DIY Chiller

[bob`_your_dog]

I was just wondering if anyones ever heard of this sorta system, I was speaking to a dude at my LFS and he says he pumps water through a lage 3 inch pipe then into a 3/4 " and then back into a 5 " pipe. What happens is the water goes from a low pressure to a high pressure (3/4) he says the pipes get very hot and when it returns to the 5" it cools down due to pressure drop

3 Inch 3/4 inch 5 Inch

We have temps in the high 30's here and he says it help lower his tank by at least 4-5 degrees C`

has any one ever seen this sorta thing

 

[Lateral Line]

I'd have to do some calculations to be sure, but the cooling effect you'd get from the expansion, would in all probability negate the heating effect you got from compression. In the end, I suspect whatever differences in the efficiencies of the processes would be to small to measure. The specific heat capacity of water is too high.

Consider, you pump your water back from the filter into a "pipe" of very large size already - your tank.

 

[bob`_your_dog]

True but thats why you would mount the hot compression section out of the water, and i was thinking would it help to cool that section or not?

Think of it like a deoderant can, compressed air gets spayed out - cold! same principal.

 

[konrad05]

I think the principle is correct, but in no way is it applicable to an aquarium filter. I don't know how strong your filter is but with the pressure required to get a cooling effect, I think you're looking at big trouble Just keeping making ice cubes and drop them in a few times a day, you don't even have to use aquarium water in the tray, barely 50 ml of tap water won't do anything to your fish

 

[ste2k3]

I don't think it will work. as lateral said, the heating effect from the compression would balence out the cooling effect and also, you'll need quite a large pump to power that which would add more heat then you will be taking out.

Why not use a beer chiller? these can be obtained quite cheap second hand and can be converted for marine use if needed?

ste

 

[Opcn]

That has to do with gass laws there and last I checked water is not a gas sorry. what might be more effective is to run a fan accross the top of the water and evaporate the heat away (Temp is a measure of avy Kinetic energy and the most active molecules leave first) What you could do is fill a large tub in a cold place with water and run a pipe out of the tub and throught the tank then back into the tub and pump water throught the circuit You could Even Cut a few holes in the side of a refrigorator if you wanted and plumb the line throught there to get the water cooler.


However The Guy at the LFS probably mixed up his physical properties of matter and just said that he had one so that you would be confident in him.

Goodluck

 

[bob`_your_dog]

Yeah, I'm starting to think so to.

Anyway this guy is apart of a fish club and invited me round to their next meet, so i'll check it out there and post any results

 

[Opcn]

Good deal

 

[Yenko]

You can't compress a liquid.

A beer chiller might work, but just about any kind of cooling apparatus can be used.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> You can't compress a liquid.

You can increase and decrease it's pressure.

 

[Opcn]

Yes but LL in that system unless the water was going at a blindingly fast rate the water pressure would be the same all over in that system. Also you can compress a liquid ever so slightly.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> unless the water was going at a blindingly fast

I know, that is why I said that any effect from such a system would be too small to measure. We seem to be agreeing, it won't work.