Chemistry Overhaul

[swagXDragonSlayer46YT]

New Chemical Reactors

The main idea is to make different types of specialized reactors instead of having everything be in the same chemical reactor & LCR map. There will be two main types of chemical processes: continuous processes and batch processes. Continuous means that very small amounts of inputs and outputs are made, and the time taken is also very small. Batch processes are what the current system mostly have, with medium amounts of inputs and outputs with a moderate amount of time taken. Catalysts will also be handled differently (see catalyst section below)

Later on, some chemical reactions will need light of a certain wavelength to begin a reaction. This will be after some sort of laser system is implemented.

Batch processes

• Distillation
• Centrifuging
• Mixing
• Crystallizing fluids into solids (Not to be confused with crystallization crucible multiblock)
• Polymerization
• Large chemical reactor for some high-end batch processes
• Photochemistry (Reactions that need a light input)
• Electrolysis (will be changed drastically: https://github.com/SymmetricDevs/Supersymmetry-Ideas/issues/63)

Continuous processes (Continuous processes require fluids and gases. Some solids will have to be dissolved in solvents before being reacted. See solvent section below.)

• CSTR for general chemical reactions (could be between fluids and/or gases): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_stirred-tank_reactor
• Bubble column reactor for reactions that involve bubbling gases into fluids/dissolved substances
• Fixed bed reactor for reactions using solid catalyst trays (most common for catalyzed processes)
• Trickle bed reactor for reactions involving catalysts that can only be in dust form (such as raney nickel for hydrogenation)
• Fluidized bed reactor for high-end catalyzed reactions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluidized_bed_reactor

Catalysts

Some catalysts will be made out of 2 materials, one being supported by the other. Catalyst supports are usually made by mixing together solutions of the 2 materials to be combined, followed by activation by heating.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst_support

Product purification

Byproducts will be made in some processes, and some of the original ingredients may be left unreacted. Chemical reactor recipes will output all the products & leftovers (and sometimes used catalysts or solvents) into the same fluid, if the products/leftovers are in the same state or are soluble. Products that are in different phases (solid, gas, liquid) will be outputted separately. Sometimes the desired products will need to be purified using more processes, depending on the differences in chemical properties of the byproducts that were made:

Based on different boiling/melting points:

• Drying a wet dust to get a dry solid product, leaving behind the liquid
• Distilling a solution to get a dry solid product, leaving behind the liquid (example: boiling salt water to get salt and water)
• Distilling to separate 2 liquids mixed together (if boiling points are different)
• Sifting

Based on different mass/density:

• Centrifuging to separate solid dusts (if they aren't chemically bonded)

Based on different solubility:

• Liquid-Liquid extraction (will be done with a centrifuge. Involves adding a solvent to a solution with TWO dissolved compounds. This would separate the compounds into 2 solutions, each with only one dissolved compound)

Solvents

For chemical reactions between 2 solid dusts, one of the dusts will need to be dissolved in solvents before being reacted. These solvents will have to be removed from the product after the reaction.

• Simplest solvent is water. Sodium hydroxide and salt can be dissolved in it.
• Gaseous acids such as hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acid would have to be dissolved in water to be used.
• Solvents such as acetone, hexane and toluene are common.

Polymerization

There are several different types of polymerization. Each would take place in a new type of machine/multiblock (the polymerization tank)

Step polymerization involves adding oxygen to monomers (ethylene) to make polymers (polyethylene), this is usually a slow process. This applies to:

• Ethylene (makes lower density polyethylene)
• Nylon
• Polyurethane
• Polysiloxane
• Polysulfides
• Polyether

Suspension polymerization involves dissolving the monomer in water and stirring it carefully to create polymer dusts. This is used to make:

• PVC
• Polystyrene

Ziegler–Natta polymerization involves using catalysts and oxygen to make denser polymers. This process generates a lot of heat, so coolant must be provided.

• TiCl4 catalyst and oxygen turn ethylene into high-density polyethylene
• TiCl4 catalyst and oxygen turn isoprene into polyisoprene, which can be turned into rubber
• Kaminsky catalysts (Zirconium/Hafnium metallocenes) and oxygen turn ethylene into ultra high density polyethylene

Emulsion polymerization involves creating an emulsion of monomers and surfactants (could be soap) in water to create monomer droplets. An initiator (usually potassium persulfate) is used to polymerize the monomer droplets, which then have to be separated from the water and surfactants.

• Used to make styrene butadiene rubber (and other rubbers)
• Used to create PMMA
• Used to create PTFE

List of changed chemical reactions:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fs8qD99pRDpkTqtLE6fJlXYYXZNGlIo_1DkdGxqAbm0

[Zalgo239]

I really like these a lot

I'd go directly with a Groovy approach to these, also I think having some of those new reactors being multiblock only could make for cool designs