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[runhidesurvive]

i dont get it what will you do with all that power... Actually a better question would be WHAT is all that power used for apart from mills and pumps?

[ab00]

Dwarf Fortress: "I build perpetual motion reactors for fun."

You mean !!FUN!!

That would imply the reactor is on fire, which it isn't, unless you apply magma.

And that's how it should be. A magma perpetual motion reactor.

[Forumite]

Thought, would it be a good idea to keep the wheels generating power for the pumps separate from those generating power for the rest of the fortress? If the reactor shuts down then itīs easier to restart just a few wheels, perhaps the last line before the pumps on the bottom level.

Another alternative is to either use an automatic system that shuts off power to the rest of the fortress if there is ever too little power (probably using pressure plates and a pump, when the pump stops the power to the rest of the fortress shuts down), or just power the pumps with wind power?

[Triaxx2]

A third option would be a modified repeater which activates different sections of the power supply in sequence. So Wing A gets power for 400 steps, then Wing B, so on. Works well if you're pumping magma and water in an obsidian farm, you can flip a lever to engage power, and the repeater will begin counting, pumping magma into chamber A, then B, and C, then starting over with water. Or until a pressure plate engages and disconnects the pump.

[ShadowBroker]

excuse my newbishness, but i cant decipher most of that diagram. i can understand the walls, gearboxes, axels, and pumps, but i dont understand where the waterwheels go. would those be the +'s?

[Triaxx2]

Nope the the waterwheels are the black and gold bars. + signs are floors. Thus the top level and second level are filled with numerous waterwheels, side by side to the point that they all look like one large piece. Power is transferred off along the left hand side down through a vertical axle and more gears.

Of course none of it seems connected to anything requiring power, but...

[ShadowBroker]

Nope the the waterwheels are the black and gold bars. + signs are floors. Thus the top level and second level are filled with numerous waterwheels, side by side to the point that they all look like one large piece. Power is transferred off along the left hand side down through a vertical axle and more gears.

Of course none of it seems connected to anything requiring power, but...

see, i had imagined that a floor or something. solid mass of waterwheels, check

[Itnetlolor]

This is exactly what I need to power my vault via hydro-power plant (which also operate the water filter with a "water control chip"). I'll shrink it down a bit, of course, but I definitely have a good spot to place it to serve as standalone power source for at least the surface vault. Plans are being designed to work on a "Deep Vault" (cavern layer) and have maybe it's own independent generator of similar design.

EDIT:
Just designed a schematic using a power kill-switch (without needing to shut off the reactor itself), and a tri-axle/mechanism core power distribution system. One is for +Z power (generally the northern gear assembly), E/W (depending on output direction) is same-level (+/-1Z margin), and another for -Z (generally southern gear assembly). And these go to substations (of similar distribution style) that further divide the power output for easier management of what gets powered.

A good rule of thumb to operate on I have intent for using is generally:

        * +Z
SOURCE==** =Z
        * -Z

+Z (North) powers water towers and/or entrance trap systems (spike strips or something or a controlled flood); Build as many assemblies/V-axles necessary.
=Z (E/W) powers same-level pumbing (generally easing pressure from water tower or something, or flood control in case of leaks)
-Z (South) powers any sub-terranean systems (deeper flood control/drainage and magma pumping if accessible enough). Build as many assemblies/V-axles necessary.

The mechanism connected to all 3 (SOURCE==) is the master kill-switch/toggle assembly.
Any substations made follow similar suit.

This setup can make sewer systems (and other powered equipment) rather (more) awesome and practical; both for aesthetic and functional reasons.

Spoiler: An example of my little modification to the design, as well as scaling down (click to show/hide)

Also makes use of it's own currents to self-power, unless you also want to link a kill-switch on the recycler node.

Despite being scaled down, the entire bottom row alone (Z+1) can keep recycling the power through the entire power plant itself while the upper floor can process the rest of the power to be distributed across the region.

Funny thought: Make a skyscraper (or earthscraper) that operates under these parameters (which can also regulate the water as it falls as well to prevent evaporation as it descends, a downward ramp screw can do the work easily to prevent water loss; so you can fill only once), if done right, let's say can power the whole world. Somebody, do this, and call it Hydrocity.

Oh, and I noticed something, as long as one of the water wheel's tiles are on top of a ground tile, or not hanging, they shouldn't break down when they're shut off (yet, still yield a full output). However, I advise having kill switches on both the power distributor (immediate) and the base-pump node (slower, but shuts off the waterflow, which in turn kills the power cycle).

EDIT:
Right, my mockup picture has a bit of an inconsistency. The bottom row to Lvl.3 wouldn't work. I would advise offsetting the pumps (Lvl.1 and 2) downward by at least 1 tile to make use of them as well (9x100(-12) (888) power recovered). My mistake. Then again, it's a model showing in a simpler setting how the device works anyhow.

[Azated]

Threads like this make me wish we had more uses for power. It's still fun building massive super-reactors to power millstones though.

[Itnetlolor]

Threads like this make me wish we had more uses for power. It's still fun building massive super-reactors to power millstones though.

You can always build a modern dwarven city by using my model and setting up power-lines (via disposable bridges, or from the poles the mechanisms are supported on) and axles (they fall apart from not being supported and not powered, well, dwarven electricians have some work to do), and a pole every mechansim anchor point (making repairs to the "wires" much much easier; and should look cool in a visualizer)) and sub-stations spanning to suburbs and underground cities (underground "cables"), as well as commercial district buildings and etc. with complete plumbing throughout the buildings, kudos to the power plant's assistance.

Let's set these beardlings to the 21st century with this, and if possible, connect this power to other regions and charge them for it.

Consider windmills as a method of air-conditioning by being powered by the power plant now (with or without being exposed to the elements (which power them, ironically enough)).


Actually, that's a really good megaproject idea for someone to try out: Dwarf Fortress 2011 (for real).

Using Vanilla DF, or any modern-style mod, Build an embark into a completely modern city or town using this as a hydro-power plant, and that is the only source of power for the entire city/town (power-plant workers can manually power the pumps, instead of automating it cheaply (keep them working)). And yes, every house and building must be powered (at least having a 'power line' connected to the building, unless you have an aesthetic or implied functional idea; like an icebox/freezer for a butcher shop or something (add a few windmills to make it look cooler in Stonesense)), and be linked to a central sewage system/water source pipeline.

Essentially, it's Cid Mire's DwarfCity '11. Have ‼fun‼ Mayor.

EDIT:
Funny thought. The acronym (when excluding the obvious power source) is OUR (which is perfect for community-style forting), and making it stackable turns it SOUR (potentially to FPS).

Oh, and I wouldn't mind seeing a recording of this thing in action in the DFMAs. Plus, how did your FPS fare when it was activated?

[Karakzon]

now only if pessurised magma affected water wheels, then you could neather cap the affair and have a dwarven stacked magma reactor.

[Kaleb702 Games]

Why aren't there magma reactors?

[Myr0ku]

I don't have readed all the thread, so was the idea of dumping prisonners in the reactor submited ?

[doublestrafe]

You just know that someday DF will have the physics for this.