Ray80
Mechanical
- Jun 20, 2002
- 2
Hello all,
I would like some help with a project of mine, an air liquefaction plant. With the capability to produce in quantity liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen the LOX will be used in amateur rocketry.
Now so you know I will discuss the spirit of this project. I really enjoy making things my self, the heat exchanger, turbo expander, Dewar flasks, everything but the compressor, valves etc.
materials would include PVC, copper, steel, and brass
my heat exchanger may be made by constructing the outer shell with two PVC pipes arranged in such a way as to create a vacuum insulated jacket (with vermiculite filling), and copper coils wound in the inner chamber. The warm air 32C enters the inner chamber at 77 PSI and is cooled to -168C thereby removing the H2O and CO2 in the form of ice. Then some of the dry air exits the top of the said heat exchanger and goes threw a turbo expander after which it enters the tubes of the heat exchanger and is used to cool the said chamber threw said copper coils and is recycled threw the main compressor. The rest of the cooled dry air leaving the heat exchanger at 72psi
the condensation column is made the same way as the heat exchanger. The cooled dry air entering at -168C, 72psi enters the coil inside the column terminating at an expander valve at the bottom of the column, producing liquid oxygen, and gaseous nitrogen at 7psi which enters a second column and is condensed into LN.
The compressor stage is an ordinary air compressor with a regulator fixed onto the air outlet and a HEPA filter on the inlet.
After the compressor stage the air is passed threw a condenser/precooler made like a laboratory condenser
The storage vessel is constructed with PVC and evacuated with vermiculite filling the vacuum. its capacity will hopefully be 500lbs
Some questions I have are.
Can schedule 40 PVC hold up to a vacuum at -183C or would I need to construct the inner wall out of steel?
Does anyone think it will work?
Do I need psychiatric help?
Has anyone herd of a Tesla turbine and what are your thoughts on using one as an expander.
Are there any issues with the heat exchanger?
What is the density of LOX per cubic foot or meter?
How would I remove Hydrocarbons from the air?
I am sure I will have more questions when I start making it.
This is all privately funded and therefor my budget is extremely small.
Thank you for spending the time to read this question.
Raymundo D. Rocha
I would like some help with a project of mine, an air liquefaction plant. With the capability to produce in quantity liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen the LOX will be used in amateur rocketry.
Now so you know I will discuss the spirit of this project. I really enjoy making things my self, the heat exchanger, turbo expander, Dewar flasks, everything but the compressor, valves etc.
materials would include PVC, copper, steel, and brass
my heat exchanger may be made by constructing the outer shell with two PVC pipes arranged in such a way as to create a vacuum insulated jacket (with vermiculite filling), and copper coils wound in the inner chamber. The warm air 32C enters the inner chamber at 77 PSI and is cooled to -168C thereby removing the H2O and CO2 in the form of ice. Then some of the dry air exits the top of the said heat exchanger and goes threw a turbo expander after which it enters the tubes of the heat exchanger and is used to cool the said chamber threw said copper coils and is recycled threw the main compressor. The rest of the cooled dry air leaving the heat exchanger at 72psi
the condensation column is made the same way as the heat exchanger. The cooled dry air entering at -168C, 72psi enters the coil inside the column terminating at an expander valve at the bottom of the column, producing liquid oxygen, and gaseous nitrogen at 7psi which enters a second column and is condensed into LN.
The compressor stage is an ordinary air compressor with a regulator fixed onto the air outlet and a HEPA filter on the inlet.
After the compressor stage the air is passed threw a condenser/precooler made like a laboratory condenser
The storage vessel is constructed with PVC and evacuated with vermiculite filling the vacuum. its capacity will hopefully be 500lbs
Some questions I have are.
Can schedule 40 PVC hold up to a vacuum at -183C or would I need to construct the inner wall out of steel?
Does anyone think it will work?
Do I need psychiatric help?
Has anyone herd of a Tesla turbine and what are your thoughts on using one as an expander.
Are there any issues with the heat exchanger?
What is the density of LOX per cubic foot or meter?
How would I remove Hydrocarbons from the air?
I am sure I will have more questions when I start making it.
This is all privately funded and therefor my budget is extremely small.
Thank you for spending the time to read this question.
Raymundo D. Rocha