Railcraft boilers, max number of engines by size of boilers ???

[Dodge34]

First, I already know that a full size HP steam boiler is able to support 18 industrial steam engine, I hate maths so please be kind here, I don't want any math formula of any kind here, I just want to know how many engines I can fit onto various size of boilers, thinking of starting with a small 2x2x2 boiler, how many engines would I be able to keep on with a HP boiler, I use DW20 pack 1.5.2 v2 1.1.3 at the moment, I want to produce MJ, don't suggest lava here, too easy and already using that so much in the past I want to get my hands dirty with something else, I have a lot of charcoal on hand (16000 to be exact from a factory I did) and I can produce some more, I just want to start producing Ethanol for a larger liquid fueled boiler so I need power for the machines to produce the Ethanol...

 

[KingTriaxx]

I find a good rule of thumb is half as many Industrials as I have boiler blocks. The same number of Commercials, or I think twice as many Hobbyists. LP's are halved. So a quarter industrials, half as many Commercials and the same number of Hobbyists.

Does that 2x2x2 include the firebox? Because I haven't been able to get that to work.

 

[Captain_Oats]

First, I'm going to do exactly what you asked us not to because this is so easy.

Max size HP steam is 3x3x4=36 HP boilers.

18 engines / 36 HP boilers = X

Therefore X engines per boiler block.

2x2x2 = Y

X*Y = the number you asked for.

 

[Dodge34]

Figured out that I should be able to power 4 industrial steam engines with my 2x2x2 (there's 8 boiler blocks on top of 4 firebox, I think the general rule is that we don't count the firebox in our boiler calculations, or I'm wrong with something here. And don't worry the boiler is hooked to an aqueous accumulator to avoid problems, no pipes so no worry about them never being reliable (learned from past experiences my cousin did once even liquiducts aren't trustable for water in a boiler, I put the aqueous accumulator directly under the firebox, works #1 for that.

 

[rhn]

http://calculator.towerofawesome.org/

8HP:
http://calculator.towerofawesome.org/?fT=17&t=8&nT=8&h=1000&e=SteamMB&rE=1&m=1&tD=0&tH=1&tM=0#

 

[KingTriaxx]

Must be only for High Pressure boilers. I use a single Accumulator to feed a max size LP boiler, and don't have any water issues. It runs through a one long Liquiduct so I can put it below the ground without falling in the water while I build the firebox. Don't think I've built an HP boiler.

 

[LoGaL]

geez -.- this is elementary school maths, you are simply lazy
take the half of the blocks ( 36-------->18) and you have the number of industrial engines
take the number of blocks and you have the number of commercial steam engines

 

[rhn]

geez -.- this is elementary school maths, you are simply lazy
take the half of the blocks ( 36-------->18) and you have the number of industrial engines
take the number of blocks and you have the number of commercial steam engines

Yes assuming the relation is linear. I was somewhat expecting it not to be, since that would be more realistic. Luckily it is, which yes makes it very simple

 

[LoGaL]

according to http://railcraft.wikispaces.com/Steam+Boiler+(Device) it's linear

 

[MigukNamja]

Heat-up times and fuel efficiency burn are not linear, but steam production and thus MJ/t is indeed linear.

As for starter boiler power, I highly recommend using Low Pressure (iron) boilers. They have much quicker heat-up times. After you have wood/sapling production going at full-bore, then build a 36HP.

A 2x2x4 = 16 LP should be more than plenty. That will power 4 Industrials or 8 Commercials, which is 32MJ/t, which is enough for a Fermenter and a few Stills with a little bit left over.

 

[Algester]

if I remember correctly if this is for railcraft MC 1.6 the steam boiler acts differently now basically its no longer efficient at higher temps meaning steam gain against your fuel is a constant gain however they gain more steam faster as you have a hotter boiler compared to 1.5 where (steam becomes denser making it more efficient when used on machines) I think this was what direwolf said about steam boilers on 1.6

 

[MigukNamja]

1.6 with latest RC.

Boilers are (still) way more efficient at max. temp than starting temp. Using charcoal as an example, a 36HP starting up will consume roughly 2 charcoal *per second*. At max. temp of 1000C, a 36HP consume roughly 1 charcoal every 5 seconds. That's a 10x difference in fuel efficiency.

As far as *steam* production is concerned, it will produce max. steam all the way from 100C to 1000C. It simply requires (way) more fuel at 100C when steam is 1st produced as opposed to 1000C. But, steam production is constant.