Difference between revisions of "Cooler"

The cooler is a device that can be used to lower the temperature in a room by moving the heat to its other side. This effect can maintain happy colonists during high outdoor temperatures, prevent heat stroke and prevent perishable items like food from spoiling. It requires power to operate.

They are the high-tech upgrade to passive coolers, requiring research and power, but not limited to low of 17 °C (62.6 °F) and thus capable of refrigerating or freezing food.

Acquisition[edit]

Coolers can be constructed once the air conditioning research project has been completed. Each requires 90 Steel, 3 Components, 1,600 ticks (26.67 secs) of work modified by the construction speed of the builder, and a construction skill of 5.

Summary[edit]

Coolers take the place of a wall tile. If powered, they will cool their front side (shown by a blue tile on placement), and conversely, will heat their back side (red tile). The cooler must not be blocked on either side, and rooms must be enclosed with a mostly complete roof in order to actually be cooled/heated. Coolers will attempt to cool the room to its target temperature, though surrounding heat and the room's size may make this impossible. See the temperature page for more details.

Coolers have two states of power consumption: high and low.

A cooler that is actively cooling consumes 200W (high power).
If the target temperature is reached, a cooler consumes 20 W (low power).

If the room's surroundings are warmer, then the room constantly needs cooling, and a cooler remains at high power. If you have multiple coolers in a room, you can exploit this by having each cooler be 1 degree lower than the last - one will actively cool the room, while the others will be in low power state.

Coolers can theoretically cool 1800 degrees Celsius, total - 1 tile by 1800 degrees, 50 tiles by 36 degrees - but this is before considering outside temperature. Simple playtesting reveals that with an exterior temperature of 27 °C – 38 °C (80.6 °F – 100.4 °F), a single cooler can cool a room with a 10x10 exterior to a minimum temperature of 10 °C – 16 °C (50 °F – 60.8 °F). Under these conditions, 2-3 coolers were required to maintain a constant (frozen) -1 °C – 0 °C (30.2 °F – 32 °F) within the same space.

Analysis[edit]

Coolers are often required to create freezers. Perishable items will spoil if not kept cool. Cold temperatures will slow down spoiling, until the freezing point, a temperature of 0 °C (32 °F), which prevents spoilage completely. In many warmer biomes, spoilage is a major obstacle in maintaining a food supply, and thus freezer construction is generally considered a high priority.

If a room is colder than its surroundings, then heat will leak inside. Heat leaks in more when pawns open doors. You can create an "airlock" with multiple doors; as one door is opened, the next closes, which keeps heat out. If using autodoors, make sure to leave enough space between each one. You may want to set a cooler a few degrees below 0 °C (32 °F) to keep a slight buffer against temperature gains from opening doors, cooler breakdowns, power outages, etc.

During a heat wave, or inside harsh biomes, like a Desert, coolers are useful to regulate pawn temperature. Too far beyond a pawn's Maximum Comfortable Temperature will make them vulnerable to heat stroke and gives the Hot negative moodlet. Having a bedroom above 26 °C (78.8 °F) gives colonists the Slept in the heat negative moodlet; apparel does not alter this fact.

Hot side[edit]

Freezer using a 1x1 "chimney".
A small, unroofed area to let the heat out.

The hot side is rarely useful. It could be used for heating a base when the outdoors temperature is uncomfortably cold, but not freezing - specifically, between 1 °C – 16 °C (33.8 °F – 60.8 °F). This isn't recommended if the outdoors temperature often goes above 20 °C (68 °F); otherwise, the cooler will make your colony unbearably hot when you actually need the freezing. You could also point the hot side at a greenhouse, supplementing heaters during the cool-but-not-freezing season.

Regardless, the hot side must be accounted for. Without a way to exhaust the heat, it will leak back to the cooler room, making it hard to actually cool. Pointing the cooler's hot side outdoors would be the simplest way to do so.

Alternatively, you can point the hot side to a "chimney", an unroofed, 1x1 or so room. Unroofed rooms will always maintain the outside temperature, meaning that the cooler's hot side is completely mitigated by a chimney. In the picture to the left, a fence is used to prevent drop pods (orbital trader and raider) from landing inside.

Interestingly enough, Testing has shown that by pointing the hot side of a cooler into an open door in the same room as the cold side is pointed to is able to somehow significantly increase efficiency of the cooler.

Further test results[edit]

Outdoor temp: 46 °C (114.8 °F)

Room size (inside): 5x5

(outer dimension single wall): 6x6

Cooler: 1

= Temperature: -3 °C – -2 °C (26.6 °F – 28.4 °F)

Outdoor temp: 46 °C (114.8 °F)

Room size (inside): 5x5

(outer dimension double walls) :7x7

Cooler: 1

= Temperature: -14 °C – -12 °C (6.8 °F – 10.4 °F)

Note: The 4 outer corner nor the 4 inner corner walls seem to matter. The material doesn´t seem to matter either.

Gallery[edit]

Facing south
Facing north
Facing east

Version history[edit]

0.8.657 - Added

Architect

Temperature: Campfire • Heater • Cooler • Passive cooler • Vent

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 <hr>
 <!-- End of Nav -->
-{{infobox main|temperature|
+{{Infobox main|temperature
 | name = Cooler
-| image = Cooler.png
+| image = Cooler south.png
-| type = Temperature
+| type = Building
-| placeable = Yes
+| type2 = Temperature
+| placeable = True
 | description = An air-cooling machine that fits into a wall. Cool air comes out one side, while hot exhaust comes out the other. Can be used to cool down rooms during summer, or to create a walk-in freezer.
-| size = 1 ˣ 3
+| size = 1 ˣ 1
+| hp = 100
+| power = -200
+| mass base =
+| cover = 1
+| terrain affordance = Medium
+| heatpersecond = -21
+| flammability = 0.7
+| research = Air conditioning
 | work to make = 1600
-| flammability = 0.7
 | resource 1 = Steel
 | resource 1 amount = 90
 | resource 2 = Component
 | resource 2 amount = 3
-| deconstruct yield = {{icon|steel|68}} + {{icon|component|2}}
 | skill 1 = Construction
 | skill 1 level = 5
-| hp = 100
-| power = -200
-| mass base =
 }}
 {{Info|The '''cooler''' is a device that can be used to lower the [[temperature]] in a room by moving the heat to its other side.  This effect can maintain happy colonists during high outdoor temperatures, prevent heat stroke and prevent perishable items like [[food]] from spoiling. It requires [[power]] to operate.}}
-== Freezers ==
+They are the high-tech upgrade to [[passive cooler]]s, requiring research and power, but not limited to low of {{Temperature|17}} and thus capable of refrigerating or freezing food.
-Perishable items will spoil if not covered or kept cool.  The cooler the temperature at which they are kept, the longer they will last.  Once the temperature reaches the freezing point of water (0ºC / 32ºF), they will freeze and no longer spoil.  If you can maintain this low temperature, then your perishable items can be stored indefinitely.
-Coolers can help beyond maintaining a pleasant room temperature for colonists.  By setting the thermostat of a cooler to maintain a room temperature below freezing, you can create a "walk-in freezer".  Perishable items stored in this room become frozen and no longer susceptible to spoilage.  In many warmer [[biomes]], spoilage is a major obstacle in maintaining a food supply, and thus freezer construction is generally considered a high priority.
+== Acquisition ==
+{{Acquisition}}
-Note that items inside will begin spoiling once warmer than 0ºC / 32ºF.  It's generally a good idea to set a cooler a few degrees below 0ºC / 32ºF to keep a slight buffer against temperature gains from opening doors, cooler breakdowns, power outages, etc.  Constructing an air lock is a good idea in warmer climates.
+== Summary ==
+Coolers take the place of a [[wall]] tile. If [[power]]ed, they will cool their front side (shown by a blue tile on placement), and conversely, will heat their back side (red tile). The cooler must not be blocked on either side, and rooms must be enclosed with a mostly complete [[roof]] in order to actually be cooled/heated. Coolers will attempt to cool the room to its target temperature, though surrounding heat and the room's size may make this impossible. See the [[temperature]] page for more details.
-== Placement ==
+Coolers have two states of power consumption: high and low.
-Coolers use [[power]] and take the place of a [[wall]] tile.  Make sure that they are oriented properly when placing so that their blue square points into the room to cool.  If powered and the room is enclosed with a complete roof and the entrance or exit of the cooler are not blocked via walls built later, it will begin to cool.
+*A cooler that is actively cooling consumes 200W (high power).
+*If the target temperature is reached, a cooler consumes 20 W (low power).
-Coolers work by removing heat out of a room and placing it on their red tile side.  This heat can be harnessed for use if desired, such as heating up living spaces in a base in a 'cold but not quite freezing' biome.
+If the room's surroundings are warmer, then the room constantly needs cooling, and a cooler remains at high power. If you have multiple coolers in a room, you can exploit this by having each cooler be 1 degree lower than the last - one will actively cool the room, while the others will be in low power state.
-Coolers require no specific placement within a given wall.  A cooler in one wall of a room will cool the space as efficiently as a cooler on the other side of the same room.
+Coolers can theoretically cool 1800 degrees Celsius, total - 1 tile by 1800 degrees, 50 tiles by 36 degrees - but this is before considering outside temperature. Simple playtesting reveals that with an exterior temperature of {{Temperature|27|38}}, a single cooler can cool a room with a 10x10 exterior to a minimum temperature of {{Temperature|10|16}}. Under these conditions, 2-3 coolers were required to maintain a constant (frozen) {{Temperature|-1|0}} within the same space.
-== Performance ==
+== Analysis ==
-If the areas surrounding a room are hotter than the current temperature inside that room, heat will penetrate back into the room.  As a result, the overall area of the room as well as the number of coolers affects how easy or difficult it is to cool a room.  A single cooler has a maximum efficiency and may not be able to reach the target temperature of its thermostat if the room is too hot or too large.  In these situations, building multiple coolers is helpful, but it consumes more power.
+Coolers are often required to create freezers. Perishable items will spoil if not kept cool. Cold temperatures will slow down spoiling, until the freezing point, a temperature of {{Temperature|0}}, which prevents spoilage completely.  In many warmer [[biomes]], spoilage is a major obstacle in maintaining a food supply, and thus freezer construction is generally considered a high priority.
-Coolers have two states of power consumption: low and high. A cooler that is actively cooling a room will consume 200W (high power) regardless of the thermostat setting.  Once the goal temperature is reached, the cooler will transition to its low power state where it only uses 20W. However, if the exterior of the room is warmer, the instant the goal temperature is reached, heat will penetrate the room, the cooler senses this and returns to the high power state (there is a time buffer to this effect to avoid a flickering between high and low power states).  This low power state can be exploited to save power when using multiple coolers to cool a large room.  Consider stepping down each cooler one degree below each other for this room.  That way, only one or two coolers will be active in their high power state maintaining the temperature of the room, while the others remain in their low power states, only to be used during times of higher temperatures, such as daytime or [[Events#Heat_Wave|heat waves]].
+If a room is colder than its surroundings, then heat will leak inside. Heat leaks in more when pawns open [[door]]s. You can create an "airlock" with multiple doors; as one door is opened, the next closes, which keeps heat out. If using [[autodoor]]s, make sure to leave enough space between each one. You may want to set a cooler a few degrees below {{Temperature|0}} to keep a slight buffer against temperature gains from opening doors, cooler breakdowns, power outages, etc.
-Simple playtesting reveals that with an exterior temperature of 27-38°C(80-100°F), a single cooler can cool a room with a 10x10 exterior to a minimum temperature of 10-16°C (50-60ºF).  Under these conditions, 2-3 coolers were required to maintain a constant (frozen) 0-Negative 1°C (30-31°F) within the same space.  Further testing (or evaluation of the source code) could be used to determine an exact formula for cooler performance and temperature gradient speeds.
+During a [[heat wave]], or inside harsh [[biome]]s, like a Desert, coolers are useful to regulate pawn temperature. Too far beyond a pawn's [[Maximum Comfortable Temperature]] will make them vulnerable to [[heat stroke]] and gives the [[Mood#Hot|''Hot'']] negative moodlet. Having a bedroom above {{Temperature|26}} gives colonists the [[Mood#Slept_in_the_heat|''Slept in the heat'']] negative moodlet; [[apparel]] does not alter this fact.
-Further test results:
+=== Hot side ===
+[[File:Freezer chimney.png|thumb|left|250px|Freezer using a 1x1 "chimney".<br>A small, unroofed area to let the heat out.]]
+The hot side is rarely useful. It could be used for heating a base when the outdoors temperature is uncomfortably cold, but not freezing - specifically, between {{Temperature|1|16}}. This isn't recommended if the outdoors temperature often goes above {{Temperature|20}}; otherwise, the cooler will make your colony unbearably hot when you actually need the freezing. You could also point the hot side at a [[sun lamp#Analysis|greenhouse]], supplementing [[heater]]s during the cool-but-not-freezing season.
+Regardless, the hot side must be accounted for. Without a way to exhaust the heat, it will leak back to the cooler room, making it hard to actually cool. Pointing the cooler's hot side outdoors would be the simplest way to do so.
-Outdoor temp: 46°C
+Alternatively, you can point the hot side to a "chimney", an unroofed, 1x1 or so room. Unroofed rooms will always maintain the outside temperature, meaning that the cooler's hot side is completely mitigated by a chimney. In the picture to the left, a [[fence]] is used to prevent [[drop pod]]s ([[comms console|orbital trader]] and [[Raider#Mid-base drop pods|raider]]) from landing inside.
-Room size (inside): 5x5
+Interestingly enough, [https://www.reddit.com/r/RimWorld/comments/ynlhgu/a_definitive_guide_to_efficient_freezers_14/ Testing] has shown that by pointing the hot side of a cooler into an open door in the same room as the cold side is pointed to is able to somehow significantly increase efficiency of the cooler.
-(outside): 6x6
+{{clear}}
-Cooler: 1
+== Further test results ==
+* Outdoor temp: {{Temperature|46}}
+: Room size (inside): 5x5
+: (outer dimension single wall): 6x6
+: Cooler: 1
+: = Temperature: {{Temperature|-3|-2}}
-Temperature: -2°C - -3°C
+* Outdoor temp: {{Temperature|46}}
+: Room size (inside): 5x5
+: (outer dimension <u>double</u> walls) :7x7
+: Cooler: 1
+: = Temperature: {{Temperature|-14|-12}}
+: Note: The 4 outer corner nor the 4 inner corner walls seem to matter. The material doesn´t seem to matter either.
-Outdoor temp: 46°C
+== Gallery ==
+<gallery>
+Cooler south.png|Facing south
+Cooler north.png|Facing north
+Cooler east.png|Facing east
+</gallery>
-Room size (inside): 5x5
+== Version history ==
-(outside double walls) :7x7
-Cooler: 1
-Temperature: -12°C - -14°C
-Note: The 4 outer corner nor the 4 inner corner walls seem to matter. The material doesn´t seem to matter either.
-==Version History==
 *[[Version/0.8.657|0.8.657]] - Added
+{{Nav|temperature}}
-{{nav|temperature}}
 [[Category:Temperature]]

Difference between revisions of "Cooler"

Latest revision as of 21:53, 25 September 2024

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