Scratch Build – In Progress ECI 33+ (3 Stage Cascade) - Stage 1 Completed

Let me explain this picture a bit.
It's fairly hard to shove one tube inside another tube. It's especially hard as the lengths required get long and longer. When making a heat exchanger using 3/16 and 3/8" tube, it becomes an exercise in insanity.

Both tubes must be nearly perfectly straight.
That means, even the tinyiest imperfections become a problem. As you begin to push one through, friction becomes a huge problem. Even a degree or two at a tiny spot pushes parts of the tube against the inside of the other tube.
This isn't a problem with performance, simply that it becomes impossible to push one tube in any farther. You must then withdraw it, figure out what's stopping you, touch it a tiny little bit, and try again.

My method involves 5 ft long steel beams and clamps.

Clamp the tubes straight as possible.

And try.

When your looking down a 20ft long barrel though, things get interesting.
This took 3 days.

 

And bent on up.
20" by 12". 4 loops or so tall.
Should be adequate heat exchange. And nice and easy to insulate, I hope.

 

Yeah it looks like it took you ages, but it looks like it is all gonna be worth it .

 

Second heat exchanger rolled, CPEV's tested played. Nice and up front. They will be "separately" insulated in their own little sealed box.

Now thats sexy. And under 3 inches tall.

 

Neat.

 

I'm working just fine Occasionally the shoulder hurts, but the HX's were the hard part.

 

There is going to be an removable foam plug in the middle of the heat exchanger box that just happens to let a 12 ounce can fit, right?

 

Middle of the heat exchanger might not even get cold
Might have an expansion tank lodged in there haha.

 

Pink time!
Those CPEV's are looking beastley aren't they?

 

I think I went a bit overboard height wise. Don't need that much! (Yay the cascade just got shorter!) I think I'll shave 2 inches off of her. Having the "low" HX in the center helps with the insulation of it. Normally -80 to -90C would require 3" of foam.



Need to get cracking on getting that condenser for the first stage, I have a back up, but it's not as pretty or dense. Then I can worry the evaporator.

 

5 of 6 gauge kits.
2 ft of 1/8" tube on each, after brazing in an inch and a half of 1/4" tube to a tube adapator.
Will find that last bit or just pickup another while I'm at homedepot getting JB Weld for these joints. I don't like teflon tape, it's just not robust enough for me.

 

Gauge prep! 6 lines made up, two lines for the hot gas bypass solenoid done as well.
JB Weld time, that will take the rest of the night to dry. Then will begin to pressure test components.



Oh also picked up 1/2" steel (smaller stuff) to weld up the cradle for the HX box.

 

Extra insulation bolstering the HX box, pushed finishing nails through, holds the walls in, and lined all the holes with nice black duct tape. That'll seal it up before I spray it with foam later on.
Now to do some welding work.

 

Very neat work, can't wait for more.

 

Me too
Waiting on a part.

 

No updates?

Bump

 

Obviously it's been a while.
Fall semester has been going pretty well, but I will be back on this.

Especially since I finally found the dream part to the entire construct.



6kw, nice and big, right now armed with a 220VAC motor, but will soon be re-equipped.
18" wide. 18" tall. 4 rows parallel.

 

****in' hell! That's massive!

 

are you going to do the "lick" test when its finished .....

 

Glad to see you working on this again mate, I can't wait to see more .