Cleaning Polluted Water: Effective Strategies For Sweeping Success

Sweeping up polluted water is a task that can be assigned to a duplicant in the game Oxygen Not Included. While it is possible to simply isolate and pump polluted water out of your base, there are several ways to put it to use. Polluted water can be used as a coolant, as it reaches much colder temperatures than standard water. It can also be used to grow plants like Pincha Pepper, Thimble Reed, and Arbor Tree, which are used in high-quality food recipes, produced clothing, and fuel for machines, respectively. If you want to purify polluted water, you can pump it into a water sieve or use gulp fish in the reservoir. This doesn't remove germs, so a second step, like adding chlorine, is necessary to make it safe for drinking or bathing.

Using a bottle emptier

To sweep up polluted water using a bottle emptier, follow these steps:

Firstly, place a bottle emptier over a basin or reservoir. Ensure that the bottle emptier is positioned near the source of the polluted water, such as an algae terrarium, to facilitate the collection process. The proximity between the bottle and the emptier is crucial, as it can impact the efficiency of the process.

Secondly, set the bottle emptier to accept polluted water. This is a critical step, as failing to do so may result in the device ignoring the contaminated liquid. Additionally, avoid setting it to 'sweep only', as this may limit its functionality to bottles marked with a specific designation.

Thirdly, adjust the priority settings. Set the building priority to a high number, such as 9, to ensure the task is completed promptly. Additionally, ensure that sweeping polluted water is designated as a 'Store' or 'Storing' errand. This is an important distinction, as it will influence how you prioritize your dupes' tasks. If it is not categorized as a 'Storing' errand, it may be considered a 'Supply' errand, which can lead to unnecessary tasks being assigned to your dupes.

Finally, consider having multiple bottle emptiers. This is especially important if you have a large volume of polluted water to manage, as only one bottle can be emptied at a time. By having multiple emptiers, your dupes can work simultaneously, significantly increasing the efficiency of the process.

By following these steps, you can effectively utilize a bottle emptier to sweep up polluted water. This will help maintain a clean and sanitary environment, reducing the risk of contamination and promoting better hygiene.

Converting it into fertiliser

Converting polluted water into fertiliser is a feasible process that can help make agriculture more sustainable. While wastewater is a significant source of pollution, ending up in lakes and streams, it can be treated and converted into fertiliser. This novel wastewater treatment system can effectively remove conventional pollutants and recover valuable resources such as phosphorus and organic materials.

One method to achieve this is through air-stripping, which removes ammonia by raising the temperature and pH of the water, converting it into a gas. The gas can then be collected in a concentrated form as ammonium sulfate, a valuable byproduct. This process shortens the water treatment process and is more environmentally friendly than the Haber-Bosch method, emitting 5-10 times less greenhouse gas.

The NPHarvest technique is another promising approach, saving time, money, and energy for treatment facilities while purifying sewage. It also reduces eutrophication from nutrient leakage into waterways and does not produce nitrous oxide, a climate-changing gas.

Converting polluted water into fertiliser offers several benefits, including a circular nutrient cycle, simplified wastewater purification, and reduced environmental impact for the agricultural and wastewater treatment industries. This process can also create potable water and provide a revenue stream for utilities and treatment facilities.

Overall, by converting polluted water into fertiliser, we can solve two problems at once, treating wastewater and creating a valuable resource for sustainable agriculture.

Purifying with a water sieve

To use the Water Sieve effectively, it needs to be supplied with polluted dirt and receive water through a liquid pipe on its input port. It will then output polluted water, which can be further processed or disposed of properly. The Water Sieve is particularly useful in starting biomes, as it allows colonies to operate structures like the Carbon Skimmer or the Lavatory without consuming polluted water. Instead, it consumes polluted dirt, which is more abundant and can be used to pollute water.

One user recommends having a third tank for recently sieved water to be decontaminated, and ensuring that the water is hot to kill any germs. Another user suggests a gravity-based system using mesh tiles to heat water and then progressively cool it before it falls into the main water basin. This can help address any heat issues that may arise.

It is worth noting that the Water Sieve will not be damaged by polluted water, saltwater, or brine, and it will simply pass these liquids along without changing their temperature. This makes it a durable and versatile tool for water purification. By following these steps and considerations, the Water Sieve can be a valuable asset in purifying polluted water and maintaining a clean water supply.

Using it as a coolant

Polluted water can be used as a coolant, but there are some important considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, the boiling point of polluted water is relatively low, around 119-120°C. If the liquid reaches its boiling point, it can turn to gas and damage pipes due to the state change. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the polluted water does not reach temperatures above its boiling point.

To use polluted water as a coolant effectively, it is recommended to start with cool water and work in batches to prevent overheating. Cycling the polluted water through a full reservoir can extend its usefulness for several processes. Additionally, using a liquid reservoir can help, as liquids in a reservoir automatically equalize their temperature. For more heat exchange capacity, multiple reservoirs can be hooked up in series to loop the fluids between them.

Polluted water is particularly effective as a coolant for aquatuners, as it has a higher heat capacity than petroleum. It is also useful for everyday purposes, such as cooling a base. However, for systems that require quick heat transfer, petroleum may be a more suitable option.

It is worth noting that the specific heat capacity and freezing point of polluted water make it a more energy-efficient option than petroleum in certain situations. Polluted water has a higher heat capacity, which means it can absorb and transfer more heat before requiring cooling. Additionally, its freezing point of around -20°C is significantly higher than that of petroleum, which freezes at -57°C.

Sweeping and mopping

Sweeping:

• Build a bottle emptier: Construct a bottle emptier over a basin or container to collect the polluted water. Ensure that the building priority is set to 9.
• Prioritize storing: Set the priority for your dupes or duplicants to focus on "Storing" errands. This will ensure they prioritize sweeping and collecting polluted water.
• Use the sweep command: Utilizing the sweep command will change the errand to "Tidying" or "Supply." This can help manage the task alongside other errands.
• Ignore and deodorize: If resources are limited, consider ignoring the contaminated bottles for the time being. Deploy deodorizers to clean the oxygen and focus on building a plumbed washroom.
• Storage management: When dealing with swept-up liquid bottles, ensure they are emptied at the nearest bottle emptier that accepts the liquid. Store the bottles away from areas like wash basins or microbe mushers to prevent accidental usage.

Mopping:

• Liquid mopping: Mopping is a manual task that must be assigned to your duplicants. They will need to remove liquids from floor tiles and place them into bottles for transport.
• Weight limit: Ensure that there is no more than 150kg of liquid present in the area to be mopped. Duplicants can mop tiles directly on top of any solid tile as long as this weight limit is not exceeded.
• Efficient transportation: Mopping can be a quick way to transport large amounts of fluid, especially in the early stages before advanced technology is available. It is essential to periodically drop a denser liquid into a large pool of another fluid to facilitate this process.
• Strength attribute: To increase the efficiency and speed of mopping, prioritize duplicants with a higher Strength attribute. Their ability to perform tasks like mopping will be enhanced.

Frequently asked questions