Regulating Carbon Dioxide flow electronically

[dwreck]

Hey guys, I have a project I'm currently working on. Using an arduino, I want to control the release of carbon dioxide from a small cartridge (8 or 16 grams) and stop it after a certain amount of time. I don't have much experience in the Electronics department, so I don't know a lot of useful components to do the job.

I'm thinking of using 9V, but the arduino will be connected with its own supply. Would a solenoid valve do the job? Or would I need something else in combination? Can I also use a needle valve?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate your help and recommendations

 

[CocaCola]

Explain further, how much and how regulated is the release, is it a metered amount? A open slow flow for a period of time? A burst flow at a rapid rate? Or what?

Describe your application further...

 

[dwreck]

Sorry for not giving much details in my post. It's not a metered amount of co2 released, but rather a burst flow at a rapid rate. Enough to move a miniature car of length 15cm and width 8cm. The flow will be stopped after a short period of time by the arduino depending on the distance the car has moved. The specific time will be known through a process of trial and error. I hope it's much clearer now. And thanks for replying.

 

[CocaCola]

A solenoid valve should do the trick, you might find that a small expansion chamber might allow you to get more of an immediate 'burst' as you won't be limited (when initially opened) by the small output hole in the cartridge...

 

[dwreck]

With the solenoid valve, I'll have to pierce the hole in the co2 cartridge myself, right?

 

[CocaCola]

With the solenoid valve, I'll have to pierce the hole in the co2 cartridge myself, right?

Yeah, and contain it... You can get the 'piercer' and containing chamber from an old seltzer bottle, an airsoft gun or even make one with a short section of pipe...

 

[dwreck]

Thank you for helping out. Another question and hope I'm not taking too much of your time. Might be a bit hard for me to get an old seltzer bottle where I'm staying, so what if I use a bicycle co2 tire inflator? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Innovations-Ultraflate-Plus-Inflater/dp/B002AGI1QW/ref=pd_sim_sg_7

It doesn't seem that I'll need the solenoid valve, right?

 

[CocaCola]

Something like that will work, you need to take a tire valve stem permanently attach it to that device, and permanently squeeze the trigger... The solenoid will be on the other end of the valve stem acting as the new on/off valve...

A valve stem like this... Random example

http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/r...em-1-8-Npt-3-4-Long-Each/erm/productDetail.do

Will convert you to normal pipe threads, so that you can likely connect it directly to the solenoid valve...

 

[dwreck]

Thank you so much for your help. I'll try two methods: One as you described and the other one with a mechanism which presses the co2 inflator trigger when initiated.