=== Races | Technology | Buildings & Organizations === ====== ENERGY REDISTRIBUTION NODES (ERNS) ====== ===== Overview ===== Energy Redistribution Nodes (ERNs) are localized power relay stations built during the [[beta_age|Beta Age]] to support the re‑charging of [[quantum_fusion_batteries|Quantum Fusion Batteries (QFBs)]]. Inside a Tier‑1 ERN sat a pulse‑shaping capacitor farm and a superconducting flux‑gate able to deliver 3.1 GW over 160 seconds, the ignition profile Helion Dynamics specified for snapping a dormant QFB back to life. That burst is followed by a 6‑to‑12‑hour taper‑charge that saturates the battery’s graphene cells — a demand far beyond what rooftop panels or diesel gensets could dream of supplying. ===== Structure and Location ===== | **ERN Tier** | **Location** | **Primary Energy Source** | **Status** | **Notes** | | **Tier-1 ERN + QFRS** | [[Firetown|Firetown]] | [[federal_geothermal_power_plant|Geothermal Power Plant]] | **Operational** | Could charge 1 – 2 QFBs per month; guarded by [[guarding_troopers|Guarding Troopers]]. | | **Tier-1 ERN + QFRS** | [[Morningstar|Morningstar]] Wind Complex | [[atrana_ridge_wind_farm|Atrana Ridge Wind Farm]] | **Intermittent / Dismantled in the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]]** | Required a week-long capacitor pre-charge window; weather-dependent. | | **Tier-2 Trickle Node** | [[New Kourou|New Kourou ]] | Rooftop solar | **Conversion only** | Could not reach QFB ignition threshold; handled comms & lighting. | | **Tier-2 Trickle Node** | [[Hope|Hope]] | Microbial fuel cells, small hydro | **Conversion only** | Agricultural machinery & radio posts; no QFB charging. | | **Tier-2 Trickle Node** | [[arla_town|Arla Town ]] | [[Arla Dam|Arla Dam]] (unfinished) | **Abandoned after war** | Destroyed during [[great_war|Great War]] skirmishes. | ===== Core Functions ===== **Tier‑1 ERN (Firetown / Morningstar)** * Delivers the 3.1 GW / 160 s ignition burst, then a 6‑12 h taper‑charge curve. * Shares a wall with its [[quantum_fusion_recalibration_station_qfrs_of_new_kourou|Quantum Fusion Recalibration Station (QFRS)]] diagnostic bay for same‑day turnaround. * Armoured bunkers; dual redundant capacitor banks; anti‑overload plasma shunts. **Tier‑2 Trickle Nodes (all others)** * Medium‑voltage conversion for settlement grids, shortwave relay towers, and energy top‑ups for Micro‑Grade (µQFB) batteries plus slow‑charge support (≤80 %) for Civilian‑Grade QFBs — anything larger still needs a Tier‑1 ignition burst. * Buffer storage < 12 h; cannot reach ignition threshold; QFRS halls stand idle or repurposed as civic workshops. ===== Charging Workflow Inside Tier‑1 ERNs ===== * **Automated Intake Scan →** Crated QFB docks into the QFRS cradle; superconducting coils verify regulator health (<1 mV variance). * **Quantum Field Re‑alignment →** Micro‑adjusters correct plasma vortex drift (<0.05 rad). * **Ignition Burst →** ERN capacitor ring discharges 3.1 GW over 160 s, reigniting the fusion core. * **Taper‑Charge →** 6–12 h of steady feed (500 MW → 50 MW) until graphene cells saturate at 98 % capacity. * **Final QA & Seal →** Cooling cycle + checksum. Battery stamped with a neutron‑ink timestamp and cleared for dispatch. ===== Strategic Importance ===== Control over the two Tier‑1 ERNs equated to control over operational QFBs — the key to drones, med‑labs, industrial production and high‑tier weapons. During the [[great_war|Great War]], both sites became flashpoints: Firetown’s geothermal well was ringed with auto‑turrets, while Morningstar’s wind plateau saw repeated sabotage strikes timed to storm lulls. ===== Beta‑Age Logistics Chain ===== * **Charge Cycle –** Firetown or Morningstar brings a QFB up to full flux. * **Courier Transfer –** The [[new_kourou_courier_service_carts|New Kourou Courier Service]] or the [[firetown_courier_service|Firetown Courier Service]] haul charged QFBs from the ERN hubs to each settlement's local consumers. * **District Rotation –** Local consumers swap drained packs for charged ones and queue the empties for the next delivery round. * **Trickle‑Top‑Up –** While waiting, Tier‑2 nodes sip‑charge partially‑drained packs to slow the decay curve. ===== Gamma‑Age Logistics Chain ===== * **Charge Cycle –** Firetown continues full-flux recharges, though at reduced throughput to match lower overall demand. * **Courier Transfer –** Charged QFBs are dispatched by the [[federal_courier_service|Federal Courier Service]] across the now-streamlined network of Local consumers prioritizing medical infrastructure. * **District Rotation –** Fewer consumer nodes swap packs as rationing tightens; some remote hubs operate solely on trickle top‑ups. * **Trickle‑Top‑Up –** Tier‑2 nodes maintain float charges for essential batteries, extending service life between deliveries. ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== * [[beta_age|Beta Age]] * [[exohuman_technology_of_the_beta_age|Exohuman Technology in the Beta Age]] * [[energy_resources_production_and_supply_in_the_beta_age|Exohuman Energy Production in the Beta Age]] * [[free_state_of_settlers|Free State of Settlers]] * [[quantum_fusion_batteries|Quantum Fusion Batteries (QFBs)]] * [[Quantum Fusion Recalibration Stations (QFRS)|Quantum Fusion Recalibration Stations (QFRS)]] * [[federal_geothermal_power_plant|Geothermal Power Plant in Firetown]] **Tier 1 Energy Redistribution Nodes** * [[morningstar_tier-1_ern|Morningstar Tier 1 Energy Redistribution Node]] (Beta Age only) * [[Firetown_tier-1_ern|Firetown Tier 1 Energy Redistribution Node]] **Tier 2 Energy Redistribution Nodes** * [[new_kourou_primary_energy_redistribution_node_ern-1|New Kourou Tier 2 Trickle Node]] * [[Hope Tier 2 Trickle Node|Hope Tier 2 Trickle Node]]