Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Waste is a byproduct of burning Uranium Fuel Rods in Nuclear Power Plants. While these power plants are incredibly efficient, dealing with all the waste they produce requires careful planning. Nuclear Waste is radioactive and damaging, but with proper management, you can handle massive amounts safely or even reprocess it into useful fuel.
1. Waste Generation
Each Uranium Fuel Rod produces 50 Nuclear Waste when burned in a Nuclear Power Plant. Large nuclear facilities can generate hundreds of waste units per hour.
2. Radioactive Hazard
Nuclear Waste deals radiation damage to anyone within a 400-meter radius. It accumulates over time and can quickly kill players, creatures, and even damage equipment.
3. Storage Solutions
Proper storage is essential. Use lead-lined storage containers or remote storage sites far from your main base. Industrial Storage Containers have highest capacity.
Waste Management Strategies
Strategy 1: Plutonium Reprocessing
The most efficient solution converts waste back into fuel:
- Process: Feed Nuclear Waste into a Nuclear Fuel Mixer.
- Output: Creates Plutonium Fuel Rods and minor byproducts.
- Efficiency: Each batch produces fuel for additional 200 MW-hours of power.
- Benefits: Infinite recycling loop, eliminates waste, provides near-endless fuel.
Strategy 2: Storage Consolidation
- Dedicated Area: Build specialized waste storage zone far from main factory.
- Lead Containers: Use Storage Containers in radiation-safe zones.
- Capacity: Industrial Storage Containers hold up to 9,600 items each.
- Organization: Separate by age/type to track waste accumulation.
Strategy 3: Doggo Disposal
- Find Doggo: Locate a tamed Lizard Doggo and lead to waste storage.
- Feeding: Drag Nuclear Waste onto Doggo. They'll eat entire stack.
- Killing Doggo: Doggo dies after eating waste, eliminating inventory permanently.
- Warning: Only do this if you're ready to tame a new Doggo. This method is permanent.
Advanced Waste Handling
Remote Storage Facilities
- Distance Requirements: Place waste storage 500+ meters from main operations.
- Access Control: Use trains or drones for remote facility management.
- Radiation Shielding: Build lead walls or use Hazmat Suits for maintenance.
- Automation: Belt waste to remote site to avoid direct player contact.
Alternative Disposal Methods
Hypertube Launch
- Setup: Build hypertube cannon pointing into space/out of bounds.
- Disposal: Load entire waste containers into hypertube.
- Caution: Items don't respawn in out-of-bounds areas. This is permanent removal.
- Server Impact: Can cause lag depending on server settings and item rendering.
Awesome Sink
- Available: Only Plutonium Fuel Rods can be sunk (not Nuclear Waste).
- Benefits: Earns Coupons and removes processed fuel safely.
- Limitation: Cannot sink raw Nuclear Waste directly.
Reprocessing Production Chain
Plutonium Fuel Rod Production
- Nuclear Waste Input: Feed waste into Nuclear Fuel Mixer.
- Isotopic Enrichment: Mixer processes waste into enriched plutonium material.
- Fuel Rod Assembly: Combine enriched material with additional components.
- Output: Produces Plutonium Fuel Rods (more efficient than Uranium).
- Waste Return: Produces 50% original waste as byproduct (can be reprocessed again).
Efficient Reprocessing Setup
- Dedicated Mixers: Build multiple Nuclear Fuel Mixers for continuous reprocessing.
- Storage Buffer: Add waste storage between nuclear plants and mixers.
- Output Management: Direct Plutonium Rods back to nuclear plants for continuous power.
- Waste Loop: Systematic approach to handle returned waste from reprocessing.
Radiation Safety Guidelines
Protection Measures
- Hazmat Suit: Essential for working near nuclear waste. Provides radiation immunity.
- Nobelisk Detonator: Required for handling contaminated materials.
- Lead Lined Walls: Build radiation shielding around waste storage areas.
- Detection: Use Geiger Counter to identify radiation zones.
Emergency Procedures
- Contamination: If exposed, immediately exit radiation zone.
- Health Recovery: Use healing items and wait for radiation effects to clear.
- Equipment Check: Radiation can damage equipment and resources.
- Zone Evacuation: Alert all players to avoid contaminated areas.
Factory Integration
Power Plant Design
- Waste Output: Plan for 50 units per fuel rod burned.
- Reprocessing Loop: Integrate nuclear fuel mixer directly into plant design.
- Storage Planning: Include waste storage capacity in plant infrastructure.
- Power Balance: Account for reprocessing power requirements in grid design.
Long-term Strategy
- Early Game: Manual waste collection and storage until reprocessing available.
- Mid Game: Build dedicated reprocessing facility with nuclear power plants.
- Late Game: Fully integrated waste-free nuclear power with continuous recycling.
- Expansion: Scale waste handling as nuclear power capacity increases.
Troubleshooting Nuclear Waste
Common Issues
- Accumulation: Waste builds up faster than reprocessing can handle.
- Storage Overflow: Not enough capacity for waste output.
- Radiation Spread: Waste too close to main operations.
- Reprocessing Bottlenecks: Nuclear Fuel Mixers not keeping up with waste generation.
Solutions
- Scale Up: Build more Nuclear Fuel Mixers or upgrade to faster models.
- Dedicated Storage: Add more Industrial Storage Containers in remote zones.
- Doggo Rotation: Maintain multiple tamed Doggos for continuous waste removal.
- Plant Reduction: Temporarily reduce nuclear power production if waste handling is overwhelmed.
Pro Tip: Plan your waste management infrastructure before building large nuclear power plants. A well-designed nuclear facility should have integrated waste handling from the start. Always build Hazmat Suits early when planning to use nuclear power.