Stewie's Chiller Revision 3.0b Build :)

[Stewie007]

For old time's sake, I'm posing the original chiller that was, but never ran.

Revision 1


Revision 3


Revision 3 is the latest design that I've posted elsewhere. The 3b refers to the actual build accounting for a few deviations from the drawing.

So here we go

[Stewie007]

On most of this, after the MAPP torch proved ineffective, I've used an Oxy/Acetylene setup that I acquired for about 420 bucks at National Welders. It comes with a victor torch, and a decent brazing tip. You don't have to turn up the gas very high to get a good and hot flame either.

With that I purchased some trusty Tillman Tig gloves; I use them at work too. Very good for brazing. Provide for good dexterity, and shield from heat well too.

I also posted my oxygen and acetylene regulator pics with proper pressure settings.

Now, to the building part. hehe

[Stewie007]

The condenser was tough. I started with a Mapp torch the other day. Got the caps brazed on, but after adding a coil it was obvious that all of the metal and space ferried the heat away from the joint not allowing me to get it hot enough. So after acquiring the torch today, I got back to work.

Its a 3/8" coil inside a 4" steel tube, with a 2" tube inside. All is brazed with 56% silver. The water inlet and outlet are offset, admittedly not as much as I would have liked, but enough to splash against the interior to create a vortex very effectively. Every connecting part will be done so by use of a flare, in case I have to rebuild the condenser and swap out.

The end product is just over 13" long.

[Stewie007]

The cooler, with the evap inside is the same idea as the condenser. How ever I used a different design. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of it before progressing. It however looks very much like the coil I designed in 3D, save the outlet and inlet are on opposite sides. Today I simply brazed the evap inside along with the caps. After that I ran out of acetylene. The cooler is a grand total of 16 inches long, and I have a 16 inch tube on the way to use for the interior.

[Stewie007]

That's all for now, until some time next week. Let me know what you think so far.

[Stewie007]

Anybody??

[Stewie007]

The OD of the HX is 4", where as the inner tube is 2" OD (that being the smaller steel tube).

The Cooler is short a 16" tube of 2" OD, but the evaporator is inside, and fits just barely hehe. When the 2" tube arrives, I'll be able to continue my work. I don't wanna disassemble the other chiller until I've got everything ready.

[bassie]

Looks nice so far, but it would be nice if you clean the pipe a bit. Nice and shiny .

[Stewie007]

I am only concerned with cleaning the flux off. I am going to come up with a color scheme and the pieces will be appropriately primed and painted (The cooler after insulating).

I haven't decided on a scheme yet... But I was thinking about a deep glossy red hehe.

[bassie]

I haven't decided on a scheme yet... But I was thinking about a deep glossy red hehe.

Pink

[Stewie007]

I may just paint it a metallic blue color hehe.

[n00b 0f l337]

Nice!
Got a heat loader?

[Stewie007]

I take it by that you mean something to the effect of a heater? Like a "cooler heater" to add heat to the water?

Or do you just mean something to test the load?

Either way, not yet.

[n00b 0f l337]

Head to homedepot and get an immersion heater like in my guide
*see top of chilled water section for it*
If you have a variac and a kill a watt then ur set.

[Stewie007]

Sounds like a good idea. You've used that load tester with success? I hope? hehehe

[Stewie007]

While I await the other parts, I decided to do some painting. In the end, I might just paint it black. But I tried metallic grey, and dusted it with some black. I call it Industrial grey hehehe.

I was contemplating painting it black. In fact I did for a bottom coat. It looked good. Got plenty of paint.

So this? Or black. Or something else.

[[XC] 2long4u]

Very cool. But does it produce 1.21 jigawatts? Every time I go into the hardware store I cant help but wonder if people think I'm building pipe bombs. Come on, I'll take 1 foot of 3" pipe with 2 ends please.

[Stewie007]

I know. In fact, the guys at the A/C store jokingly asked me that once when I told them I needed caps for either end of a tube...

Had a good laugh over it hehe.

[TopherTony]

Its good to finally see this project coming along. I was wondering if you were ever going to be able to find time to build it.

What is up next?

[Stewie007]

Well, when the 16' x 2"OD steel tube comes I can finish the cooler; I already brazed the evaporator in. Its a shame I didn't take any pictures of it LOL. But it does look alot like the one I did in CG, just with a fewer tubes because the size of the return bends. Plus I have to carefully drull some holes (which I forgot to do).

That shouldn't be a problem though, since there is alot of space between the tubing. And once the evap in cooler is done, I'll be starting the rest of the assembly process, which will likely take less time.\

After that, I gotta get a refrigeration license, which I might get my company to pay for, hehe, and get some 507 so I can test the sucker

So on the 29th, I should begin work again. But slowly, because I also have a desk to finish at the same time hehe. I'll be posting pictures perhaps Sunday, or late saturday

[Stewie007]

Its not much, but I took some pictures of the already painted cooler. Of course, its not ever gonna show, lol... But it was fun.

Notice the absence of any "taps." I forgot to drill them in this one. Although I doubt it'll matter; I'll just make the inlet at the top. Its about 16 inches long, and quite heavy.

It took some convincing with the brazing on the 2" pipe into the copper cap, though. I made the mistake on one end to let it be flush with the cap. It wasn't behaving well, but I fixed it up. Tested it at about 50 PSI just like the condenser to verify that there were no leaks. No bubbling under water finally, then I cleaned and painted. Nice and shiny metallic green....

[Stewie007]

Now that I've got the heat exchangers done, I can move onto the main assembly. That'll be the most eventful .

[TopherTony]

thats a heck of a hx. that would cost over a grand if it were sold to an industrial supply place lol

[4Qman]

Loving this, keep up the great cosmetics as it makes it so much more worth while.

[Stewie007]

Alright, I did some disassembling and spacing to figure out how big of a base I would need. So I put down a towel to keep stuff from rolling (IE the heat exchanger).

I was only able to test the condenser for layout, but couldn't obviously suspend it for the picture. Right now I've got it laid out pretty much as the picture specifies, however some of the tubing will be in different spots.