Co2 scrubber folks

[Mike Yasin]

I use this on the dirty (regular) air line. When it's off (closed) the air goes through the CO2 scrubber. When it's energized (open), most of the air goes through the regular air line due to less resistance.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

☝☝☝

no need to over complicate it. Spit the intake with a Y connection- scrubber on one fresh air and Normally Closed solenoid on the other

 

[ofzakaria]

I use this on the dirty (regular) air line. When it's off (closed) the air goes through the CO2 scrubber. When it's energized (open), most of the air goes through the regular air line due to less resistance.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

I do not get it. If the valve closed, are not you restricting the air from the skimmer?where is the air inlet path?

 

[ofzakaria]

Quick update on this.
I settled with the company on providing an option for media bypass through a connector on the reactor controller.
The idea is:
- Reactor control and mantain humidity of the media as its originally designed
- a connector that can connect to any controller or a timer to wall socket is responsible for enabling bypass when user want to (say when ph is high)

I worked with them to make sure the control function is controller independent to give the user flexibility.

Now we deciding the connector type for the bypass option.
I was thinking a simple audio jack. What do you all think? Any preference?

 

[bfirecat]

I'm not too experienced with different connector types for this stuff.

I think it's pretty awesome that the company is taking feedback so quickly and willing to change their product after speaking with you.

 

[EBJ]

I do not get it. If the valve closed, are not you restricting the air from the skimmer?where is the air inlet path?

updated on pg 4 with pic

 

[ofzakaria]

updated on pg 4 with pic

Got it, yeh this is the typical setup when using solniod with co2 scrubber.

 

[Rostato]

Quick update on this.
I settled with the company on providing an option for media bypass through a connector on the reactor controller.
The idea is:
- Reactor control and mantain humidity of the media as its originally designed
- a connector that can connect to any controller or a timer to wall socket is responsible for enabling bypass when user want to (say when ph is high)

I worked with them to make sure the control function is controller independent to give the user flexibility.

Now we deciding the connector type for the bypass option.
I was thinking a simple audio jack. What do you all think? Any preference?

no preference

 

[JVU]

Solenoid on the bypass tubing to room air, with off-closed default. When it’s off it closes the bypass to room air, so all comes from the scrubber, no heating for the most common state. When energized, the the solenoid opens the tube to room air which is the much lower path of resistance so most of the air bypasses the scrubber. I think this is what Eric was showing and others were saying, and is also the way BRS set up theirs in their videos.

I’m not advocating for solenoids since they still generate too much heat, just trying to clarify that off-closed would be preferred for this use.

 

[ofzakaria]

Why neptune apex call their I/O port an I/O if its only input and no output function is really there lol...sigh..

Context:
Am almost done with the PRS reactor folks and we settled on a nice design that utilize an external power supply to activate bypass.
In really all what they needed is an on off switch function(relay) because they have the needed voltage on the board they just need a relay control to give the bypass option.
Now. With ghl, I do have this function. GHL I/O port is truly input snd output. Meanint I can push an output signal from the breatkout board to create an open short condition and control a relay. This eliminate the need for a power supply and the control is as simple ad 2 wires from breakout box to the prs controller
Apex on the ither hand cannot do that. The io port is to detect open short only(float, leak detector..ect)...input only.
I did not want the PRS folks to do the function that supports one controller only, so, the best path was to go through an external power supply so the function becomes controller independent.

We locked the design and testing is ongoing now.
Expected 1st sample shipment is in 2 weeks. Am very excited about this one. Gonna be the first smart co2 scrubber in the market..

 

[Coral reefer]

I was wondering how this one changes the air input if it doesn’t use a solenoid, but then after reading the above I realized I won’t understand the answer I don’t think.

 

[Meshmez]

I was wondering how this one changes the air input if it doesn’t use a solenoid, but then after reading the above I realized I won’t understand the answer I don’t think.

My understanding is it uses a motor to move between valves, essentially.

 

[ofzakaria]

I was wondering how this one changes the air input if it doesn’t use a solenoid, but then after reading the above I realized I won’t understand the answer I don’t think.

They use step motor mike. That's all. A step motor that has 4 ports.

 

[Coral reefer]

So why don’t people use a step motor instead of a solenoid with other co2 scrubbers?

 

[ofzakaria]

So why don’t people use a step motor instead of a solenoid with other co2 scrubbers?

U can, step motor requires programing snd control. Not as simple as on off using a voltage as in the solniod. you also need to build the housing for it and design the airways, design the baffles..etc. step motor is not typically used for this purpose.
But u can for sure..

 

[Coral reefer]

That makes sense. Thank you.

 

[ofzakaria]

so over the last 2 weeks working on the scrubber reactor I think I learned something.
Apparently the media humidity is important in the media operation and effectiveness.
I now think, when ppl hook the mdeia to the skimmer cup, and see better ph, its not because of the theory that the cup pass air that is less co2 so its scrubbing more so its better ph. I think this is nonesense actually.

I think whats happening is simply they pass more humid aor to the media so media work better hence better ph.

I think the co2 level inside the skimmer cup is not that difftence than the co2 level on the room air..its just the humidity....
When I look at @Rostato co2 scrubber picture, pr online pics of the skimmer cup recirculsting diy....its so humid inside the rractor I used to be worried about him aucking in air that is saturated with the media juice.
I really think that's all whats all it is when ppl see improvement in the ph when thwy connect to their skimmer collection cup. Theybare simply pushing more humid air..

I think the PRS reactor will be incredible and will show great performance without the risk of the funky DIY with its risks of overflowing skimmer cup or sucking in polluted air back to the system

 

[ofzakaria]

one more data point, apparently if we mantaim proper humidty the media can regenerate.
Now in the reactor the media turn purole but still effective then after a while it turn back to white and continues to be effective..

 

[RandyC]

The neutralization of CO2 involves a number of chemical reactions:

1. CO2 + H2O ⇌ H2CO3
2. H2CO3 + 2NaOH ⇌ Na2CO3 + 2H2O + Heat
3. Na2CO3 + Ca(OH)2 ⇌ CaCO3 + 2NaOH

Having a more humid environment provides availability of water to convert CO2 to carbonic acid to start the soda lime reaction to bind up CO2. Without freely available water, CO2 will not form carbonic acid and thus will not form the insoluble calcium carbonate salt in step 3 to lock up the CO2 for good.

 

[ofzakaria]

The neutralization of CO2 involves a number of chemical reactions:

1. CO2 + H2O ⇌ H2CO3
2. H2CO3 + 2NaOH (or KOH) ⇌ Na2CO3 (or K2CO3) + 2H2O + Heat
3. Na2CO3 (or K2CO3) + Ca(OH)2 ⇌ CaCO3 + 2NaOH (or KOH)

Having a more humid environment provides availability of water to convert CO2 to carbonic acid to start the soda lime reaction to bind up CO2. Without freely available water, CO2 will not form carbonic acid and thus will not form the insoluble calcium carbonate salt in step 3 to lock up the CO2 for good.

U see I did not know thay before. I lewnr3d this this 2 weeks.
I wonder then how did the media work normally when we just pass riom air thru it..air is not that humid. Does that mean we been running co2 scrubber in sub optimum condition?

 

[RandyC]

U see I did not know thay before. I lewnr3d this this 2 weeks.
I wonder then how did the media work normally when we just pass riom air thru it..air is not that humid. Does that mean we been running co2 scrubber in sub optimum condition?

Too many factors to answer that question. It would depend on where you’re drawing air from (sump, outside sump, etc.) and the environment (weather, garage, inside house).