Is it possible that the shape of the warp coils (and thus the nacelles) affect the efficiency of the warp drive? From Phoenix up until Enterprise-refit, the nacelles were circular (suggesting circular warp coils) b/c the Phoenix had circles to better fit in w/ the missile hull. Then with E-r the coils took on a [ ] bracketed form, perhaps the coils being at right angles. Discovering this improved efficiency, R&D continues the trend w/ Constitution (I bet the bracket nacelles went into service with something other than Constitution class like the Miranda). Also, Excelsiors had square like coils because of the transwarp and by accident after being refitted with regular warp confirmed the right angle theory and made Excelsiors especially efficient. Further reserach revealed oval coils to be even more efficient than brackets and this was implemented in the Ambassador age and improved upon with the Galaxy era. THEN they found that faster speed could be achieved with larger coils toward the bow growing smaller towards the aft; thus the ones seen on the Soveriegn/Prometheus/Nova.
As my former drama teacher says: Reactions?
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
The cutouts of the E-E (including the canonical MSD on the bridge wall) seem to suggest that the coils on that ship are still of regular unvarying size. The front end of the nacelle is bigger probably only to accommodate the triplet of oversized ramscoops...
Other MSDs of preceding ships seem to show regular coil structure back to the Excelsior. No good MSD exists of the E-A or the E-nil, if we exclude the noncanon Captain's Chair CD-ROM. I'm sure the coil shape and size has varied from design to design, though.
Interestingly, Riker remarks in TNG "A Matter of Time" that warp coils were either invented in the 22nd century, or not yet invented in the 22nd century. What did the ships use for warp before coils? In "First Contact", Geordi toys with a copper tube helix he's gonna install into the Phoenix - are we to take this as Cochrane's version of "warp coil"?
It could be that before the 22nd century (and presumably before the timeframe of the newest show, because that show is unlikely to acknowledge the obscure remark from "A Matter of Time"), warp engines of Earth manufacture (and perhaps also of Vulcan manufacture) used coils made of spools of exotic materials. "Spool" is something we associate with "coil" today, rather than the solid doughnuts of TNG era.
Starfleet could have moved from spooled coils to solid-state coils in the 22nd century, resulting in performance increases. Gradually, engineers would also have noticed that the new solid-state coils could be created in a variety of geometries, whereas the old spools had only worked in a cylindrar geometry. This discovery would only come roughly at the time of TMP, though.
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by Daniel (Member # 453) on :
Which would coincide with the E-refit's nacelle structure and increased performance of the warp engines... Hmm, I like that theory.
Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :
I think its not the total shape of the exterior of the coil but the interior. The reason why is that the nacelle can be circular or square bu the middle can be whatever shape a starships needs to go faster than light. The exterior shape is just used as a structural support.
Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :
Agreed. The nacelle's shell is constructed to contain the various equipment (bussard ramscoopp components,energy conduits, etc). It's external hullform can't have any great effect on functionality - except for streamlining when passing through gaseous matter.
I mean, Defiant and Bird's of Prey don't even have external nacelles.
Posted by J (Member # 608) on :
Let's not forgot the Peregrine, Cardassian ships, Ferengi vessels, Kazon vessels, and various other vessels.