What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Will 3/4" hoses, valves and fittings work OK in a 35L - 60L reactor setup, or should I go for 1".

What tubing is recommended? Can you give me a brand name?

Are brass valves, fittings, 'T's, etc OK?

I've read in USA posts about Gorilla glue. Is there an Aus equivilent?

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

I didn't think that this was a hard question to get an answer on!

[pangit Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close pangit]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

Hmmm, I'm not sure if I'm qualified to answer, as I haven't used a processor yet. Like you I'm in the middle of building mine. But I don't think it really matters, as long as you don't go below, say 1/2". I'm sure 3/4" would be fine. It's what a lot of people seem to use.

And almost all the processors I've seen photos of use brass ball valves, check valves etc, so that should be OK too. The tubing I've seen is the standard braided tubing you get in hardware shops. I don't know if the biodiesel causes it to deteriorate at all, but if it does it would be very slow.

Sorry I couldn't be more definite, but I think you'll be fine on both counts. As for the gorilla glue, perhaps you could include a link or explain what it is used for. I'm sure there is an equivalent here.

[Guest Close David]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

I am assembling parts for my own reactor and I am going for 3/4. Most of the processors I have read about on the net use this size and from what I have seen, fittings and hoses this size are much more readily available and cheaper than the 1" size.

If you are doing something like an appleseed processor, you may also want to consider what sizes the fittings are on the vessel you are planning to use. If the fittings are all 3/4, there is no point I can see in going to 1" because your flow rates will automatically be restricted anyway.

On a 30-60L reactor, I think 3/4 would work with that smallish volume to do all the transfer and mixing in a short enough time. I would guess it may be better to have a lower flow at a higher pressure to create more agitation and better mixing than a larger lazier flow which may not mix as throughly.

[pangit Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close pangit]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

Another point worth considering - is it really worth it with such a small reactor? IIRC from other posts you drive a Nissan Patrol, so you will get less than 1/2 a tank per batch. I don't know what reactor vessel you've got but it might be worth looking around for a 150-250L water tank. It will be hardly any additional work for much bigger batches.

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

Another point worth considering - is it really worth it with such a small reactor? IIRC from other posts you drive a Nissan Patrol, so you will get less than 1/2 a tank per batch. I don't know what reactor vessel you've got but it might be worth looking around for a 150-250L water tank. It will be hardly any additional work for much bigger batches.

You are right but there are other considerations I need to consider.
I need something ultra portable because I rent.
I have to design something that can be scaled up later with minimal effort.
I have an issue keeping the toxic stuff safely locked up.
Thus small is not better but a necessity.

..but, I want to build with fittings to handle a bigger volume when I upsize.

[bj4408 Member Find all posts View Profile Close bj4408]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

I use 3/4 inch hoses and fittings on my 90litre tank and it works well. The clear braided tubing works but has a limited life span. Mine are 7 months old and starting to seperate between the braid and inner layer and going soft, I think I'll change them to be safe. I use a wire reinforced diesel fuel hose for my pump suction pipe that I purchased from Pirtek, expensive but only needed .5 metre.
I have used brass ball valves that varied from $13 to $6.90 so shop around. Yeah I found the cheap ones half way through building my processor.
Hope this helps.
bj4408

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

I use 3/4 inch hoses and fittings on my 90litre tank and it works well. The clear braided tubing works but has a limited life span. Mine are 7 months old and starting to seperate between the braid and inner layer and going soft, I think I'll change them to be safe. I use a wire reinforced diesel fuel hose for my pump suction pipe that I purchased from Pirtek, expensive but only needed .5 metre.
I have used brass ball valves that varied from $13 to $6.90 so shop around. Yeah I found the cheap ones half way through building my processor.
Hope this helps.
bj4408

Thanks for this BJ! I'll certainly shop around for ball valves and it helps to have a price to compare to. I'll also check out Pirtek's fuel hoses.

I haven't seen it referred to, but when circulating the mixture in the reactor by a pump, do you have to 'restrict' the flow or do you run it flat out.

G

[bj4408 Member Find all posts View Profile Close bj4408]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

I would think the more flow the better the mixing. Haven't heard of anyone complaining of overmixing.
bj4408

[zigparacingtadpole Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zigparacingtadpole]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

G'day All,

What hoses are best...
Youre question is probably best answered by working out how much flow you require. If for example you build a 200Lt reactor and wish to use a pump to circulate it for a period of 1Hr you require all hardware (pump included) capable of flowing 200Lt per hour. This equates to a flow rate of just under 3.5Lt per minute. Easily acheivable with 1/2in. If you have any T's make sure the main line into the T is larger than the 2 offshoots, this prevents starvation. Also keep in mind that the flow rate listed on your pump is for clear water, not veg oil or bio diesel. Both are thicker and will require you to derate the flow of your pump by quite a bit.
Having just said that, I am a firm believer in having a feast rather than a famine. Over provision and you will have no problems.
Materials...
Any metal products should be fine, none of the chemicals involved are corrosive. I have a preference for stainless or zinc plated over brass but this is for aesthetic reasons only. All commonly available brass and galv plumbing fittings should be OK. If you are using BSP fittings that have a parallel thread, my advice is use the yellow PTFE sealing tap for gas, its thicker and seals better than the thin white stuff commonly sold by discount hardware stores.
Plastic plumbing fittings should be avoided at all costs, the plastic softens and joints fall apart when they are heated. It is also burns so is unsuitable for use around a gas heater.
Any hydraulic supplier should be able to help you with transfer lines that are impervious to the chemicals involved, it is true they are more expensive but should not be poisonous.

Thats my 2 cents worth, hope it helps

Adam

[joe Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close joe]

Re: What diameter hoses are best? 1/2, 3/4", 1"?

Hi all, I've just completed the exercise of getting valves and fittings. I've gone 3/4 fittings but the pump had one inch. Thats OK but as someone said earlier, the smallest inside diameter will be the bottleneck.