Quote: (Originally Posted by Jim Brown)
Greetings:
Thermal coefficient. Metal conducts heat rapidly, plastic less rapidly, and gasses even less. Scrubber surrounded (insulated) by gas that is really quite warm having just passed through the reaction. Moisture condenses on housing wall, resulting in drier (than before, loop always at least 100% humidity) gas to pass over sensors that being electronics, don't really like water.
It's a question of performance. Why would one intentionally remove heat from the scrubber? Cooler scrubber equals lower duration.
Peter also mentioned other reasons...
Regards, Jim Brown
Ah, but lower duration is at the end. When the scrubber and your breathing has already heated the Mesh. So, you're not loosing heat to the mesh right? It's already heated up. Just like the scrubber itself coming up to temp by pre breathing it.
And, to be honest. The thermal conductivity of the plastic being lower will dictate it takes longer for the plastic to come up to scrubber temps. While the Steel will absorb heat quickly. The big thing is Thermal Mass. How much mass is in either one dictates how much heat they will hold. There is less Thermal mass in the Plastic scubber. For sure. So, I'm thinking it would heat up as quick as the metal one.
I'm not talking about what the Bucket or Can is made of. I'm just wondering if you loose anything to the scubber being plastic or metal. Once the metal is heated. I don't think so. And your duration is at the end. So, Metal mesh is already heated at that point and holding heat. It is not transferring heat to the gas. As you stated. Heat transfer through a gas is minimal.
I know he mentioned other reasons. Just wondering about this reason.
He said the increase in scubber performance was worth going to plastic for the initial investment.
The compaction from a flexible scrubber makes more sense.