Analysis of DE Pool Filter as Steam Pressure Vessel

[IAMJackal]

Have built a 55 gallon DIY steamer from a DE pool filter. The pool filter is made from .06 inch stainless steel and was rated for an operating pressure of 50 PSI. As a pool filter, the vessel regularly operated at pressures of 10-15 PSI, and as much as 25-30 PSI when it needed cleaning.

Have run it as a pressure cooker at 3 PSI with no problems. Have run various pressure vessel wall thickness calculators that seem to indicate the vessel could easily handle 15 PSI at 250F.

https://checalc.com/calc/vesselThick.html

Can someone here help verify the design to operate at 15 PSI as a pressure cooker?

Below are details of the build:

Had a .06 inch stainless steel DE pool filter that was being used as a smoker and to pasteurize bulk substrates. Decided to configure it to also work as a steamer by adding 1500 watt heating element and some valves, gauges, and a temperature controller. Holds 55 gallons and used it on its first run to successfully sterilize 8 gallons of coffee and straw bulk substrate.

Plate from the DE pool filter showing 50 PSI operating pressure as a pool filter.

Diagram of pool filter, guts are removed.

1500 watt heater wiring.

Covered and mounted on bottom of barrel.

Inside bottom of barrel with heater installed.

Protective cover and shelf over heater.

PC gauge and pressure weight, and 0-100 PSI pressure control valve.

Temperature controller to turn on and off heater to maintain 2.5 PSI pressure.

Test run with 8 gallons of coffee and straw bulk substrate.

Sterilization at 2.5 PSI in progress.

Sterilization complete, 5 gallon bulk substrate inoculated with Grey oyster mushroom spawn.

8 gallons of sterilized and inoculated bulk substrate.

Changed the temperature controller to one rated for 15 amps, and ran five gallons of straw, coffee grounds and wood pellets bulk substrate. No boom

New 15A temperature controller, off at 212F, on at 210F external temperature.

New bottom rack.

Five gallons straw, coffee, HWFP bulk substrate.

Locked and loaded, time 1617.

Heating up.

At pressure, 2.5 PSI, external temperature 212F, time 1759.

Second DIY steamer experiment at 2.5 PSI complete, start time 1759, end time 2330.

All help appreciated!

Cheers!

Jackal

 

[berkeman]

Sorry, Jackal. This is the kind of thing that we can't help you with here at the PF, for liability reasons. Thread is closed.

 

[berkeman]

Thread is in ModQ while I work on a re-post with the OP...