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Formic Acid (CH2O2)

Guide by: humanoferth

Formic acid is an acid available as early as MV. While it is not used in any major recipes, it is notable for its use in the Formic Acid loop, which takes in water and outputs Hydrogen and Oxygen.

Making Formic Acid

Formic Acid is made from Carbon Dioxide and Water.

Formic recipe

Formic Acid Loop

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    A@{ img: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StarT-Dev-Team/StarT-Wiki/af90eac1ff73607dea361c0d1996524e6699f735/docs/Chemical-Lines/Acids/CH2O2_img/chemical_reactor_carbon_dioxide_from_carbon.png", label: "Chemical Reactor", pos: "t", w: 200, h: 200, constraint: "on" }

    B@{ img: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StarT-Dev-Team/StarT-Wiki/af90eac1ff73607dea361c0d1996524e6699f735/docs/Chemical-Lines/Acids/CH2O2_img/chemical_reactor_formic_acid.png", label: "Chemical Reactor", pos: "t", w: 200, h: 200, constraint: "on" }

    C@{ img: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StarT-Dev-Team/StarT-Wiki/af90eac1ff73607dea361c0d1996524e6699f735/docs/Chemical-Lines/Acids/CH2O2_img/electrolyzer_decomposition_electrolyzing_formic_acid.png", label: "Electrolyzer", pos: "t", w: 200, h: 200, constraint: "on" }

    D@{ shape: lean-r, label: "1b Water" }

    E@{ shape: lean-r, label: "1b Oxygen" }

    F@{ shape: lean-r, label: "2b Hydrogen" }

    D --> B;
    B --> E;
    C --> F;

    A --1b Carbon Dioxide--> B --1b Formic Acid--> C --1 Carbon Dust, 2b Oxygen--> A;
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The Chemical Reactor can be substituted for the Large Chemical Reactor as well. This loop consumes much less power on top of being faster than electrolyzing water. Per two buckets of Hydrogen and with all machines running at MV, the Formic Acid loop takes 8,960 EU over 5 seconds compared to 90,000 EU over 35 seconds.