Diffusion Plate for a Propane Heated Copper Pot?

[Youngn]

Hi guys, I've made a few runs at this point, and have been getting pretty solid results, primarily doing sugar washes. One issue I'm having is the length of time it is taking my burner to heat my pot, which is 22 gallons. I've been using a piece of metal as a diffusion plate for fear of somehow scorching the bottom of the pot, but is this necessary? Will removing it speed up the process, or make it go too fast? Currently it's a full day operation.

[Yummyrum]

G'day youngn

Sure sounds like a long drawn out day . You say copper pot but is it a pot still head on it or a reflux head ?
By sugar washes do you mean TPWs or more like a UJSM ?
How big is your gas burner ?

A photo of your rig also helps .....Just might help with some suggestions .

[Hound Dog]

I blasted a 19 gallon boiler made with a 20oz copper bottom with a jet burner for quite some time doing long long runs with a 2" boka before stepping up to a faster 3". It is no worse for wear. I just set it on a grill grate for support.

[still_stirrin]

Good answers Yummyrum.

Youngn, you said heat up takes a "long time", but how long is that? With 22 gallons of wash, it's gonna' take a couple of hours to heat to boiling even with a moderate burner (60-80 kBTU/hr).

As far as the diffuser plate, it would slow the heat up but it would also buffer the temperature flucuations. One thing, heating 22 gallons with propane is going to burn a lot of fuel. It might be opportune to consider converting to electricity. But that's your decision.

And as Yummyrum suggested, a photo of the rig might help with these (and future) questions.
ss

[DAD300]

My opinion would be that the diffuser wastes gas. You would be better off using less power without the diffuser.

You should be able to use enough power to heat your boiler (any size) to first drop, in an hour with out scorching a wash (little to no solids).

Now there will always be some variables. A Jet flame on a large boiler will make a hot spot. And a 200,000btu banjo flame at full power on an eight gallon boiler will scorch.

I have used a 145,000btu jet at full power, on a keg (13 gallons) of rum wash and got first drop in 45 minutes with no scorch.

Check the home base calculators...22 gallons at 10%, over 5,500watts or about 125,000btus would take 72 minutes to first drop and should be done in 120 minutes (after first drop) and collect 21 quarts at 33% average. So that's a stripping run in a little over three hours.

[fishingeek]

Far as the boiler itself, watch this video and it should help convince you it's all good.



+1 to diffuser removal and lower fire....

[Youngn]

It's raining cats and dogs outside, but this is the still, semi-assembled. (she is about to get a good cleaning, forgive me):

Not sure what the BTU output is on the jet, honestly. It's a fish fryer that can boil a 4 gallon pot of water in about 10-15 minutes. We're looking to get a new one soon with better regulation. I'm using a simple sugar wash, similar to birdwatchers.

[still_stirrin]

Thumper too small. Should be 25-35% the size of your boiler (wash) minimum.

Flake stand WAAAAAAAYYYY TOOOOOO SSSSMAAAALLLL for that boiler!

Plus, it looks like your vapor lines are 3/8" copper....shouldn't (ever) be smaller than 1/2".

You're out of balance with this rig.
ss

[Youngn]

Thanks for the feedback still stirrin. I'll start looking into solutions for these issues. What are the effects of each of these problems, specifically? It is indeed 3/8. Good eye. Flake stand is kept cool with a constant stream of water, and never gets warm, if that's the concern.

[hawgwrench]

+1 SS....get yerself an quarter barrel keg for a thumper...an a 50 gallon plastic drum for the flake. Prolly 20-25 feet of 1/2 line will do a good job coolin everything down. I'm green over the boiler tho , did you build it?

[Youngn]

+1 SS....get yerself an quarter barrel keg for a thumper...an a 50 gallon plastic drum for the flake. Prolly 20-25 feet of 1/2 line will do a good job coolin everything down. I'm green over the boiler tho , did you build it?

I did not, though if I find myself with access to basic metal cutting tools, I likely will build one in the near future. She's a dandy, though. Pain in the arse to clean, though.

[Yummyrum]

Thanks for the pics ...nice looking setup but it sure does look out of scale .
You might have no issues now with the flake stand but it may become one when you get it running right . Having constant cool water flowing through it may keep you over the line.

3/8" will work but it is considered a potential risk as it is possible for say a corn kernal to block it and Ka boomski...where as 1/2" is less likely to block....again you may be fine wirh this as you are doing sugar washes but furthwr on down the track....you ned to be aware.

Thumpers fill up as the run progresses so .If they are to small , they are full before the run ends so you will have thumper jice blowing out your outlet . .....Thats why they are generally sized at around a 1/3 of the boiler size.

So BTW looks like you can safely get rid of the plate at this stage ...it sure should help speed things up


One question does come to mind about the thumper.
Is it a thumper or a slobber box ? If its a slober box then its probably ok .Does it have a tap on it ? .
Do the pipe in go rigjt to the bottom or just in the top about the same hieght as the out pipe

[Youngn]

The pipe goes most of the way to the bottom, but not all the way. It hasn't been filling up on us yet, oddly. Stays about the same. We charge it with the last jar off the still from the previous run.

[Youngn]

Got a stripping run going right this second, been an hour and we're at 150. Normally would have been around 120. Seems like this is doing the trick.

[Greig56]

Anyone thought of a steel plug to use a induction burner by?
I have a 30 ltr tall boy sankey keg I want to see if anyone's found or tried a steel plug that will fit up into the keg bottom? I haven't found such but it seems such a decent idea to use this type of burner on, the temp control should I expect be stupendous!!!
At least I figure!!