Efficient fluid production is crucial to progressing inFactorio, and sulfuric acid is one of the most essential chemicals you’ll need throughout the mid to late game. It plays a vital role in various production chains, especially for battery production and uranium mining. Setting up a stable and scalable sulfuric acid factory may seem complex at first, but with a proper understanding of its ingredients, ratios, and piping logistics, it becomes a rewarding part of your base automation strategy.
Understanding the Role of Sulfuric Acid
What Sulfuric Acid Is Used For
Sulfuric acid in Factorio is a fluid used in several critical recipes. Most notably, it’s required to produce:
- Batteries which are then used for blue science (chemical science packs) and other advanced items.
- Uranium mining sulfuric acid must be injected into uranium ore patches by mining drills.
- Processing units (blue circuits) indirectly needed through its involvement in battery production.
Given its importance, any well-designed factory must include a dedicated sulfuric acid setup that can handle expanding demands as the game progresses.
Ingredients Needed for Sulfuric Acid
Recipe Breakdown
To produce sulfuric acid, you will need the following inputs:
- 1 iron plate
- 5 sulfur
- 100 water
This recipe takes place in a chemical plant and consumes energy as well, so power supply must also be considered in your factory design. The output is 50 units of sulfuric acid per production cycle.
Step-by-Step Sulfuric Acid Setup
Step 1: Water Supply
Water is the easiest ingredient to supply. Simply place offshore pumps along a water source and pipe the water into your chemical plants. Make sure the pumps are powered and that the pipes are not overly long or filled with unnecessary bends, as fluid dynamics in Factorio can affect throughput if poorly managed.
Step 2: Sulfur Production
Before you can make sulfuric acid, you must produce sulfur. Sulfur is made in chemical plants using:
- 30 water
- 30 petroleum gas
Each cycle produces 2 sulfur. You will need a steady supply of petroleum gas from your oil processing setup. Make sure your oil refinery output is balanced, or consider cracking light oil or heavy oil into petroleum gas to maintain consistency.
Step 3: Iron Plate Input
Iron plates can be transported to your sulfuric acid production area using belts or logistic bots. Since each cycle of sulfuric acid production only requires 1 iron plate, you don’t need a high throughput supply, but you should ensure it’s consistent. Use splitters and priority splitters if you’re sharing an iron line with other facilities.
Step 4: Setting Up the Chemical Plants
Now that you have all your ingredients, place chemical plants for sulfuric acid production. Ideally, place them near the sulfur production area to minimize transport distances. Connect water and sulfur using pipes, and use inserters to place iron plates into the plants.
You can use underground pipes to keep the layout clean and compact. A simple setup might include:
- 3 chemical plants for sulfur
- 2 chemical plants for sulfuric acid
This setup ensures that sulfur production slightly outpaces sulfuric acid needs, creating a buffer for fluid production. Store excess sulfur in a chest if you’re overproducing or add a circuit condition to halt production when storage is full.
Storage and Distribution
Using Storage Tanks
Since sulfuric acid is a fluid, you can use storage tanks to buffer your production. Place one or two tanks downstream from your chemical plants to hold excess acid. This buffer is especially useful during interruptions in sulfur or petroleum gas supply.
Connect these tanks using pumps and pipes. Make sure to use check valves (pumps with circuit conditions or priorities) to control the direction of flow if your factory grows in complexity.
Supplying Uranium Miners and Battery Factories
Once your sulfuric acid setup is operational and buffered, pipe it to where it’s needed. For batteries, sulfuric acid must be sent to another chemical plant that also receives copper plates and iron plates. For uranium mining, run long pipelines to your uranium ore fields and connect them directly to mining drills. Remember that miners will only function if they have acid in their internal tank.
Tips for Optimizing Sulfuric Acid Production
1. Keep Pipe Networks Short
Fluids in Factorio flow more efficiently in short, direct pipe lines. Avoid long horizontal or vertical runs without pumps. Use underground pipes to eliminate clutter and reduce pipe length while maintaining structure.
2. Use Pumps for Control
Pumps not only move fluids faster but also help control flow direction. Use circuit networks to disable pumps when storage is full or input levels are low.
3. Monitor Petroleum Supply
Petroleum gas is used for multiple purposes, including plastic and sulfur. Consider setting up a priority system with circuit networks or refining ratios to ensure you don’t run out unexpectedly. Heavy oil and light oil cracking should be balanced accordingly.
4. Expand Modularly
Start with a small sulfuric acid setup, but design it in a way that lets you add more chemical plants later. You may need more sulfuric acid once blue science ramps up or when uranium mining increases. Leave space and infrastructure (like water lines and petroleum pipes) ready for expansion.
5. Use Circuit Networks
Advanced setups often include circuit-controlled pumps or inserters. These prevent overproduction and save resources. For instance, you could stop sulfur production when your sulfuric acid tanks are 90% full.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Insufficient Output
If you notice that your sulfuric acid production is too slow, check the input flow of sulfur and petroleum gas. One weak link like low sulfur production or a clogged water line can bottleneck the entire system.
Pipe Blockages
Backups in fluid systems are common when outputs are full or production is imbalanced. Use storage tanks and ensure that there’s always a consumer for the sulfuric acid (e.g., batteries or uranium drills).
Iron Shortages
If your iron input is shared with other parts of the factory, sulfuric acid production might suffer during high demand. Use dedicated iron lines if necessary, or prioritize supply using splitters and filters.
Setting up sulfuric acid production inFactoriois an important milestone in developing a functional mid-game factory. It opens the door to advanced technologies and new areas of the map. By understanding the required ingredients, planning efficient layouts, and preparing for scaling, you can ensure a steady supply of this essential fluid. Whether for battery production or uranium extraction, sulfuric acid is a keystone in your automation journey so build it right, and your base will run smoothly into the late game and beyond.