Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage

Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (often shortened to SMES) units are devices used to store massive amounts of electrical power. While SMES units are very effective, they are also expensive, requiring a high end circuit board and expensive parts. If you need to quickly replace a destroyed SMES, you may try using the cheaper but less powerful Cell Rack PSU instead. SMES units may be upgraded to increase their capacity and/or maximal input/output levels.

SMES units may be configured using their user terminal and an ID card with Engineering access. Alternatively you may use the RCON console to operate most SMESs on station from the comfort of your office chair.

The interface looks like this:

The user terminal allows you to configure the amount of electricity the SMES will attempt to drain from the network it is connected to as input. If the connected network has insufficient power, it will fail to charge until it successfully lowers the charge rate to what the network can support. It will occasionally check whether the input has excess power that it can adjust to.

Each SMES takes input from the sides, and channels them through the input terminal. This terminal allows you to charge the SMES from one power network, and output into another one. By using appropriate controls in the GUI you may set any input value up to certain cap. This cap can be increased by upgrading the SMES unit, as described further in this guide. Also, please note that setting larger input than available will cause the SMES to enter “Partially Charging” state. This means the SMES is still charging, but not at set input rate. You may choose from two input options - OFF and AUTO.

The SMES outputs power into wire placed directly under it. Usually, you want to keep output lower than input, however sometimes you may have to increase output to compensate for larger demands. This is common with main Engine SMES when setting up Substations. The output rate is also capped and also upgradeable. You may choose from two output options which are self explanatory - ONLINE and OFFLINE.

These are example settings for some of the SMESs aboard your NARV. You may choose different settings, depending on available power and other factors. Try to consult the Chief Engineer when unsure.

It is highly advised that you do not attempt to dismantle a running SMES unit, but instead discharge it completely of power before servicing. While there are steps to bypass this, they run the risk of serious injury or fatality!

• Screwdriver
• Crowbar
• Wirecutters
• Welding Tool
• Wrench
• Insulated Gloves (optional, but recommended)
• Multitool (optional, only if you decide to disable failsafes)

• First of all, you should ensure the SMES is fully discharged. While there is a workaround, it may (read: will) cause injury and/or damage.
• Open the SMES interface by left clicking it. Ensure both Input and Output are turned Off.
• Use screwdriver on the SMES to open the access panel.
• Use wirecutters on the SMES to remove the terminal. If the terminal is missing (or destroyed) simply skip this step.

• Complete everything in Preparations.
• (OPTIONAL) Use multitool on the SMES to disconnect safety circuit. This step may be skipped if you completely discharged the SMES. DO NOT PROCEED IF SMES IS CHARGED ABOVE 50% AS THIS WILL LIKELY KILL YOU, EVEN WITH GLOVES ON.
• Use crowbar on the SMES to begin removing the components. This may take up to 60 seconds, depending on amount of coils in the SMES. Basic SMESs should take approximately 10 seconds. SMES will turn into machine frame and a few components. You may use these components for research or for repairs/upgrades.
• Use wirecutters to remove cables from the machine frame.
• Use wrench to dismantle the machine frame.

SMES units may be hacked to enable or disable various features. Remember to wear your protective equipment or risk injury. To access the wiring, open the front panel with a screwdriver. Then click the SMES with empty hand to open up wiring window. There are five wires, which have randomized colours every round.

Input: Cutting this will cause the SMES to stop inputting. Pulsing will temporarily disable input.

Output: Cutting this will cause the SMES to stop outputting. Pulsing will temporarily disable output.

RCON: Cutting this will disable RCON (Remote CONtrol), hiding the SMES from control consoles. It also disables AI control. Pulsing does nothing.

Failsafes: Cutting will allow you to modify the SMES even if it is charged. Please note that this may result in catastrophic overload if charge is large enough. Pulsing does nothing.

Grounding: Cutting or pulsing this wire will overload the SMES, causing quick dissipation of stored energy. This energy may however damage or destroy APCs in output power network, so it is advised to either disconnect the SMES, or at least use Substations to prevent damage to many APCs. Mending will restore grounding and stop the overload. This is highly similar to APC failure of charged SMES, but with less risks involved for the user. Remember that doing this as non-antagonist is not a good idea.

• Cable Coil, 2x: Two full coils of wire will be needed to complete this project.
• Metal Sheets, 5x: This is needed to build the machine frame.
• Glass Sheets, 1x: This is necessary to build the data terminal.
• SMES Circuit Board: May be obtained from Research or Cargo, or salvaged from existing SMESs
• Superconducting Magnetic Coil: May be obtained from Cargo or salvaged from existing SMES. You need to put this coil in, but adding more coils increases capacity and input/output cap of the SMES. You may add up to six coils into a single SMES.
• Insulated Gloves: Optional, but recommended (especially if you are going to manipulate wiring).

• Use your metal sheets to build machine frame.
• Use your cable coil on machine frame to add wires.
• (OPTIONAL) Place wire under the machine frame. The SMES will output into this wire.
• Use your SMES Circuit Board on wired machine frame.
• Add 30 pieces of cable (one full length cable coil).
• Add one superconducting magnetic coil.
• Finalize the SMES with screwdriver.

A new SMES starts without a terminal. Furthermore, terminals may be damaged by explosions or similar effects. Fortunately, installing a new terminal is easy.

• Open interface of your SMES and turn its input and output OFF.
• Use screwdriver on the SMES to open the cover.
• Use cable coil on the SMES to add a new terminal. You need 10 pieces of cable for this. If you make a mistake use wirecutters to remove the terminal and repeat this step.
• Add a glass sheet to complete the terminal.
• Use screwdriver on the SMES to close the cover.

RCON, or Remote CONtrol, allows remote operation of SMESs from RCON console. To allow usage of RCON you have to set RCON tag. This tag has to be unique (ie. do not use tag already used by another SMES). To set new tag click the SMES with multitool. If you wish to disable RCON you may either cut appropriate wire (see Hacking section), or use tag “NO_TAG”.

There are three types of coils in existence:

• Superconductive Capacitance Coils highly increase the amount of energy the SMES can store. (+3 MWh)
• Superconductive Transference Coils highly increase the maximum input and output rate. (+500 kW/s)
• Superconductive Magnetic Coils increase both storage and transfer rate, but at a lesser extent. (+1 MWh, +250 Kw/s) You need to use at least one of these in every SMES unit.

There are two of each type of coils in each Engineering Hard Storage (Decks 1 and 3), in one of the crates. When building an SMES you may add only a single Magnetic Coil into it. However, you may add up to five more coils later. This process is slightly more complex than terminal replacement.

• Ensure the SMES is discharged. Alternatively, you may disable the failsafes at your own risk. Please read the “SMES Failure” section of this guide before proceeding.
• Open interface of your SMES and turn it's input and output OFF.
• Use screwdriver on the SMES to open the cover.
• (OPTIONAL) Disable failsafes by cutting the correct wire (see Hacking section).
• Use your superconducting magnetic coil(s) on the SMES to install them.
• (OPTIONAL) Re-enable failsafes if you disabled them.
• Use screwdriver on the SMES to close the cover.

Disabling failsafes, as outlined in Hacking section of this page, may cause SMES failure when removing the components (crowbar step), or adding new components (inserting new coils). Chance of “something bad” happening is directly proportional to the amount of charge present in the SMES, as are the degree of effects.

Discharge: Always happens. The SMES will lose ALL its remaining charge.

Sparks: Always happens. Mostly harmless, some sparks will fly from the SMES, potentially igniting fire if flammable material is nearby. The amount of sparks increases with the level of charge.

Electrocution: Always happens. Shocks the user. Damage scales with amount of charge. Please note that while insulated gloves mitigate this effect, they aren't guaranteed to 100% protect you. A standard SMES can fry a human to death through gloves at about 60% charge.

EM Pulse: Requires minimal charge. Causes an electromagnetic pulse which breaks nearby electronics. This usually trips fire alarms, breaks consoles, and may even kill/injure the AI/cyborgs/people with prosthetics depending on situation. Size of EM Pulse is proportional to amount of stored power.

APC Overload: Requires moderate charge. Overloads lighting circuits of APCs connected to the SMES output. Please note that having something between the SMES and APC (such as, another SMES) will prevent the damage. Chance is proportional to amount of stored power.

APC Failure - (above 35% charge) Completely breaks few APCs in SMES's output. Same rule as above applies.

Magnetic Containment Failure - (above 60% charge) The worst thing that can happen. If SMES's magnetic containment fails remaining charge is released in form of violent explosion. The SMES is completely destroyed, as well as few nearby tiles. This almost always causes hull breach, and the explosion may gib you. After this failure is triggered you have 30-60 seconds before the SMES blows up.