Fluid Processing
The fluid system manages how fluids are collected, stored, used, and disposed of. It also works with the unreleased Thermal System to model cooling and the effects of mixed fluids.
Reservoirs and components
Section titled “Reservoirs and components”| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Reservoir | Stores fluid such as coolant or lubricant. Each reservoir has a primary fluid type. |
| Retainer component | Collects fluid from external sources and holds it until a matching reservoir can accept it. |
| Disposal component | Accepts unwanted fluid removed from a reservoir. |
The Synthetic Womb is an optional attachment with a retainer component in the development implementation.
How fluids move
Section titled “How fluids move”The normal transfer path is external source → retainer → reservoir → disposal. Cooling and lubrication use the fluids held in reservoirs.
- Use and losses: The system models coolant and lubricant use. The thermal design recirculates these fluids, with small losses from evaporation, leaks, or degradation. Lubricant consumption also increases with arousal.
- Filtering: A reservoir handles foreign fluids according to its filter setting, either leaving them alone, converting them, or moving them to disposal components.
- Collection: A retainer transfers matching fluid to a reservoir. If the reservoir is full, the fluid stays in the retainer until space is available.
Reservoir filters
Section titled “Reservoir filters”Each reservoir can handle fluids other than its primary type in one of three ways:
| Filter | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Ignoring | Leaves foreign fluids in the reservoir. |
| Converting | Gradually turns foreign fluids into the reservoir’s primary fluid type. |
| Disposing | Pumps foreign fluids into available disposal components. |
Disposing prioritizes foreign fluids instead of removing a proportional sample of the entire mixture. Similarly, a reservoir draws matching fluid from a mixed retainer and leaves unwanted fluid behind.
Flow rates and capacity
Section titled “Flow rates and capacity”Each reservoir and component has a flow rate, which limits how quickly fluid can move. Transfers depend on the rate, elapsed time, available fluid, and free space at the destination.
For example, if a reservoir can send 1 ml/s but a disposal component can accept only 0.5 ml/s, a transfer over 10 seconds moves at most 5 ml. The slower component sets the limit.
The thermal development notes specify a default flow rate of 5 ml/s, with a configurable range of 1–20 ml/s per reservoir or component. These values are provisional.
Mixed fluids
Section titled “Mixed fluids”A mixture of different fluids is called an amalgam. Its properties depend on the proportions of the fluids it contains.
- Cooling and lubrication: The system uses weighted properties for mixtures. Contaminating a coolant reservoir changes its heat capacity and can reduce cooling effectiveness.
- Selective transfers: Filters and retainers select the relevant fluid types at the available flow rate.
- Volume conservation: Transfers account for the fluid removed from the source and added to the destination, including near-empty containers and high flow rates.
See Thermal System for coolant circulation, lubricant thermal mass, temperature-dependent losses, and cooling behavior.