- Joined
- Apr 12, 2020
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 19
I am trying to pressure/leak test a fermenter. The fermenter had some amount of water in it. I have the fermenter completely sealed and pressurize it to, say, 2 PSI with CO2, then disconnect the CO2 tank The pressure gauge on the fermenter slowly over an hour or more drops to 0.
I realize that CO2 will dissolve in water - so I am not sure how to judge if this is a leak or not. Practicality dictates just draining the water. But now I am curious...
I had dumbly expected the head pressure to "equalize" above the water at 1 PSI (half of the 2 PSI I put in). Reading a bit it sounds like CO2 solubility in room temperature tap water is much higher than the dissolved CO2 based on equilibrium with atmospheric concentrations? Depending on the ratio of headspace to water in the fermenter (assuming it is airtight), I could presumably pressurize it to 2 PSI several times before the water becomes saturated with CO2 and the PSI in the headspace remains at 2 PSI even after disconnecting the CO2 tank? Any sort of calculator or napkin math that covers this?
I realize that CO2 will dissolve in water - so I am not sure how to judge if this is a leak or not. Practicality dictates just draining the water. But now I am curious...
I had dumbly expected the head pressure to "equalize" above the water at 1 PSI (half of the 2 PSI I put in). Reading a bit it sounds like CO2 solubility in room temperature tap water is much higher than the dissolved CO2 based on equilibrium with atmospheric concentrations? Depending on the ratio of headspace to water in the fermenter (assuming it is airtight), I could presumably pressurize it to 2 PSI several times before the water becomes saturated with CO2 and the PSI in the headspace remains at 2 PSI even after disconnecting the CO2 tank? Any sort of calculator or napkin math that covers this?