Table of Contents

Editor: Fuel Flow Chain

Description

The fuel flow chain is the system responsible for transporting fuel around the spacecraft. The chain is automatically linked and set up with default values as long as there is a FuelSource and FuelConsumer. This guide demonstrates how the fuel flow chain works and how it can be configured in the software. For this guide, we’ll be going through the Demo_DVFunctionalChain level and the BP_Spacecraft_DVFC_3U spacecraft.

Configuring a Fuel Source

Open up the BP_Spacecraft_DVFC_3U found in Content → Nominal → Demos → Blueprints → Spacecraft and select the Fuel Source component. The Fuel Source properties can be viewed in the details panel under Child Actor Component → Child Actor Template → Nominal Systems → Fuel Source. The key properties of the fuel flow chain are as follows:

  • Amount: The amount of fuel in this Fuel Source. This is also the amount of fuel at the beginning of the simulation.
  • Capacity: The maximum amount of fuel the Fuel Source can contain.
  • Maximum Flow Rate: The maximum amount of fuel that the Fuel Source can provide at a time.

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Configuring a Thruster

A thruster’s fuel properties are set through the AddFuelNodeModel function which can be called on the level blueprint or an Actor’s begin play. In this guide, we’ll view the Demo_DVFunctionalChain blueprint as it is done there.

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Open up the Demo_DVFunctionalChain level blueprint and view the Configure Spacecraft function. Here the Add Fuel Node Model function is called on the Thruster and can configure the values here.

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That’s all that is required to set up the fuel flow chain. Click Play and the thrusters will fire after some time and the fuel in the spacecraft decrease.

Creating a Valve using Blueprints

For more control of the flow system, a custom valve implementation can be achieved through blueprints. We’ll create a simple IsValveOpen variable that’ll block the thrusters from firing. Head back to the Level Blueprint. Open up the Fire Thruster function as that's where the ThrusterFireRequestMsg is created.

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Create a branch node before the Create Thruster Fire Request Message node create a new boolean variable, named IsValveOpen and connect that as its condition. Make sure to set the default value of IsValveOpen to false.

Now the thrusters won’t fire anymore as the IsValveOpen prevents the Create Thruster Fire Request Message from being created. The IsValveOpen variable doesn’t need to be stored on the level blueprint and can be stored on the Spacecraft and have more complex logic done through blueprints.

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