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Editing 40d:Water wheel

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{{quality|Exceptional|16:44, 4 August 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}
 
 
{{Machine_component|name=Water wheel|key=w
 
{{Machine_component|name=Water wheel|key=w
 
|construction=
 
|construction=
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* 3 [[Log]]s
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* 3 [[Wood]]
 
|construction_job=
 
|construction_job=
 
# [[Architecture]]
 
# [[Architecture]]
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}}
 
}}
  
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A '''water wheel''' is a [[machine component]] that provides [[power]] via [[water flow]]. To build a water wheel, select {{key|b}}uild menu and choose {{key|M}}achine components. It requires 3 [[wood]] and generates 90 net power, which can be used for operating a [[Screw pump|pump]] or [[mill]]. You can use [[axle]]s and [[Gear assembly|gear]]s to access the power produced by a water wheel, or connect machinery like a [[Screw pump|pump]] or [[millstone]] directly.  
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A '''water wheel''' is a [[machine component]] that provides [[power]] via [[water flow]]. To build a water wheel, select {{key|b}}uild menu and choose {{key|M}}achine components. It requires 3 [[wood]] and generates 90 net power, which can be used for operating a [[pump]] or [[mill]]. You can use [[axle]]s and [[Gear assembly|gear]]s to access the power produced by a water wheel, or connect machinery like a [[pump]] or [[millstone]] directly.  
  
 
Waterwheels have quality levels for both design and building. These can be checked from the {{k|r}}oom screen by moving to the entry and pressing enter.
 
Waterwheels have quality levels for both design and building. These can be checked from the {{k|r}}oom screen by moving to the entry and pressing enter.
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Waterwheels do ''not'' work with waterfalls, nor in magma - it takes water that is flowing according to the DF use of the term.
 
  
 
''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[machinery]].''
 
''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[machinery]].''
  
 
== Construction ==
 
== Construction ==
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The [[Building_designer|architecture]] and [[Carpenter|carpentry]] labors are needed for the construction.
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The architecture and carpentry labor are needed for the construction.
  
 
A water wheel occupies 3 adjacent tiles (N-S or E-W axis, no diagonals).
 
A water wheel occupies 3 adjacent tiles (N-S or E-W axis, no diagonals).
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Although you can build a stable water wheel on solid ground, this isn't going to do you any good. For this reason, water wheels are almost exclusively built in a hanging state with gaps in the floor below. To do this the water wheel must be attached to a nearby machine component. In order to function, a water wheel must attach to other ''pre-existing'' machine components only on either side of its center tile.
 
Although you can build a stable water wheel on solid ground, this isn't going to do you any good. For this reason, water wheels are almost exclusively built in a hanging state with gaps in the floor below. To do this the water wheel must be attached to a nearby machine component. In order to function, a water wheel must attach to other ''pre-existing'' machine components only on either side of its center tile.
  
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[[Power]] is generated from a water wheel as long as it has [[water_flow|flowing]] water at a depth of 4/7 or greater under at least one of its tiles. The easiest way to achieve this is by placing the water wheel over a [[river]] or [[brook]]. With a [[brook]] you must first channel through the surface since brooks have a floor of sorts over them.
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'''Power''' will be sometimes generated once one channel tile under the water wheel is filled with water at a depth of four or greater '''if''' there also is a [[water flow]] in one of the three tiles beneath it (we need more info in the article on what constitutes waterflow). The easiest way to achieve this is to place the water wheel in a river, but also a brook or channel works if done right (read below). Having two floor tiles and one channel tile below the wheel will only sometimes work, even if that one tile fulfills the above conditions. <!-- it stopped working after a bit. smth is fishy. -> Now i have 2 water wheels with identical setup (2channel), one has power one not. A third with only 1 channel, under the middle tile, works. I suspect tiles right next to the water wheel play into it too, or the design of the channel leading to it from the river-->
  
 
You can transport the power wherever it is needed via horizontal and vertical axles and gear assemblies. It is possible to support a waterwheel by building its center next to a preexisting water wheel's center.
 
You can transport the power wherever it is needed via horizontal and vertical axles and gear assemblies. It is possible to support a waterwheel by building its center next to a preexisting water wheel's center.
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== Channels ==
 
== Channels ==
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It is possible to power a water wheel in a channel if it is connected to a river or brook (read as: water that has flow. Further details needed.) A channel connected to a murky pool will not suffice, no matter what water movement is present in the channel.
  
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Any direct connection to a [[river]] or [[brook]] that has [[Water_flow|flow]] (some do not) will power a waterwheel, even if it's a dead end. A floodgate in the channel will not block this flow either. Diagonals do not prevent direct flow from a natural water source. A channel connected to a murky pool will not suffice unless you engineer some sort of [[Water_wheel#Perpetual_motion|perpetual motion]] machine.
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Any direct non-diagonal connection (see [[water pressure]]) to a [[river]] or [[brook]] that has flow (some do not) will power a waterwheel, even if it's a dead end. A floodgate in the channel will not block this flow either.
  
 
==Designs==
 
==Designs==
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To get it working, you must start the pump manually.*
 
To get it working, you must start the pump manually.*
  
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:''(* Exceptions are [[aquifer]]s, which can sometimes have naturally occurring [[flow]].  This is sometimes a good thing, because then a wheel simply works by itself - or a bad thing, if, for example, you want the wheel to '''not''' provide any power while you build a pump adjacent to it. It's not clear what causes an aquifer to have flow and then keep it - it's difficult to replicate reliably, and can be lost with additional [[channel]]ing, so designs will have to be adapted if such are found.)''
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:''(* Exceptions are [[aquifers]], which can sometimes have naturally occurring [[flow]].  This is sometimes a good thing, because then a wheel simply works by itself - or a bad thing, if, for example, you want the wheel to '''not''' provide any power while you build a pump adjacent to it. It's not clear what causes an aquifer to have flow and then keep it - it's difficult to replicate reliably, and can be lost with additional [[channel]]ing, so designs will have to be adapted if such are found.)''
  
 
It is good to have a ready source of water to refill the machine, as water tends to escape and evaporate, and once the water falls below a certain level, the machine stops. Below an earlier level, the power supply becomes intermittent.  
 
It is good to have a ready source of water to refill the machine, as water tends to escape and evaporate, and once the water falls below a certain level, the machine stops. Below an earlier level, the power supply becomes intermittent.  
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Dig the V-shaped channel and fill it with water (either from an outside source or by designating it as a [[pond]]).  Meanwhile, construct the pump, pumping from the South.  Construct the two water wheels.  Start the pump manually ( {{k|q}}, {{k|Enter}} ) - if there is enough water*, the "reactor" will start immediately and the pump operator will leave.  The water from the north end of the pump will spill over the top-most floor tile, filling that to 7/7 and the two tiles east and west of it to ~5/7, but will not overflow back past the water wheel to the walkway area.    Note that for the upper level, no southern walls are shown as none are needed.
 
Dig the V-shaped channel and fill it with water (either from an outside source or by designating it as a [[pond]]).  Meanwhile, construct the pump, pumping from the South.  Construct the two water wheels.  Start the pump manually ( {{k|q}}, {{k|Enter}} ) - if there is enough water*, the "reactor" will start immediately and the pump operator will leave.  The water from the north end of the pump will spill over the top-most floor tile, filling that to 7/7 and the two tiles east and west of it to ~5/7, but will not overflow back past the water wheel to the walkway area.    Note that for the upper level, no southern walls are shown as none are needed.
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*''(* Have not determined the minimum depth needed. For better flow, you might try a "U-shaped" channel, rather than V-shaped, but that requires 2 more tiles to be filled with water.)''
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:''(* Have not determined the minimum depth needed. For better flow, you might try a "U-shaped" channel, rather than V-shaped, but that requires 2 more tiles to be filled with water.)''
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* The ideal amount of water in this design is apparently 63 units of water. In other words, six tiles below in the V are full up to 7/7 and three more above are also full up to 7/7 which will generate reliable flow permanently without ever losing any of that water to evaporation. An easy way to do this is to simply leave your pond fill command on after the reactor activates. They will eventually fill it up to the optimal level and stop.
 
  
  
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Digging a channel through an aquifer level, which terminates in a pit dug into an aquifer 1 Z-layer below will lead to water flowing down the sluice into a full pond of water; but due to the water '''absorbing''' properties of an aquifer, the pond functions as an essentially bottomless pit.  Water will permanently flow unless the path to the pit is blocked, but even then will not flood a layer above.  This artificial river can be completely contained within your fort, securing your power plant/water source against outside threats/inclement weather.  A wheel (or a number, depending on the channel length/width can be assembled and run without even the minimal power drain of a pump.  Digging a hole through two layers of Aquifer is technically challenging, but by no means impossible and is repeatable, foolproof and permanent unlike digging a pit and hoping for flow.
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[[Category:Machine components]]
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{{Category|Machine components}}
 

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