Circuit Control for Fusion Reactors or Plasma Generators

[dgnuff]

TL;DR

Let us connect a circuit to either a Fusion Reactor or a Plasma Generator so we can turn it on and off via the circuit network.

What

Currently there isn't an option to connect a circuit to either a Fusion Reactor or a Plasma Generator. This suggestion would allow us to connect to at least one of the two of that we can enable and disable it under circuit control.

Reading the contents isn't necessary. About the only thing that could be read is the fuel in a Fusion Reactor, and since they are self regulating we don't care about that. Just feed it Fusion Power Cells till it's full, and you're good to go.

Why

Space Platforms with Solar Panels, Accumulators, and Fusion Power. The current priorities appear to be "Use Solar first, when that's not enough turn on Fusion, and only use the Accumulators as a last resort."

This means that a design that can run on Solar 95% of the time can't use Accumulators to cover the 5% power spikes that happen.

This is the case on my Platform that gathers Promethium Chunks. It has to have Fusion to power the defenses when out beyond the system edge. But when it's back at Nauvis, it almost has enough Solar to power the infrastructure that creates Science Packs, excepting for the occasional spike.

Changing the current Panel / Fusion Reactor / Accumulator priority isn't going to happen, that would just break too many designs. And the standard approach to this problem on a planet, which is to use a Power Switch controlled by a circuit network, can't work on a Platform since there is no wired power grid on a Platform.

So currently I have no way to turn off my Fusion power if there's enough in the Accumulators to cover the power spike. This suggestion would provide a solution to this.

[Hellpest]

+1 for reactor efficiency - you can set up fission reactors to come online at the same time for maximum efficiency, but you can't do this with fusion reactors. Which reactors are on in a multi-reactor system seems to be completely arbitrary and you lose most of the neighbour bonus because of it, except when approaching maximum output.

[eugenekay]

So currently I have no way to turn off my Fusion power if there's enough in the Accumulators to cover the power spike. This suggestion would provide a solution to this.

You can control Fusion Reactor’s Plasma production by limiting the amount of Coolant that is supplied, similar to how Thrusters are limited for Efficiency or cruising speed. You can do this by using a Pump to supply “bursts” of Coolant, 1 tick at a time. The power output of the reactor can be measured via the Cryogenic Plant’s “Read Finished” option to produce a Pulse.

Using separate Fluid networks can be a bit tricky, but you can optimize Fusion Cell usage in your central reactor set by only activating a second (adjacent) set of “booster reactors” under high load. Plasma will flow freely between inactive reactors, but try to ensure that it comes “out” of the one that you want to run the most.

Good Luck!