Storage tank
Storage tank |
The storage tank is a building that can store up to 25,000 units of a fluid. It is a passive storage—it has no input and no output, depending on pressure to fill it, essentially being a large pipe.
Usage
Storage tanks will only be filled to the same percentage of capacity as pipes that lead to it. Pipe that always carries about 50 water will fill the tank to about 50% of its capacity. Pumps can be used to fill the entire tank from a low pressure source (such as distant pumpjacks).
The storage tank is typically used to store excess oils to ensure that oil refinery works smoothly. It can also be connected to the circuit network, sending the fluid contents as a signal to the network.
The storage tank can be emptied by mining and rebuilding it (the fluid is destroyed) or by draining it with a pump.
Usage as "Energy-tank"
See also: Steam tanks as power storage
Storage tanks can also be used as a replacement for accumulators. If steam consumption by steam engines or turbines changes a lot over a daily cycle (for example due to solar panels or laser turrets), storage tanks can be filled with steam during low power usage and then emptied during heavy load.
A storage tank filled with heat exchanger 500°C steam stores around 2.4GJ; a storage tank filled with boiler 165°C steam stores 750MJ.
Calculations
- 1 Storage tank can store 25,000 units of 500ºC steam.
- 1 Steam turbine can output 5,820kW = 5,820kJ/s using 60 units of 500ºC steam/s.
- 1 Storage tank can keep 1 steam turbine working at full capacity for 25,000 ∕ 60 ≈ 416.6667s
- A Storage tank can store up to 25,000 ∕ 60 × 5,820 = 2,425,000kJ using 500ºC steam.
- 1 Storage tank can store 25,000 units of 165ºC steam.
- 1 Steam engine can output 900kW = 900kJ/s using 30 units of 165ºC steam/s.
- 1 Storage tank can keep 1 steam engine working for 25,000 ∕ 30 ≈ 833.3333s
- A Storage tank can store up to 25,000 ∕ 30 × 900 = 750,000kJ using 165ºC steam.
History
- 0.15.0:
- Multiplied all fluid amounts by 10.
- 0.13.12:
- Fluid icon now scales with size of tank.
- 0.12.0:
- Liquid inside can be seen through a small window.
- Now connectible to the circuit network.
- 0.9.1:
- Now has double capacity and takes longer to mine.
- 0.9.0:
- Introduced