Could one add baffles to the reactor to increase surface area instead of extending the reactor? Just curious if there is a reason it wouldnt work?
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Yugang reactor questions/thoughts/ideas..
- Thread starter Wildwhimsy
- Start date
How would you place these baffles? Like in a car muffler? That would only increase surface area exposed to the CO2 pocket, not to the water surface.
I imagine this would be much like either creating turbulence or potentially pre-injection of CO2 through a typical inline diffuser.
Any baffles would likely reduce flow rate also.
Any baffles would likely reduce flow rate also.
While it technically does increase the surface area, the amount wouldn't be worth the trouble they would cause turbulence-wise, cleaning-wise, and flow-wise.
Have you tried one of these horizontal reactors yet? If you're like me, you might be coming up with ideas on how to improve it before you actually use it (I did this a ton), until you actually install one. Then, once it's up and running, you realize "wow this is stupid how simple and easy this thing is!". The simple design is a pro, IMO!
- Thread starter
- #5
No, not like a car muffler. I don’t think they’d increase the pressure though. They would increase the surface area which would increase gas exchange. I don’t think you would be creating a pressure system.
- Thread starter
- #6
I’d also love to know yugangs thoughts on the idea but I’m not sure if tagging is an option?
It is great's see new ideas, and I have no doubts that further improvement will be possible. I do agree with @Naturescapes_Rocco that simplicity is a main benefit for this design, but having said that for commercial versions perhaps there are options to design the reactor more compact.
Due to time constraints I have stopped working on the reactor, but hope my posts with a compact design with internal bypass will lead to some follow up and ideally a commercial version:
Birth certificate Yugang reactor version 2
Finally I got also overflow mode to work, and the solution is really simple to replicate for other users.
In summary
Finally I got also overflow mode to work, and the solution is really simple to replicate for other users.
In summary
- This reactor pushes around 1.2 pH drop on a 50 gallon tank
- Can be used with precision regulator, pH controller, or in overflow mode for which the reactor geometry stabilises CO2.
- Can easily handle the flow of FX4 (2650 l/hour), no external bypass needed.
- Costs of parts about 6 USD altogether, and with some experience can be built in 30 minutes.
- 500 ml box, 7 inches long. As...
Remember that pressure is not the same as friction, although friction resisting flow in a closed system like a pipe will create back pressure. Increasing turbulence or pre-injecting with a diffuser etc will change the operation, but there are many other variables also. The Yugang reactor , like everything in an aquarium, is all about SA:VOL (Surface Area to Volume ratio). If you decrease the size of a gas bubble, you increase the SA:VOL, further enabling reaction or dissolution with the surrounding water body.
The Yugang reactor has a set surface area and gas exchange is therefore controlled by partial pressure of CO2 in the air space (hopefully 1ATM/BAR if the CO2 is pure), the gas saturation of the water in the chamber and the flow rate, which effects dwell time for the gas exchange to take place. Increasing the SA:VOL ratio in the reactor will effect the reaction, but the question that @Naturescapes_Rocco posed is "Do you need to?" If you have a system that is capable of reaching CO2 saturation beyond your desired target, you run the risk of gassing your fish if there is a failure somewhere.
A system that fails in the safe position, is generally better.
This is just my 2C on the matter. I'll be setting up my aquarocks reactor in the comming weeks.
