Plate cell construction tips

[keithturtle]

I condition them by using citrisurf, a process called passivation.  I haven't quantified the advantages of it on 316L, but it sure helps the cheaper 304 from scaling up quickly.

How many neutrals?  How about 59 in one cell?   Got a 61 plate (3 x 3 of 22 ga 304) powered by 120VDC thru a bridge.   Testing just started there, not looking too good, need more voltage control.

At this point, the only way to reduce chemical use it to tighten up the gap.  I have no numbers on that yet, but it's gotta be tighter than 0.065" (1/16th)

Still at it,

Turtle

[hydro]

i say up the amps, get you some 3 phase going on there bud,, some kinda phase.

[keithturtle]

I found a new adhesive for commercial applications of bonding metal to plastic.  LORD 201 with the 19 catalyst.   This glue can handle caustic wet applications.

I'm trying it on a slab-side acrylic cell ,and have come up with a construction approach that uses very little of this expensive glue.

I'll post a thread with all the details after it survives the initial testing phase.  If it survives.  They (LORD) had no information about electrolytic applications.

Turtle

[keithturtle]

Update on the 201/19 glue- it is holding up well to moderate high power and 0.5 Normal  KOH  (that's about 2 tablespoons in a quart of water), fairly stout brew.

At 10 amps, the cell showed now signs of fatigue, unlike the 109 glue which let go after soaking for a couple months in #N KOH.  Granted, that was 6X stronger, but it still failed.


The above has me motivated to develop some tooling to make the side-slabs a bit more precisely.

To wit:  I have a dedicated table saw for cutting grooves in plastic to receive the plates.  The grooves are centered to line up with the plates, which are held with spacers in a stack.   They are measures for spacing, and then the fence is moved precisely that distance for each pass.

The precise movement of the fence is accomplished with a pair of dial indicators, one on each end of the fence.

I'm in the process of setting up threaded rod jackscrews to move it with more precision.

More as it develops.

Turtle

[keithturtle]

Still working on the fence advancer.  Very little time to  devote just now, but I'm giving this every spare minute.  Hopefully there will be some numbers soon.

Turtle