Example: Piping water for Alumina Solution refineries. I've seen a lot of people having a rough time recycling the water efficiently, here is my solution.

1. Alulminium Factory Overview.

Hey folks,

I've seen a lot of people air their grievances with water as a byproduct in their Aluminium circuits, so I figured I'd throw out my solution to efficient water management to anyone who's looking for inspiration.

Step 0: First off, just to be thorough, here's the basics:

1. Calculate how much water your Alumina Solution refineries require. Mine takes 1050 water per minute.
2. Calculate how much water your Aluminium Scrap refineries put out. Mine puts out 630 water per minute.
3. Your water extractors then need to extract the difference between those. In my case, it's 1050-630 = 420.

2. Water extractors putting out 420 water per minute.

Step 1: Pipeline from water extractors and Aluminium Scrap refineries.

You want to pipe your water from the extractors to the Alumina Solution refineries. Alongside those, you also want to pipe your water from the Aluminium Scrap refineries in separate pipelines.

3. Pipes from water extractors.

4. Pipes from water extractors being pumped upwards.

5. Pipes from aluminium scrap refineries being pumped upwards, alongside pipes from water extractors.

Step 2: Junction.

A lot of people suggest using the priority pipe junction as exemplified in the plumbing manual. page 16. However it is not necessary, as before you join your pipelines from extractors and scrap refineries, you can place one pump for each pipeline prior to the junction as seen down the shaft in the image below, and then joining them with a junction.

You also want to place some buffers (I'm using unneccesarily large buffersdue to my own prior woes) at a level slightly below the junction, where the water reaches it's highest point, and then keep leading that water downwards away from the buffer. That way water always flows downwards towards your refinery inputs after joining your pipelines and is one of two crucial elements in completely mitigating backflow.

Note here that I am using two separate pipelines as I need a total of 1050 water per minute, and one pipeline can only handle 600 water per minute.

6. Pipeline pumps placed to gain necessary headlift, and then joined at a junction without using the priority design.

Step 3. Alumina Solution Refinery input.

Make sure your water keeps flowing downwards and just place a pipe manifold. Initially my design didn't work, and I notcied another goodie in the manual (page 13): "Turn your pipe network into a loop". This is the second crucial element that finally completely eliminates any backflow, thus all refineries always have access to water.

7. Loop the end of the pipeline to the first refinery input.

And there it is, no excess water that needs to be packaged and recycled or dealt with in another way. Happy piping, pioneers!

8. Rear view of my aluminium factory.