Polyethylene Processing

Polyethylene is a versatile material, used in electronic circuits, battery hulls and multi-block parts. Access to Polyethylene is needed for progression in MV, though the line can be semi-automated as early as LV. Overall power demand for this line is low, between 24 and 30 EU per machine, not all of which will run concurrently. Average consumption for the whole line is ~100EU/t. Molten Polyethylene can be used directly in Assemblers or turned into sheets/ingots with a Fluid Solidifier. Full automation requires a renewable source of Hydrogen and Oxygen, such as Water Electrolysis, and a method of dealing with the byproduct Carbon and Hydrogen Sulfide.

Materials List

 * Basic Distillery x2
 * Basic Chemical Reactor x3
 * GT Tank (any tier) x1
 * Item Transport, such as item pipes, hoppers or item conduit.
 * Fluid tank or input line for Oil
 * Fluid tank or input line for Steam
 * Destination tank or fluid storage for Polyethylene

Inputs
 * Oil
 * Hydrogen Cells
 * Oxygen Cells

Outputs
 * Molten Polyethylene
 * Hydrogen Sulfide Cells
 * Tiny Pile of Carbon Dust

Construction
The five main machines can be placed in a line - Distillery (Circuit 2), Chemical Reactor (Circuit 4), Chemical Reactor (Circuit 3), Distillery (Circuit 10), Chemical Reactor (Circuit 1).

Each should have their output face oriented towards the next machine in the line, and "Fluid Auto Output" should be enabled on all. Oil feeds the first Distillery. An item logistics solution should be used to keep Hydrogen, Oxygen and Steam Cells stocked in the appropriate machines, while removing byproducts and Empty Cells. Any GT Tank connected to a steam supply can refill cells for the Chemical Reactor doing steam cracking.

Automation
Oil can be delivered to the Distillery via a Fluid Pipe, or direct auto-output from a compatible Fluid Tank. If piped, use an Electric Pump as a Cover, set to import fluids to the pipe. Cover settings are always relative to the block they are attached to, and the goal is to bring oil into the pipe. Fluid Conduit can also be used to supply the Distillery and even the basic version will keep up with its needs.

Hoppers can be used to funnel Hydrogen and Oxygen Cells into their respective machines from the top or back, while a second line of hoppers below will remove byproducts. The throughput is low enough for hoppers to keep up easily with the production line. Item Pipes with Conveyors are preferred for cycling the Steam Cells between the GT Tank and Chemical Reactor C.3, as they have to loop. Power can be run along the bottom or back of the machines in this configuration.

Item Conduits or other Logistics solutions can compact the design, allowing both input and output of items from the same face. Separate color channels should be used for each direction, and adjacent conduits disconnected using a wrench. Item Conduits require Pulsating Iron and Polyethylene, so at earliest they can be made late LV, after some manual processing and getting the Electric Blast Furnace running.