One possibility is that each "pipes section" is a power converter of some sort, switching the output of the M/AM reactor into a form useable by ships systems. That could effectively free up their locations in the manner
Albertese has described.
The reason that people try to use a "full length" version of the pipes is a desire to stay true to "designer's intent". Obviously the pipes were
meant to represent a long structure, even if the limitations of forced perspective resulted in some pretty odd viewpoints.
Assuming it's full length, what is the (in universe) reason for such odd views? My pet favourite isbehind the mesh is
Safety Glass, which is so thick it distorts and magnifies the tubes section when viewed from anything except straight on
I sympathise with
blssdwlf on trying to extrapolate those pipes - I mean how
long are they
supposed to be? 120 feet? 150 feet? You'd have no room in the secondary hull for anything else!
It looks great though.