Causal Influence Diagrams - Jump Drive

[AlHazred]

After the last season of my CT campaign ended, I read an article on Winchell Chung's site (authored by Neel Krishnaswami) regarding Causal Influence Diagrams and their application to gaming. I decided I really, really wanted to do something like this for my game, to more thoroughly involve the engineer PC.

Well, the second season of my campaign has started up and it's time to put my money where my mouth is. So, I whipped this up today. What does the collective think? Did I get anything egregiously wrong? Are there more options to consider? And should I adapt this to maneuver drives (though they should be an order of magnitude simpler) and other starship systems like life support and such?

Jump Drive Causal Diagram

 

[HiverLord]

A quick read through so far, and it looks good! (Though I'm no expert, for obvious reasons...)

I'll have to give it a closer look tonight at home, but I like it so far.

 

[Enoki]

You are obviously a programmer not an engineer. Engineers should have drawings that are detailed and complex. Something that says 'Hi! My name is Dilbert and I'm a bit of an anal retentive nerd! I like to take things apart...."

Now mechanics and other technicians are more like "Manual? I don't need no stinkin' Manual! The problem is obvious! Its the third bypass deflector valve that's right next to the input injectors. Of course, I've never worked on this particular model but, they all do that! Hand me a 32 mm hydraulic line wrench and a 22 mm offset and I'll have it fixed in no time! Whatta mean we don't have those! Ah! @#%@%@ I guess I'll have to make due with my pocket knife and some duct tape....."

Now, if someone could tell me how to upload some drawings here, I'd gladly stick up my diagrams of the electrical, plumbing and fuel systems of a Empress Marava Class Far Trader.
I figured the water usage at 300 gpd with a total dfu of 88 and wsfu of 73 cold and 43 hot. The main drains for the soil stack are 6" diameter with the clean out valve being in the middle of the deck of the cargo bay at the aft bulkhead.

Electrically, the ship has two generators running at 440 VAC 50 hz supplying an single distribution panel between them. There is a motor generator set supplying a DC section with a backup emergancy battery. The avionics goes through a 400 Hz static inverter. There are 5 main panels in the ship. The two Service Panels, 1 and 2 (port and starboard respectively) supply the engines, jump, fuel system, life support and other ship's services.
One General Load panel supplies the cold berths, hatches, elevator, galley and refrigeration along with 3 sub panels that supply lighting and other general purpose circuits.
The Avionics panel supplies the computer, sensors, and flight controls. The Armament and Cargo panel supply the turrets loading ramp and hatches, two wenches for ground tackle, a capstain and, the overhead gantry in the cargo bay along with the landing gear.
There is also an emergancy panel on the DC side. It supplies either DC back ups or other vital services via a static inverter that changes DC to AC.

There are 6 main fuel cells in the fuel system of 110 Kliter each. A vapor recovery tank and pressurization tank are also in the system. There is a total of 8 pumps of varying sizes in the system along with dozens of valves mostly remote controlled.

Its enough on its own to keep the engineer busy for hours....... "Captain! The starboard jump drive fuel pump is down! It'll take several hours to fix. Until then we only have jump one....!"
Or, "Bridge! The non-reversing check valve for tanks one and four is stuck again #%^^&&#@! I cross connected four to five through the refueling system and bypassed it for now so you have maneuver power but, we're running low on fuel!"

 

[samuelvss]

... two wenches for ground tackle, a capstain and, the overhead gantry in the cargo bay along with the landing gear.

If two wenches tackle your engineer on the ground you'll get nothing done, with or without the capstain.

 

[aramis]

If two wenches tackle your engineer on the ground you'll get nothing done, with or without the capstain.

And a good haberdasher can solve the issue of the capstain.

 

[AlHazred]

L O, and may I say, L.

You are obviously a programmer not an engineer. Engineers should have drawings that are detailed and complex.

I will respectfully disagree, sir. I am, in fact, an engineer, both by education and occupation. However, I designed the diagram for the use of other people besides myself -- if I make it complex and intricate and rich in detail, I'm afraid my player will get bored with trying to fulfill its requirements.

Now, if someone could tell me how to upload some drawings here, I'd gladly stick up my diagrams of the electrical, plumbing and fuel systems of a Empress Marava Class Far Trader.

Well, if you have access to a scanner, you can upload them to the gallery. I, for one, am extremely interested. And I practically guarantee that, if you upload them as images and they're any good, someone will work up spreadsheets and yEd diagrams and such for them. Might even be me.

And a good haberdasher can solve the issue of the capstain.

And considering I'm using Jack Vance's space opera stories as inspirational reading for MTU, there's no shortage of haberdashers!

I realized I have the Starship Operators Manual somewhere and should probably read it prior to releasing version 2.

 

[far-trader]

I realized I have the Starship Operators Manual somewhere and should probably read it prior to releasing version 2.

I had been going to hunt mine down to compare to the ship systems diagrams therein I think you'll like them. From memory they're right up the same alley as your own.

 

[Enoki]

I put two of the system drawings I did for the Empress Marava class far trader in the gallery. Sorry, they're hand drawn but that's how I usually do those the rest of the time.

 

[SoCar_37]

Electrically, the ship has two generators running at 440 VAC 50 hz supplying an single distribution panel between them. There is a motor generator set supplying a DC section with a backup emergancy battery. The avionics goes through a 400 Hz static inverter. There are 5 main panels in the ship. The two Service Panels, 1 and 2 (port and starboard respectively) supply the engines, jump, fuel system, life support and other ship's services.
One General Load panel supplies the cold berths, hatches, elevator, galley and refrigeration along with 3 sub panels that supply lighting and other general purpose circuits.
The Avionics panel supplies the computer, sensors, and flight controls. The Armament and Cargo panel supply the turrets loading ramp and hatches, two wenches for ground tackle, a capstain and, the overhead gantry in the cargo bay along with the landing gear.
There is also an emergancy panel on the DC side. It supplies either DC back ups or other vital services via a static inverter that changes DC to AC.

Two Quick questions:
1) Why are you using an MG set for Main AC/DC conversion and static inverters everywhere else?

2) Are your vital loads (avionics, etc.) auctioneered or ABT'ed? I can't tell from your drawing.

Lovely work though!

SoCar-37
"Prepared in Mind and Resources"

 

[Enoki]

Two Quick questions:
1) Why are you using an MG set for Main AC/DC conversion and static inverters everywhere else?

Reliability and usage. MG sets are not subject to EMP effects. The MG set can be run in reverse also to produce AC power if necessary.

2) Are your vital loads (avionics, etc.) auctioneered or ABT'ed? I can't tell from your drawing.

ABT. That way they aren't regularly cycling. I assumed that the emergancy supply is a true emergancy one not an just an alternate.

Lovely work though!

SoCar-37
"Prepared in Mind and Resources"

ty

 

[SoCar_37]

Reliability and usage. MG sets are not subject to EMP effects. The MG set can be run in reverse also to produce AC power if necessary.

The newer SERPOS the USN is testing are designed for both AC->DC and DC->AC as required. Not sure about EMP effects.

ABT. That way they aren't regularly cycling. I assumed that the emergancy supply is a true emergancy one not an just an alternate.


ty

With a true auctioneered supply there's even less cycling. As soon as voltage on the normal drops less than the alternate, the current flow seamlessly switches over. Very useful for power plant instrumentation & control.

SoCar-37