Pipelines
Pipelines are used to transport fluids between structures. The Mk.1 Pipeline can transfer up to 300 m3/min, the Mk.2 twice as much. Head lift has to be applied to transport fluids vertically, which can be increased using Pipeline Pumps.
The volume of each Pipeline segment is set by its length. Default Pipelines have Flow Indicators; "clean" variants without them can be purchased in the AWESOME Shop after each respective mark is unlocked.
Construction
Pipelines have four construction modes: Default, Horizontal to Vertical, Noodle, and Conveyor 2D. Different build modes can be cycled by either pressing or holding R.
- Default: The default build mode.
- Horizontal to Vertical: The pipe will attempt to maintain the same level as the starting point, then turns vertically when approaching the ending point.
- Noodle: The pipeline will try to maximize its curvature radius such that it appears smooth, and it is calculated by aligning its arc tangent at both the starting and ending points.
- Conveyor 2D: Similar to default mode but with a much smaller turning radius, useful when building a pipe in another build mode is not possible.
Pipelines have a minimum turning radius of two meters. When building pipelines at a 90-degree turn, count two meters or two 'grids' from the turning point. Their graphical appearance may display that the radius is smaller than two meters, but it is still impossible to build a turning point of two meters.
When a Pipeline is modified by either inserting or removing a Pipeline Junction Cross or a Pipeline Pump onto it, all its fluid contents are emptied.
Pipeline Support
When building from a fixed point to a free point, a Pipeline Support will be automatically added to the 2nd point, including its building cost. The support itself is confirmed in two stages. The first stage confirms the rotation of the support along its vertical axis; this is adjusted with the mouse scroll wheel. The second stage confirms the height and pitch--the former adjusted by looking at the desired height (max. seven meters) and the latter adjusted via the mouse scroll wheel. Each build stage is confirmed with.
The center point of a Pipeline Support is positioned at 1.8 meters above the Foundation it is snapped on. This also applies to Pipelines with their Pipeline Supports removed.
Usage
Pipelines can transport any of the following types of fluids:
- Water
- Crude Oil
- Heavy Oil Residue
- Fuel
- Turbofuel
- Liquid Biofuel
- Alumina Solution
- Sulfuric Acid
- Nitrogen Gas
- Nitric Acid
A Pipeline segment can only contain one type of fluid at a time. Observe the icon of the fluid has the same appearance as a Flow Indicator containing it.
Pipelines have a storage capacity of 1.327 m3 per meter length.
Flow Indicator
When a Pipeline segment contains a straight part a minimum of six meters long, a Flow Indicator will appear in the middle of the segment, which is a set of three rings on a retractable rail. Each indicator displays the following information:
- Type of fluid content: the color of the window (the middle part that is exposed) corresponds to the type and color of the fluid it is carrying.
- Amount of fluid: the distance between the 1st and 3rd ring along the pipe corresponds to the % amount fluid. If the segment is full, then the rings are fully separated. If the segment is empty, all the rings collapse in the middle.
- Flow direction: Indicated by the pattern of the pulses. The first ring that expands indicates the fluid is flowing from that direction. The fluid flows towards the 3rd ring.
- Flow rate: By the amount the rings expand. If the flow rate is very low, the rings barely 'breathe'.
The pulse rate is always maintained at one pulse per second.
A variant of each Pipeline that doesn't have these indicators can be purchased in the AWESOME Shop.
Flushing
Pipeline contents can be emptied by interacting with a segment of it (default E) and then turning the flush lever in its UI. There are two options:
- Pipe Segment - Only that segment is flushed.
- Full Pipe Network - All pipes connected to the selected pipe are flushed.
Head lift
Fluids in a Pipeline can flow between different elevations based on the head lift. Head lift is not required for perfectly horizontal Pipelines. A Pipeline has a radius of about one meter. Thus, a perfectly horizontal Pipeline requires at least one meter of head lift to be filled. (On the head lift indicator on a connected Pipeline Pump, it is displayed as '1.3 meters' instead)
Head lift does not apply to Nitrogen Gas.
Overflow Valve
There is currently no distinct building in-game that allows for a controlled overflow of fluids in a pipeline. However, there is a workaround by building the following:
- The higher priority fluid consumers should be directly connected to the fluid source with a pipe.
- The lower priority fluid consumers should be connected, in series, at the end of the line, with a section of 10 meter high pipes in-between to restrict the flow. Therefore, when the preceding pipeline is full, the fluid will pass through the restriction.
- If an overflow sink is desired, the fluid can be either packaged and sunk, or (preferably) used up in recipes, such as Wet Concrete for Water.
This works based on the following principles:
- Pipes nearer to the fluid source (such as Extractors, Refineries) will be filled first - therefore buildings connected to such pipes will be prioritized.
- Pipes will obey the laws of gravity - pipes at a lower height will fill up before pipes at a taller height.
- Pipes well beyond the generated head lift will never fill up.
Current issues
- Mk.2 Pipelines have issues transporting fluid at its max capacity, 600 m3/min due to floating point calculation issues.[1]
- Any type of dead-end junction (be that actual dead ends or a side-line becoming full) will cause fluid to flow back, which interrupts the pipe, causing it to drop below 600 m3/min. Usage of loops is recommended.
- Placing pumps, valves or junctions directly on pipes can cause a transient throughput throttling, somewhere around 1 m3/min. On occasion, even when the junction is placed, then re-connected after deconstructing the original pipe, a small segment of pipe can get stuck inside the junction, which will also cause throughput throttling. This issue affects both Mk.1 and Mk.2 pipes. The workaround is to either place the junction first, then connect pipes, or, if you must place them on a pipe for placement purposes, or in the case of valves and pumps, place junctions, pumps and valves on pipes, then delete the original pipe and reconnect. Avoid placing junctions, pumps or valves on points where different lengths of pipes connect, as this is believed to be the cause of the small segment of pipe stuck inside junctions. When searching for these choke points in an existing factory, highlight the pipes entering the affected objects. If they show as being halfway inside the object, and not just stopping at the mouth of the object, that object was placed directly on a pipe and the connecting pipes should be deconstructed and new ones connected.
See also
Trivia
- Pipelines were memed by the community since the start of the game,[2] with Coffee Stain continuing to participate in the meme of their non-existence right up until the launch of Update 3,[3][4] even joking that pipes would be removed in Update 4.[5]
- There are ring-shaped welding joints along the pipeline, spaced roughly one meter apart, but not exactly one meter. Do not use those rings for distance measurement.
- Pipeline Mk.2 was first showcased in a teaser trailer.
- Originally, Mk.1 Pipelines were supposed to carry 600 m3/min, but it was reduced to 300 due to technical complications.[6]
- In an October 1st, 2020 Q&A Video Pipes were jokingly requested by the community and then jokingly denied that they would ever be added. On October 27th, 2020, more pipes were added.
Gallery
Pipelines, as seen in the 0.3 Experimental Update Trailer
The UI of a Pipeline, displaying its content and flow rate.
History
The history section is incomplete in this article. Please help expanding it if you can. Information can be gathered from patch notes. |
- Patch 0.8.2.9: Some improvements to Pipe SFX causing hitches/stuttering in factories with a lot of Refineries/Blenders built
- Patch 0.8.2.4: Fixed an issue where when building a Pipeline the first hologram would display incorrectly but then work after building and dismantling
- Patch 0.8.2.0
- Fixed so quick switching E a Pipeline doesn’t reset the hologram anymore.
- Fixed bug where quick switching Pipeline holograms would reset pole rotation on the second build step
- Pipes having incorrect visuals when built in certain scenarios should now be fixed
- Patch 0.8.1.1: Fixed Pipeline flow indicator animation not working
- Patch 0.8.0.3
- Fixed the Railways, Hypertubes and Pipelines visually having incorrect rotation when set via Blueprint
- This may also fix sinking/incorrectly rotated foundations in some scenarios
- Fixed the Railways, Hypertubes and Pipelines visually having incorrect rotation when set via Blueprint
- Patch 0.8.0.0:
- Added automatic placement of a Pipeline Pole when not building a Pipeline from an existing connection point
- Changed the Quick Switching of Pipeline Mark Levels to no longer revert back to the first placement step
- Moved validation check for building to the final placement step
- Patch 0.7.0.2:
- Fixed Pipelines and Conveyor Belts getting weird split rotations after placing attachments on them
- Fixed some scenarios where Railways, Conveyor Belts and Pipelines could be placed through the floor of the Blueprint Designer
- Patch 0.6.0.12: Modified pipe hologram so that it now looks better when running from a Floor Hole to a pipe pole
- Patch 0.6.0.10: Introduced No Indicator Pipeline variants
- Patch 0.6.0.5: Pipelines and their related attachments should no longer be considered a base, therefore should not despawn any creatures when built by themselves
- Patch 0.6.0.4: Fixed Pipeline flow rate UI not displaying correctly, this time for real
- Patch 0.6.0.2
- Fixed flushing a pipe segment flushing the entire network instead
- Fixed Mk.2 Pipes not having an indicator
- Fixed Pipe flow rate not being properly displayed
- Patch 0.6.0.0: Added new Pipe buildable's without Fluid Indicators (unlocked in AWESOME Shop)
- Patch 0.5.0.12: Fixed issues with Customizer color swatches on Pipeline buildable's
- Patch 0.5.0.9: Actually fixed invisible Conveyor Belts, Conveyor Lifts and Pipelines sometimes being invisible for Multiplayer/Dedicated Servers Clients (Triple for real!!!)
- Patch 0.5.0.8: Potential fix for invisible Conveyor Belts, Conveyor Lifts and Pipelines sometimes being invisible for Multiplayer / Dedicated Servers Clients
- Patch 0.5.0.6: Potential fixes for some Pipeline snapping issues
- Patch 0.5.0.4
- Fixed Pipe Fluid indicators not showing the correct fluid
- Fixed Pipes displaying Head lift, now they display Flow Rate (Pumps display both)
- Patch 0.5.0.0: Now supports Noodle Build Mode (not in patch notes)
- Patch 0.3.6.3:
- Changed Pipeline Mk.2 build cost from one Alclad Aluminum Sheet and one Plastic to two Copper Sheets and one Plastic
- Moved Pipeline Mk.2 from Tier 7 - Bauxite Refinement to Tier 6 - Pipeline Engineering Mk.2
- Patch 0.3.6:
- Introduced Pipeline Mk.2
- Renamed Pipeline to Pipeline Mk.1
- Patch 0.3: Introduced Pipeline
References
- ↑ YouTube - February 21st, 2023 Livestream - Q&A: Could you explain the technical issues behind the flow rate in Mk.2 Pipes?
- ↑ YouTube - Coffee Stain - August 1st, 2018 - Q&A: But... will there be Pipes?
- ↑ YouTube - February 17th, 2020 Livestream - Q&A: Is there a reason why you hate Pipes?
- ↑ YouTube - February 17th, 2020 Livestream - Snutt & Jace Talk: We can finally talk about Update 3
- ↑ YouTube - November 17th, 2020 Livestream - Trolling: Removing Pipes
- ↑ Twitch - CoffeeStainStudiosDevs - Pipes Mk.2