Fractionator

The Fractionator is a unique building used to convert Hydrogen into Deuterium. Unlike most production buildings, it does not use Sorters for input and output; instead, it operates in a continuous belt-based process. Hydrogen must enter from one side belt port and leave through the opposite belt port, while Deuterium is taken out from the middle port. Because of this belt-driven design, its throughput is governed primarily by belt speed and stacking rather than by sorter logistics.

Each Hydrogen that passes through has a 1% chance to be converted into Deuterium. The conversion happens individually, not per stack, and the building preserves Hydrogen stacks as they pass through except for the items that are converted. The input Hydrogen is not consumed on a failed conversion; it simply continues on as Hydrogen. As a result, faster belts and higher stack sizes increase production significantly, and the building’s output scales directly with the amount of Hydrogen circulating through it. A fully saturated Conveyor Belt MK.III loop with one stack can produce 0.3 Deuterium/s from a single Fractionator, while stacked belts raise output further.

The Fractionator is especially effective in a closed conveyor loop. A common layout feeds Hydrogen into a loop and lets the same Hydrogen circulate repeatedly, replacing only what has been converted. However, as Hydrogen is consumed along the line, later Fractionators in the loop receive less input, so very long loops become less efficient unless the loop is replenished. Multiple Hydrogen entry points or multiple loops help maintain saturation. Automatic pilers greatly improve this setup by re-stacking the circulating Hydrogen between Fractionators, which restores high efficiency and removes the need to keep loops short. Splitters or T-junctions can be used to inject fresh Hydrogen into the loop while preventing the belt from clogging.

Power use depends on how much Hydrogen is actually being processed. The building draws its full operating power whenever it is converting any Hydrogen, but for low throughput it stays at the base 720 kW. As throughput rises, power consumption increases with output, reaching much higher values on heavily stacked high-speed belts. For example, a fully stacked Conveyor Belt MK.III setup can push output to 1.2 Deuterium/s per Fractionator with corresponding power demand, while proliferated Hydrogen increases conversion rate further but also raises energy consumption in the usual way.

In practice, the Fractionator is usually the best choice for Deuterium production. Compared with the Miniature Particle Collider, it is far cheaper to build, far more energy-efficient, and generally superior for large-scale Hydrogen-to-Deuterium conversion. The Miniature Particle Collider has better production density in a small footprint, but it consumes much more power per Deuterium and is better reserved for recipes that only it can make.

• A single Fractionator works best when supplied by a fast, saturated belt loop.
• Conveyor Belt MK.III is the standard choice for high output.
• Automatic pilers can maintain stack size through the loop and improve efficiency greatly.
• Longer single-loop setups lose efficiency unless fresh Hydrogen is reintroduced.
• The output belt should carry Deuterium away from the middle port, while Hydrogen continues through the opposing port.
• Proliferated Hydrogen boosts output but also increases power consumption.