Testing liners
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Another fine example of highly developed laboratory technique.
Isn't there some way to use Mentos and diet Coke to test these, too?
Isn't there some way to use Mentos and diet Coke to test these, too?
Make sure you have really thick gloves when you fill the bags with 190 degree water and then throw them off the roof
;-P
Seriously, thanks for the post.....that was pretty cool and it looks like this stuff welds together really well.
;-P Seriously, thanks for the post.....that was pretty cool and it looks like this stuff welds together really well.
Believe it or not, those tests really had a purpose (although we do like to play, too!)
The bigger bag was actually 40% thinner than what we are testing as a liner material.
It also has a lot of welds done on a very marginal welding device. Welds can be weak points.
We have been using this liner material (at the proper thickness) in a tank, bringing it to boiling for over four months.
The tank would usually drop down to about 170-180 overnight and we would boil it again the next day.
In my experience of testing different liner materials for thermal storage systems for 30 years, boiling an unpressurized
tank separates the men from the boys pretty quickly. Most insufficient liners will fail with all the extra energy
that phase change throws at the liner.
I realized that we had the thinner material in stock (there is a lot of liner material around here), and did up
another liner for the boiling test with the thinner liner and also used the marginal welder to make it.
It has run for about two week with no issues. It is too thin for my comfort level to sell as a commercial product, but really allows me to test the welds since there is not much room for errors.
We will get a short video up of the tank boiling (it is quite a sight) while being fired from our stainless gasifier.
The bigger bag was actually 40% thinner than what we are testing as a liner material.
It also has a lot of welds done on a very marginal welding device. Welds can be weak points.
We have been using this liner material (at the proper thickness) in a tank, bringing it to boiling for over four months.
The tank would usually drop down to about 170-180 overnight and we would boil it again the next day.
In my experience of testing different liner materials for thermal storage systems for 30 years, boiling an unpressurized
tank separates the men from the boys pretty quickly. Most insufficient liners will fail with all the extra energy
that phase change throws at the liner.
I realized that we had the thinner material in stock (there is a lot of liner material around here), and did up
another liner for the boiling test with the thinner liner and also used the marginal welder to make it.
It has run for about two week with no issues. It is too thin for my comfort level to sell as a commercial product, but really allows me to test the welds since there is not much room for errors.
We will get a short video up of the tank boiling (it is quite a sight) while being fired from our stainless gasifier.
Sounds like some pretty tough stuff Tom... Do you do custom liners for existing tanks or just complete ready to run tanks? How much does this material cost compared
to other materials like epdm? I know it has been stated (I believe by you) that epdm won't hold up over 180F, How many years can one expect running 45 mil epdm at 180-185?
I regularly bring my tank to 185 at the top, 180 at the middle, and 165-170 at the bottom.
Kris
to other materials like epdm? I know it has been stated (I believe by you) that epdm won't hold up over 180F, How many years can one expect running 45 mil epdm at 180-185?
I regularly bring my tank to 185 at the top, 180 at the middle, and 165-170 at the bottom.
Kris
The material is more expensive, being somewhat less than half the cost of EPDM.
We do make custom liners.
I just took out a tank that was in service for 24 years. The liner was in pretty good shape. It was with a very large
solar system.
The system is a drainback system that used a cast iron pump. The pump made the liner amber colored but that
was the worst of it.
Our current liners, which this was made of, age by getting brittle. This was not brittle at all.
I will post some photos.
We put one of our newer tanks in. The only reason this one was removed was so I could peek at the liner and
we also wanted to install a different size tank since the usage had changed.
We do make custom liners.
I just took out a tank that was in service for 24 years. The liner was in pretty good shape. It was with a very large
solar system.
The system is a drainback system that used a cast iron pump. The pump made the liner amber colored but that
was the worst of it.
Our current liners, which this was made of, age by getting brittle. This was not brittle at all.
I will post some photos.
We put one of our newer tanks in. The only reason this one was removed was so I could peek at the liner and
we also wanted to install a different size tank since the usage had changed.
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