Hydrogen Gas

Hydrogen Gas is a light gaseous element that appears naturally in small amounts in the Caustic Biome and Tide Pool Biome, and is also produced by an Electrolyzer when water is split into oxygen and hydrogen. It can additionally be generated by Hydrogen Vents during their active periods and by Plug Slugs after they consume metal ores. On space missions, it can also be harvested from renewable space points of interest such as Exploded Gas Giants and Helium Clouds.

Hydrogen Gas is one of the colony’s most useful industrial gases because it serves both as a power source and as a high-end fuel. It can be burned in a Hydrogen Generator, where 100 g of hydrogen produces 800 J of electricity, and it is also the fuel for the Anti Entropy Thermo-Nullifier, which consumes 10 g/s to produce -80 kDTU/s of cooling. In rocket progression, Hydrogen Gas can be liquefied into Liquid Hydrogen and used as fuel for the Hydrogen Engine, which is one of the strongest rocket engines available.

Because Hydrogen is also useful for temperature management, many colonies deliberately collect and route it instead of venting it away. It can be used to power an Anti Entropy Thermo-Nullifier, and a Hydrogen atmosphere increases the cooling efficiency of Wheezeworts. Thermo Regulators are also often placed in hydrogen-filled rooms so they do not overheat while cooling other gases elsewhere in the base. A common approach is to vent excess hydrogen into a cold biome and then recover it, or rely on natural convection to move it where it is needed.

A few practical uses and interactions stand out:

• Hydrogen is produced alongside Oxygen in an Electrolyzer, making it a natural byproduct of many oxygen systems.
• It can be captured and fed into a Hydrogen Generator for stable mid- to late-game power.
• It is the fuel for the Anti Entropy Thermo-Nullifier, making it valuable even in very small quantities.
• It is required for Liquid Hydrogen production, which in turn enables the Hydrogen Engine.
• In cooling setups, hydrogen is often used as the working atmosphere around Wheezeworts and Thermo Regulators.
• If hydrogen is being managed as a rocket exhaust product, it can be recovered from steam generated by a Hydrogen Engine launch and landing cycle, though this is usually only worthwhile in very advanced colonies.

Since Hydrogen Gas is both a resource and a byproduct, it is usually worth separating it from oxygen as early as possible. Electrolyzer setups commonly use gas filters or room design to isolate hydrogen at the top of a chamber, since letting it accumulate there makes it easier to store, burn, or convert into liquid fuel later.