Water - how does it actually work?

[Coolthulhu]

0.9.0 is coming up and it will probably expand on core, yet the most "arcane" of features of factorio: liquids.

We've got water that does some strange things. It "disappears" from long pipes, it behaves wonky when there are loops, it isn't really documented other than "pumps make it, pipes transport it, boilers heat it, engines eat it up and make energy proportional to heat".
Has anyone made research on how does it actually work?

I'm interested in answers to those questions:

• At what rate is water removed from pipes and engines?
• How do long pipes affect water flow?
• How does water determine in which direction should it flow?
• If there are 2 inputs such that they can't be both utilized fully, which one will be used more?
• Does water temperature affect the rate at which is it consumed by engines (and maybe pipes)?
• How do hot and cold water mix (if at all)?
• How is water actually implemented in software?

[TGS]

It's probably a good thing there isn't a considerable amount of documentation on this as most of it will probably be made incorrect when 0.9.0 ships. Assuming they tackle 'water' as well as adding oil and such most information now is likely to change in 0.9. I'd say wait until then then worry about how it works.

In some ways I imagine that is probably why no one has done any detailed analysis on water because it was almost always going to end up changing. What we have now is essentially a form of placeholder. Just to make everything work.

[Pandamonium]

What we have now is essentially a form of placeholder. Just to make everything work.

are they planning to make water a limited resource? (currently unlimited)

[TGS]

What we have now is essentially a form of placeholder. Just to make everything work.

are they planning to make water a limited resource? (currently unlimited)

As of yet I don't believe so. At least I haven't heard any mention of it. Maybe in the long-term future they might, but that would be complete speculation on my part.