Transparent glass Sodium downs cell?
Added 2023-08-16 12:20:31 +0000 UTCHey everyone, I'm hoping to make a video that could be aesthetically interesting and educative while also being able to provide the chaotic explosions of course. Basically, I've always found industrial processes and equipment to be rather lacking in aesthetic. Usually some of the most interesting industrial processes are hidden inside giant metal containers requiring animations to show what goes on inside. Well, the Downs cell is something I've wanted to make for a long time and it is the main industrial process for producing Sodium in the current day(Castner cell is no-longer used). I think it would be really cool to see this process work through glass at 600 degrees Celsius as it would probably glow a deep and warm red. Normal glass would soften at that temperature, but it might possibly work in high temperature fused silica Quartz glass providing the salts inside is kept absolutely dry. This would be a much simpler and shorter video than the Castner Cell video, and is mostly for aesthetics and to see if it's even possible. It's only a sketch, and I've improved it since taking this photo, but the parts to make it should be relatively simple to buy and interesting to put together. Any thoughts or interest in seeing this come together?
Comments
I can only agree to that. Its also a video I would defintivly watch with great intrest.
Pauliboiii
2023-09-23 17:38:42 +0000 UTCah yea alright didn't think of buying a funnel. I think cement would work again. but I think you have a pretty solid plan, at least you can try to bbuild it, maybe a model out of plastic first and go from there
Chris Frey
2023-08-19 12:34:46 +0000 UTCThanks! that's why I'm excited about it too :)
Mr Green
2023-08-19 01:32:17 +0000 UTCHaha yeah it's not particularly easy to deal with the limited materials all being fragile rigid glass lol. However, the chlorine collector can be a quartz funnel which I've seen is a thing. That's kinda rare so it's expensive though. Even cheaper would be buying a quartz Erlenmeyer flask and removing the bottom. My main issue is connecting the sodium outlets/collector tubes. I'm thinking of using a silica based cement like I used in the Castner cell video but for higher temps. I don't think I wanna deal with much chlorine atm so probably not lol
Mr Green
2023-08-19 01:31:26 +0000 UTCyea quartz glass does have a high melting point but I fear its rigid character might cause cracking. But I thinkt the biggest Issue might be that some parts inside need to be glass, with very specific shapes, so you have to work around that Problem, scince glass tends to not be quite so bendable XD. maybe It gets easier if you make the middle part, where chlorine gas comes out, not transparent, this way you can avoid thise parts becomming a problem. Looking at that ist not so intresting an can still be seen from above. maybe that helps if I interpret you drawing correctly. Do you also intend to do something with the chlorine? XD
Chris Frey
2023-08-18 20:08:24 +0000 UTCI would LOVE to see this come together! The Castner cell was such a massive project that was amazing (and anxiety-inducing) to watch, and it would be amazing to see you make the more modern Downs cell, ESPECIALLY if we get to see it work through a glass case!
Zutia
2023-08-18 15:36:14 +0000 UTCYeah I originally wanted to make a downs cell, but that instructional guide for a Castner cell was just too helpful to not try first. While Downs cell is much hotter, I think it would be less dangerous than a Castner cell because it isn't super caustic. however, putting it in glass might be not so safe 😅
Mr Green
2023-08-18 09:21:10 +0000 UTCyea I was wondering why you made a Caster cell and not a Downs cell, scince I leaned about the down cell in University and thought at the beginning of the sodium video you'll make a downs cell. But yea sounds awesome and educational. Might also get ridicoulusly dangerous but when did that ever stop you.
Chris Frey
2023-08-17 23:34:08 +0000 UTCThat's a good point, haha
Mr Green
2023-08-17 16:59:08 +0000 UTCSo what your saying is that you can make a "sorta" real life lava lamp?
Da_Mikkel
2023-08-17 13:08:34 +0000 UTCthanks for becoming a patron! Yeah, it's mostly keeping it molten and insulated that would probably be the most difficult to get right. Potassium would be interesting to try though
Mr Green
2023-08-17 12:33:16 +0000 UTCI'd love to see this. Perhaps you could also try making potassium too. Although KCl does have a higher melting point than NaCl, which is already fairly difficult to melt.
TheScrapMango
2023-08-17 10:41:15 +0000 UTC
