
The WPS is comprised of three major components: the matter/antimatter reaction assembly (M/ARA), power transfer conduits, and the warp engine nacelles. The best part about this setup is that not only does it power the warp engines, but it also powers all primary systems. Talk about efficiency.
Doesn't look too complicated does it? Wait until you hear the explanation. Even the names of the materials used are mind-boggling.
The matter/antimatter
reaction assembly is made up of 4 secondary systems: reactant injectors,
magnetic constriction segments (MCS), matter/antimatter reaction chamber
(M/ARC), and the power transfer conduits.
There are 2 sets of reactant injectors. One is the matter reactant
injector (MRI). The other is the antimatter reactant injector (ARI).
The MRI takes in very cold deuterium
from
the primary deuterium tankage (PDT) and then heats it up to a gas.
The MRI is constructed of dispersion-strengthened woznium carbmolybdenide.
Whoa! Never heard of that before! Can you repeat that? That's dispersion-strengthened
woznium carbmolybdenide. Oh well, got me, that's one for the chemistry
book. In dealing with antimatter many precautions must be taken because
if some were to mix with normal matter outside of the chamber, there would
be an explosion that would make the atomic bomb look like a sparkler.
The MRI and ARI are basically the same except that the ARI uses antihydrogen
and
dealt with in smaller amounts. Also, the ARI uses magnetic fuel paths
to control the antihydrogen.
The reactant injectors are pretty big, no? They each take up a deck by themselves. Connected to the two hooks in the middle are the MCS. The two injectors are slightly different as you can see.
The Magnetic Constriction
Segments (MCS) have the most important job. Their job is to keep
the M/ARC at the perfect conditions for optimum power output and to avoid
a core
breach
. A
segment is made of tension frame members, a toroidal pressure vessel wall,
and magnetic constrictor coils. The pressure vessels are made of
alternating layers of vapor-deposited carbonitic ferracite and transparent
aluminum borosilicate. Uh-oh, I see more of those big words. I think
it’s time for that chemistry book again, but don’t put it away because
I'm not done yet. The
pressure vessels do like they say, they control the pressure of the M/ARC.
The magnetic constrictor coils are made of cobalt-lanthanide-boronite with
36 other elements to keep from spilling. The coils propel the matter
and antimatter into the chamber so that they collide right in the middle
of the chamber. The frame members are the first things that help
keep the reactants together. They are bonded together to form one
complete structure. The frame members also have conduits for structural
integrity fields. The outermost layer of the MCS is transparent and
allows the crewmembers to insure that everything is running smoothly.
To the right is a picture of a MCS.
Then there's the matter/antimatter reaction chamber (M/ARC). This part
is made up two bell-shaped wells. The center band of this assembly holds
the structure for the dilithium crystal articulation frame (DCAF). The
most important part of the M/ARC is… you guessed
it, dilithium! This legendary substance is the only thing known to 24th
century science that will NOT react with antihydrogen.
The final part of the engine system is the power transfer conduits (PTC).
These components do exactly what they sound like they would do. The PTC
is very much like the constrictor segments, in that they use magnetic field
to control a plasma stream and force it towards the nacelles.
It's huge. This is the entire M/AMA in one picture. Look how many decks it takes up. That's 12 decks worth of equipment. Now we must finish the process. Now it's time for warp power. Click this link: Warp Field Nacelles