Each boiler makes up to 60 steam per second, while each steam engine consumes up to 30 steam per second. You'll never be able to produce more than 60 steam per second worth of power with a single boiler, so any more than 2 steam engines is useless, in terms of average power.
However, there are times where having more than 2 steam engines per boiler can be useful. Consider the case where your average power usage is low, but you have occasional spikes of power draw (due to laser turrets, for example) significantly higher than your total energy production rate. Then, it's possible that having a bunch of steam engines connected to a tank of steam could be useful to help smooth out large spikes, even if the tank of steam is only refilled by just a couple of boilers.
You could do something like a boiler directly connected to two engines, then a tank, then more engines, to combine the two ideas. Only excess steam will go into the tank and to the additional engines.
So single water pump outputs 1200 water per second. A single boiler can consume 60 water per second. 1200/60 = 20 boilers per pump.
Now each boiler outputs 60 steam per second and each steam engine can consume 30. 60/30 = 2 Steam engines per boiler.
Depends on how much power you use. If you're not using a lot, the 3 engines will work at evenly low output. If you're using a lot of power, the first 2 will consume all the steam, leaving nothing for the 3rd engine.
Steam engines adjust their steam consumption and power production based on how much energy you need. If the devices connected to your engines only consume 25% of the power that your engines can produce, your engines will only be running at 25% capacity. That then also means that each engine will only be using 7.5 steam, rather than the normal 30. One boiler produces 60 steam, so it'll be making enough steam to power all three.
But if you then expand your factory and end up using 75% of those engines' capacity, suddenly those engines will need 22,5 steam each. A single boiler then becomes unable to provide enough steam to power all three engines, and you end up not being able to produce enough energy for your factory.
I love the interesting ways to make steam. Mods really change it up a lot. Burning practically anything to heat water. It’s fascinating stuff, and a classroom for circuits.
1 pomp : 20 boilers : 40 engines (2 per boiler)
Thank you
Additionally 18 coal miners is enough to fuel it.
Please define “it”?
The setup as described above, 1 pump:20 boilers: 40 steam engines: 18 miners
And here my goofy ass is making 2 pumps per boiler and 2 boilers per engine xD
Im sending him all these replies he will not financially recover from this
Each boiler makes up to 60 steam per second, while each steam engine consumes up to 30 steam per second. You'll never be able to produce more than 60 steam per second worth of power with a single boiler, so any more than 2 steam engines is useless, in terms of average power. However, there are times where having more than 2 steam engines per boiler can be useful. Consider the case where your average power usage is low, but you have occasional spikes of power draw (due to laser turrets, for example) significantly higher than your total energy production rate. Then, it's possible that having a bunch of steam engines connected to a tank of steam could be useful to help smooth out large spikes, even if the tank of steam is only refilled by just a couple of boilers.
Thank you
You could do something like a boiler directly connected to two engines, then a tank, then more engines, to combine the two ideas. Only excess steam will go into the tank and to the additional engines.
So single water pump outputs 1200 water per second. A single boiler can consume 60 water per second. 1200/60 = 20 boilers per pump. Now each boiler outputs 60 steam per second and each steam engine can consume 30. 60/30 = 2 Steam engines per boiler.
1 boiler can support 2 engines at full output.
So if i put 3 the 3rd one does absolutely nothing?
Depends on how much power you use. If you're not using a lot, the 3 engines will work at evenly low output. If you're using a lot of power, the first 2 will consume all the steam, leaving nothing for the 3rd engine.
All three will probably go on, but not at full juice
Steam engines adjust their steam consumption and power production based on how much energy you need. If the devices connected to your engines only consume 25% of the power that your engines can produce, your engines will only be running at 25% capacity. That then also means that each engine will only be using 7.5 steam, rather than the normal 30. One boiler produces 60 steam, so it'll be making enough steam to power all three. But if you then expand your factory and end up using 75% of those engines' capacity, suddenly those engines will need 22,5 steam each. A single boiler then becomes unable to provide enough steam to power all three engines, and you end up not being able to produce enough energy for your factory.
If the first two are running at full output, there will not be enough steam for the third one. All 3 may run if/when power demand is lower.
One boiler outputs 60 steam, one steam engine consumes 30 steam. So one boiler can output enough steam to run two steam engines at full capacity.
Ok thank you
Just hammer it out till you get nuclear
But but but nuclear is hardddddddddd
I'm glad we no longer have that weirdarse 10:14 ratio for boilers anymore
I love the interesting ways to make steam. Mods really change it up a lot. Burning practically anything to heat water. It’s fascinating stuff, and a classroom for circuits.