Sciencemadness Discussion Board
Not logged in [Login ]
Go To Bottom

Printable Version  
 Pages:  1  2    4
Author: Subject: Gas-phase apparatus construction
FrankMartin
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 50
Registered: 30-5-2010
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 6-7-2010 at 16:37


Heating wire (Nichrome) may be investigated here:

http://www.wiretron.com/nicrdat.html

There may be a catalogue available giving Nichrome wire gauges, resistivities and practical examples.

We have made some in-situ heaters using Nichrome and power supplies.

Frank
View user's profile View All Posts By User
peach
Bon Vivant
*****




Posts: 1428
Registered: 14-11-2008
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 8-7-2010 at 08:32


Acetic acid smells really nice, from a distance. :D Up close and it's one of those smells that makes you instantly shout "fuck!" and jump back from.

The worst I've ever had from gases has been using 15% industrial bleach. I was cleaning a small lab, about 12ft x 8ft, for a few hours, spraying the bleach on every surface. I was in there for hours, cleaning. The bleach was actually green. Soon after starting, I couldn't smell the chlorination anymore. Hours later, when I left, it felt like someone had hit me in the chest with a baseball bat.

But I was breathing very clearly after that, chloride ions thin the mucus lining and improve oxygenation.

At least with things like HCl(g) and acetic, you smell them and pull away immediately. It's the vapors and gases that hide that I worry about; the ones you can't smell until it's too late.

Like SO2. At least I can smell it from a long way off and, when I get close, it hurts so much I retreat. I'm more bothered about things like mercury sublimation vapors.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Jimmymajesty
Hazard to Others
***




Posts: 153
Registered: 9-7-2009
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 8-7-2010 at 13:09


I have similar experience with chlorine, be careful with that, it is carcinogenic in case of repetitive exposure.

Acidic molecules can ruin your lung very easily, I do not know the exact mechanism, but a little vomit in your lung and you are dead, that is why placing and injured person to its side is of utmost importance.

Its not the terrible acrid smell of ketene that I fear the most, rumours has its carcinogenic, seeing the acylating potential of the molecule, it must be a very nasty one.

I cried fuck many times lately, unfortunately because of makeshift solutions, just do not do experiments in a haste or if you do not have time to build a proper setup, or do not have suitable materials at hand.

SO2 is really a bitch, one slipped apart connection made me choke for hours, during which I coughed up sour mucus from my lung, must be very healthy too. BTW do not use silicone tubing with that, it is like if it wouldnt there.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
peach
Bon Vivant
*****




Posts: 1428
Registered: 14-11-2008
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 15-7-2010 at 15:47


A poor workman blames his tools.

But, for this kind of gas based work, trying to improvise and swap materials too heavily is like trying to carve a work of art with a nail file. Gases are like a different area of chemistry. Beakers and normal containers or seals don't work and all of a sudden you have to start thinking about diffusion, absorption, scrubbers, seals, and compatibilities (as the connecting elements are inevitably not glass and are routinely subjected to elevated temperatures that will damage the polymers they're constructed from, both chemically and mechanically).

It's a worthwhile area to get used to though. It does make me have a lot of sympathy for the guys doing this kind of thing industrially.

"It's, rotted, melted, fallen off, leaked, escaped..... again!"
View user's profile View All Posts By User
 Pages:  1  2    4

  Go To Top