Nuclear power and Steam Turbines

[darkmtbg2]

since when a nuclear reactor have been started wouldnt it make more sense that the steam Turbine would push their power over steam engines and below solarpanels

my logic goes like this . why would you go into steam tubine and nuclear power if the Turbine doesnt become "The main power". since we know "i assume" that nuclear reactors never stop untill there's no fuel in the reactor no matter if the heat is needed or not

like in a system that needs 31 MW(or more in some cases) and you have a nuclear reactor why would you have steam turbines work alongside the steam engines and not make the steam turbine push out their power over the engines

SteamTurbines.png (1.33 MiB) Viewed 3818 times

In the picture above i have the capacity of having 40 MW but my steam Engines are still kicking on at the same "Prioity" as my steam turbines which on the picture

[Tekky]

Yes, I agree with you that solar power should have highest priority, followed by steam turbines (nuclear power) and then followed by steam engines (boilers).

[OdinYggd]

Considering that the turbines make a chuffing sound like steam engines, I'm pretty sure they came to be by copypasting the steam engine code and changing a few numbers, then paperclipping it onto new graphics.

Consider the priority conflict an incentive to learn how to use circuits, that way you con control your steam engines to only operate if the nuclear reactor fails to provide output in a timely manner.

Plus such circuit knowledge makes it possible to properly minmax the reactor and operate it in a way that conserves fuel, only using it when there is actually load to require it.

[Tekky]

Yes, it does provide an incentive to use circuit networks. But so would giving solar power the same priority as steam engine power.

Since the Factorio developers have decided to automatically give solar power priority over steam engine power, so that the player does not require circuit network logic for this, it would be logical to do the same for nuclear power.

An alternative would be to eliminate automatic prioritization of power generation altogether, so that the player must also handle all of this himself using circuit network logic, including the prioritization of solar power over steam engine power.

Factorio, in its current state, is a mixture of the two alternatives mentioned above. I am against this, as it is not consistent. In my opinion, the Factorio developers should make a clear decision for one of the two alternatives mentioned above.

I personally think that it would be best to have automatic prioritization of everything, because I cannot think of any situation where it would be appropriate to change the priority of solar power->nuclear power->boiler power. That way, the only things left to the player to handle using circuit network logic would be the feeding of fuel into nuclear reactors and boilers.

[darkmtbg2]

Considering that the turbines make a chuffing sound like steam engines, I'm pretty sure they came to be by copypasting the steam engine code and changing a few numbers, then paperclipping it onto new graphics.

Consider the priority conflict an incentive to learn how to use circuits, that way you con control your steam engines to only operate if the nuclear reactor fails to provide output in a timely manner.

Plus such circuit knowledge makes it possible to properly minmax the reactor and operate it in a way that conserves fuel, only using it when there is actually load to require it.

In reply to your first line. that's likely what happended.

on the second point then the steam turbines and steam engines in my honest opinion have circuit connections that could report back on how much of their potential energy is getting pushed out or/and which prioity it is on
As far as i know theres no way to find energy consumpsion+production from the energy system through the circuit network(in vanilla) if you know how please enlighten me

[Zaydan]

Unlike other power sources, the nuclear reactor is always consuming fuel, whether you use the power it produces or not.

Therefore, to not use the power is a waste of fuel. So it should definitely be above standard steam engines.

I only wonder if the game has a logic issue in determining what is powering the turbine/engine. Since you can run a boiler to a steam turbine and I assume a heat exchanger into a steam engine, does the game really care what makes the steam?

[OdinYggd]

on the second point then the steam turbines and steam engines in my honest opinion have circuit connections that could report back on how much of their potential energy is getting pushed out or/and which prioity it is on
As far as i know theres no way to find energy consumpsion+production from the energy system through the circuit network(in vanilla) if you know how please enlighten me

None of the current methods of power generation have their utilization factor exposed to circuits. In fact there isn't a vanilla means to retrieve power grid statistics of any kind into the circuit network.

However, the game does have the power switch. With some care in wiring, it is possible to use this switch to isolate steam engines when they are not needed by the grid so that they aren't getting used when they shouldn't be. Use an accumulator to provide the control signal, connecting the engines when the accumulator discharges enough.

That alone is insufficient though, as the switch will bounce rapidly at the setpoint and make some obnoxious effects in doing so. The way commonly seen to avoid this issue is to use a SR latch, which provides a cut-in condition and a cut-out condition to make it operate similarly to a household well pump or a home workshop air compressor.

I've found ways to circuit control the fuel input to my reactors and the power output from my turbines in such a way that no fuel is wasted, and the system cleanly starts and stops as needed to respond to changes in loading.

[burner]

I was agreeing with you but then I build circuit what measure accumulator from my main network and connect my coal plant to net only if main network accu level is under 50%. It disconnect it self when level is over 90%. I must say that now when I look back I must say that I was wrong when I want also that "nuclear priority". It is more fun to build things than get them as automation.