Gas Element Sensor

The Gas Element Sensor is a logic building that detects the presence and quantity of a specified gas at a single cell and outputs a binary logic signal when the configured threshold is reached. It is placed directly on a tile and monitors the gas element and mass in that tile’s cell. The sensor is used to automate gas-handling systems, conserve power, and create conditional behaviours based on which gas occupies a location.

The sensor reports true when the gas element configured in its settings is present in the monitored cell at or above the chosen mass threshold; it reports false otherwise. It can detect any gas element present in the cell, including hydrogen, natural gas, carbon dioxide, chlorine and others. The building integrates with the game’s logic system and can be wired to pumps, shutoffs, gates and other automation elements to control gas flow and building activity.

Practical uses and interactions:

• Power saving: Use the sensor to power Gas Pumps or other gas-using equipment only when the desired gas is present. This is useful for geyser handling (for example, activating a pump only during a Natural Gas Geyser’s active period).
• Targeted removal: Configure the sensor to detect an undesirable gas (e.g., Carbon Dioxide at the floor of a Chlorine disinfection room) and trigger pumps or vents to remove that gas without disturbing the desired atmosphere.
• Inverted control: Combine the Gas Element Sensor with a NOT gate to create inverted behaviour — for example, have a pump run until a target gas (like Hydrogen) remains, then stop when the sensor detects that gas. This can be used to purge mixed rooms until only the target gas remains or to halt systems when a contaminant appears.
• Alternative to filters: When paired with Gas Shutoffs, a Gas Element Sensor can serve as a low-power alternative to a Gas Filter in some loop designs. It consumes less power than a powered Gas Filter and can act on pipe contents to permit or block flow based on element detection.
• Integration with looped systems: Use the sensor to maintain small, primed loops (mechanical or atmospheric filters) or to control valves in closed circuits for selective routing of gases without continuous power draw.

Design notes and constraints:

• The sensor only monitors the single cell it is placed on; its detection does not extend to neighbouring tiles unless those tiles’ gas is moved into the monitored cell.
• It senses by element and mass threshold; configuring an appropriate mass value is important when monitoring thin or transient pockets of gas.
• The Gas Element Sensor is suited to both atmospheric automation and pipe automation when used in combination with Gas Shutoffs and pump controls.
• It forms part of common advanced designs such as selective pumping for geysers, gas scrubbing/preseparation, and power-efficient gas routing.

The Gas Element Sensor is a compact, precise automation tool for any base that needs conditional gas control, enabling energy-efficient and targeted handling of atmospheric and piped gases.