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Condesation/Fractional distillation of air

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LAN_403

Microwatt

Wed Sept 19 2012, 02:47AM

Registered Member #3282 Joined: Wed Oct 06 2010, 05:01PM
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Posts: 224

why plastic tubing. why not metal tubing. just cover the regenerator with foam. you making things too hard. Try to make your high pressure line 1/8 " tubing and your regenerative line 1/2 inch. enlist a plumbing company to make the helical bends in the copper for you. and in the end product screw the small pipe into the coil of the big pipe. Its ok to use professionals to create needed parts for you. You do not need to make everything yourself and from scrap.

IamSmooth

Sat Sept 22 2012, 01:47AM

Registered Member #190 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
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Posts: 1567

How many feet does one need for an effective regenerator? I know that the longer the coil, the more I can cool the condensor. But, there has to be a point where it is long enough. ANyone have any suggestions? I was going to go for about 12 feet for the countercurrent.

Experimentonomen

Sat Sept 22 2012, 05:45AM

Registered Member #941 Joined: Sun Aug 05 2007, 10:09AM
Location: in a swedish junk pile
Posts: 497

Tesla500 is building a Hampson Linde air liquefier from scratch, just remember that with this "air liquefier" you get mostly liquid oxygen as that liquefies at a higher temperature than nitrogen, so all oxygen needs to condense out before you start getting any other liquid gases.

klugesmith

Sun Sept 23 2012, 05:10PM

Registered Member #2099 Joined: Wed Apr 29 2009, 12:22AM
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 1716

Experimentonomen wrote ...
... just remember that with this "air liquefier" you get mostly liquid oxygen as that liquefies at a higher temperature than nitrogen, so all oxygen needs to condense out before you start getting any other liquid gases.

It's not that simple, because distillation is not a black-and-white process. Wouldn't it be nice if when you boiled a fermented liquor, all the alcohol came off before any of the water?

Yes, air in liquid/vapor equilibrium at an intermediate temperature will have an oxygen-rich liquid phase and an oxygen-poor vapor phase. Iamsmooth's thermo textbook will get into the formulas.
Industrial fractioning columns for air are like those for petroleum, only colder. Many stages of boiling and condensing run concurrently at a range of temperatures, to do the job efficiently (some kind of entropy thing). That's about all I remember.

Microwatt

Sun Sept 23 2012, 10:27PM

Registered Member #3282 Joined: Wed Oct 06 2010, 05:01PM
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Experimentonomen wrote ...

Tesla500 is building a Hampson Linde air liquefier from scratch, just remember that with this "air liquefier" you get mostly liquid oxygen as that liquefies at a higher temperature than nitrogen, so all oxygen needs to condense out before you start getting any other liquid gases.

I think any science hobbyest would love to have a fulltime supply of LOX. is that what you want? you could soak BBQ briquettes in it and go off with a bang

2Spoons

Sun Sept 23 2012, 10:47PM

Registered Member #2939 Joined: Fri Jun 25 2010, 04:25AM
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Posts: 615

IamSmooth wrote ...

How many feet does one need for an effective regenerator? I know that the longer the coil, the more I can cool the condensor. But, there has to be a point where it is long enough. ANyone have any suggestions? I was going to go for about 12 feet for the countercurrent.

I recall a figure of 30 feet from somewhere, but i'd think that would depend on things like tube diameter and flow rate. Whatever you do maybe you should make it easy to add more tubing later.

IamSmooth

Thu Sept 27 2012, 08:14PM

Registered Member #190 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
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Posts: 1567

I am on my way. Here is a picture of the Rix Compressor. It is a three-stage, oil-free compressor that can do 4500psi, but I will go somewhere between 200-250 atm. I tested the unit on 230vac and it draws about 7-8A. My first step it to make an intake filter/dessicator/CO2 absorber. I have ordered some molecular sieve material that will do all of this. I will also get the right fittings for the output and order some stainless steel pipe. I already have the specs so it will tolerate -320F and I have found a source for the fittings. This will not be a short project. I also need to make a shield in case something goes pop under the pressure.

Ash Small

Thu Sept 27 2012, 08:41PM

Registered Member #3414 Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245

I have some spare 6mm stainless pipe offcuts, and a few spare 'secondhand' swagelock fittings that 'might/could' be available.

(I need to keep some for the hydrogen feed for my proposed proton source.)

(Which side of the pond are you?)

IamSmooth

Thu Sept 27 2012, 11:09PM

Registered Member #190 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567

USA

I've got to figure out what I need from either swagelok or Autoclave

Microwatt

Thu Sept 27 2012, 11:18PM

Registered Member #3282 Joined: Wed Oct 06 2010, 05:01PM
Location:
Posts: 224

Do you think one of those pressure washers might work? they do 2000 psi easily and they are cheap.

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