HEAS 2017 - post all images here!

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Richard Hull
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Re: HEAS 2017 - post all images here!

Post by Richard Hull »

Amazing!! I was also asked at HEAS 2017 why I had a 50lb bag of KCL sitting under a bench in the lab. One of its common uses is as a water softener in homes that have hard water with a lot of iron. I bought it just for the 1million electron volt ++ gamma rays coming out of the bag. Fun stuff for my gamma spectrometer. It turns out that KCL is the highest mass, (atomic percent), potassium source that is easily and readily obtainable that is not chemically nasty like KOH.

When demo'ing a large lump of the stuff, pulled right out of the bag, and before throwing it under my GM counter, I always lick all over the piece with my tongue. It freaks people out.......some of whom, are on a low sodium diet and use "No Salt" (KCL) and sprinkle it, unwittingly, on their food.

When I would see folks using no salt in the lunch/break room at work, I used to say...."Oh I see you are using the radioactive salt substitute." They freaked out and said it is not radioactive. I would go get my counter from my desk and prove it. They were not amused.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
Silviu Tamasdan
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Re: HEAS 2017 - post all images here!

Post by Silviu Tamasdan »

KCl, jack of so many trades... Water softener (not my main use), salt substitute (not my main use), gamma check source and amusement for mad scientists (my secondary use), cheap feedstock for making potassium chlorate and perchlorate for pyrotechnics (my main use)
There _is_ madness to my method.
ian_krase
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Re: HEAS 2017 - post all images here!

Post by ian_krase »

Huh, I did not know that was a thing you could do.


To all of this I would add flux for DIY aluminum casting.
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Dennis P Brown
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Re: HEAS 2017 - post all images here!

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Oh, thanks Richard, for that reminder! I use KCl for food and I really am now glad to know that it is also radioactive... well, I've been irradiated well over a full sievert so, I really don't think the KCl is too much additional. ;)
Silviu Tamasdan
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Re: HEAS 2017 - post all images here!

Post by Silviu Tamasdan »

ian_krase wrote: Thu Nov 09, 2017 12:40 am Huh, I did not know that was a thing you could do.
It's easy. All you need is an appropriately large power supply (5V at min 10A but 30-40A is better), electrodes (titanium cathode and titanium coated with iridium/osmium/rhenium mixed oxides aka MMO for anode, or if you're rich platinum anode) and patience. If you want a full description send me a message.
There _is_ madness to my method.
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