfer their contents to a central tank using fuel lines. Alternatively, you can enable Advanced Tweakables and set fuel priorities to control the flow of fuel. This allows you to drain specific tanks first and drop them when empty.
Asparagus staging is particularly useful for constructing exceptionally large rockets when no larger engines are available. By jettisoning the outer tanks and engines, you reduce the overall weight of the rocket, making it more efficient. However, it can be challenging to execute with very large rockets as the outer engines must provide sufficient thrust to propel the rocket into orbit.
It's worth noting that asparagus staging tends to be more practical in Kerbal Space Program (KSP) than in real-world applications due to differences in fuel flow behaviour and aerodynamic considerations. In KSP, fuel flow does not have momentum, and the game does not account for the wide structure of asparagus-staged rockets, which would create significant drag in reality.
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Advanced Tweakables allow you to set fuel tank priorities
In the Kerbal Space Program, Advanced Tweakables is an option that can be activated in the settings. It allows players to set fuel tank priorities, which can be useful for controlling how a rocket's mass distribution changes as it uses fuel. This can be done by adjusting the "Flow Priority" option in the fuel tank's settings. If an engine can draw fuel from multiple fuel tanks, the tank with the higher flow priority will be emptied first, followed by the tanks with lower priorities. For example, if three rocket fuel tanks with flow priorities of 30, 0, and -10 are attached to one LV-909 "Terrier" Liquid Fuel Engine, the engine will first use fuel from the tank with priority 30. Once that tank is depleted, it will draw fuel from the tank with priority 0, and then finally from the tank with priority -10.
Advanced Tweakables can also be used to set up an action group to toggle fuel flow on/off from specific tanks. This can be useful for players who want to control which tanks their engines are drawing fuel from. Additionally, it allows for the use of methods such as asparagus staging without the need for fuel lines. However, it is important to note that Advanced Tweakables should only be used if the player has a good understanding of the game, as incorrect settings can lead to undesirable outcomes.
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Frequently asked questions
Liquid fuel tanks can be used to provide fuel to any engine with a valid fuel delivery path. Monopropellant tanks and xenon tanks will provide fuel to any engine attached to the rocket.
No, solid boosters do not use liquid fuel. You need to attach a liquid fuel engine to the fuel tank and remove the booster.
You can set the priority of fuel tanks by right-clicking on them and adjusting the "Flow Priority" option. Tanks with higher flow priority will be emptied first.
Yes, you can disable fuel flow from specific tanks by right-clicking and deselecting them. This will prevent engines from using fuel from those tanks.
