Help Water into DNAx Membrane

[c.fletcher]

As Rcontrera said, taking the membrane apart will destroy it. You do that at your peril. When you say that your carbon media filter is "huge", what do you mean? Mine is a meter tall and a third of a meter in diameter and it holds 20 lbs of carbon media. It lasts a thousand hours only. I change the media every year. When I say a thousand hours, that's a thousand hours on the low pressure compressor, not the high pressure compressor.

If you are going to take something apart it needs to be that carbon tower. See if there is any oily residue on the outlet. Check with a white cotton ball or qtip or something white so you'll see if there is any carbon or oil breaking through. I disagree with Rcontrera that water isn't your culprit, I've had that problem before.

OK i understood taking apart is not a good idea!
Inflate air in outgoing Outlet also no good!
there is anything i can do by "myself" to try to solve my problem?? (not enough NX volume coming out of the membrane to feed 2 x 320 Mariners)
thank's in advance
Chris

 

[Wookie]

Is your heater working properly? If not, that could be part of your problem. Just running the system with new filters, air dryer online, new carbon media, heater running will rejuvenate the membrane if it's not loaded with oil. If you have oil, you are finished.

Before I had an air dryer, my carbon tower would pack full of water, and that caused my flow problems. The air dryer solved that.

 

[c.fletcher]

As per i use Low Pressure compressor, i don't have heater, the manufacturer told me i don't need
I have Low pressure compressor, pneumatique dryer/cooler, 3 stage filters and air temperature going to the membrane suppose to be ok
I will follow your advise, running the system with new filters, new carbon media
And cross the finger to not have oil in it!
Thank's a lot for your help

 

[CraigAClark]

I didn't see where you mentioned a refrigerated dryer. I have built many membrane and PSA systems (for oxygen) and always have a refrigerated dryer for the l.p. air. The lack of a refrigerated dryer may be your problem. Most dryers reduce the RH of the l.p. air to the level @ 53 F and then the heater creates an even lower RH @ 110 - 115 F. Membranes do not tollerate water and if exposed may need replacement.

I will ask nitro Bob (Bob Olsen of Nitrox Solutions) if he has any suggestions.

 

[c.fletcher]

the dryer/cooler i have is "pneumatique" one, it drain lot of "water out"
I have no éléctricity on my "diving dhoni" so i cannot use a éléctric refrigerated dryer!!
this pneumatique dryer/cooler work well, and here in Maldives, many boats use it like this, and work!
maybe something wrong with mine!

 

[Wookie]

Maybe so. What you are describing is exactly what I went through in 1999/2000, I was packing the carbon tower with water and clogging the retaining filter with a water carbon dust mixture, or mud. I put in a refrigerated air dryer and never had a moments trouble since. I have no other help for you if you don't have AC power for the air dryer/ heater.

 

[c.fletcher]

Maybe so. What you are describing is exactly what I went through in 1999/2000, I was packing the carbon tower with water and clogging the retaining filter with a water carbon dust mixture, or mud. I put in a refrigerated air dryer and never had a moments trouble since. I have no other help for you if you don't have AC power for the air dryer/ heater.

Hummm ok so i will see what i can do to get those refrigerated air dryer and try to solve this problem!
Do you think my membrane is gone?? or can i recover it with this refrigerated air dryer??
Tx
Chris

 

[Wookie]

Mine recovered. As I say, I would take the air inlet off of the membrane and swab the inlet pipe with a cotton swab or q-tip and make sure there is no oil in the inlet. If you have oil, the membrane is toast.

 

[CraigAClark]

the dryer/cooler i have is "pneumatique" one, it drain lot of "water out"
I have no éléctricity on my "diving dhoni" so i cannot use a éléctric refrigerated dryer!!
this pneumatique dryer/cooler work well, and here in Maldives, many boats use it like this, and work!
maybe something wrong with mine!

I don't think your problem is "liquid" water, I think it is suspended water (relative humidity). Pnuematic or float drains are worthless for getting rid of suspended water. You have to drop the relative humidity in the air by chilling it and then allowing it to get to around 100 F minimum. At this point the relative humidity will not be a problem. No matter what others claim, you can't dismiss the laws of physics.


I don't know what your near surface water temps are, but I have heard of using a raw water, heat exchanger. You need a pump to circulate the seawater, but it can be run on DC power.

 

[c.fletcher]

I don't think your problem is "liquid" water, I think it is suspended water (relative humidity). Pnuematic or float drains are worthless for getting rid of suspended water. You have to drop the relative humidity in the air by chilling it and then allowing it to get to around 100 F minimum. At this point the relative humidity will not be a problem. No matter what others claim, you can't dismiss the laws of physics.


I don't know what your near surface water temps are, but I have heard of using a raw water, heat exchanger. You need a pump to circulate the seawater, but it can be run on DC power.

Thank's for all your advise
The Water temperature is 28°, i heared about this system to cool off the air temperature, but not easy for me to install, anyway,
I will follow your advise and try to do something before sending back the membrane to the manufacturer, if i have no result!