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Re: CO2 reactor problem
Craig wrote
Until a few weeks ago, I was using DIY yeast CO2 which was being pumped into
a DIY counter-current flow reactor in my sump run by a powerhead. I asked
the
group why I was getting a pocket of air in the reactor that would not
dissolve and the response was that all the gas coming out of the yeast was
not CO2, and so the reactor had to be periodically vented of these other
gases. Well, now I'm using a CO2 canister and I'm still getting the same gas
pocket. My flow is only 2 bubbles per second and it seems that the reactor
(although it has massive turbulence and gas/water mixing) is unable to keep
up with CO2 input. So are there still a lot of non-water soluble gases in
bottled CO2? I wouldn't think so, but let me know if I'm wrong.
Wayne writes:
While I am not sure what gasses might be accumulating in the reactor I think
is is mostly undisolved CO2. These types of reactors have only a limited
capacity and it sounds like it has been exceeded. I like this feature with
yeast/sugar CO2 as I believe the size of the gravel tube limits the amount
of CO2 the reactor is capable of disolving. Since the output of a
yeast/sugar generator can get too great at times this type of reactor can
prevent too much CO2 from being disolved.
A handy way to get rid of the gas pocket is to put a " T " in your line just
before the gravel tube. The size of outlet on the " T " will determine the
flow through the gravel tube. To get rid of the gas pocket you can just shut
off the power head for a couple of seconds and all the gas will vent through
the " T ". This setup has the added bonus of protecting your pump. In some
setups when the powerhead is turned off, the CO2 can get forced into the
impeller chamber. When the pump is restarted it won't prime because the
impellor chamber has been pressurized with CO2 gas.
Since you have bumped up to a better setup, and since you can now control
the outpumping of the CO2, I think I would jump at the chance to dump the
powerhead pump in the sump. Can you just inject the CO2 into the intake of
your sump pump? That way you would can lump the two sump pumps into one sump
pump.
Wayne,
who couldn't think of a way to use grump, rump or chump without getting
offensive.