HPA Setup Question

[AdubM]

I want to reconfigure my high pressure aero setup to use a solenoid and accumulater tank. I currently use 1/2 horsepower water pump with anti drip nozzles for feeding, and I run my nutrient solution through a chiller so my resivoir stays at 68 degrees. How would I integrate an accumulator tank and still keep my nutrient solution chilled and running thru my chiller, so confused. Thanks for any help in advance!

 

[Atomizer]

Typically with a large accumulator you can run drain to waste and a chiller isnt necessary. If you really want/need to use the chiller, use it to chill a coil of tubing between the accumulator and the solenoid.

 

[AdubM]

Really? What if your grow room is warmer than 74 degrees? Which most are, wouldn't your nutes be to warm?

 

[AdubM]

Thank you for you info, actually have a idea now!

 

[Atomizer]

I use drain to waste hpa outdoors in full sun without needing a chiller, 74F is a walk in the park

 

[AdubM]

Lol.....yeah not where I live, no park walking here. Glad your happy bragging about your outdoor HPA and not helping with any useful information to me. Thank you genius!....

 

[Atomizer]

I`m just stating a fact, if i can run hpa in the blazing sun you should be able to do it in a 74F growroom I dont know of any hpa growers using accumulators that run a chiller. Driving misting nozzles directly from a 1/2hp pump is different to running them with an accumulator/solenoid combo. With the extra control, you wont need anything like the same volume of nutes,giving you the option of running it drain to waste. You can also run it pseudo drain to waste where the nutes run through once and get collected in a container for later reuse (its not as good but its an option). A reservoir doesnt gain additional heat from warm nutes if they never come back.

 

[redi jedi]

The accumulators only purpose is to provide instant pressure once the solenoid opens. No delay as the pump builds pressure in the system on start up.

It also prevents water hammer when the solenoid closes but thats a secondary benefit.

If your misting on a timer, how are you returning your nutes to the chiller?

 

[Atomizer]

The accumulator will also store pre-pressurised nutes much like a battery stores electricity. Once charged, a large accumulator can run a system for days without any help from a pump. If the timer and solenoid(s) are 12v dc, you dont even need mains power.

 

[redi jedi]

Not true, accumulators cannot replace pumps. The contents are kept pressurized inside the accumulator because there is a bladder that is pressurized with nitrogen/air. Water enters the accumulator acting against the bladder. Increasing the pressure in the bladder.

 

[redi jedi]

I would compare an accumulator more to a capacitor than a battery.

 

[Atomizer]

I didnt say they could replace a pump. I said, "once charged, a large accumulator can run a system for days without any help from a pump."
An accumulator can be viewed as a capacitor or a battery, capacitor in terms of smoothing the flow (reducing spikes), battery for storing energy for later use.
I use a 100L accumulator as a battery, its charged from 80psi-140psi by the pump and discharges 38L of nutes at a steady 80psi over a few days without any help from a pump.

 

[redi jedi]

Sure it works small scale, but what if the system holds hundreds of litres...thousands. That stored pressure is used very quick.

 

[Atomizer]

With hpa if you needed 1000`s of litres you`d be looking at some epic growing area. A 100L accumulator can service an area equivalent to 9`x 9`for 2 days on a single charge, it takes less than 8 minutes to recharge (using 12 v dc). Tanks can be hooked in parallel to increase capacity, A single pump on a constant 50% duty cycle will handle a maximum of 180 x 100L tanks, 6840L of nutes at 80psi. Pro-rata, it should be enough to service a 120ft x 120ft chamber, if you can find a tote that big

 

[redi jedi]

LOL...180 accumulators...doesnt make dollars and cents. In theory sure, but in real world application not practical or economical.

Accumulators were never intended to be a prime mover. Thats what pumps are for.

 

[AdubM]

"Pre pressurized nutes" wtf is that? Atomizer I question your knowledge .....lol

 

[Alaric]

Would someone please explain WHY an accumulator is a BETTER method of nute delivery than nutes being delivered in a fine mist using high head pressure pump/s and sprayers?

Thanks in advance,

A~~~

 

[Mike Young]

Some people wouldn't know good information if it slapped them in the face. Atomizer is probably the best source for information regarding aeroponics you're gonna find, on this site, or anywhere else.

An accumulator provides instant pressure to the nozzles when used with solenoids. A pump has to build pressure, and when talking about short bursts, your timing cycle may be complete before your pump can even get up to full pressure. Then there's the cycling of the pump 480+ times per day, that can be reduced significantly with the addition of an accumulator. And as mentioned, in the event of a power failure the "pressurized nutes" can keep your plants alive requiring minimal power from a battery. Of course, you can grow plants without the use of these things, and your pump might survive a crop or two, or three. I wouldn't wanna take that chance.

 

[redi jedi]

Less cycles on the pump is all I can think of.

 

[redi jedi]

Some people wouldn't know good information if it slapped them in the face. Atomizer is probably the best source for information regarding aeroponics you're gonna find, on this site, or anywhere else.

An accumulator provides instant pressure to the nozzles when used with solenoids. A pump has to build pressure, and when talking about short bursts, your timing cycle may be complete before your pump can even get up to full pressure. Then there's the cycling of the pump 480+ times per day, that can be reduced significantly with the addition of an accumulator. And as mentioned, in the event of a power failure the "pressurized nutes" can keep your plants alive requiring minimal power from a battery. Of course, you can grow plants without the use of these things, and your pump might survive a crop or two, or three. I wouldn't wanna take that chance.

All good points, except the one about power failure....doesn't really matter if you can still deliver nutes if you have no light.