1.12.2 Power Generation

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Brian Cherrick

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Jul 5, 2013
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Direwolf20 pack

Resources aren't a problem. I got 5 maxed out dynamos using refined fuel, that are producing approximately, 3.5k. Also I have 2 tier 1 ET solar panels producing approximately 1.1k rf.

This is barely enough to sustain my base if I run more than 1 void miner. If I turn all 4 on, I drain to fast. If I use my gas turbine from advanced generators (that outputs 5k rf/tick), I burn through my wood reserves to fast.

Looking for some decent RF because if I do any auto-crafting, then I am blowing through my resonant energy cell in no time.

I have the resources for a passively cooled big reactor, but don't have a good design.... all options are on the table here.

I also did add Mekanism (love that mod). But nowhere near ready for a fusion reactor yet (though i got 2 evap towers made to work towards tritium).
 

ShneekeyTheLost

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My friend, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of Steam, as you now have Mekanism. Depending on configs, this should net you 20k-ish RF/t.

First off, familiarize yourself with the Mekanism Steam Turbine multiblock structure.

As you can see, it can accept a LOT of steam, and produce a LOT of power from it. However, we will be using Thermal Expansion to produce the steam. And we will be doing that with an entirely self-contained passive system using Tree Sap.

You'll want three spruce trees planted with two blocks spaced between them. Grow them all, but don't trim them. Now get twelve Aboreal Extractors. These will pull tree sap from the spruce trees (I specify spruce because it has the highest yield of any tree), so place four around each tree (they will not function if they are adjacent to more than one tree). Pipe all that into a Fractionating Still (which you should already have if you are running on Refined Fuel with the plugs). Make sure to upgrade the Still to Resonant so it will run fast enough to keep up with demand. May need a single speed upgrade as well. This will produce plenty of Tree Oil.

Now then, you're going to want a dozen or so Compression Dynamos. You've already got five of them, you'll want to more than double that. But instead of Ignition Plugs, you'll want Boiler Conversion augments in each of them. This will in turn produce almost a bucket of steam per tick per each (actually 960mb).

Pipe all that into the Mekanism steam turbine multiblock. Enjoy an entirely passive yet satisfyingly complex power generation setup.
 
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KingTriaxx

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You can also convert your Advanced Generator to run on Steam, giving you a low power option, just by changing where the steam is output. It'll also let you run that for power while building your Steam Turbine.
 

ShneekeyTheLost

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You can also convert your Advanced Generator to run on Steam, giving you a low power option, just by changing where the steam is output. It'll also let you run that for power while building your Steam Turbine.
With enough Enderium/Mannulyn turbines, it doesn't have to be low-power either. Not sure how efficient it is running on pure steam, but couldn't hurt to try. It may end up more cost-efficient than Mekanism's.

EDIT: Discovered a VERY rude surprise today. Steam output of compression dynamos dropped from 960 for resonant to 280. Not relevant for steam production anymore.
 
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KingTriaxx

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I'm not sure how the numbers have changed, but it was eating a 2x2 Railcraft boiler and producing 5k back in 1.7.10.
 

GamerwithnoGame

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Jan 29, 2015
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Hope I'm OK to pitch in here: as a stepping stone to the steam reactor, might I recommend ethylene in Gas-Burning Generators? I found great utility from those (at least in 1.7) when playing Regrowth, and the setup wasn't so trivial as to make it feel cheesy. Those did me well enough until I got up to a Fusion Reactor - which was a lot of fun to set up! - though I only went for direct power generation rather than steam. Next time I'll go all the way though - its baby steps for me ;)
 
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Brian Cherrick

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Jul 5, 2013
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I do like my gas turbine setup that puts out 5k rf/tick ... but my farm can't keep up with it. Not sure how much greenhouse glass would help that. I'm having a hard time setting up Ethylene production as it is for building towards the fusion reactor, but I will take another gander at it. Typically I just go straight for some OP big reactor stuff, but don't quite got the infrastructure yet to do it right ... and a lot of stuff in 1.12.2 requires you tiering up to it ...

All this auto-crafting garbage is expensive, rf wise, almost 1k rf by itself.
 

Brian Cherrick

Well-Known Member
Jul 5, 2013
1,050
98
64
My friend, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of Steam, as you now have Mekanism. Depending on configs, this should net you 20k-ish RF/t.

First off, familiarize yourself with the Mekanism Steam Turbine multiblock structure.

As you can see, it can accept a LOT of steam, and produce a LOT of power from it. However, we will be using Thermal Expansion to produce the steam. And we will be doing that with an entirely self-contained passive system using Tree Sap.

You'll want three spruce trees planted with two blocks spaced between them. Grow them all, but don't trim them. Now get twelve Aboreal Extractors. These will pull tree sap from the spruce trees (I specify spruce because it has the highest yield of any tree), so place four around each tree (they will not function if they are adjacent to more than one tree). Pipe all that into a Fractionating Still (which you should already have if you are running on Refined Fuel with the plugs). Make sure to upgrade the Still to Resonant so it will run fast enough to keep up with demand. May need a single speed upgrade as well. This will produce plenty of Tree Oil.

Now then, you're going to want a dozen or so Compression Dynamos. You've already got five of them, you'll want to more than double that. But instead of Ignition Plugs, you'll want Boiler Conversion augments in each of them. This will in turn produce almost a bucket of steam per tick per each (actually 960mb).

Pipe all that into the Mekanism steam turbine multiblock. Enjoy an entirely passive yet satisfyingly complex power generation setup.


Will your Arboreal setup work without fertilizer as you intend it to? Because I don't really have the resources to steadily supply it with phytogro
 

ShneekeyTheLost

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Dec 8, 2012
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It does. Is there a right/wrong way to set them up? Does it work for trees?
Cloches don't work on trees, no, but you can keep a Diesel Generator running nonstop off of a single Cloche making Melons. Half the melons get fed to a Fermenter to make Ethanol, the other half get crafted into seeds which go into the Squeezer for Seed Oil, the two liquids are mixed in the Refinery to make Biodiesel that feeds into the generator.

At 4k RF/t, it's not too shabby. May even be able to run multiple generators off of the same fuel supply.
 

Riddle78

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Nov 28, 2016
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Immersive Engineering's Biodiesel in an Advanced Generator will max it out,no matter your configuration. Even using fifty Manyullyn turbines,it'll be maxed out. Garden Cloches for Melons and Industrial Hemp,being sent to Fermenters and Squeezers respectively,which output to a Refinery,which outputs to your Advanced Generator. If you need even MORE power generation after that,you can easily just clone the setup for another Advanced Generator,though I can't imagine why you'd need more power than that,other than an exercise in excess.
 
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