The Hydrogen Bubble Machine V3 prototype is moving right along, and now we’ve attached two bubble wands to our central rotating plastic rod. I tried using different diameter wands and two needle valves to demonstrate differing flow rates. Next step Kurt’s fabbing our circuit boards for the motor controller.We had designed an ingenious little optical sensor with a veined wheel to indicate when the wands are in the up and down positions, but now we think this design can be simplified with a couple of microswitches and some stops mounted on the side panel. A screw on the axle will tap the microswitch and inform the microcontroller that the wands have reached the downward (dipping) position. The microcontroller will then reverse the motor until the other microswitch is tapped, when the wands will be in the upward (blowing) position. At this point the microcontroller will turn on the solenoid, releasing our hydrogen gas mixture and blowing bubbles for a certain (adjustable) time period. Then the microcontroller will repeat the process.I’ve mocked up this prototype using a three-way toggle switch and connecting the solenoid manually to a battery. Here’s a video showing the latest testing:

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm and is filed under Hydrogen Economy, Video, Workshop.