Vinegar in a scrubber???

[b1jetmech]

When using a scrubber to keep the KOH vapors from entering the engine, how about replacing the water for vinegar to eliminate any KOH vapor?

Or, would it be overkill?

Chase

[myoldyourgold]

When using a scrubber to keep the KOH vapors from entering the engine, how about replacing the water for vinegar to eliminate any KOH vapor?

I am sorry to burst your bubble, but vinegar will NOT eliminate all KOH. The KOH that makes it into the engine is inside the bubbles not the outside. Plain water cleans the outside and so will vinegar. The real problem is what is inside the bubbles. The best thing you can do is to make sure your bubbles are very small. If you want to be extra safe use two bubblers where both brake the gas into very small bubbles. (Small is good in this case LOL) I have found long skinny bubblers work better than short fat ones. It is the distance the bubbles travel through the liquid getting the outside scrubbed that counts. That still does not clean inside the bubbles thus the need for small bubbles so only a very small amount makes it in and causes no damage. Hope that helps.

[Bhart]

Someone in the crowd suggested to use aquatic diffusers, anyone out there have any success with these. I just ordered four of them.


http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategor.../air%20stone/4

[keiththevp]

I have used them before, but I ordered an array of different micron ratings 20 to 100. 100 works well but they all clog to fast so I went back to the airstone.

[myoldyourgold]

have used them before, but I ordered an array of different micron ratings 20 to 100. 100 works well but they all clog to fast so I went back to the airstone.

Keith, I have used the defusers in the link Bhart posted for over 2 years. Some have 1000 plus hours with no problem. These are cleanable even with mild acids. I do not use a defuser when conditioning a reactor. After proper conditioning there should be no problem if your reactor is working properly. The biggest problem is people tend to over amp their reactors. Over amping can happen at low amp readings on the attached amp meter. If the reactor is not built right and not conditioned right you can get hot spots in the reactor where the amps are concentrated causing over heating and junk in your electrolyte even though the total amps are not to high. That is a whole subject in its self.

[b1jetmech]

Guys, ya'll the best!

Thanks for your input.

I think I'm going without a scrubber in my new trucker cell and go with TWO filters instead. The will lay horizontal, gas from the unit goes into one then to the other AFTERWORDS so they both are not used at the same time.

It should trap the moisture.

However, I'm still thinking on a flashback arrester just in case... the scrubber might still play a role.

Chase

[Roland Jacques]

One of the experiments I've been meaning to do for long while is right up this category.

Having a reactor chamber filled with aluminum wool. I believe the this would eliminated any residual KOH. you could even put the aluminum wool in a bubbler it would work to break up bubble also.

So not only should this eliminate any KOH, but the reaction will give you more H2.

[keiththevp]

Keith, I have used the defusers in the link Bhart posted for over 2 years. Some have 1000 plus hours with no problem. These are cleanable even with mild acids. I do not use a defuser when conditioning a reactor. After proper conditioning there should be no problem if your reactor is working properly. The biggest problem is people tend to over amp their reactors. Over amping can happen at low amp readings on the attached amp meter. If the reactor is not built right and not conditioned right you can get hot spots in the reactor where the amps are concentrated causing over heating and junk in your electrolyte even though the total amps are not to high. That is a whole subject in its self.

Like I said, it really depends on the size of the filter and what your electrolyte is, if you use 28% KOH like I was and too small of a micron filter, it WILL clog. I have repeated this test numerous times. But the filter in the link does NOT show it's micron rating, therefore it could be 1000 micron which is WAY bigger then what I was using. But to me, if 100 microns will clog then there is a chance the higher ones will clog. Since I develop these systems for commercial application in over the road trucks, I do not use anything that has a chance of failing. Especially because if it clogs up and stops the gas flow in your bubbler, this will blow your reservoir.

Also as far as cleaning the diffuser, personally the systems I make are near zero maintenance for a reason. People just starting out in this hobby as well as the average consumer WILL NOT do the required maintenance. Many people can't even change the oil in their car in the proper time period let alone completely disassemble a reactor to clean it.

[myoldyourgold]

Keith Sir, do you know what is clogging them up? Could you tell us more about your system, configuration. I to am interested in something that has very little maintenance, even though in the real world maintenance is a revenue stream that should not be over looked if it can be justified, cheap enough, with service available conveniently. I am also working on an in vehicle water distiller run off the exhaust with an auto refill because people are to lazy or stupid to follow instructions to use distilled water. Electrolyte concentration is still a maintenance issue and should be automated. Now you come to the price problem of such a system. My reactors reservoir has a pressure relief valve that vents to the outside atmosphere with a flash back arrestor on it and when it goes off pressure drops in the reservoir and the system shuts off. The valve has to be manually reset. This prevents the system over pressuring blowing up your reactor etc. I do not have it all automated yet but will. Maybe over kill but I run 10 to 12 pounds of pressure and need some safety devices to insure no problems. Better safe than sorry.

[astrocady]

Guys, ya'll the best!

Thanks for your input.

I think I'm going without a scrubber in my new trucker cell and go with TWO filters instead. The will lay horizontal, gas from the unit goes into one then to the other AFTERWORDS so they both are not used at the same time.

It should trap the moisture.

However, I'm still thinking on a flashback arrester just in case... the scrubber might still play a role.

Chase

JetMech,

Filters are okay, and I plan on adding one to my system someday. Nick posted some good instructions for making one a couple of months ago.

However, I would not uses them to replace the bubbler, I would only use one after the bubbler as I final safety measure. The main problem with the filters is you can't tell when they need cleaned/replaced. With a bubbler, a quick glance will tell you it's time to change the water.

Plus, once the filter becomes saturated with KOH+water, what will that do to the back pressure? That needs to be determined first, no matter what kind of filter you use, where you put it, or with or without a bubbler. I just haven't had the time yet.

Steve