recirculating water for a vacuum kiln vacuum pump

[schwanee]

Hey ladies and gents,
I have an iDry vacuum kiln, and am looking at recirculating water for the vacuum pump. iDry has a vacuum pump that uses around 0.6 GPM from a water supply to cool it. My thought is that I can use possibly a 55 gallon drum with a sump pump to recirculate the water. 

Has anyone tried this? Any issues with the water getting to warm?

[Crusarius]

I would be concerned about acidic water. But, I do not know anything. Just what I have read here. I be interested to know what smart ppl think.

[mike_belben]

A 55 gallon drum has quite a bit of surface area and volume.  A propane burner @ full blast has its hands full getting one up to temp to scald a pig.  


so im thinking itll be sufficiently able to cool a dehumidifier but ive never seen one of these units and dont know the BTU load you have to shed.  If the drum is not enough, put a truck radiator in series with the return line and set the radiator up like its laying on the ground on a wood frame.  Build a wooden shroud that fit a box fan below and a riser plenum up over that like a square stack.  Chances are it wont require the box fan.  The laying radiator and good shrouding will probably shed enough by radiating upward.


You could also use recycled baseboards for piping.  The fins will help.

[Southside]

You have to take into account ambient temperature as well as the input temperature required. If the pump needs 55 degree water for cooling and it's 75 degrees outside you are not going to cool that recirculated water back down without a cooling system in the loop. 

[mike_belben]

Im gonna take a guess and say the temp of the pump needs to stay in the performance range of the vacuum pump oil so it doesnt sieze.  If mfr doesnt spec it call the oil manufacturer. 

[boonesyard]

I have a recirculation system I've been using on my iDry for a year now. It consists of a poly tank, a few basic fittings, a small pump that only pumps from the tank when the vacuum pump calls for it and a furnace sump pump that sends the water back to the tank. Works perfect, you just have to change the water in the poly tank our once in a while.

Call Jim at iDry, I followed their plans for it, they've got a material list.

[schwanee]

Thank you all for the ideas. Glad to know that they have a plan for this now. When I bought my kiln a few years ago Brian recommended that I not go this route.