This week I was successfully able to pressurize the system and launch a projectile. I charged the tank with approximately 10psi as a small starting point to ensure that the tank would hold.
I was also able to hook up the solenoid valve which is used in conjunction with a remote trigger that allows the user to trigger the launcher from a safe location. This is achieved using a relay attached to the valve which sends a signal for the valve to open.
Next week, I will be constructing the pendulum and setting up the measurement devices in order to collect data.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Week 3- Progress
Since last week I've drilled and tapped a hole in the back of the air tank for a 1/8 x 27 NPT fitting. Furthemore, I have connected my new small tank of nitrogen and equipped it with a regulator.
My initial pressurization test failed. I may need to rework the Swagelok as it has been sitting on the copper pipe I'm using for a while. After charging the line with the 10 PSI ( a little under 1 atmosphere) of nitrogen. I opened the the valve leading to the air tank. Instead of the 2nd stage of the regulator draining (as it should have) the first stage of the regulator was dropping at a startling rate of 20 PSI per second. It started off at roughly 2100 PSI in the initial stage and ran itself down to ~1800 PSI before I noticed the leak. There was no audible evidence of a leak in the system.
For Wednesday I will be replacing the Swagelok fittings, ensuring the teflon tape is properly installed and checking if it is just the tank on the launcher leaking or something else. If I can fix that I will be able to move forward with wiring the trigger control valve which at the moment is a mystery and requires some research on my part to work.
My initial pressurization test failed. I may need to rework the Swagelok as it has been sitting on the copper pipe I'm using for a while. After charging the line with the 10 PSI ( a little under 1 atmosphere) of nitrogen. I opened the the valve leading to the air tank. Instead of the 2nd stage of the regulator draining (as it should have) the first stage of the regulator was dropping at a startling rate of 20 PSI per second. It started off at roughly 2100 PSI in the initial stage and ran itself down to ~1800 PSI before I noticed the leak. There was no audible evidence of a leak in the system.
For Wednesday I will be replacing the Swagelok fittings, ensuring the teflon tape is properly installed and checking if it is just the tank on the launcher leaking or something else. If I can fix that I will be able to move forward with wiring the trigger control valve which at the moment is a mystery and requires some research on my part to work.
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