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Author Topic: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important  (Read 18498 times)

Offline denny

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #150 on: January 28, 2018, 09:33:02 am »
No offense taken at all. You guys presented great information. We each have to evaluate the information for applicability. This ^^ is the result of my evaluation. You guys keep doing your thing — it’s interesting stuff.


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Offline Philbrew

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #151 on: January 30, 2018, 10:00:13 pm »
Fun fact, this thread made me check. I get my CO2 from Oxarc and according to the data on their website, their beverage CO2 is 99.999% pure.
I can't get all the way through 11 pages of this thread but halfway through, Jim's post made it worthwhile. Thanks Jim.  I too buy co2 from Oxarc.  Maybe that is why my keg beer still tastes good after months.  Or maybe my taste buds don't care any more.  So what, I really like my beer!
Many of us would be on a strict liquid diet if it weren't for pretzels.

Offline narcout

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #152 on: January 31, 2018, 11:28:24 am »


My readings varied from 4 ppb to 0 as shown here on the tanks we received directly from the welding company

Well, that's interesting.  Thanks for doing that.
Sometimes you just can't get enough - JAMC

Offline Aksarben

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #153 on: February 01, 2018, 08:58:40 pm »
Just did some searching on line and from what I gather, CO2 sold at places like Airgas sell it at 99.98 % pure.  99.99% is for hospital use, and if someone is charging you more for "beverage" grade CO2 rather than "Industrial" grade CO2, they are pulling the wool over you eyes, as they probably get their source out of the same tank.  What most sites in forum on CO2 come up with is more hype and BS than really any truth.
Vernon

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Offline Robert

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #154 on: February 01, 2018, 09:07:05 pm »
^^^^
Yeah, somebody above suggested it all comes out of the same tank, and they just price it differently depending on how you order it! Really I can't imagine it costs them so much more to get the extra 0.01% of purity that it would not be offset by the cost of maintaining multiple stocks.
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Offline Wilbur

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #155 on: February 02, 2018, 08:30:50 am »
^^^^
Yeah, somebody above suggested it all comes out of the same tank, and they just price it differently depending on how you order it! Really I can't imagine it costs them so much more to get the extra 0.01% of purity that it would not be offset by the cost of maintaining multiple stocks.

Makes me think of when I ordered a load cell, but needed to have it ISO 17025 certified after I received. I emailed the company, they sent me an certificate and an invoice for $75. I think the extra cost may be more about paperwork, tracking, and test costs rather than actual processing costs. I just refilled at Airgas ($18 w/tax for food grade), and the guy was telling me for food grade they just have some additional documentation.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #156 on: February 02, 2018, 09:51:03 am »
^^^^
Yeah, somebody above suggested it all comes out of the same tank, and they just price it differently depending on how you order it! Really I can't imagine it costs them so much more to get the extra 0.01% of purity that it would not be offset by the cost of maintaining multiple stocks.

Makes me think of when I ordered a load cell, but needed to have it ISO 17025 certified after I received. I emailed the company, they sent me an certificate and an invoice for $75. I think the extra cost may be more about paperwork, tracking, and test costs rather than actual processing costs. I just refilled at Airgas ($18 w/tax for food grade), and the guy was telling me for food grade they just have some additional documentation.

This is what I have read too.
Jeff Rankert
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Offline narcout

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #157 on: February 02, 2018, 11:27:35 am »
Just did some searching on line and from what I gather, CO2 sold at places like Airgas sell it at 99.98 % pure.  99.99% is for hospital use, and if someone is charging you more for "beverage" grade CO2 rather than "Industrial" grade CO2, they are pulling the wool over you eyes, as they probably get their source out of the same tank.  What most sites in forum on CO2 come up with is more hype and BS than really any truth.

Airgas sells a variety of grades of CO2.  Below is a page from their catalog which lists the purity as well as the concentrations of O2 as ppm by volume.



Here's a link to their pure gases catalog.  Click pure gases under the main menu on the left and then select CO2 from the drop down menu.

http://airgassgcatalog.com/catalog/

Sometimes you just can't get enough - JAMC

Offline Aksarben

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #158 on: February 02, 2018, 05:51:18 pm »
From reading online on an older forum, related to brewpubs, taverns, etc.  The Super Moderator posted this as his bottom line:  "Bottom line, don't bother looking for food grade co2. Anyone charging extra for it is simply making a few extra bucks. There are tens of thousands of kegerator owners getting their co2 from industrial welding suppliers and paintball stores for 20+ years. If it were a health issue, the FDA would have been all over it long ago. "
Think about it and all the regulations we have in America.  It's easier for Airgas, and other, to simply make it as pure as possible for the 98% of their customer base, and if their main customers are welders, and some restaurant, wineries (we use it constantly) or breweries, they just make it 99.99+% and don't have to worry about special tanks.

I also looked on Airgas website and saw the above.  Even their "REFRIGERANT" grade is 99.99% pure.  Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew.
Vernon

Associate Winemaker, Fenn Valley Vineyards
Fennville, MI

I was born with nothing, and have managed to keep most of it.

narvin

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #159 on: February 02, 2018, 10:52:57 pm »
They aren't selling anything other than the basic stuff to welders, and beverage grade is the same.  So, don't pay any extra for food or beverage grade, but recognize that you have only 3 9s of purity.  That's not very high when you look at it in ppm.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: CO2 Purity and Why It's So Important
« Reply #160 on: February 03, 2018, 07:27:22 am »
Hey Keith, do you specify some high grade CO2? I’m wondering if you got lucky, or is the impurity specs are worst case limits occasionally seen?
Jeff Rankert
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Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!