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DIY Kalkwasser reactor

[quote author=pixelpixi link=topic=4231.msg51925#msg51925 date=1218494321]
[quote author=Vincerama2 link=topic=4231.msg51924#msg51924 date=1218493867]
Mine is not active at the moment, but when I do get around to using it again, I'll swap the input and output lines so that the pump doesn't have to fight against the head pressure and the output actually gets a boost from it.
[/quote]

I'm not sure that would help you. The head pressure is due to the height that the pump has to push the water, not the width of the column. The head pressure to 4' is the same regardless of of whether it's a 4" wide reactor chamber or a 1/4" wide airline tube.

[/quote]

I think you misunderstood my set up. There are two valves/ports in my reactor. One is at about 2 feet above the bottom of the reactor, one is 4 above the bottom of the reactor. The mixing pump's input/output bracket the port at 2 feet. The original idea is that my FEED pump pumps water in at 2 feet, right between the mixing pumps input/output, so that fress RO water is injected at the "mixing zone". The ouput port, being 4 feet up will get saturated kalkwater that is nice and clear, since the undissolved kalk stays near the bottom.

That was the plan, and it works, but sometimes the feed pump (a peristaltic medical pump) has trouble because when bubbles accumulate at the top of the reactor (I'll just call it a reactor) it puts the output port "above water" and the feed pump has a hard time pushing out the air from the reactor. The air sort of vapour locks it or something. But more to the point is that the feed pump has to pump against the 2 feet of water that sits between the input port and the output port.

Now if I switch the lines, so that the input from the feed pump goes INTO the reactor at 4 feet and the effluent is drawn from the reactor at 2 feet, then the pump is not working to pump against the liquid and in fact the output gets a boost from the head above it.

I think what you are saying is that if I pump to the top of the reactor, it's the same effort for the pump as when I pump to the middle, because either way, it has to pump to the top of the reactor? I think it makes a difference because my output is moving from the top to the middle of the reactor now. I need to post a picture of my reactor to show what I'm saying..!


V
 
[quote author=Mr. Ugly link=topic=4231.msg52491#msg52491 date=1218777961]
You guys have all the fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcQ7RkyBoBc

:D
[/quote]

Yeah, seen that one, hilarious!
Since I work as an engineer at a tech company that builds network testing equipment, it's often funny when out IT guys try to pull stuff like that.

I worked at one startup where the IT guy kept coming and asking me how to do stuff, I was like "Dude, come on, that's YOUR job! Do I have to keep showing you this stuff?"


V
 
[quote author=Vincerama2 link=topic=4231.msg52549#msg52549 date=1218825589]
I think what you are saying is that if I pump to the top of the reactor, it's the same effort for the pump as when I pump to the middle, because either way, it has to pump to the top of the reactor?
[/quote]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Pumping to an inlet that's 2' above the bottom with 2' of water above it is the same as pumping to 4' with no water above it.

I don't quite understand the 'vapor lock' problem. Why does it not just push the air out the outlet?
 
I think I need to post a pic. The point really is that the outlet, which has no backpressure on it, is being moved from the 4' position to the 2' position. So in the first scenario, at 4' the pump needs to push in water (at whatever height, be it 2' or 4') and the natural level of the water in the reactor is 4'. In the second scenario, the outlet is at 2', so that there is 2' of water above the "hole", which would be held back by the peristaltic pump.

I mean, when I think about it, I see your point about the 2' vs 4', but I think moving the unrestricted outlet from 4' to 2' would make a difference. But now that I htink of it, if the pump fails (ie; the peristaltic tubing breaks, which is has before) then the 2' of water above the outlet would drain into the tank, whereas before the water would drip out the broken tubing (and create it's own mini-flood at the pump). The biggest problem I have really, is the fact that the stupid thing is 4' tall!! Maybe I just need a peri-pump that doesn't suck.

V
 
When my tubing breaks it seems to happen in the middle of the four rollers so it has two rollers still pinching it down. Guess I'm lucky :D I also use check valves and only send RODI thru the 1/4" tubing .
 
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