Thoth: include clarification of the heat transfer mechanism suggested by discord, also fill in missing information for the structurebox

2025-12-11T22:13:04Z

include clarification of the heat transfer mechanism suggested by discord, also fill in missing information for the structurebox

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:13, 11 December 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{Structurebox		{{Structurebox
	\| name = Condensation Chamber		\| name = Condensation Chamber
	\| prefab_hash = ?		\| image = [[File:Condensation-chamber.png\|frameless]]
	\| prefab_name = ?		\| prefab_hash = 1420719315
			\| prefab_name = StructureCondensationChamber
	\| placed_with_item = '''Kit (Phase Change Device)'''		\| placed_with_item = '''Kit (Phase Change Device)'''
	\| placed_on_grid = Small Grid		\| placed_on_grid = Small Grid
			\| const_with_tool1 = [[Wrench]]
			\| const_with_item1 = 2 x [[Steel Sheets]]
			\| const_with_tool2 = [[Welding Torch]]
			\| const_with_item2 = 2 x [[Steel Sheets]]
	}}		}}

	The condenser is a device focused on condensing gasses by pressurizing them and cooling them.		The condenser is a device focused on condensing gasses by pressurizing them and cooling them.
	It includes a gas input, a liquid output, and a gas connection for the heat exchange gas. There is a setting for the target pressure that controls how much gas will be loaded from the input into the chamber. There is also a flush lever that will release all contents into the local atmosphere.		It includes a gas input, a liquid output, and a gas connection for the heat exchange gas. There is a setting for the target pressure that controls how much gas will be loaded from the input into the chamber. There is also a flush lever that will release all contents into the local atmosphere.

			==Operation==
			The condensation chamber fills itself with the gas input line to the pressure set-point from the dial.
			If the gasses condense, the chamber itself heats up due to the latent heat of condensation and the liquids leave out the liquid output.
			The exchange gas connection equalizes the temperature between the chamber and the exchange gas by exchanging energy between the two.
			If the exchange gas is warmer, then the chamber will heat up.
			But almost every use case of the condenser is for the exchange gas to be cooler than the chamber in order to transport the latent heat of condensation away and support ongoing condensation.

	It is often paired with an [[Evaporation Chamber]] to transfer heat from one system to another.		It is often paired with an [[Evaporation Chamber]] to transfer heat from one system to another.
Line 15:		Line 27:

	==Example==		==Example==
	In one example you could feed it with [[Pollutant]] at 4000 KPa and use pressurized Mars atmosphere to cool it. As the gas condenses the remaining gas absorbs the latent heat of condensation and increases in temperature. Its temperature is slowly equalized with the temperature of the gas in the exchange connection. If the gas in the exchange connection is not cooled some other way (using radiators, or by replacing some of it with fresh atmosphere) then eventually the chamber will reach equilibrium with the exchange gas and no more liquid will condense. Any gas that does condense into liquid is transferred into the connected liquid pipe.		In one example you could feed it with [[Pollutant]] to 4000 KPa and use pressurized Mars atmosphere to cool it. As the gas condenses the remaining gas absorbs the latent heat of condensation and increases in temperature. Its temperature is slowly equalized with the temperature of the gas in the exchange connection. If the gas in the exchange connection is not cooled some other way (using radiators, or by replacing some of it with fresh atmosphere) then eventually the chamber will reach equilibrium with the exchange gas and no more liquid will condense. Any gas that does condense into liquid is transferred into the connected liquid pipe.

	==Failure modes==		==Failure modes==

Thoth: first draft of description of Condensation Chamber

2025-12-11T18:07:00Z

first draft of description of Condensation Chamber

New page

{{Structurebox
| name = Condensation Chamber
| prefab_hash = ?
| prefab_name = ?
| placed_with_item = '''Kit (Phase Change Device)'''
| placed_on_grid = Small Grid
}}

The condenser is a device focused on condensing gasses by pressurizing them and cooling them.
It includes a gas input, a liquid output, and a gas connection for the heat exchange gas. There is a setting for the target pressure that controls how much gas will be loaded from the input into the chamber. There is also a flush lever that will release all contents into the local atmosphere.

It is often paired with an [[Evaporation Chamber]] to transfer heat from one system to another.

When the condenser is turned off it no longer loads gas from the input, or pumps liquid to the output. It continues to equalize with the exchange gas. If not properly managed, this can lead to problems, both as the chamber reaches steady state, and again when the chamber is turned back on and pumps out the condensed liquid.

==Example==
In one example you could feed it with [[Pollutant]] at 4000 KPa and use pressurized Mars atmosphere to cool it. As the gas condenses the remaining gas absorbs the latent heat of condensation and increases in temperature. Its temperature is slowly equalized with the temperature of the gas in the exchange connection. If the gas in the exchange connection is not cooled some other way (using radiators, or by replacing some of it with fresh atmosphere) then eventually the chamber will reach equilibrium with the exchange gas and no more liquid will condense. Any gas that does condense into liquid is transferred into the connected liquid pipe.

==Failure modes==
===Burst liquid pipe===
As liquid is transferred into the attached liquid pipe there is a possibility that the pipe will become so full of liquid that the gas in that pipe is squeezed beyond the pressure limit of the pipe (6MPa) and bursts. To prevent this, include cybernetics to either turn off the Condenser (good for "closed" liquid output like rocket fuel storage) or adjust its pressure to limit future condensation (good for loops that feed an evaporator) before the pipe becomes too full.

===Exchange gas low pressure===
Low pressure in the exchange gas connection can limit the speed of heat transfer. 150kPa is a good starting point.

Condensation Chamber - Revision history

Thoth: include clarification of the heat transfer mechanism suggested by discord, also fill in missing information for the structurebox

Thoth: first draft of description of Condensation Chamber