Pipeline

The Pipeline is used to transport fluids between structures in a similar manner to Conveyor Belts. It can transfer up to 300 m of fluid per minute. In order to transport fluids vertically, a sufficient amount of pressure has to be reached. A 1 meter climb equals 1 pressure. Pipeline pressure can be increased using a Pipeline Pump.

The volume of each individual Pipeline segment is set by its length.

Fluids
The Pipeline can transport one of the following type of fluids below:

A Pipeline segment can only contain 1 type of fluid at a time. Observe the icon of the fluid has the same appearance as a Pipeline indicator containing it.

Build mode
When building a pipeline, different build modes can be cycled by either pressing or holding.
 * Default: The default build mode.
 * Vertical: The pipe will attempt to stay at the same height as the starting point, then turns vertically when approaching the ending point.
 * Conveyor 2D: Similar to default mode but with a much smaller turning radius - useful when building a pipe in other build modes is not possible.

Turning radius

 * Pipelines have a minimum turning radius of 2 meters. When building pipelines at 90 degree turns, count 2 meters or 2 'grids' from the turning point.
 * Its graphical appearance may display that the radius smaller than 2 meters, but it is still impossible to build a turning point of 1 meter.

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. 7 metres) and the latter adjusted via the mouse scroll wheel. Each build stage is confirmed with LMB.

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 its Pipeline Supports removed.

Pipeline Indicator
The Pipeline is a metal tube. If the pipe contains a straight part of minimum 6 meters, a Flow Indicator will appear in the middle of the segment, which is a set of 3 rings on a retractable rail. A pipeline indicator displays 4 indications: The pulse rate is always maintained at 1 pulse per second.
 * Type of fluid content: the color of the window (the middle part that exposed) corresponds to the type and color of the fluid it is carrying.
 * % Amount of fluid: the distance of the 1st and 3rd rings from the center ring corresponds to the % amount fluid. If the pipes is full, then the rings are fully retracted. If pipe is empty, all the rings collapse at 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 distance of the ring expansion. If the flow rate is very small, the rings barely 'breathe'.

Flushing
The Pipeline contents can be emptied by interacting with a segment of it (default ) and then turning the flush lever in its UI.

There are 2 options:
 * If 'Pipe Segment' is chosen, only that segment is flushed.
 * If 'Full Pipe Network' is chosen, all pipes connected to the selected pipe are flushed.

Head lift
Fluids in a Pipeline can flow between different elevations based on head lift. Head lift is not required for perfectly horizontal Pipelines. Further reading: head lift
 * A Pipeline has a radius of about 1 meter. Thus, a perfectly horizontal Pipeline requires at least 1 meter of head lift to be fully filled. (On the head lift indicator on a connected Pipeline Pump, it is displayed as '1.3 meters' instead)

Storage capacity
Pipelines have storage capacity of 1.328 m per meter length.

Overflow valve
There is currently no distinct building in game that allows for 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 pipe.
 * The lower priority fluid consumers should be connected, in series, at the end of the line, with a 10 meter high pipes in-between to restrict the flow. Therefore, when the preceding pipeline is full, the fluid will pass through the restriction.

These work 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 prioritised.
 * 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 headlift will never fill up.

Pipe modification and fluid content

 * When a Pipeline is modified by either inserting a Pipeline Junction Cross or a Pipeline Pump onto it, all its fluid contents is emptied.
 * Similar to above, when a Pipeline Junction Cross or a Pipeline Pump is removed from a previously continuous pipe, all its fluid contents is emptied.

Trivia

 * Pipelines were memed by the community since the start of the game.
 * Pipelines do not encroach on built foundations, but foundations will encroach upon built pipelines. Thus, always build foundations first, then the pipeline.
 * There are ring-shaped welding joints along the pipeline, spaced roughly 1 meter apart, but not exactly 1 meter. Do not use those rings for distance measurement.

History

 * Patch 0.3: Introduced

Pipeline