smeesh
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The Butane Dilemma!
I am thinking about pressurizing a drip irrigation system using butane. i wish to do this because i assume the pressure within the system will remain
fairly constant as water levels drop.
Is there any way that the butane could contaminate the water, damaging the plant?
thanks guys
Irritating typos removed
[Edited on 11-1-2013 by ScienceSquirrel]
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bbartlog
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Well, it does have a small solubility in water, but it's an alkane so I wouldn't expect it to do much besides evaporate.
However, I don't think I understand your idea. Are you thinking to use a vessel filled with entirely gaseous butane as a pressure tank? If so, why not
use a conventional pressure tank filled with air?
Or are you planning to use a mixed-phase system where there is a reservoir of liquid butane, the vapor pressure whereof determines the system
pressure? In that case, are you planning to control the temperature of the butane vessel closely? Because otherwise the changes in pressure induced by
temperature swings are going to be substantial.
The less you bet, the more you lose when you win.
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Wizzard
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Butane changes pressure greatly with temperature, does mix with water, and is pretty flammable. While I'm not sure how exactly you are going to use
it, I can't recommend it.
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Endimion17
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The worst problem is not the butane itself, but the added smelly compounds. They are probably toxic to plants, and might also put some parts of the
dirt into anoxic state because of the reductive sulphur compounds which they are. Anoxic state promotes the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Most
vegetables and plants will die because they can't live in dirt that smells like rotten eggs.
Of course, if the gas phase of your pressure system is not close to the actual dripping point (for example a 10+ metre hose), there'd probably won't
be any problems with the toxicity.
What's wrong with air? I know the air tanks are a lot more expensive, but hey...
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Wizzard
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I use butane for some things, in sealed vessels (and rarely left to boil away into the air) and purchasing it in small quantities (about 500mL at a
time), it can be purchased without detectorants.
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hissingnoise
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An advantage of using air pressure is that the water will be oxygen rich when it hits the roots, increasing growth and speeding bud formation if
they're flowering . . .
Are you doing Indica or Sativa-dominant, BTW?
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