Official Factorio Wiki - User contributions [en]

Nuclear reactor

2026-10-11T18:21:05Z

OzzyCallooh: Mentioned technique of using Heating tower to heat a Nuclear reactor to explosion temp without the use of uranium

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Nuclear reactor}}
The '''nuclear reactor''' generates heat by burning [[uranium fuel cell]]s. Heat can be consumed by [[heat exchanger]]s to produce 500°C [[steam]], which can be consumed by [[steam turbine]]s to produce electricity.

Unlike [[boiler]]s, a nuclear reactor will continue to burn fuel regardless of heat consumption. A uranium fuel cells burns for 200 seconds in a reactor of normal quality. The maximum temperature of a nuclear reactor is 1000°C, and once reached, excess heat energy from the uranium fuel cell is wasted. To prevent wasting fuel, the temperature of a reactor can be read to a [[circuit network]] and used to enable fuel [[inserter]]s only when the temperature is relatively low. More heat energy can be stored by placing extra heat pipes. Alternatively, energy can be stored as steam in [[storage tank]]s or as electricity in [[accumulator]]s, which can also be read to control fuel inserters.

Rather than completely consuming fuel, burning a uranium fuel cell results in a [[depleted uranium fuel cell]]. These must be removed, else the reactor will stop consuming fuel. Depleted fuel cells can be [[nuclear fuel reprocessing|reprocessed]] in a [[centrifuge]] to recover some [[uranium-238]].

Nuclear reactors have a heat capacity of 10 MJ/°C. Thus, they can buffer 5 GJ of heat energy across their working range of 500°C to 1000°C, and require 4.85 GJ of energy to warm up from 15°C to 500°C when initially placed.

== Neighbour bonus ==
Reactors receive a bonus for adjacent operating reactors, which increases their effective thermal output by 100% per each such link. For example, two reactors operating next to each other will output a total of 160 MW of thermal energy, with each reactor producing 40 MW base and receiving 40 MW of neighbour bonus.

The Neighbour bonus only applies if:
* 2 reactors are directly adjacent to each other with all 3 heat connections directly connecting the two.
* Both reactors are fueled.

=== Double-row layout ===
The most efficient practical layout is an aligned double row of arbitrary length (number of reactors as needed). For even numbers of reactors, the total output of the array is <code> 160n − 160 MW</code> (where ''n'' = total number of reactors, and assuming all are fueled). Splitting the row, while possibly logistically beneficial, reduces total power output by 160 MW per split.

Odd numbers of reactors are inefficient in maximizing the bonus, but, if needed, the odd reactor should be aligned with one of the rows. Offsetting the longer row instead would not gain the extra reactor any bonus, while the reactor on the other end of the same row would lose its bonus as well. Placing the odd reactor between the ends of aligned rows would also lead to one fewer bonus, and also make the design un-tileable.

In any case however, such concerns are unlikely to arise until one has a very large base, as the individual output of reactors is massive, particularly with neighbour bonuses. As an example, a 5×2 reactor grid would produce 1,440 MW (1.44 GW), the equivalent of 1,600 steam engines, or 24,000 solar panels.

=== Square layout ===
Theoretically, a perfectly square grid of reactors with no spaces between would provide maximum bonus, as it minimizes the number of reactors with unlinked sides. This setup produces <code>200n − 160×sqrt(n) MW</code> (where ''sqrt(n)'' is the square root of the number of reactors).

However, while the heat pipe links will allow energy flow from reactors within the square, with no room around inner reactors, there will be no way to insert and remove fuel cells except manually (heat pipes are traversable by the player), which makes this setup impractical.

Furthermore, the gains compared to the double-row design are not large. After some calculation, one arrives at the expression for the ratio of the two (double-row design in denominator) as <code>(1.25n − sqrt(n)) ÷ (n − 1)</code> which evaluates to, for example, 1 for 4 reactors, 1.07 for 16 reactors, 1.16 for 100 reactors (considering only numbers that both an equal-length double row and a square can be built from), and so on. In the limit (infinite number of reactors), the ratio approaches 1.25 as the edge corrections become insignificant.

== Explosion ==
If a reactor is destroyed (by damage) while it is above 900°C, it will explode, having the same effects of an [[atomic bomb]]. This includes terrain modification in [[Space Age]], such as creating [[lava]] lakes on [[Vulcanus]] and [[ammoniacal solution]] lakes on [[Aquilo]]. If [[Uranium-235]] is unavailable for making fuel cells or bombs, the [[Heating tower]] can be used to heat up the reactor to the explosion temperature without the use of any uranium at all.

This explosion has enough power to destroy nearby reactors, so one explosion can lead to a chain reaction of exploding reactors. [https://clips.twitch.tv/KathishShakingPieBIRB]

== History ==

{{History|0.18.0|
* Updated sound effects.}}

{{History|0.17.67|
* Heat pipes (also in reactors and heat exchangers) glow with high temperatures.}}

{{History|0.16.0|
* Changed nuclear reactor stack size to 10.}}

{{History|0.15.0|
* Introduced}}

== See also ==
* [[Power production#Nuclear power|Power production]]
* [[Heat pipe]]
* [[Steam turbine]]
* [[Tutorial:Nuclear power|Comprehensive guide on nuclear power]]

{{ProductionNav}}
{{C|Energy}}

Talk:Iron plate

2026-03-31T00:21:06Z

OzzyCallooh: On the Recommendation of Stockpiling Iron plates

=== On the Recommendation of Stockpiling Iron plates ===

This article says ''"and it is recommended to create a large stockpile when possible"''. This isn't really a mechanical description, but strategy information which I find misplaced this early in this article.

That said, I find the advice to be kind of a noob trap: stockpiling resources ad nauseum leads to the release of pollution, which leads to biter attacks if not appropriately limited. Without accounting for some portion of the production of iron plates (for example) as military resources (magazines), a reader might mistakenly be led into a strategy that might frustrate them in the long run. That said, this is an element of discovery for the player... so maybe it's best to lean away from the advice altogether? Would love to hear other editors' thoughts on this.

[[User:OzzyCallooh|OzzyCallooh]] ([[User talk:OzzyCallooh|talk]]) 00:21, 31 March 2026 (UTC)

Biolab

2025-03-31T12:32:20Z

OzzyCallooh:

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Biolab}}
{{Stub}}
{{About/Space age}}
The '''Biolab''' is an upgraded version of the [[lab]] that is unlocked by researching the [[Biolab_(research)|Biolab technology]]{{SA}} using [[Agricultural science pack]]{{SA}} from [[Gleba]]{{SA}}. It boasts a number of advantages over the standard lab:

* Biolabs have a built-in speed bonus, meaning [[Science pack]]s are consumed faster (effectively a 100% speed bonus)
* Biolabs consume fewer Science packs for the same payoff in research (effectively a 100% productivity bonus)
* Biolabs have four [[module]] slots instead of two.
* Biolabs are larger (5x5) and have more health.

It features minimal disadvantages:

* They are more complicated to create, involving [[Biter egg]]s which require [[Bioflux]] to acquire.
* They may only built on [[Nauvis]].
* They use more power and pollute more.

The speed bonus granted from [[lab research speed (research)|lab research speed]] multiplies with the Biolab's increased speed.

== History ==
{{history|2.0.7|
* Introduced in [[Space Age]]{{SA}} expansion.
}}

== See also ==
* [[Lab]]
* [[Research]]
* [[Technologies]]

{{ProductionNav}}
{{C|Producers}}

Selector combinator

2024-12-23T19:39:22Z

OzzyCallooh: Adjusted the wording of the "Select input" mode to be more clear

{{Languages}}
{{:Infobox:Selector combinator}}
{{Stub}}

The '''selector combinator''' is part of the [[circuit network]] and one of four types of combinators available in the game (the other three being the [[constant combinator]], [[arithmetic combinator]] and [[decider combinator]]). It has four different modes of operation (or seven with [[Space Age]]{{SA}} enabled) to filter out various signals from an input wire.

== Function ==
The selector combinator can select a signal to output from one of the following modes of operation:

* '''Select input'''
** In this mode, the combinator sorts its input signals by value and outputs one of them at the same value.
** '''Sort descending''' (default): The signal with the highest value is selected.
** '''Sort ascending''': The signal with the lowest non-zero value is selected.
** '''Index''': Determines which position among the sorted values is selected, starting at 0, i.e. first (0), second (1), third (2)
*** If multiple signals are provided and index is out of bounds, then '''no signal''' is passed through. The valid bounds is 0 through 1 less the total quantity of input signals.
*** If a single input signal is provided, it is '''always''' passed through even if the index is out of bounds.
* '''Count inputs'''
** The combinator will count and output the number of unique inputs on the selected signal.
** The value of the input signals is not considered.
* '''Random input'''
** The combinator will pass through a random input signal every certain number of [[time#Ticks|game ticks]]
** By default, the combinator will update this every 1 tick, or 60 times per second.
** If there is only one input signal, it will be output after this threshold is met. If the input is removed before that happens, nothing will be output.
* '''Stack size'''
** The combinator will output the stack sizes of the input items
** The combinator will not output any fluid or non-item signals
** The value of the input items is not considered
* '''Rocket capacity'''{{SA}}
** The combinator will output the rocket capacity of the input signals
** The combinator will not output any fluid or non-item signals
** The value of the input items is not considered
* '''Quality filter'''{{SA}}
** The combinator will pass through any input signals that meet a conditional against a certain [[quality]]{{SA}} grade
** The combinator can compare an input's quality that is greater than, less than, equal to, greater or equal to, less or equal to, or not equal to, any one quality grade.
** If comparing against ''any'' quality grade, the only valid comparison is ''equal to''
* '''Quality transfer'''{{SA}}
** The combinator will take the selected ''target signal'' from its inputs and output it with a particular quality grade.
** If ''direct slection'' is selected, the combinator will attach the specified quality grade to the target signal, but only if that target signal is among the inputs
** If ''select from input'' is selected, the combinator will search for the selected item within its inputs and apply the quality of selected input to the target signal, but only if both the selected input and the target signal are among the inputs.

== History ==
{{history|2.0.7|
* Introduced
}}

==See Also==
*[[Decider combinator]]
*[[Constant combinator]]
*[[Arithmetic combinator]]
*[[Tutorial:Combinator tutorial|Combinator tutorial]]
*[[Circuit network]]
*[[Tutorial:Circuit network cookbook|Circuit network cookbook]]

{{LogisticsNav}}
{{C|Circuit network}}

User:OzzyCallooh

2024-12-13T22:22:45Z

OzzyCallooh: Created page with "Hi, I'm Ozzy. I'm a Factorio veteran and I'm into gleeby-deeby type of things."

Hi, I'm Ozzy. I'm a Factorio veteran and I'm into gleeby-deeby type of things.

Boiler

2024-12-13T22:20:45Z

OzzyCallooh: Grammar improvements and more utility for new players

{{Languages}}{{:Infobox:Boiler}}

The '''boiler''' uses [[fuel]] to convert [[water]] into [[steam]] at 165°C suitable for use in a [[steam engine]]. It has two water connectors on opposite ends and passes water through to adjacent equipment such as other boilers. The boiler features a single output for the steam it produces. It only consumes fuel as it creates steam. Boilers used in conjunction with [[offshore pumps]] and steam engines are a vital part of early power generation.

For each unit of water, 10 units of steam are produced. Inserting one [[coal]] (4 MJ) into a boiler then using the resulting steam in a steam engine will supply 4 MJ of energy to an electrical system. It costs 30 kJ to heat 1 unit of water to steam at 165°C, so one boiler will produce 60 steam per second.

[[Inserter]]s can insert fuel into boilers. However, using powered inserters to move fuel into a boiler can be problematic should fuel become unavailable: if no power is being produced, then powered inserters fueling a boiler cannot operate. Using at least one [[burner inserter]], which uses fuel and not electricity, ensures that at least one inserter is available to restart a single boiler. Inserters can also remove fuel from boilers, allowing inserters to move fuel down a chain of boilers.

== History ==
{{History|2.0.0|
* Decreased water use by 10x, changing the water:steam ratio from 1:1 to 1:10.}}

{{history|0.15.10|
* Steam became a separate resource, boilers now produce steam rather than high temperature water that is displayed as steam
** This distinction is meaningful for circuit network accounting of steam and the [[coal liquefaction]] recipe}}

{{history|0.15.0|
* New graphics.
* Changed boiler dimensions to 3×2.
* 'Steam' is produced on a separate connector rather than heating water passed through.
** At this time, steam is actually water that is renamed when over 100 degrees.
* Significantly increased energy consumption/production.}}

{{history|0.13.0|
* New fire graphics for boilers.}}

{{history|0.9.2|
* Enabled the [[inserter]] to take [[fuel]] out of boilers.}}

{{history|0.8.0|
* Flickering light added to [[furnace]]s and boilers.}}

{{history|0.6.1|
* Boilers show their fuel inventory in the entity info.}}

{{history|0.5.1|
* Boilers are now fast-replaceable with pipes.
* New boiler graphics.
}}

{{history|0.1.0|
* Introduced}}

== See also ==
* [[Electric system]]
* [[Fluid system]]

{{ProductionNav}}
{{C|Energy}}