CO2 and Fog FX

[gizmomkr]

For part of my display, I am thinking I want some low lying fog. Im wanting to construct some sort of "chiller" but hate the idea of re-stocking it with dry ice every night.

So the next best idea I can come up with would involve CO2 or liquid nitrogen to spray into the vaporized fog. CO2 is cheap, easy to store and control with a solenoid valve, So im leaning that way.

Anyone else used CO2 to chill fog ? Curious what PSI & frequency to mix with the fox.

Also looking ofr a good source for the Solenoid valve.

[-klb-]

I don't think you will get the effect, or savings with CO2 that you want. I only run fog the night of Halloween, and I melt about 40 lbs of ice in my chiller. I have a 5 foot long section of 5 inch metal dryer duct, with 2 50 foot sections of 1/4 inch copper tubing running in parallel. A high head fountain pump in the cooler pumps water in the ice to the outlet end of the tube, and the water flows through those tubes, in the opposite direction of the fog, and dumps back onto the ice in the cooler.

While the CO2 will come out cold, most of the cooling happens in the valve where the gas is expanding, and in the tank, where the liquid is boiling. I don't think you will effectively get a fraction of the cooling out of a 20lb CO2 tank that I get out of 40 lbs of ice...

[bhays]

Although, you could get some really cool atmospheric effects using the CO2 directly.

[gizmomkr]

I do kinda like the co2 jet - I think I'm going to try to make my own nozel. Not sure if the tank I have has a Siphon or not for the liquid. hummmm.

I did find some Co2 attachments to make dry ice, but it seems easier to just buy it.

I'll post some pics once I get a nozel together.

[Greg Young]

You can also make a chiller to pass your fog through from a small refrigerator, such as one used by students in dorms.

After school many of these wind up just sitting around, so it's a nice way to put them back into useful service..

Greg

[ceniam]

Do a search at hauntforum.com on fog chillers. Numerous designs have been made and tested. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel.

[Denise Brunner]

I have also used a window air conditioner with very good results to chill the fox. Then I used an old furnace blower to distrubute the fog to about 10 outlets with dryer vent hose. I will see if I can find the pictures from about 10 years ago.

[-klb-]

Fog is one of those effects that is often outside the range of what is visible in video, but really stands out in person. But these three videos do a fairly good job of showing the results from my ice water chiller...

[TJ Hvasta]

Last year I picked up a large Coleman cooler from Goodwill for $4 before last halloween, paid $6 for alum dryer hose from HD, cut 4" holes in opposite corners of the cooler, routed the dryer vent thru it, filled it with plain ice, stuck the $7 fogger I got also from Goodwill, the ice lasted all night, the fog was awesome for under $20 total, including the ice from Safeway.. I live in Phoenix, the fog rolled from the yard into the street.. your mileage may vary..