homemade CO2 regulator.

[JDP12]

well I'm currently building a couple guns for my friend, and he needs a cheap way to regulate CO2. so what i was thinking of is using a valve similar to a ball valve, only instead of being open or closed, it has that handle on top that you turn to adjust the amount it opens. it then stays at that position until you change it. So what i was thinking of using would be like this---

CO2 tank-->screw valve--> pressure gauge--> hose-->gun.

this way i could see the pressure that the screw valve was letting through......what do you guys think??

the valve looks like one of the two on top in this picture- they have the circular waffle type handles

<img src="http://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/114/gfx ... 62kc1l.gif">

[judgment_arms]

That would only slow the flow, eventually it would get up to the full 800-900psi.

[Carlman]

even if the valve is open a small way the pressure will be the same

what you would do is change the flow of the gas

EDIT: beaten

[JDP12]

(sigh)


dangit. thanks guys.

[rcman50166]

You can regulate pressure with a spring piston valve. A strong spring pushes a piston against the end of an open pipe; closing only when the energy of the spring is greater than that of the pressure of the gas. The spring force can be requlated with an adjustment screw, thus changing the required pressure to open the valve. The only thing to making one of these is a very strong seal and a very strong, compact spring. These limitations would change it's flow rate for the worse but can be overcome by adding air tanks on the regulated end.

[Gippeto]

CLose, in most cases, regulators do balance output pressure with spring pressure.

The diaphragm moves up and down in relation to these forces.

When the diaphragm moves down, it opens a valve which allows pressure/flow into the output stream.

When the diaphragm moves up, it allows the valve to close.

Some regulators have a bleed function, where if output pressure exceeds the spring pressure, the diaphragm moves up more, exposing a bleed hole and venting the excess.

Materials may change, diaphragms may become pistons, but the operating principles will remain the same.

This is a popular type of regulator, hope it helps

http://www.fisherregulators.com/product ... ?docID=784