Autocascade.... 'DaBomb'.

[Dualist]

Been thinking about this this for a very long time now and it's about time I had a play and try to build one. I've never put my stuff on here before so it's time for a change :D

It's called 'DaBomb' but with the expansion tank and safety devices I'm gonna use, it will be far from being one (I hope).

Here's the lovely donor, I brought this about 3 months ago for £20 hoping to find another and use them in my cascade but never did, I used a couple of rotaries instead so it's just sat idle in my living room (yes, I really need to tidy up).
Beer can for scale...

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/aircon1.jpg

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/aircon2.jpg

The compressor is a Bristol, 32cc twin piston recip. Very quiet compared to a rotary.
This will be a slow build :p but I am going to be making everything myself, oil seperator, phase seperators and heat exchangers, so it's also going to be nice and cheap too as it's only an experiment. So if it doesn't hold much load or I can't get it to work properly I won't feel to hacked off, but I love a challenge :)

Here's the schematic I drew up this afternoon, follow at your own risk, I and this forum take no responsiblity if you injure yourself or others trying to follow what I'm upto :p
I've drawn plate heat exchangers just for ease but I'm going to use pipe in pipe home made one's as I've a load of 1/2" pipe kicking around. I will be fully documenting this and will give captube lengths I've used later on.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/auto-c2.jpg

I have been reading this thread from back to front and there is loads of info in it as Michael is a top fella.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=144007&highlight=auto+cascade

Gases I'm planning on using are R600/R290/R23/R1150. If I can get hold of some R50 I may had more stages later if it all works.

Comments and feedback are welcome. :)

Edit... updated schematic and gas list.

[ruffus]

looks like it will be a good build can't wait to see what u do here

[runmc]

Thanks for sharing the build with XS :D I know this will be a treat to watch :up:

[tiborrr]

Nice, let's hope it will perform.

P.S.: No high stage boiler? :shrug:

[SexyMF]

Good clear diagram. Best of luck.

[Dualist]

looks like it will be a good build can't wait to see what u do here
Cheers mate :)


Thanks for sharing the build with XS :D I know this will be a treat to watch :up:
No problem Ron ;)


Nice, let's hope it will perform.

P.S.: No high stage boiler? :shrug:
Me too.
But can you explain the 'high stage boiler', never seen one or heard of one on an auto-c before :confused:
I saw you had a tand in the centre of your heat exchanger but thought that was your expansion tank.


Good clear diagram. Best of luck.
Thanks :)

[[XC] gomeler]

Me too.
But can you explain the 'high stage boiler', never seen one or heard of one on an auto-c before :confused:


R600 or R134a. First refrigerant that immediately condenses and rejects a ton of heat in addition to absorbing a lower temperature refrigerant in solution.

[Dualist]

Ahh, got you, thought I could get away with the R290 doing that but I can add some R134 no problem.
Or would I benifit as well putting a small HX between the filter and the first phase seperator.?

Like this....
http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/auto-c2mod.jpg

[tiborrr]

Yes, that's about it, but I'd make this auxillary condenser (you call "small HX") the biggest of all. Make sure your refrigerant blend passes through aux HX first and then through cascades #2 and #3. If you plan to make your cascade #2 and #3 HX about 3-4m long, make aux HX about 4-5m. A lot of subcooling will help absorbing higher pressure refrigerants (R-290, R-23, R-1150) in your R-600 thus making it's boiling point lower.

I would go with R-600, R-290, R-23 or CO2 & R-1150 for a two-stage auto-cascade with aux HX (basicaly a SLHX) & two cascade HX.

Best of luck,
Niko :up:

[Dualist]

Brilliant Niko, thanks for explaining that mate, it's a lot clearer :up:

I'll modify my drawing some more.

Dave. :)

[wondergod]

unrelated to cascad'in...its kind of funny to see Stella in a can...I've only seen it in bottles here in the US. :)

good luck with the build looks like it'll be great.

[Dualist]

I like cans, bigger so less time going to the fridge :D Thanks dude.


I've updated the OP with the revised schematic and gas list.

Now I'm gonna suck the gas out (R407C 750g) and rip it apart :yepp:

[Dualist]

Managed to suck the old juice out of the old thing, just so happens I had a disposable bottle of the same type :)

Getto reclaim unit was a de-humidifier in a previous life until Carl [EvoCarlos] came over at crimbo time and ripped it bits on my kitchen draining board, ta mate it works a treat :D
Low side [blue] guage was closed so I could just see how much pressure was left in the unit, high side [red] guage was open for flow to the bottle and see what pressure the bottle was running at. Just used the vac pump to vac down the lines and tank before I pierced the service line.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/suckin.jpg

Had a some time this afternoon and ripped the evaporator out (should make a nice condensor :) ), the controls and rest of the electrics plus some crap insulation.

Before..

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/before.jpg

Left me with a nice area of 13"x11" for heat exchangers and phase seps. Space to the side will house the new electrics. Still need to cut the back end of the fan motor off.

After..

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy31/monkyspanker/after.jpg

:D

[tool_462]

Fun project, mostly I wanted to comment that the very first picture...the Stella can looks like it is photoshopped in :rofl:

[kayl]

good luck with the cooler Dualist, good to see ppl reclaiming refrigerants ;)