Mini CO2 pressuriser idea

[Jackgraham50]

So I was pondering the old chestnut of CO2 recycling, as a physicist and periodic brewer. The main issues seem to be the accumulation of dangerous amounts of energy in stored gas, and the impurity of the gas.
A regular reflux water bubbling filtration system would get at least the adherent particles and some of the sulphurous fumes off, so you'd be beating keg conditioning already. As for the compression and storage, a piston based device filling a 8-12g bulb type cylinder on a single stroke (from a mechanical press or vice screw) could work? Would get around most of the pipe bomb issue by being small with comparatively higher redundancy . 10g of CO2 at STP is about 5 litres or so, so volume isn't really an issue, could fill that off an active batch in a couple of minutes. Also no issue of over or underfilling, as its just one stroke to one fill.

 

[Pkrd]

Welcome to HBT Jack.

I think the best use of CO2 is to grow larger tomatoes
https://linde-stories.com/better-greenhouses-tomatoes-with-co2/

 

[Jackgraham50]

Welcome to HBT Jack.

I think the best use of CO2 is to grow larger tomatoes
https://linde-stories.com/better-greenhouses-tomatoes-with-co2/

Aye, I heard of it improving fruit and ganja crops. I only make like 6kg per brew tho, so not much use to anyone, unless I had a greenhouse to pipe it into I guess

 

[Jayjay1976]

Welcome to HBT!

 

[IslandLizard]

Welcome to our forums!

You're overthinking the CO2 capture a bit, but am curious what you come up with, to save the planet so to speak. Fermentation CO2 is actually very pure. For starters, you could pre-purge kegs with it and to relatively high O2-free standards (<10-20 ppb).

What you describe reminds me of the huge balloon against the ceiling in our Physical Chemistry lab's lobby, when I was a student back in the 70s. It was used to store captured Helium.

I think the best use of CO2 is to grow larger tomatoes

Oh, not just tomatoes...

 

[goodolarchie]

Welcome to HBT Jack.

I think the best use of CO2 is to grow larger tomatoes
https://linde-stories.com/better-greenhouses-tomatoes-with-co2/

I am actually building my shop (which has a fermentation room) so that I can vent CO2 gas one-way to the attached greenhouse. Ferm room is only the size of a tool shed so the air quality will stay good this way. In the winter I'll capture it into a few tanks that also have low pressure one-way to allow atmosphere to leave as it fills with co2... aka spunding lagers.

Bonus is that some of the flowers will be used for spontaneous fermentation after they move outside, so it's symbiotic.

 

[Jackgraham50]

Welcome to our forums!

You're overthinking the CO2 capture a bit, but am curious what you come up with, to save the planet so to speak. Fermentation CO2 is actually very pure. For starters, you could pre-purge kegs with it and to relatively high O2-free standards (<10-20 ppb).

What you describe reminds me of the huge balloon against the ceiling in our Physical Chemistry lab's lobby, when I was a student back in the 70s. It was used to store captured Helium.


Oh, not just tomatoes...

Cheers man.
Aye well the storing is easy enough, and i do use it to purge kegs and vessels atm. Was just thinking of a way to avoid having to buy the higher pressure stuff for force carbing/serving,that could be done without storing *pipe bomb* amounts of HP gas at a time There's a fair bit of gunk in the first few days of CO2, which is where you get highest volume (thus the nasty smell). But if you didn't wanna filter I guess you could siphon off the last few cleaner volumes that evolve after 7-10 days?
Also I'm curious to know what they were capturing helium from, its not usually used in chemistry. Bet yous took a few gulps when they weren't looking.

 

[IslandLizard]

Was just thinking of a way to avoid having to buy the higher pressure stuff for force carbing/serving,

The "high pressure CO2" is actually liquified CO2 and stored in an appropriate steel or aluminum tank. The CO2 (gas) from a 20# tank (containing 20# of liquid CO2) is very commonly used in homebrewing for dispensing beer, as well as purging applications.

Fermentation CO2 is used to (gas or liquid) pre-purge kegs and other vessels from air, thus getting rid of the oxygen (air containing 21% O2) which is most harmful to beer due to unwanted oxidation.

I've never heard anyone (other than super large brewing outfits) compressing and saving fermentation CO2, although a keg containing pressurized CO2 (say at 20-30 psi) could be used to dispense another keg of beer. At higher psi, one would need to use a regulator or very keenly add just enough CO2 to a keg, to prevent super-foamy beer.

As a homebrewer, I'd buy a used 20# CO2 tank for $60 or less (CL, Amazon MP, brew club, etc.). Then get it refilled, or more commonly now, use it as a trade-in for a full one at an industrial gas distribution outfit. That's what we all do. 20# is a good size and can last 1-2 years or longer depending on how much you use.

If you want you can naturally carbonate a keg of beer as if it were one large bottle.

Also I'm curious to know what they were capturing helium from, its not usually used in chemistry.

Oh, Helium was used, e.g, for chilling high power lasers and such. Most of it was easily recovered from closed systems, hence the balloon. They may have also stripped it out of the air due to use in other applications.

Bet yous took a few gulps when they weren't looking.

You'd lose the bet!
No, we didn't inhale it, or had much time (or desire) to fool around. We were very serious students, wanting to learn, so the branch of science we were studying could become our profession. Studying at a University was a privilege, that had to be earned with hard studying and superior grades at the highest levels of secondary education.

 

[Ale-75-IT]

......

I've never heard anyone (other than super large brewing outfits) compressing and saving fermentation CO2, .....

I recycle this old thread because I'm trying to be the one who did it!
I do it above all to free myself from the anxiety of finishing the co2 when needed, to avoid wasting co2 to in beer transfers, to recycle flavoored co2 for carbonation ... and because I love do-it-yourself.
I don't know how healthy it is and what danger there is of contamination and I'm trying to use cheap materials.
If I succeed I will keep you updated.