user347649

@TimWilliams I'll start doing some deeper research on multiphase buck conversion so I can determine how feasible it'll be for me to design such a circuit. App notes are always interesting reads anyways. Hahaha. Given your experience with designing such a converter, is there some way for me to, and would you mind if I, reached out to you should I have a question(s) I can't find answers to elsewhere?

Hmmm. Having done more reading and considering the amount of current involved, would a multiphase converter be the most sensible and robust solution? Assuming it's within my ability to accomplish, of course.

@TimWilliams I had considered series cells, but the MMO anodes are expensive and I've only got two currently (rated for 75A each). I could go with graphite, but that's a mess. Then I'd need to invest in more PtTi anodes for ClO4 conversion, too. For clarification, are you saying the buck converters can be paralleled to distribute the current load? If so, would that be likely to run into the issue of uneven load distribution as is the case for some regulators and ATX power supplies when ran in parallel? Pardon my ignorance on the finer points of SMPS functionality.

@periblepsis yes, I've done my research on the appropriate and required safety measures for the task at hand. Perhaps of chief importance being eliminating residual chlorates after conversion to perchlorate before attempting synthesis of the ammonium perchlorate as ammonium chlorate is highly unstable. I sincerely appreciate the safety-minded sanity checks.

@MarcusMüller as long as your electrolyte solution is adequately saturated and your electrodes are correctly spaced, the potential needed to initiate the reaction is only in the ballpark of 3-5V and anything in excess of that just heats the cell, which can get problematic as you'll flash off chlorine. As to pulsing the current, I can't say that won't work, but in all my research I've never seen that attempted. I suspect it would be less effective than simply running lower rated supply.

@MarcusMüller I appreciate the advice. I've run a temperature and pH controlled bromate cell before at 35A for a few hundred hours. I enjoyed that a lot, which is why I'm interested in scaling up this time around.

@TimWilliams I do a lot of pyrotechnics and this is an effort to save some money on what I can make myself. Chlorates are cheap, perchlorates are a little pricier. I'm especially looking at trying to make my own ammonium perchlorate given the $20+/lb price tag on that material.

As far as my experience is concerned, I've designed and built a few projects, e.g. a nixie clock and a PDA-type device I use for work. Mostly digital stuff centered around MCUs, though. I'm happy to accept a challenge if there's a practicable solution unless I'm underestimating the complexity of the task.

Hahahaha. Yeah, I meant Analog Devices. Derp.