Suggestions Building a 30 PSI Tank

[mewang]

Hello,

I'm going to need a tank that can withstand up to 30 PSI and insert an immersion heater with a temperature probe with wiring to an area outside of the tank. Input/Output will also be needed. The idea is to pump water in, superheat a water/steam mixture, and then be able to release the steam at regular intervals.

I'm thinking of buying a small CO2 bottle, drilling some quarter inch holes for input/output and fitting the immersion heater into the previously existing hole with a custom adapter.

Anyone have any ideas for how I can safely create and fit adapters for the holes? Would epoxy be adequate to fit any adapter or would I have to weld?

Thanks!

 

[JStephen]

You can buy small boilers- one example that comes up on Google:

http://www.reimersinc.com/_assets/pdf/JR2006_Manual-66141-and-Up.pdf

I dislike the idea of using epoxy there, you have the possibility of springing a leak and squirting boiling water on yourself.
You could possibly build up the whole unit from miscellaneous pipe fittings, 3" or 4" size pipe for the body.
Hobbyists that build live steam engines will build the little boilers to go with them, but I don't know how safe, efficient, or practical they are for an application like that.
Does the immersion heater have to be fully submerged at all times? If so, do you have a way to monitor water level to make sure that is so?

 

[mewang]

I really like the pipe idea. Now I'm thinking of using a T pipe fitting with a cable gland to run all of the wires in.

There are water level sensors for robotics kits I'm thinking of using. The Immersion heater should be fully submerged. I'm actually would like to use something like a 3D Printer Cartridge Heater. I'm trying to figure out if they are water safe. Do you happen to know?

https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=cartridge+heater+water+12V&spd=8430809189564869606

 

[racookpe1978]

The "rules" for ANY boiler still apply - even for this "small" one. Perhaps even more important for this one, since it is hand-made and not completely cntrolled.

Dual pressure gauges sized to show pressure at least 2x your 30 psig expected pressure,
dual relief valves at 110% and 115% maximum operating pressure.
Secure the "bomb" firmly so any release doesn't send it skidding across the room.
Secure the relief valve lines so they don't whip around and so they discharge in a safe direction (NOT into the room itself, towards a control station, or near another person), and verify there is no kinks or valves in the line before or after the relief valves.

Check your control devices for heating, filling, and regulating the heat input - especially since you 9the operator ?) may become distracted or too busy to manually turn on and off the heat input.

How will you test your device?

 

[LittleInch]

The issue here is that this is no longer a "tank" or even a simple pressure vessel but a boiler.

What is alright at normal temperatures becomes overstressed at higher temperatures.

You are playing with fire here. Your proposed modifications are liable to fail and without good control and pressure relief any failure could seriously injure or main anyone standing next to this boiler even a small leak.

Why do you want steam?
Why can't you buy a properly designed system?
There are many many pages on small boilers and making them from copper seems like a good idea.

http://thmsblog.com/?page_id=141

Any stop start system will be hard to design effectively.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[chicopee]

You should carefully listen to LittleInch. What you want to make could be a bomb and if it blows up the judicial system thru the guise of the stat fire marshal, homeland security etc...will step in.