Experimental code to calculate burn time respecting stage thrust and dV limits.

lib/throttle.ks

@@ -20,16 +20,95 @@ function TWR {
   return t/(m*G).
 }
 
+// Calculate the time required to burn a given dV at a given altitude.
+// Must be called while in the same SOI as the burn itself.
 function BurnTime {
-  parameter dV.
+  parameter dV, a, m is SHIP:MASS, s is STAGE:NUMBER.
+
+  local Gb is SHIP:BODY:MU / ((SHIP:BODY:RADIUS+a)^2).
+  local f is stageThrust().           // Engine Thrust (kg * m/s²)
+  local Isp is stageISP().            // Engine ISP (s)
+  
+  // debug
+  print "Calculating burn time.".
+  print "dV = " + dV.
+  print "f = " + f.
+  print "m = " + m.
+  print "e = " + e.
+  print "Isp = " + Isp.
+  print "Gb = " + Gb.
+  // end debug
+
+  if dV > SHIP:STAGEDELTAV(s) {
+    local t is burnTimeCalc(SHIP:STAGEDELTAV(s), m, Gb, Isp, f).
+
+    local parts is list().
+    for part in parts {
+      if part:DECOUPLEDIN = s - 1 {
+	set m to m - part:MASS.
+      }
+    }
+
+    return t + BurnTime(dV - SHIP:STAGEDELTAV(s), a, m, s - 1).
+  }
+
+  return burnTimeCalc(dV, m, Gb, Isp, f).
+}
+
+// Convenience function to wrap the actual calculation for burn time.
+function burnTimeCalc {
+  parameter dV, m, Gb, Isp, f.
+
+  if f = 0 {
+    print "WARNING: Tried to calculate burn time with a thrust of 0. Returning 0. Your calculations are probably wrong.".
+    return 0.
+  }
+
+  // TODO: this formula differs from the following:
+  // t = ((M0 - Mf) * Isp * G) / f
+  // which is suggested at https://www.reddit.com/r/Kos/comments/lev9pw/getting_burntime_from_next_stage/gmig0hl/?context=8&depth=9
+  // are they equivalent? Is one better than the other? This one doesn't require
+  // knowing final mass, which is nice.
+  return Gb * m * Isp * (1 - CONSTANT():E^(-dV/(Gb*Isp))) / f.
+}
+
+// Calculate the ISP for a given stage.
+// Defaults to current stage. Assumes your ship is designed so that
+// engines are discarded immediately when they flame out.
+function stageISP {
+  parameter s is STAGE:NUMBER.
 
   local en is list().
   list ENGINES in en.
 
-  local f is en[0]:MAXTHRUST * 1000.  // Engine Thrust (kg * m/s²)
+  local ispSum is 0.
-  local m is SHIP:MASS * 1000.        // Starting mass (kg)
+  local eCount is 0.
-  local e is CONSTANT():E.            // Base of natural log
+  for e in en {
-  local p is en[0]:ISP.               // Engine ISP (s)
+    if e:STAGE = s or e:STAGE > s and e:DECOUPLEDIN < s {
-
+      set ispSum to ispSum + e:ISP.
-  return G * m * p * (1 - e^(-dV/(G*p))) / f.
+      set eCount to eCount + 1.
+    }
+  }
+  if eCount = 0 { return 0. }
+  
+  return ispSum / eCount.
+}
+
+// Calculates the total thrust for the given stage, in kN.
+// Defaults to current stage. Assumes your ship is designed so that
+// engines are discarded immediately when they flame out.
+function stageThrust {
+  parameter s is STAGE:NUMBER.
+
+  local en is list().
+  list ENGINES in en.
+
+  local sum is 0.
+  for e in en {
+    if e:STAGE = s or e:STAGE > s and e:DECOUPLEDIN < s {
+      set sum to sum + e:POSSIBLETHRUST.
+    }
+  }
+
+  return sum.
 }