The web seems to be rather shy on information on how to build and control a chlorine generator, so I'm hoping someone here can steer me in the right direction...
Basically, I'm on my third "retail" chlorine generator and i know I can build a better one. For those of you who aren't aware, a chlorine generator is basically a set of oppositely-charged plates immersed in a stream of salt water. The electric charge breaks the NaCl into sodium and chlorine, which then recombines.
The problems with retail units that I've encountered are:
I can probably use the stock "generator" that comes with every retail unit. They're equipped with a group of plates (platinum?.
To prevent fouling, I intend to energize of de-energize a relay coil that will reverse polarity of the plates at a certain frequency - maybe a few times per day.
To prevent over / under production of chlorine, I think i have to measure two variables - salt content and free chlorine level. The amount of chlorine generated per unit time should be directly proportional to the salt content. As salt content increases, the current flowing between the plates should increase and I can measure this with an ammeter. Feedback from the ammeter should provide me with something I can control cycle time with. A failsafe would be to sense the amount of free chlorine, which i can do with a free chlorine sensor. This should also provide decent condition monitoring, especially if i add a small HMI.
The problem of transformers buring up and low duty cycle should be able to solved using a larger, more robust transformer, like those found in a medium-duty battery charger.
Have any of you experimented with something similar? Any draw-backs I should be aware of? Any feedback would be welcomed.
Basically, I'm on my third "retail" chlorine generator and i know I can build a better one. For those of you who aren't aware, a chlorine generator is basically a set of oppositely-charged plates immersed in a stream of salt water. The electric charge breaks the NaCl into sodium and chlorine, which then recombines.
The problems with retail units that I've encountered are:
- Duty cycle - most can only operate at 50% duty cycle, or less
- Fouling - plates tend to become fouled with calcium
- Over / under producing chlorine
- Transformers burn up
- Poor condition monitoring
I can probably use the stock "generator" that comes with every retail unit. They're equipped with a group of plates (platinum?.
To prevent fouling, I intend to energize of de-energize a relay coil that will reverse polarity of the plates at a certain frequency - maybe a few times per day.
To prevent over / under production of chlorine, I think i have to measure two variables - salt content and free chlorine level. The amount of chlorine generated per unit time should be directly proportional to the salt content. As salt content increases, the current flowing between the plates should increase and I can measure this with an ammeter. Feedback from the ammeter should provide me with something I can control cycle time with. A failsafe would be to sense the amount of free chlorine, which i can do with a free chlorine sensor. This should also provide decent condition monitoring, especially if i add a small HMI.
The problem of transformers buring up and low duty cycle should be able to solved using a larger, more robust transformer, like those found in a medium-duty battery charger.
Have any of you experimented with something similar? Any draw-backs I should be aware of? Any feedback would be welcomed.
