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Diff pump first looks

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:07 pm
by Andrew Robinson
Diff pump
Diff pump
Doing first inspections of the new diff pump and discovered the following
Bottom of tree
Bottom of tree
Is this brilo type material in the bottom of the tree common/intentional?

Thank you

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:52 pm
by Carl Willis
Hi Andrew,

The Brillo is intentional (it provides surface on which to nucleate evaporation of oil).

-Carl

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:01 pm
by Andrew Robinson
That's exactly what I was predicting woot.

It looks to be a little worn and sparse in some areas. I have no idea the age of this pump. Recommendations on replacement if necessary?

Thanks for the help!

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:02 pm
by Andrew Robinson
Ha just noticed you're from the Q! Did my nuke degree out in Albuquerque at UNM. Love New Mexico! Will you be attending HEAS?

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:48 pm
by Carl Willis
I will be at HEAS.

Indeed I am a Burqueño at the moment and plan on sticking around. UNM has an interesting NE program, complete with the unique little 6-watt plastic nuclear reactor. Did you get to operate it at all? I work and live about a mile from main campus. If you come back this way, I have a guest bedroom.

Anyway, about the diff pump, I would do nothing else to it. Maybe wash with some Brakleen if it has obvious deposits from cracked oil, but otherwise forget it and just put it in service. Very little can go wrong with this pump.

-Carl

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 6:28 am
by Andrew Robinson
Carl Willis wrote:I will be at HEAS.
Excellent, I look forward to meeting you in person.
Carl Willis wrote:UNM has an interesting NE program, complete with the unique little 6-watt plastic nuclear reactor. Did you get to operate it at all?
Haha, interesting... Yes you can say that again... Complete with plastic reactor (PERFECT DESCRIPTION LOL) and an ominous looking cobalt chamber where we stored a couch... Yes... A couch... Obviously poorly funded. Professors were great though. And yes, I spent most of my days in the lab and got some time on the reactor. Since the NE program was so small (All my classes had about the same 5 - 10 people) we all spent most of our time in the "lounge" of the lab working.
Carl Willis wrote: I work and live about a mile from main campus. If you come back this way, I have a guest bedroom.
Excellent! Thank you for the offer. I'm in and out of ABQ occasionally. I still have lots of friends out that way and try to visit as often as I can.
Carl Willis wrote:Anyway, about the diff pump, I would do nothing else to it. Maybe wash with some Brakleen if it has obvious deposits from cracked oil, but otherwise forget it and just put it in service. Very little can go wrong with this pump.
Ok excellent, I will clean it up and install. Thanks for the advice.

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:19 pm
by Richard Hull
BrakeKleen is good stuff, but I would follow it up with a long soak in acetone. Find a good sealable contianer and let the item soak for about 2 days. Diff pumps, as Carl notes, are pretty bullet proof with zero moving parts there is just nothing to go wrong beyond a burned out heater coil and they are user replacable in most instances.

Richard Hull

Re: Diff pump first looks

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:41 pm
by Andrew Robinson
Richard Hull wrote:I would follow it up with a long soak in acetone
Yup I agree, that's the way to go for anything you want super clean. I love acetone. Will be sure to give it a good soak and leave it there till ready to install.
Richard Hull wrote: Diff pumps, as Carl notes, are pretty bullet proof with zero moving parts there is just nothing to go wrong beyond a burned out heater coil and they are user replacable in most instances.
Yeah, after seeing my first one now in person, I even considered building my own haha. Very simple concept. I wont be, but it was a fun concept for a few seconds. Although, it would make mating the diffpump to the chamber VERY easy. Maybe it is time to do some experimentation and break out the Solidworks and CNC lathes :)

I could even go as far as doing a full thermal analysis on the part.

Maybe I could get into the business of building custom diff pumps for fusors haha. Just kidding.

Thanks for the feedback.