SpudFiles

I came up with an idea for a Co2 powered air cannon that uses Co2 cartridges to shoot, but I cannot find a valve or a way to puncture the seal on the cartridge that will allow all of the Co2 to escape at once. I don't want something where I have to screw the cartridge into it or attach it to anything. The design I'm trying to make would use a cartridge loaded into a tube then when you want to fire you use the trigger to slam the cartridge into the valve releasing the Co2. I already have the trigger worked out but just need the valve. I was thinking of maybe using a hollow needle(would that work under the pressure?) of some sort cause I don't have to regulate the flow. Any thoughts? -Thanks

Your asking for more then you can get through the skinny outlet of the Co2 cartridge.

Slamming a CO2 cartridge into a hollow needle will give truly miserable flow.

If you are firing BB's this might be acceptable but then why violently puncture the cartridge at all.

This is how people smash the sealing disk with a spiked piston to blow out a parachute for a rocket/uav with the vented CO2.

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You won't get much better flow than that and its still rubbish because the hole is only a few millimetres.

However for that purpose its fine and safe for tossing out a parachute.

When aiming for performance you would not use the rupture disk of a cartridge as your main valve.

Alright, thanks for the help Ill try to come up with a new design. I just want the realism of having a launcher that by its self is nothing and all the power comes from the shells.