I have built a 316L stainless tube WFC that is computer driven into a Lawton style VIC and have been running the conditioning process for weeks and I am still neck deep in brown/black muck.  At one point it clogged my tubes solid between cell flushes and I had to disassemble/reassemble.  Added a pump for circulation and magnets to pull out the black muck(as i figured out it is magnetic) to prevent pump clogging.  I have run 10 conditioning cycles since reassembly according to Lawton/Ravi's description and I am still getting heavy muck with no discernible decrease in muck. :@

My question is: Is this normal in your experience or is there something probably wrong with my setup?  How many cycles before you saw results at least?

Thanks in advance!
Clay

Quote from redmopar on December 28th, 2012, 08:31 AM

I have built a 316L stainless tube WFC that is computer driven into a Lawton style VIC and have been running the conditioning process for weeks and I am still neck deep in brown/black muck.  At one point it clogged my tubes solid between cell flushes and I had to disassemble/reassemble.  Added a pump for circulation and magnets to pull out the black muck(as i figured out it is magnetic) to prevent pump clogging.  I have run 10 conditioning cycles since reassembly according to Lawton/Ravi's description and I am still getting heavy muck with no discernible decrease in muck. :@

My question is: Is this normal in your experience or is there something probably wrong with my setup?  How many cycles before you saw results at least?

Thanks in advance!
Clay

I think I would hold suspect my water in your case.  Maybe get you a home water distiller like:


Then add a known amount and type of electrolyte such as KOH.

My cell had the same problem from even filtered tap water.  Not until I was sure the water was clean did the cell behave accordingly.

The other thing to check for is exposed metal.  Only stainless should ever come in contact with the water.  If you have copper wires underwater or regular steel washers or bolts exposed in your design, you will have prolonged issues with water clarity.

One other item you might try is getting a stainless steel bore scrubber like one would use to clean shotgun barrels.  Scrub and buff all surfaces best you can.  Contaminants still in your tubes will certainly continue to generate the muck you are seeing.

Thanks for the reply.  I will try distilled water, but I think adding an electrolyte would not be productive for what I am trying to do.  I think KOH would increase the conductivity of the water and cause a higher amp draw.  I would expect more gas though :D

Edit: Scratch that.  I think my tubing is crap.  I noticed some rust on the pieces i didn't use.  Going to order some 304 from somewhere else.

Quote from redmopar on December 28th, 2012, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the reply.  I will try distilled water, but I think adding an electrolyte would not be productive for what I am trying to do.  I think KOH would increase the conductivity of the water and cause a higher amp draw.  I would expect more gas though :D

Edit: Scratch that.  I think my tubing is crap.  I noticed some rust on the pieces i didn't use.  Going to order some 304 from somewhere else.

Just an idea take a magnet and touch it to the SS tubes you have, if it attracts to them then your right it's not very good SS, good SS will not attract to a magnet. Please disregard if you know this already.:D

i have an idea.use aluminium oxide(alumina).

use aluminium plate on negative side,ss plate or tube on positive side.use distilled water with koh or naoh.put 12v dc across plate.

observe amps consumption if it drain lower to stable amps(lowest amps) then stop conditioning.this concept from this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ml2TdQ2_2mk

thanks
geenee

Quote from Jeff Nading on December 28th, 2012, 07:55 PM

Quote from redmopar on December 28th, 2012, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the reply.  I will try distilled water, but I think adding an electrolyte would not be productive for what I am trying to do.  I think KOH would increase the conductivity of the water and cause a higher amp draw.  I would expect more gas though :D

Edit: Scratch that.  I think my tubing is crap.  I noticed some rust on the pieces i didn't use.  Going to order some 304 from somewhere else.

Just an idea take a magnet and touch it to the SS tubes you have, if it attracts to them then your right it's not very good SS, good SS will not attract to a magnet. Please disregard if you know this already.:D

Hah, yeah.  Pulls a magnet quickly like iron.  I will be bringing these back to my supplier.  I think they screwed up.  Several lessons learned including a quick way to make iron powder so fine it will suspend in water.  Fine iron powder is useful for other fun purposes, wink wink.  I actually managed to thin out those pipes in places.

Geenee, good idea.  I will be experimenting with alumina.  I happen to have quite a bit of aluminum scrap and lye laying around from other projects.  Something to do while I am waiting for my pipes other than creating more untested VIC designs for my WFC.  I am beating a dead horse there till I rebuild.

Thanks y'all