Geyser output and storage through dormancy

An analyzed vent has an eruption rate, a fraction of time erupting during its active season, and a fraction of the whole activity cycle spent active. Long-term supply = eruption rate × eruption fraction × active fraction. The peak is useful for moving output away; the long-term value is useful for feeding a colony.

Geysers	Temperature	Active-period yield	Max pressure
Cool Steam Vent	110 °C	1,000–2,000 kg/cycle	5 kg
Steam Vent	500 °C	500–1,000 kg/cycle	5 kg
Water Geyser	95 °C	2,000–4,000 kg/cycle	500 kg
Polluted Water Vent	30 °C	2,000–4,000 kg/cycle	500 kg
Cool Slush Geyser	-10 °C	1,000–2,000 kg/cycle	500 kg

The active-period yield in the comparison is already averaged across the eruptions within that active period. Do not multiply it by the eruption fraction again. Multiply by the active fraction to include dormancy, and divide kg/cycle by 600 to express kg/s.

Consider a vent erupting at 10 kg/s for half its active season, with activity for 75 of every 125 cycles. Its long-term average is 10 × 0.5 × 0.6 = 3 kg/s. A colony using 2 kg/s needs 60,000 kg stored for the 50 dormant cycles: 2 × 50 × 600. Additional storage covers gaps between eruptions, delivery delays and the reserve you choose to keep.

Cool Steam Vent emits at 110 °C, below the Steam Turbine’s intake threshold; simply placing a Steam Turbine above it does not make a working condenser. Steam Vent emits much hotter steam, but turbine flow, power and body-temperature limits still apply. Plan cooling and drainage independently of the vent’s theoretical output.

Cool Slush Geyser provides cold Polluted Water, not clean Water. The two liquids have different freezing boundaries. Before purification, compare the resulting liquid’s temperature range with the temperature in your pipes. Warm Water Geyser output should likewise remain away from temperature-sensitive crops until its heat is handled.