Chlorine offers an efficient and safe method for sterilizing contaminated water in Oxygen Not Included (ONI) by creating a controlled chlorine gas environment directly above your stored water. This process effectively eliminates germs without leaving any harmful residues in the disinfected water.
Why Chlorine for Water Purification in ONI?
In the challenging world of ONI, Duplicants often generate germ-infested water, such as polluted water from lavatories or water contaminated by slimelung. Consuming or using germy water can lead to diseases like food poisoning, impacting Duplicant morale and productivity. While other purification methods exist, chlorine provides a unique, non-consumptive way to disinfect large quantities of water.
The Chlorine Disinfection Method Explained
The core of chlorine-based water purification in ONI relies on gas stratification and direct contact. Here's how to implement it:
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Prepare Your Water Storage:
- Build one or more Liquid Reservoirs (or other large liquid storage tanks) in an enclosed room. This room should be completely sealed to prevent gases from escaping or mixing with your base atmosphere.
- Pipe your germ-ridden water into these reservoirs.
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Introduce Chlorine Gas Above the Water:
- Locate a source of chlorine gas (e.g., from chlorine vents or by off-gassing Bleach Stone).
- Use a Gas Pump and Gas Pipes to pump chlorine gas into the sealed room containing your water storage.
- Crucially, ensure the chlorine gas is introduced above the surface of the water. Due to its density (denser than oxygen, carbon dioxide, or hydrogen), chlorine gas will settle and create a layer directly on top of the water in the reservoirs. This ensures maximum contact.
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Allow for Disinfection:
- Once the chlorine blanket is established over the water, simply let it remain in place.
- The sterilization process typically takes approximately one full game cycle (600 seconds) for the entire supply of water to be completely disinfected. During this time, the chlorine molecules interact with the germs in the water, neutralizing them.
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Remove the Chlorine:
- After the water is fully sterilized, use another Gas Pump (or the same one, with automation) to remove the chlorine gas from the chamber.
- The removed chlorine can be pumped back into dedicated gas storage, released into space (if applicable), or piped to another area where it's needed (e.g., for Slimelung disinfection).
- Important: The chlorine gas will not contaminate the purified water, nor will it leave any ill effects. Your water will be completely sterile and safe for Duplicant consumption or use.
Practical Setup Example & Tips
A common setup involves a small, sealed room with one or more liquid reservoirs at the bottom. A gas vent is placed above the reservoirs to introduce chlorine, and a gas pump is placed higher up to remove other gases or the chlorine itself after disinfection.
Components for an Effective Setup
| Component | Purpose | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed Chamber | Contains the water and chlorine gas. | Must be airtight to prevent gas leaks; often made of insulated tiles. |
| Liquid Reservoirs | Stores contaminated water for the disinfection process. | Place on the floor of the chamber. |
| Gas Pump | Used for both introducing and removing chlorine gas. | Can be automated to turn on/off based on gas type or pressure. |
| Gas Pipes & Vents | Directs chlorine into the chamber and out. | Ensure the vent is placed to allow chlorine to settle above water. |
| Liquid Pipes | Feeds contaminated water in and extracts purified water out. | Use liquid shutoffs or valves for precise control. |
| Automation (Optional) | For hands-off operation. | Gas Sensor: Detects chlorine presence. Liquid Sensor: Monitors water levels. |
Automation Example:
You can use a Gas Sensor to detect chlorine in the chamber. When chlorine is detected, enable the liquid pipes to fill the reservoirs. After a set time (e.g., 600 seconds), turn off the chlorine input and activate a gas pump to remove the chlorine. Once chlorine is gone, you can pump out the purified water.
Advantages of Chlorine Disinfection
- No Resource Consumption: Unlike water purifiers (which consume sand) or research (which requires power and materials for UV lamps), chlorine itself isn't "used up" in the process. It can be recycled.
- Highly Effective: Eliminates 100% of germs from the water.
- Safe: Leaves no residual contaminants in the water.
- Scalable: Can disinfect large volumes of water simultaneously with enough reservoirs.
Alternative Water Purification Methods
While chlorine is excellent for germ removal, it's important to differentiate it from basic filtration:
- Water Sieve: Filters Polluted Water into Clean Water, but does not remove germs. It consumes Sand.
- Desalinator: Turns Salt Water into Polluted Water, which then needs further treatment.
- Liquid Tepidizer/Hot Water: Boiling water (heating it above 95°C) will kill all germs, but requires significant power.
- UV Lamps (Germs Killing Chamber): This is another method specifically designed for germ removal, usually for air or other liquids.
Chlorine's method of creating a gas blanket over water remains a unique and effective strategy for ensuring your Duplicants have access to perfectly sterile water.
