Pressure Switch

[JNapoleon120]

So this is something that I would really like in the game and run into quite a bit.  The situation is like this:  You have your (insert gas or liquid) that you are consuming.  You send it to your (insert name of machinery) but it isn't using as much as you are sending, so as the efficient colony designer you want to store it in a more accessible, cleaner, larger space.  Right now you have to split it 50% where half goes to the machinery and the other goes i.e. storage.  This I feel, cuts down on production and would like a switch to be able to divert the excess gas.  How it would work is when you have build up enough (name of gas/liquid) up to where your switch is (where the gas/liquid isn't moving), it triggers the switch and start diverting the excess off to the alternate pipe.  

If this is impossible or already can be done please let me know.  I can't think of a way to do this already in game.  

[Yoma_Nosme]

@JNapoleon120

Maybe a combination of automation wire, automation gas shutoff or valve could help.

Could you provide a picture of what's your priority objective? I think there is no "fit one, fits all" solution to this since every machine works a little differently.

But basically I think I understand your problem. You would like to have gas or liquid stored in "tanks" instead of full pipes acting as a kind of a buffer.

And when you need some liquid or gas, pipes should provide and deliver the amount needed becoming  "empty" in the process till you need them again. 

Is this right? 

[blash365]

Simple solution: bridge.

 

Add a bridge to your pipe/vent. The end of the bridge is connected to your consuming device. The end of the pipe/vent is connected to your storage. The bridge will take priority over the normal pipe flow unless it is blocked. Everything that cannot be consumed goes down the pipe into your storage.

 

If you want some "buffer capacity" for your consuming device, you can simply make the pipe behind your bridge longer (or add a buffer room for intermediate storage).

[alown]

I can add : the bridge got the priority on the input, but not in the output, so you can easily control your flow traffic.

And when you see the content splitting, it's not really splitting. Some people think it's better to use valve gas, for getting a regular flow, but in fact, that change nothing. You need valve only if you need a different rate for your 2 pipes. So you can add a valve for letting 60% of the content for your generator, , in continuous, and when your gen is full, every thing goes for your storage.

[ImpalerWrG]

I suggested a spacial pipe section called a 'shunt' which would have the ability to set the ratio of which directions things move.  So you could have a T intersections in with 10% goes one direction and 90% the other.  This would allow more fine tuning vs the bridge.

[Kabrute]

so, something like a valve?

[blash365]

11 hours ago, ImpalerWrG said:

I suggested a spacial pipe section called a 'shunt' which would have the ability to set the ratio of which directions things move.  So you could have a T intersections in with 10% goes one direction and 90% the other.  This would allow more fine tuning vs the bridge.

What you are suggesting should be possible by using a valve directly on the main vent-line instead of a bridge in most cases. The valve takes priority but only takes as much mass from the main flow as requested.

This is not a ratio-based but absolute "shunt", but to be fair the main reason to build such a device is because you have x consumers down one lane and a storage down the other. So you should be able to tell how much you have to split from the main flow to supply all consumers with an absolute value anyway.

One of the reason for a "shunt" might be an air conditioning vent, where you want all vents of your base to be equally supplied with oxygen. I havent come up with a good solution for that case as well, so maybe there is a use case for your shunt afterall.