I thought I would try a couple of mods to my Evil Twin rectifying columns. The first modification was to put a valve in my heads return, and secondly I fitted a coil of 1/2" tubing around the head of the second column to try to get a dephlagmater affect, thirdly I had a digital thermometer left from my old Bokabob, so I fitted a thermo port at the spirit takeoff.
- Control valves for heads return and water to the dephlag coil
Firstly I found that with the heads return turned off, it allowed the heads to remain in the column which then smeared the heads cut allowing the heads to mix with the hearts. The original intention was to compress the heads more by closing the return valve.
Allowing the spirit takeoff to be cooled with the dephlagmater coil had no effect at all. I thought I might to be able to increase the ABV and get more high ABV hearts, this was not the case, turning on the water to the coil on and off made no difference.
- Coil just above the spirit takeoff
The thermometer turned out to be a complete waste of time, as the temperatures were way off anything I have known, with temperatures going anything from 82c to 90c perhaps it needs to operate in this range to push the heads back to the boiler while allowing the spirits to be taken, I don't know I am just guessing and theorising.
- Thermometer
Conclusion: My original design before the mods works well producing around 80 ABV in a consistant manner, I am going to now remove the cooling coil, and block the thermometer hole, I will leave the valve in the heads return for no other reason other than I would have to solder another length of copper tube in there and it would need another cleaning run, I might as well leave it there permanently open.
The rig with modifications as tested.
I have come to the conclusion that when you have a design doing what it's supposed to do, don't mess with it.
OD
OLD DOG LEARNING NEW TRICKS ......
