Pumping Steam

[SgtScooter]

After lots of frustration and broken pipes, I discovered that you can pump steam just fine as long as you immediately limit the packets to 100g with a gas valve. As the only way to launch your first rocket now is with pumped steam, this is pretty crucial.

[SamuraiJones]

???

I can't imagine why... I'd think larger packets would be more stable since they'd have to lose alot more heat to condense. Well, I'm in the middle of reworking my rockets while my steam geyser is down, but i'll give it a shot.

[SgtScooter]

You would think that, but I think there's something wonky about state changes with amounts that small. The steam is cooling rapidly, usually around 30-40C by the time it gets to the rocket, but it's still steam.

[Strygald]

Originally posted by SgtScooter:

You would think that, but I think there's something wonky about state changes with amounts that small. The steam is cooling rapidly, usually around 30-40C by the time it gets to the rocket, but it's still steam.

How is the steam changing temperature that much? are you using good insulated pipes?

[Kaori]

I will try this immediately! Thank you... I tried EVERY kind of pipes with the same result (broken broken broken everywhere...)

[Xuhybrid]

Or use ceramic and 120C-150C steam instead of sending it through granite non-insulated pipes at exactly 100C (all the mistakes).

Originally posted by SamuraiJones:

???

I can't imagine why... I'd think larger packets would be more stable since they'd have to lose alot more heat to condense. Well, I'm in the middle of reworking my rockets while my steam geyser is down, but i'll give it a shot.

It's making use of a physics bug where packets under 100g cannot change state from a gas back to a liquid.

[Strygald]

Also I think if the pipes are running through wall tiles that affects heat transfer.. ie* ceramic pipes running through insulated ceramic tiles is very effective... though that's just anecdotal, i didn't bother to test it or anything.

[MARTFONGER]

You will want a lot of glass anyway, and the tiles for your solar are best made of diamond, so wait until you are ready for hot steam and then enclose a geiser near the surface, or make a ceramic hot box with some water in it, and make a ♥♥♥♥ load of glass into it.

Presto, instant rocket fuel + glass.

[somethinginnovative]

This doesn't totally fix the breaking pipes issue, but I found that building a bunker-box in space to boil my water with meteor heat was insanely effective for fueling up my steam rocket. Wish I could post a screenshot, but it was really easy to set up.