DIY CO2 Reactor Question

[Orple]

So I'm building a CO2 reactor, and have done all of my research on Tom Barr's design, Rex's design, and several others, and I have just one lingering question I was hoping I could get some feedback on. Really, what's the best way to attach the CO2 hose to the PVC pipe of the reactor? Rex swears by just inserting the tube through a hole slightly smaller than the OD of the tubing, but I'm perhaps too paranoid about leaks to stop there. I would at least put a dab of silicone around it, but I'm not really happy with that either.

My thought was to thread in a brass MPT x 1/8" tubing coupler, but I'm not sure if that would make things better or worse. Has anyone tried anything that they found to work particularly well?

Thanks in advance for any comments,
Orple

 

[Gbark]

you could solvent weld an air line straight coupler or 'T' to the reactor in the possistion you require

 

[Biollante]

Orples For One And All...

Hi Orple,

(Love Orple's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGyhcwINE20 ) :gw

Really doesn't matter much Rex Grigg's method works just fine silicone may make you feel better but doesn't do much for sealing between most tubing (anywhere) and PVC.

There are all kinds of fittings from simple plastic or PVC to brass to stainless steel from barbs to compression fittings. Rather than plastic or silicone tubing, reinforced tubing, I have used stainless steel mesh tubing with standard ¼ inch fittings with great success, it is overkill, but it works.

Brass or PVC compression fittings are probably the best answer...

Biollante

 

[Jim Miller]

One thing missed by just using a barb is the more central placement of the bubble in the water stream by pulling the line inside. The barb would leave most bubbles pretty close to the reactor wall.

just a thought...

jim

 

[nipat]

I don't trust using metal barb in this case.
PVC is soft, the metal barb will tear it
when facing shearing force overtime.

Sealing it with soft material is better (I think).
In a way it's like o-ring. It's quite tight, try it.

 

[hbosman]

I used crazy glue on the clippard CO2 tubing after pushing the tubing through the PVC. I think it works better for two dissimilar materials.

 

[I Love Aqautic Weeds!]

I avoided that by building it slightly differently? I slip the hose over a brass fitting, nice and snug.

 

[Orple]

Thanks for posting that pic. I don't know why I didn't think about a slanted T like that. Out of curiosity, is the picture right side up or upside down? I'm just trying to figure out how the CO2 would flow best in the reactor....

Thanks all for the comments as well. A lot of good food for thought

Orple

 

[I Love Aqautic Weeds!]

It's right-side-up. Water flows from my canisters up the clear pipe on the left, then flows more slowly down the larger diameter black reactor. The Co2 is released at the top and fights against the slow current that is trying to pull it down. When the bubbles are defused down to a very small size they get sucked down the bottom and back up the clear tube on the right and out into the tank. The slower the current moving down the reactor the better the diffusion you will get. It’s not so much the length as it is the width that matters……. The slower the flow is in the reactor the longer the bubbles will be in it.

 

[milesm]

So I'm building a CO2 reactor, and have done all of my research on Tom Barr's design

re-read the sticky "dual venturi external co2 reactor" or some such, you'd see how tom injects co2. leak proof.

i've used the rex method on diy sugar/yeast container caps. no co2 leaks, so i would imagine that it would also prevent water leaks.