Difference between revisions of "Catalytic Generator"

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''See Also: [[Power_Grid|Power Grid]]''
[[File:NadirCatalyticEngineSouth.png|thumb|alt=Picture of the southern Nadir station catalytic engine.]]
The '''catalytic generators''' are the main source of power for [[Nadir]]. They generate power using the acid sea using cathode and anode rods, which will degrade over time and need to be replaced regularly. There are four engines, two in the northern and southern most points of the station.


The efficiency of the generator depends on the material of the rods, where one should be conductive, the other should be resistant. It's important to remember to update the [[SMES]] values as the rods deteriorate, as eventually the incoming power may reduce to below what the SMES input is expecting and power will stop being sent out.
[[File:NadirCatalyticEngineSouth.png|512px]]


Because of Nadir's location in the acid sea, a mining venture to find better materials to make rods out of may seem ill-advised. Thankfully, the on-station [[Harmonic Siphon|siphon]] can allow you to create whatever materials are needed. For what materials are best, generally a [[Mineralogy_101#Bohrum|bohrum]] rod for the resistor and a [[Mineralogy_101#Claretine|claretine]] rod for the conductor should supply plenty of power.
The catalytic generators are the main source of power for [[Nadir]]. They generate power by exposing cathode and anode rods to the acid sea, forming ions which can be used to generate electrical power. However, the rods degrade over time and will need to be periodically replaced to maintain power output. The anode rod goes in the left side of the engine, and the cathode rod goes in the right side. There are four engines, two in the northernmost and southernmost areas of the station.
 
===Making Rods===
 
Rods can be manufactured at a [[Ore_Processing#The_Nano-Fabricator_.28Refining.29|refining nano-fabricator]], which can be found in the refinery or in engineering. They require one unit of a material, and the material must be metallic. The material properties of the rod determine its effectiveness as a cathode or an anode. Furthermore, the material's chemical resistance determines how rapidly it degrades over time. In order to obtain materials, one could use the [[Extraction_Nexus|Harmonic Siphon]], which both [[engineer]]s and [[scientist]]s can access. Alternatively, [[engineer]]s have access to mining tools and may to descend into the trench and mine ores the old-fashioned way.
 
===Simple Output Formula===
 
The output of a catalytic engine is the lesser of the output power of the cathode and anode rods. The output power of a rod is determined by its condition (a number that starts at 100 and progresses towards 0 as the rod corrodes) multiplied by its efficacy (a positive number that represents how effective the materials are) multiplied by ten. Using this formula with the best possible rod formulations and perfect rod condition, we find that the maximum possible engine output is 977 kilowatts.
 
===Cathode Efficacy===
 
The efficacy of the cathode rod is determined by its hardness and density. Optimally, the cathode has 5 density and 5 hardness. The efficacy formula places more importance on density than hardness, as detailed in the tables below:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Cathode Efficacy <br> Top axis is hardness. Left axis is density.
|-
|  || '''1''' || '''2''' || '''3''' || '''4''' || '''5''' || '''6''' || '''7''' || '''8''' || '''9'''
|-
| '''1''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
| '''2''' || 23 || 29 || 34 || 40 || 45 || 40 || 34 || 29 || 23
|-
| '''3''' || 47 || 58 || 68 || 79 || 90 || 79 || 68 || 58 || 47
|-
| '''4''' || 70 || 86 || 111 || 199 || 332 || 199 || 111 || 86 || 70
|-
| '''5''' || 94 || 176 || 350 || 630 || '''1050''' || 630 || 350 || 176 || 94
|-
| '''6''' || 70 || 86 || 111 || 199 || 332 || 199 || 111 || 86 || 70
|-
| '''7''' || 47 || 58 || 68 || 79 || 90 || 79 || 68 || 58 || 47
|-
| '''8''' || 23 || 29 || 34 || 40 || 45 || 40 || 34 || 29 || 23
|-
| '''9''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|}
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Material Cathode Effectiveness
|-
! Material !! Density !! Hardness !! Cathode Efficacy !! Chemical Resistance
|-
| '''Plasmasteel + Plasmaglass''' || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''1055''' || '''5'''
|-
| Bohrum || 6 || 5 || 332 || 7
|-
| Mauxite || 4 || 3 || 111 || 5
|-
| Steel || 4 || 3 || 111 || 5
|}
 
===Anode Efficacy===
 
The efficacy of the anode rod is determined by its electrical conductivity and whether it is an energy source or not. Optimally, the anode has 9 electrical and is an energy source. The details are listed in the tables below:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Anode Efficacy
|-
! Electrical !! Normal !! Energy Source
|-
| '''1''' || 17 || 22
|-
| '''2''' || 34 || 44
|-
| '''3''' || 51 || 66
|-
| '''4''' || 68 || 88
|-
| '''5''' || 85 || 149
|-
| '''6''' || 108 || 309
|-
| '''7''' || 201 || 573
|-
| '''8''' || 342 || 977
|-
| '''9''' || 548 || '''1565'''
|}
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Material Anode Effectiveness
|-
! Material !! Electrical !! Energy Source? !! Anode Efficacy !! Chemical Resistance
|-
| '''Electrum +<br> Cerenkite +<br> Electrum''' || '''8''' || '''Yes''' || '''977''' || '''6'''
|-
| Electrum +<br> Cerenkite || 7 || Yes || 573 || 6
|-
| Claretine +<br> Cerenkite || 7 || Yes || 573 || 5
|-
| Electrum || 9 || No || 548 || 6
|-
| Cerenkite || 6 || Yes || 309 || 6
|-
| Pharosium +<br> Cerenkite || 6 || Yes || 309 || 6
|-
| Pharosium || 7 || No || 201 || 6
|-
| Claretine +<br> Pharosium || 7 || No || 201 || 5
|-
| Copper || 6 || No || 108 || 6
|}
 
Due to not being a metal, pure claretine is not useable as an anode rod. Fractional stats of alloys are rounded down, meaning that some combinations that might intuitively improve the rod efficacy actually do not. It is currently impossible to make a material that has 9 electrical and is an energy source.
 
===Corrosion Resistance===
 
Anode and cathode rods are corroded as they generate power. This occurs by multiplying their condition by a decay ratio every time the power grid is calculated. The decay ratio is determined by chemical resistance, as shown in the following table:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Decay Ratios
|-
! Chemical Resistance !! Decay Ratio
|-
| 1 || 0.99823
|-
| 2 || 0.99846
|-
| 3 || 0.99869
|-
| 4 || 0.99892
|-
| 5 || 0.99915
|-
| 6 || 0.99938
|-
| 7 || 0.99961
|-
| 8 || 0.99984
|-
| '''9''' || '''1'''
|}
 
Note that a chemical resistance of 9 means that the rod does not decay over time at all. There are currently 3 materials that have a chemical resistance of 9, being uqill, dyneema, and iridium. Of the 3, only iridium is a metal, and its stats as a cathode or anode are quite poor (29 cathode efficacy, 85 anode efficacy).
 
----
{{Department Guides}}

Latest revision as of 09:22, 12 January 2023

See Also: Power Grid

NadirCatalyticEngineSouth.png

The catalytic generators are the main source of power for Nadir. They generate power by exposing cathode and anode rods to the acid sea, forming ions which can be used to generate electrical power. However, the rods degrade over time and will need to be periodically replaced to maintain power output. The anode rod goes in the left side of the engine, and the cathode rod goes in the right side. There are four engines, two in the northernmost and southernmost areas of the station.

Making Rods

Rods can be manufactured at a refining nano-fabricator, which can be found in the refinery or in engineering. They require one unit of a material, and the material must be metallic. The material properties of the rod determine its effectiveness as a cathode or an anode. Furthermore, the material's chemical resistance determines how rapidly it degrades over time. In order to obtain materials, one could use the Harmonic Siphon, which both engineers and scientists can access. Alternatively, engineers have access to mining tools and may to descend into the trench and mine ores the old-fashioned way.

Simple Output Formula

The output of a catalytic engine is the lesser of the output power of the cathode and anode rods. The output power of a rod is determined by its condition (a number that starts at 100 and progresses towards 0 as the rod corrodes) multiplied by its efficacy (a positive number that represents how effective the materials are) multiplied by ten. Using this formula with the best possible rod formulations and perfect rod condition, we find that the maximum possible engine output is 977 kilowatts.

Cathode Efficacy

The efficacy of the cathode rod is determined by its hardness and density. Optimally, the cathode has 5 density and 5 hardness. The efficacy formula places more importance on density than hardness, as detailed in the tables below:

Cathode Efficacy
Top axis is hardness. Left axis is density.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 23 29 34 40 45 40 34 29 23
3 47 58 68 79 90 79 68 58 47
4 70 86 111 199 332 199 111 86 70
5 94 176 350 630 1050 630 350 176 94
6 70 86 111 199 332 199 111 86 70
7 47 58 68 79 90 79 68 58 47
8 23 29 34 40 45 40 34 29 23
9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Material Cathode Effectiveness
Material Density Hardness Cathode Efficacy Chemical Resistance
Plasmasteel + Plasmaglass 5 5 1055 5
Bohrum 6 5 332 7
Mauxite 4 3 111 5
Steel 4 3 111 5

Anode Efficacy

The efficacy of the anode rod is determined by its electrical conductivity and whether it is an energy source or not. Optimally, the anode has 9 electrical and is an energy source. The details are listed in the tables below:

Anode Efficacy
Electrical Normal Energy Source
1 17 22
2 34 44
3 51 66
4 68 88
5 85 149
6 108 309
7 201 573
8 342 977
9 548 1565
Material Anode Effectiveness
Material Electrical Energy Source? Anode Efficacy Chemical Resistance
Electrum +
Cerenkite +
Electrum		 8 Yes 977 6
Electrum +
Cerenkite		 7 Yes 573 6
Claretine +
Cerenkite		 7 Yes 573 5
Electrum 9 No 548 6
Cerenkite 6 Yes 309 6
Pharosium +
Cerenkite		 6 Yes 309 6
Pharosium 7 No 201 6
Claretine +
Pharosium		 7 No 201 5
Copper 6 No 108 6

Due to not being a metal, pure claretine is not useable as an anode rod. Fractional stats of alloys are rounded down, meaning that some combinations that might intuitively improve the rod efficacy actually do not. It is currently impossible to make a material that has 9 electrical and is an energy source.

Corrosion Resistance

Anode and cathode rods are corroded as they generate power. This occurs by multiplying their condition by a decay ratio every time the power grid is calculated. The decay ratio is determined by chemical resistance, as shown in the following table:

Decay Ratios
Chemical Resistance Decay Ratio
1 0.99823
2 0.99846
3 0.99869
4 0.99892
5 0.99915
6 0.99938
7 0.99961
8 0.99984
9 1

Note that a chemical resistance of 9 means that the rod does not decay over time at all. There are currently 3 materials that have a chemical resistance of 9, being uqill, dyneema, and iridium. Of the 3, only iridium is a metal, and its stats as a cathode or anode are quite poor (29 cathode efficacy, 85 anode efficacy).

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