A (closed loop) Science Contraption. Material/Supply Options

[Nitt]

I want to make a contraption.

This needs to be a closed loop, air tight. With glass containers for containers 1 and 2 (left and middle). The third container (if used) would need to be quality plastic (hdpe maybe), so that holes can be drilled to pass tubing through and connect one end to the pump outlet, and the other just inside the container. Tubing needs to be food grade, and silicone I think. Tubing runs from pump/pump container, to first container, then to next container, then exits - returning back to the pump/pump container.

Options for the following:

-Air pump; a pump that has an inlet and an outlet to connect tubing to, so that the pump container isn’t needed. Is there a decent option for this? Doesn’t need high power, adjustable flow would be nice.

-Other containers; glass, needs some type of top that can have an inlet and outlet tube. Options, suggestions? Eg: Erlenmeyer flask with screw top lid. Lids are PETE I think. HDPE would be good too I think. Needs to be air tight - everything needs to be air tight.
Any glassware recommendations.

-Food grade silicone tubing/hose for these connections. Other ideas welcome here.

Any links to good products welcome. Doesn’t have to be amazon, but I don’t have local access to much, certainly not lab glass or anything. I do kind of want some decent (not top quality) glass for this. Decent meaning won’t break easily, thick, and… one piece (aren’t some crappy ones “molded”? Like they have seams or something?).

Oh. Container 1 (left) should be 1000ml, container 2 (middle) should be…250ml max - maybe 100ml min. Container 2 I want to have a diameter on base/bottom that isn’t to wide/big, but also stable enough to not easily tip over, but that might just be unavoidable.
Think the amazon “eisco labs” or “stoney labs” are going to be the best options? I at least would like if the glassware (eg: erlenmeyer flask) were to have a proper flat bottom - for possible use with mag. stir bar, but not critical I guess.

I hope you enjoy my drawing.

Thanks.

[ClandestinLEE]

What is your end goal with such contraption? It might already exist

[Nitt]

End goal, to circulate the air inside the closed loop.

If it does already exist, it’s too expensive. But I doubt it does (it doesn’t). The components do though.
I don’t mind putting it together. I like doing this type of thing. I’d like to avoid any regrettable purchases on poor quality components, and the wasted time waiting for them and having to return something. And when I say poor quality, this doesn’t have to be “high quality, top of the line, ‘real lab’ grade” stuff. It’s not going to be pressurized - not high pressure.

Edit: And most, if not all, the “science/lab equipment” online retailers I have bookmarked (that work with canada) seem to mostly sell things like erlenmeyer’s in packs.

-I’d like to spend >$50cad each on both glass containers…? Air pump, not sure. I have one I could use, but it doesn’t have an inlet and outlet pump - and maybe that is a very specific or non-existent type of thing (other than one or two models of “air lift” pump I see, which look pretty…junky. I duno).

I can find and get all of this on amazon.ca, just wondering if there are better options (again, then like … Eisco, and Stoney, etc. By the way, I have one or two Eisco pieces, I’ve barely used them, but they seem OK). I’d like to not have paper thin glass, with deformities/cast/mold lines… is that only something real high quality lab ware can claim?

Thanks anyone.

[BTYGMO]

Take a look at west lab… they are in Canada and sell a lot of these types of lab glass and accessories. Good luck @Nitt Cheers !!!

Best Laboratory Glassware & Life Sciences | Westlab Canada

[C_in_CT]

For Container 2 in line, could that be a mason jar with a plastic lid? I made a bong years ago by drilling holes in one of the white plastic lids and shoving silicone tubing in it. There are also many jar sizes so you might be able to just get a larger one (for Container 1). Though (most) mason jars don’t have flat bottoms. Might be able to reuse other jars.

For the pump, the pump itself doesn’t need an inlet tubing spot if the container it is in is airtight and Container 2 dumps into it.

[Nitt]

Some stuff there. I don’t see much screw top stuff, like flasks. I don’t know that that container needs to be a flask though. Thanks for sharing that source though.

@C_in_CT

For Container 2 in line, could that be a mason jar with a plastic lid?

It maybe could be. Yea.

@C_in_CT

For the pump, the pump itself doesn’t need an inlet tubing spot if the container it is in is airtight and Container 2 dumps into it.

Yea, I know. But I’m just wondering if there is an air pump that does have in inlet and outlet, to avoid needing an airtight container and cutting those holes. That’s all.

---

A lot of these amazon lab glass claim they’re borosilicate glass, but they aren’t. Lots of reviews showing they break when used for their actual purposes, due to thin glass and not true borosilicate glass being used. Also if the seals on the glass, or in the lid isn’t air tight then this is of no use.

Thanks.

[C_in_CT]

That makes sense about the pump.

By way of example, since I still had the drilled lid and some of the tubing around:
these jars are 32 oz (946ml) / 8 oz (237ml) / 64 oz (1893ml) and the tubing wedges in to be fully airtight (or at least as much as was needed for a bong to work I suppose, perhaps not to the level you are needing).

Anyway, I hope you are able to get ideas and succeed with your project!

[Nitt]

Dammit. I was all set on needing to buy new stuff. But here I have jars of these sizes and plastic lids with silicone gaskets for them. But…I…must…purchase specific…argh…products.

Might try with jars I have. We’ll see.

Thanks for the input.

[C_in_CT]

Good luck! I would recommend a step drill bit (could buy one! ) so you can get exactly the right hole size for whatever tubing you get.

[Nitt]

Thankfully tools are something I have lots of. Haha. I’ve got lots of bits.
Thanks again.
I’ve been thinking about tubing, and I think fitting the pump outlet will dictate that, so common aquarium line size. Can’t remember is that’s 1/4" I.D., or 3/16" I.D. or what (and the O.D.), but I’ll just check that.

[NoCal]

@Nitt

But…I…must…purchase specific…argh…products.

Something like this?

[sfzombie13]

those little whisper (i think is the name) air pumps from walmart have inlets and outlets if i recall correctly. don’t have one here right now to look at.

[Gpaw]

The tubing you are looking for should probably be Tygon. That’s a brand name, there are several versions, the fuel grade is yellowish, food grade is usually clear. For your purposes either should be ok. A higher end food storage container would probably be ok for enclosing the air pump and as mentioned above, borosilicate for the other containers.

Cheers
G

[Nitt]

@NoCal

Something like this?

A screw top container is preferable. I thought about those. I don’t want natural materials though. I think those stoppers are natural rubber. Screw top container is preferable.

@sfzombie13

those little whisper (i think is the name) air pumps from walmart have inlets and outlets if i recall correctly. don’t have one here right now to look at.

I’ll check. Thanks.

@Gpaw

The tubing you are looking for should probably be Tygon.

Thanks. I’ll check for that.

[Nitt]

1. Does anyone know what terminology or classification I should look for to distinguish the difference between glass that is assembled from two pieces, and glass that is made as one piece as it pertains to glass, specifically (in case there’s differences with different material)?

You know how mason jars (at least the “Bernardin” brand one I just checked) are seemingly made from fusing two halves of the jar glass together. There are two lines that run directly down the middle of them, vertically, from lip to bottom. The bottoms might even be a separate piece as well (it usually is the thing part that just breaks out/off due to thermal shock - when that does happen).

2. And is there a marking on glass to identify any details (glass type, borosilicate, soda-lime, etc.) of the glass.

The glass reagent bottle I just got also has this seam from top to bottom as well. You wouldn’t think quality lab glass would have this, would you? I don’t have any Corning PYREX (or even ‘pyrex’) bottles to compare. Just beakers, and they don’t have any seams.

(Edit @Northern_Loki Sorry to bug you. But I figured you might have some insight here).

[C_in_CT]

1. That’s a mold line, not two halves of glass pressed together.

Glass jars are usually made by being blown into a mold, then the mold is opened and the glass released. There are some videos out there of the manufacturing processes of similar vessels.

Not sure about markings for glass type though.

[Nitt]

Thanks.

@C_in_CT

There are some videos out there of the manufacturing processes of similar vessels.

I’m watching some “how it’s made” type videos currently, haha.

[NoCal]

You have tell us what the heck you’re doing

[Gpaw]

I got a tour through a bottle plant years ago. Amazingly old machines catching blobs of molten glass with movable slides, progressive molding processes etc. Fascinating to watch.

Cheers
G

[Nitt]

Why it’s a contraption of course.

---

So I just received one aquarium pump, (and a separate order for “food grade silicone tubing”). The pump sucks though. It came with some seemingly silicone tubing, I didn’t think it would - didn’t plan on it anyways. The stuff that came with the pump is not food grade/quality from what I can tell (test). And the food grade silicone tubing I bought on its own also isn’t food grade silicone.

This is why some of these questions/thread by me are me. These damn amazon sellers just straight up lie about things. There’s no accountability. They just say it’s borosilicate glass, or food grade platinum cured silicone, knowing there are no consequences to lying.

I wonder now will I have to use an online canadian home brewing company or something. Because I can’t even find the right stuff on amazon - I can find stuff claiming to be real. It’s not a cost thing, I just can’t find any truthful listings on the 'zon yet.

@rigdzin If one of the things you’d mentioned was about modifying the air pump to ‘make’ an inlet on it, yes I’ve been thinking about that as well. Thanks.