Amoeba Cell - Show and tell

[BoyntonStu]

I have been attempting to build the Amoeba Cell without using gaskets, end plates, and bolts by way of adhesives. The idea was good but after MANY tries, it turned out that none of the adhesives held up for long.

I tried about 10 different products including Marine Goop, Sikaflex 291, Hernon Fusion Bond, JB Weld, 2 different Hot Melt glues, and several others.

All was not wasted because the cell designs using adhesives were very easy to build and they lasted long enough to evaluate their design.

But, enough is enough!

I got a used inner tube and since I had some 2" strips of 304 SS, I decided to experiment in building a very compact gasket cell.

My past Amoeba Cells pointed me in 2 directions; use 7 cells instead of 6, and try a single 0.25 hole at the top instead of 2 holes per plate.

In addition, 1/4 - 20 bolts seemed like overkill, so I went to the 6-32 screw which requires a 0.150 clearance hole.

I used strips from a blue plastic loose leaf binder cover 0.025 thick to insulate the 14 screws from the plate edges. Why use tubing?

The first run produced 1.0 L in 116 seconds with 15.2 V and 6.2 A.

See it here:

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I will help anyone interested in making an Amoeba Cell.

BoyntonStu

[daddymikey1975]

stu, your work never ceases to amaze me. :)

keep on keepin on. it's amazing how small you're able to assemble a cell, and still get the output that you achieve.

mike

[Painless]

Stu,

Here's an alternative idea for you to work on and achieve a similar result:

Instead of using an adhesive to hold the cell together, why not use some kind of strong watertight shrink or rubber wrapping to hold the plates together by pressure with some small spacers to maintain plate gap?

The wrapping might make heat an issue, but with proper circulation and selecting of wrapping material you should be able to overcome this.

The 'Amoeba cell' could be renamed the 'Condom cell'.

Russ.

[BoyntonStu]

Russ,

Thanks for your suggestion.

Shrink wrap might work but I am concerned about putting additional pressure where there is a leak.

The 6-32 screws spaced out 1/16 from the edges with aluminum end plates is no biggy.

Using a strip of insulation instead of plastic tubing was also very easy and effective.

Cheap, light, easy to make.

BTW I was able to seal the Amoeba Cell using a nut driver to just hand tightness.

Dumped it into water and did the breath test for leaks.

Easy, does it!

There may be some additional possibilities with the aluminum end plates:

Add finned heat sinks.

Dip the aluminum end plate extended into a cooling bath?

Anyone should be able to assemble an Amoeba Cell in a few hours.

Get plates, drill a single non critical 1/4 hole in each plate, cut gaskets with scissors.

Hint* Use TiN coated drills.

Make your end plates from aluminum scrap.

I cut them with a jigsaw.

Drill some holes.

Screw it all together.

Epoxy the tubes.

(I use SS stems from old coffee percolators cut into 1" lengths)


I hope that this helps.

BoyntonStu




Stu,

Here's an alternative idea for you to work on and achieve a similar result:

Instead of using an adhesive to hold the cell together, why not use some kind of strong watertight shrink or rubber wrapping to hold the plates together by pressure with some small spacers to maintain plate gap?

The wrapping might make heat an issue, but with proper circulation and selecting of wrapping material you should be able to overcome this.

The 'Amoeba cell' could be renamed the 'Condom cell'.

Russ.