4.5 QFRA Power Generation

The normal power-up sequence of the engine, as managed by the MCPC, is as follows:

1. From a cold condition, the total system temperature is brought up to 2.5 million K, at a pressure of 30,000 KPA using a combination of energy inputs from the EPS and the fusion generator, and a squeeze from the upper magnetic constrictors.

2.The first tiny amounts of plasma are fed into the chamber from the PTC's. The lower MCS squeezes the streams to align them with the MRI`s above, so that the streams land at the exact XYZ coordinates. The largest reaction cross-section is 7.4, the smallest 1.2 cm. The stream cross-sections of the upper and lower MCS can vary somewhat, depending on the power level setting.

3. The engine pressure is slowly brought up to 83,000 KPA, roughly 800 times atmospheric pressure, and the normal operating temp at the reaction spot is around 2 x 10^15, give or take a few hundred degrees. The MRI nozzles are then opened to permit more reactants to fill the vessel.