Kjell, I will certainly give this a try for my own purposes, it seems simple enough. But, I can operate a TIG and have access to one. Unfortunately, a TIG welder and the associated experience are not widely spread. I do want to keep this project as Appropriate as possible. So, I'm trying to find materials that are as readily available as possible. Also, I plan to use propolene glycol so, there is the issue of double walls. I could certainly adapt this idea accordingly. Its really too bad that brazing the plate together wouldn't be sufficient - that would make it an easier DIY.
Thanks a bunch, Take care, Ken On 9/27/05, Kjell Löfgren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Ken, to avoid the tube bending business you can use a plate heat exchanger - > more compact but if DIY you have to do some welding. Cut two equally sized > pieces of *thin* stainless steel plate. Make about two dimples about 2 mm > deep on every square 10 cm of the plate with a ball-peen(sp?) hammer (work > on a wooden bench!). Weld the two plates together all around the edges with > the sides with the raised dimples facing each other. > Grind away the weld and cone out openings for the short pieces of pipes > where the fluid goes in and out (on opposite corners). The short pipe pieces > are welded in place. > Carefully pressurize the unit with very low air pressure - less than 0.05 > kg/cm2 - and test for leaks with soap water, remember to use clamps or > something to hold the plates together or you end up with a pressurized > 'football'! > Make two or more of these units and submerge in whatever storage tank you > use, you can connect them in series or in parallel as long as you avoid air > pockets. > The size of the plates is as big as needed but keep in mind that these DIY > units are not meant to be used with internal pressure! Pressure can maybe > be used inside the storage tank but the numbers of dimples have to be > increased. > Also beware of air pressure in large containers - even a small pressure can > add up to large forces and even blow the container! > > Stainless steel rods for welding and a TIG welding equipment is also needed > - a skilled TIG welding buddy will make things easier if you don't have the > know-how. _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
