Another DIY CO2 experiment

I'm attempting to make a 'hybrid' DIY CO2 system that will hopefully combine the controlability of a pressurized system with the low cost of a DIY yeast system. I'll post pictures of the design as I progress.

The consept consists of 2 normal canfruit bottle yeast systems connected in parallel with each other and an empty bottle that serves purily as a gas storage vessel via a 3-connector air valve. This 3 bottle system connects to a DIY pressure regulating valve (constructed from a syringe, bicycle spoke, spring, etc.) and a needle or similar flow control valve into the tank via an air stone. The idea behind the system is to have the yeast system built up a supply of CO2 gas that gets stored under pressure and utilized as needed instead of all being pumped directly into the tank as it gets generated. To prevent explosion of the bottles I'll experiment to see what the maximum holding pressure of the bottles are and incorporate a DIY pressure relieve valve using symilar componets used for constructing the regulating valve.

So far I've finished construction of the pressure regulating valve and will commence with the bottle and gas storage assembly with the relieve valve.

Some info that I do however require is, for a pressurized system, what is the average outlet pressure used by you guys on your regulators?

 

this could be very interesting. i just love diy threads

 

Here's the 1st prototype of the pressure regulator, Regulator MkI. :bigsmile:

Components:
- Big syringe (from your local farmers co-op)
- Bicycle spoke
- Bolt, nut and washer
- Cheap toy water pistol (use the spring from the trigger)
- Silicone sealant
- Pratley steel

Works out to about R45. Will test it the moment I have the gas generating and storage assembly finished.

 

This looks interesting. Coming along for the ride :blink1:

 

Ok, my experimenting is not going along well at the moment...

I don't know how people manage blowing up the bottles on their yeast DIY CO2 systems when using a valve to control the flow. I've rigged a Consol glass can fruit bottle with a pressure gauge and did the yeast thing but I can't get the pressure to build?! The pressure just stabilized at less than 0.5bar and I've checked for leaks but nothing!

All I can think is that the yeast process stops when the mixture becomes saturated with CO2 at a certain pressure. That means I'll have to pump in O2 or something to keep the process going which misses the point of what I tried to achieve.

Conclusion
The DIY yeast method at this stage seems to be an inherently 'safe' method (still don't know how you guys blow up your bottles from over pressure cause I can't get it to rise). It seems I can pretty much throttle the flow of CO2 into my tank as much as I like without worrying about anything exploding.

 

I've never blown up a bottle... but I've landed up breaking the seal where the airtube goes into the bottle.

 

Either way, doesn't look like CO2 will pressurize without the addition of O2. Basic chemistry actually... ush: Should have realized that sooner.

Have a new idea using my air pump. Will post some schematics later and here what you guys think about it.

 

SOunds good.

 

WHAT about a reactor it looks to be gooood

 

Check out this post: http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?t=2889

I've been thinking along the same lines as this.