Tech EXPO 2017 Figure 3 - Block diagram of system Figure 4 - Puddle of blood on stage during tech Parts Quantity PLUMBING Hudson Sprayer 1 ¾" PVC Ball Valves 3 ¾" PVC (2') 1 ¾" PVC Tee 1 ¾" PVC to ½" NPT 3 ½" NPT(M) to ½" Barb 5 ½" I.D. Clear Nylon Tube (20') ¼" Barb to ³⁄₈" NPT 2 ³⁄₈" NPT to ½" NPT (F-F) ½" Brass Ball Valve 1 ½" NPT(F) to ½" Barb 2 ½" pipe nipple (1 ½") 2 ½" 90° Elbow 1 ½" pipe nipple (1") 1 ½" pipe flange 1 1 1 PNEUMATICS 38 2" Stroke ¾" Bore Double Acting Cylinder ¹⁄₈" NPT to ¼" PTC 90° Elbow 1 ¼" Nylon Air Line (100') 100 ¼" NPT to ¼" PCT 3 5 way/3 position Valve 1 Exhaust Flow Control 2 MISC ¹⁄₃ HP Utility Transfer Pump 1 ¾" Pipe Hangers 3 ½" Pipe Hangers 2 5 gallon bucket 1 2 United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc. ing and 1/2" brass barb fittings to allow connections to the 1/2" Nylon tubing. When traveling towards the opening in the stage floor, the blood would go through about 35' of tubing until it hit a 1/2" brass ball valve concealed in the show deck. This valve was fitted with a 2" stroke double-acting pneumatic cylinder for remote operation. After the ball valve, the blood only had to travel through 9" of tubing to come out through the hole in the show deck. The inclusion of this valve allowed us to prime the system during pre-show without being concerned about the blood oozing from the hole before it was meant to appear. The flow rate that we achieved was about one-third U.S. gallon per minute, which was enough blood to create a puddle that varied between 2'-0" to 2'-6" in diameter in about 1.5 minutes (Figure 4). The purging of the line was a simple process of using the electrical pump attached to the manifold to pull the blood remaining in the line back through the manifold into a five-gallon bucket for disposal. Once the line was clear of blood, we then flushed water through the system from the stage side using the same pump to pull it through the line to clear out any remaining blood. This purging step was important to avoid the blood from drying in the line and forming a clog since we couldn't access the tubing for maintenance. This pumping rig proved to be reliable and consistent night after night and required no maintenance over the course of the run (other than the nightly purge and cleaning done by the run crew) and the director was pleased with the look of the final effect. This rig is also affordable to recreate, and can be adapted to many situations, though anything more viscous than the blood we used might have trouble being moved through this system. It is worth noting that the goal of this system was to create a pooling effect, but with a less viscous solution the pressure that is primed in the line will create an initial burst or geyser effect of a few inches in height, adding to the spectacle.