Trying Out A New Material, Duocel Foamed Aluminum |
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Trying Out A New Material, Duocel Foamed Aluminum |
McMark |
Dec 1 2010, 02:38 PM
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#1
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
I ordered some of this Duocel stuff. It's sheets of 'foamed' 6101-T6 aluminum. I'm going to form a brick that will slip into the stock oil filler tower and hopefully provide significant oil vapor separation from the crankcase ventilation air. Ideally, by slipping this into the stock tower, I can run the breather tube to a carb or FI intake and not have to stress/dealwith large quantities of oil collecting in the intake or fouling the carbs.
Why not a traditional foam? This stuff won't break down over time. Not cheap though. Each 4" x 4" x 0.5" sheet is $30. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif) Oh and if this works it'll appear Original while being Custom. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sunglasses.gif) Attached image(s) |
Chris Pincetich |
Dec 1 2010, 05:19 PM
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#2
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B-) Group: Members Posts: 2,082 Joined: 3-October 05 From: Point Reyes Station, CA Member No.: 4,907 Region Association: Northern California |
Interesting.
I like the V-bar project better (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) If this foam had bits fall off over time, is there any way those aluminum foam crumbs would get into the flow of the oiling system? Bits would be caught by the oil filter before reaching delicate internals? |
yeahmag |
Dec 1 2010, 05:40 PM
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#3
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,435 Joined: 18-April 05 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 3,946 Region Association: Southern California |
On my bug with a CB tower I used a copper sponge like thing I found at my hardware store. Worked great! Damn sponge would eventually get saturated and not breathe as well. This was an 7500 RPM / 2275 / Type I motor.
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jmill |
Dec 1 2010, 05:45 PM
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#4
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Green Hornet Group: Members Posts: 2,449 Joined: 9-May 08 From: Racine, Wisconsin Member No.: 9,038 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Seems like it's perfect for this application. See below:
Liquid/Gas Separators - The three-dimensional continuous ligament structure of Duocel foam promotes complete removal of entrained liquids. Aluminum foam alone or with standard surface treatments ensures long life and low maintenance. With up to 97% void volume, extremely small pressure drops can be achieved. The continuously connected aluminum structure prevents particle generation from within the liquid/gas separator. |
McMark |
Dec 1 2010, 06:12 PM
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#5
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
QUOTE If this foam had bits fall off over time, It's certainly possible, but I'm satisfied that it's improbable. I'll plan on cutting open the first couple oil filters and straining the used oil to see if anything is generated. This is absolutely an experiment. |
jd74914 |
Dec 1 2010, 10:24 PM
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#6
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Its alive Group: Members Posts: 4,796 Joined: 16-February 04 From: CT Member No.: 1,659 Region Association: North East States |
Nice find, that's cool stuff.
Now the question is if its weldable...that would probably make great fuel tank baffles. |
mightyohm |
Dec 1 2010, 10:32 PM
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#7
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Advanced Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,277 Joined: 16-January 03 From: Seattle, WA Member No.: 162 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Wow, what a strange material. It certainly looks cool!
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ChrisFoley |
Dec 1 2010, 10:51 PM
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#8
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I am Tangerine Racing Group: Members Posts: 7,958 Joined: 29-January 03 From: Bolton, CT Member No.: 209 Region Association: None |
Why not a traditional foam? This stuff won't break down over time. The fuel cell foam I've had in my race car breather can shows no sign of breakdown yet, after 12 years and more than 100 races. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Cost of foam in a Tangerine Racing breather can - less than $1, and it looks an awful lot like that picture of Duocel. |
McMark |
Dec 2 2010, 02:43 PM
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#9
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
But it's not ALUMINUM. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)
I'm going to get this stuff electropolished so that it's so shiny it glows in the dark. BLING BLING! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Just kidding. |
SirAndy |
Dec 2 2010, 02:51 PM
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#10
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Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,815 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
I'm going to get this stuff electropolished so that it's so shiny it glows in the dark. BLING BLING! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) You could probably backlight it with a LED strip so when one opens the cap to refill the oil at night, you don't need a flashlight. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) |
geniusanthony |
Dec 3 2010, 12:21 AM
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#11
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Its a brand new "Chrome-sicle" Group: Members Posts: 517 Joined: 12-December 05 From: Alexandria,VA Member No.: 5,266 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
A little OT but, who made those aluminum tower oil filler assemblies?
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geniusanthony |
Dec 3 2010, 12:24 AM
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#12
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Its a brand new "Chrome-sicle" Group: Members Posts: 517 Joined: 12-December 05 From: Alexandria,VA Member No.: 5,266 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
And, for Andy's idea, a normally closed NC relay would allow the cap to act as a switch to turn on said LED, if the cap was conductive with matching contacts on the tower.
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Elliot Cannon |
Dec 3 2010, 12:33 AM
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#13
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914 Guru Group: Retired Members Posts: 8,487 Joined: 29-December 06 From: Paso Robles Ca. (Central coast) Member No.: 7,407 Region Association: None |
A little OT but, who made those aluminum tower oil filler assemblies? Mine was made by "spunone" on this forum. Veeeerrry niiiice. Attached thumbnail(s) |
Mark Henry |
Dec 3 2010, 07:04 AM
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#14
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that's what I do! Group: Members Posts: 20,065 Joined: 27-December 02 From: Port Hope, Ontario Member No.: 26 Region Association: Canada |
/6 oil tank screen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)
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ottox914 |
Dec 3 2010, 07:35 AM
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#15
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The glory that once was. Group: Members Posts: 1,302 Joined: 15-December 03 From: Mahtomedi, MN Member No.: 1,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Why not a traditional foam? This stuff won't break down over time. The fuel cell foam I've had in my race car breather can shows no sign of breakdown yet, after 12 years and more than 100 races. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Cost of foam in a Tangerine Racing breather can - less than $1, and it looks an awful lot like that picture of Duocel. Under what conditions would fuel cell foam break down? My friend, driving a birkin 7, running regular old 92-93 from the pump, had the foam in his cell break down after 3-4 seasons. He stored the car winters with a full tank of fuel. Last season he had fuel delivery issues, I told him to check the fuel cell, the foam had come apart into little chunks, was blocking the fuel line, and the fuel filter was clogged. He had to take a bunch of the car apart to remove and clean the fuel cell out, and now takes the foam out over the winters and plans to replace it every couple yrs. Maybe he had different foam from what you are using? Are there different brands or grades of foam? |
realred914 |
Dec 3 2010, 11:01 AM
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#16
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Senior Member Group: Retired Members Posts: 1,086 Joined: 1-April 10 From: california Member No.: 11,541 Region Association: None |
vibrtaion will be the enemy here, so make sure teh metal foam you use will not vibrate aginst the supports adn that could cuase wear inducing particles to get into the motor. maybe some sort of silicone (oil proof) seal around the foam to were you attach it to the motor would be good.
I have used a copper foam before, used it in a helium 3 isotope, zero gravity refridgeration unit for use on cooling space based sensors. neat stuff. the copper foam had the corect pore size to help seperate the Helium 3 from Helium (liquid), this is what drove the refridgeration cycle. |
ChrisFoley |
Dec 3 2010, 12:04 PM
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#17
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I am Tangerine Racing Group: Members Posts: 7,958 Joined: 29-January 03 From: Bolton, CT Member No.: 209 Region Association: None |
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underthetire |
Dec 3 2010, 12:41 PM
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#18
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,062 Joined: 7-October 08 From: Brentwood Member No.: 9,623 Region Association: Northern California |
Pretty cool, i've seen our waterjet guy cutting that stuff out before. We have some special metal foam thats about 1,000 per gram !
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realred914 |
Dec 3 2010, 01:02 PM
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#19
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Senior Member Group: Retired Members Posts: 1,086 Joined: 1-April 10 From: california Member No.: 11,541 Region Association: None |
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underthetire |
Dec 3 2010, 03:51 PM
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#20
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,062 Joined: 7-October 08 From: Brentwood Member No.: 9,623 Region Association: Northern California |
Pretty cool, i've seen our waterjet guy cutting that stuff out before. We have some special metal foam thats about 1,000 per gram ! what the $1000/gram stuff called, alumicaine? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) Gives you a buzz and Alzheimers in one shot ! Actually contains BE/CU/and gold. |
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