high vacuum refill

[Gary Schnabl <badBadger@badBadger.com>]

Someone wanted to know why high vacuum (very low absolute pressure)
refilling was bad. I do not know whom. For some odd reason concerning my
Communicator 4.6.1, some messages I received today became vaporware.

Back to the subject... If the absolute pressure of a liquid decreases,
the boiling point temperature decreases. Gases (vapors, in this
two-phase case) occupy greater volume than their liquid phases. When a
cartridge is evacuated (near zero absolute pressure), the first few
drops of entering refill ink will vaporize (boil), taking up space. It's
 not air, but ink vapors. The ink is boiling! I suspect that this
boiling will be more detremental with low-speed high-vacuum refilling-
more vapors are produced, and the syringe is only so big if some vapors
enter. My guess, if one injects extremely slowly (drop by drop at high
vacuum), the majority of the cartridge contents will be vapor. As more
refill ink is injected, this pressure increases (approaches the
atmospheric pressure of the ink in the syringe). Less vaporization of
the ink occurs as the absolute pressure increases. Eventually, these
vapors should leave the sponge after the refilling process. However,
some may remain. Still, less liquid ink was installed.

I think that using a moderate vacuum and rapid injection of refill ink
would be best.

I am just starting to refill my cartridges. Therefore, I do not have any
practical experiences yet. However, being a graduate engineer (chemical
and electrical), the above exposition was just from the top of my head.
I will probably employ the vacuum method, or perhaps, MIS's flush
method.

Gary
-
* Free Ground Shipping (N.America) for two weeks only! We have a wide *
* variety of Ink Jet Coated Photo & Art Papers, Canvas and Specialty  *
* Inks.   Please visit us: http://www.digitalartsupplies.com          *