franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

This is necessary to produce the power amplification requiredto hold collections of subatomic particles, reverse their charge,and collect the reversed matter for storage in the nearby antimatterpods.The technology that has given rise to the QCRD is similarto that of the transporter, SIF, IDF, and other devices thatmanipulate matter on the quantum level. The conversionprocess sees the inlet of normal matter, stretched out into thinrivulets no more than 0.000003 cm across. The rivulets arepressure-fed into the QCRD under magnetic suspension,where groups of them are chilled to within 0.001 degree ofabsolute zero, and exposed to a short-period stasis field tofurther limit molecular vibration. As the stasis field decays,focused subspace fields drive deep within the subatomicstructure to flip the charges and spins of the "frozen" protons,neutrons, and electrons. The flipped matter, now antimatter,is magnetically removed for storage. The system can normallyprocess 0.08 m 3 /hr.It can be said that the total potential energy contained ina given quantity of deuterium can drive a starship for someconsiderable distance. Applying this energy at sublight speedswill be next to useless in a desperate scenario. Interstellarflight at warp speeds requires tens of thousands of timesgreater velocities than those afforded by impulse power, andso antimatter generation will sometimes be necessary. Onedisadvantage imposed by the process is that it requires tenunits of deuterium to power the generator, and the generatorwill produce only one unit of antimatter. Put another way, thelaw of conservation of energy dictates that the power requiredfor this process will exceed the usable energy ultimatelyderived from the resulting antimatter fuel. However, this mayprovide a needed survival margin to reach a starbase ortanker rendezvous.5.8 ENGINEERING OPERATIONS AND SAFETYAll warp propulsion system (WPS) hardware is maintainedaccording to standard Starfleet mean time betweenfailures (MTBF) monitoring and changeout schedules. Owingto the high usage rate of the matter/antimatter reactionassembly (M/ARA), all of its major components have been designedfor maximum reliability and high MTBF values. Standardin-flight preventative maintenance is not intended for thewarp engine, since the core and the power transfer conduitscan be serviced only at a Starfleet yard or starbase equippedto perform Class 5 engineering repairs. While docked at oneof these facilities, the core can be removed and dismantled forreplacement of such components as the magnetic constrictorcoils, refurbishment of interior protective coatings, and automatedinspection and repair of all critical fuel conduits. Thetypical cycle between major core inspections and repairs is10,000 operating hours.While the WPS is shut down, the matter and antimatterinjectors can be entered by starship crew for detailed componentinspection and replacement. Accessible for preventativemaintenance (PM) work in the MRI are the inlet manifolds, fuelconditioners, fusion prebumer, magnetic quench block,transfer duct/gas combiner, nozzle head, and related controlhardware. Accessible parts within the ARI are the pulsed antimattergas flow separators and injector nozzles. A partialdisassembly of the dilithium crystal articulation frame is possiblein flight for probing by nondestructive testing (NDT)methods. Protective surface coatings may be removed andreapplied without the need for a starbase layover. Inboard ofthe reactant injectors, the shock attenuation cylinders may beremoved and replaced after 5,000 hours.Within the warp engine nacelles, most sensor hardwareand control hardlines are accessible for inspection and replacement.With the core shut down and plasma ventedoverboard, the interior of the warp coils is accessible forinspection by flight crews and remote devices. In-flight repairof the plasma injectors is possible, although total replacementrequires starbase assistance. As with other components,protective coatings may be refurbished as part of the normalPM program. While at low sublight, crews may access thenacelle by way of the maintenance docking port.Safety considerations when handling slush and liquiddeuterium involve extravehicular suit protection for all personnelworking around cryogenic fluids and semisolids. Allrefueling operations are to be handled by teleoperators,unless problems develop requiring crew investigation. Thekey hazard in exposure to cryogenics involves materialembrittlement, even in the case of cryoprotective garments.Care should always be taken to avoid direct contact, deferringclose-quarters handling to specialized collection tools andemergency procedures.