I can upgrade the shelter

Since Chen Xin had prefabricated all the components in advance, the workers only needed to assemble them, so the construction of the heat supply hub did not take much time.

Including the time spent laying the foundation, it took only two days to complete all the work.

After the installation of the heat supply hub was completed, Chen Xin originally planned to wait until the return water well at the Seventh Middle School was also completed, connect the pipes on both sides, and then start the heat supply hub.

After all, besides considering the drainage issue, there was also the risk of large-scale extraction of underground water causing rock strata cavities and collapses. Under the current circumstances, where natural replenishment of underground water is difficult, it was still necessary to avoid excessive extraction of underground water as much as possible.

However, after consulting Professor Zhang for related knowledge, Chen Xin put these concerns aside.

Large-scale extraction of underground water does indeed cause rock strata cavities, but this requires long-term and continuous large-scale extraction. If the extraction is only for a short time and the volume is not large, the impact is not significant.

Because geological collapses caused by underground water extraction mostly occur in regions where groundwater has been extracted on a large scale for many years. Those regions have been using groundwater recklessly, and coupled with being relatively water-scarce areas with insufficient rainfall, groundwater, being extracted long-term without replenishment, causes the formation of underground cavities, leading to geological collapses.

As long as it is not large-scale and long-term extraction, it will not cause such severe consequences.

Moreover, although Lin City’s geological structure is complex, it is relatively stable and has not experienced geological disasters like earthquakes or collapses for many years.

Under such circumstances, Chen Xin did not hesitate much and chose to start the heat supply hub.

As the heat supply hub began operations, underground hot spring water carrying abundant thermal energy was drawn up. After the heat was dissipated through cooling equipment, it was discharged as cold water.

According to the design, this cold water should be transported via pipes to the return water well and then reinjected underground.

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But since the return water well was not yet completed, this cold water could only be naturally discharged.

The situation that Chen Xin was worried about, where water accumulation would flow along the railway, did not occur. Thanks to Lin City’s topography being high in the north and low in the south, the workers discharged this accumulated water south of the train station through pipes.

The area south of the train station was originally the residential area for train station employees, separated by only a wall, and could be reached by crossing the railway.

Further south is wasteland and a pond, considered a relatively low-lying area of Lin City. Although covered by a large amount of snow, raising the terrain slightly, when measuring elevation, it is still a low-lying area.

Therefore, with a water pipe set over the railway in the gully, water can be discharged in this direction with confidence.

Not only cold water after heat dissipation needed to be discharged but also the accumulated water formed by melting snow.

However, the situation of accumulated water was not particularly severe because while the heat emitted by the heat supply hub melted the snow, the environmental temperature also affected the snow melting, slowing down the snow melting speed.

Just standing beside the snow pit, watching the heat supply hub in operation emitting waves of heat melting the surrounding snow bit by bit while wisps of white "steam" rise around, really gives one the feeling of being in the steam era and appreciating the beauty of heavy industry.

The "steam" is not produced by high temperatures causing melted ice and snow to turn into white steam directly but rather by some water vapor evaporating into the air when the snow melts. These tiny water droplets rapidly condense into small ice crystals once leaving the heat supply hub’s heat field.

The tiny ice crystals, being too small and light, do not fall to the ground but are carried up by air currents, naturally becoming white "steam."

Chen Xin wiped away the water vapor accumulated on his helmet, watching the gradually melting snow, and finally showed a satisfied smile on his face.

Although the snow melting speed of the heat supply hub could not compare to the instant snow evaporation of heating devices in the game "Frostpunk," seeing the snow melt into water at a speed visible to the naked eye, flowing and falling to the bottom of the snow pit, turning into accumulated water and pumped away, still gave Chen Xin a profound sense of satisfaction.

These are things he created, bringing warmth back to the earth in this era, even though it’s just in this small area, it’s still something to be proud of.

With this in mind, Chen Xin walked to the bottom of the snow pit, where the water had already reached the foot of his Power Armor, but he didn’t mind.

It’s because the water needed to be stored at such a level for convenience in pumping, otherwise, if it was too shallow, it would be difficult for the pump to draw water.

Through the environmental monitoring of the Power Armor, Chen Xin knew clearly that the temperature around the heat supply hub had reached 27℃. However, because the surrounding snow was over ten meters high, almost flush with the heat supply hub, the current heat field coverage was still limited to the snow pit, not yet reaching the 200 meters radius designed by Chen Xin.

However, as the snow continues to melt, the snow pit is starting to widen at the top and narrow at the bottom, and with this status continuing, it will become a large funnel shape, like a sea bowl.

Watching the heat supply hub operating in front of him, Chen Xin thought for a moment before unlocking the Power Armor, stepping out of it, and taking off his helmet.

The warm and moisture-rich air greeted him, prompting Chen Xin to take a deep breath, inhaling the humid air through his nostrils, filling his chest.

This feeling is truly long-missed!

This sensation of standing outdoors and breathing freely in the warm air!

Chen Xin let out a long breath and then looked up at the heat supply hub standing like a tall tower before him.

Thanks to it, the air around is warm and humid, reminiscent of past summer days.

Compared to the slightly cold and dry air inside the shelter, the air quality here might not be significantly better, but the feeling is entirely different.

Just being able to stand outdoors and breathe the warm and humid air is enough to excite someone.

After all, the entire Earth is now a massive frozen Hell, and being able to stand outside and breathe warm air freely is a rare and long-missed event.

Feeling this, which was once taken for granted but is now so rare, Chen Xin shook his head slightly and grew a more determined belief in spreading it further.

Bringing humanity back to the ground and reducing dependence on underground shelters, Chen Xin believed that with these heat supply hubs and the Energy Tower planned in the future, he would certainly achieve it within his lifetime.