Stilldistillin's Pot Still Hybrid, whatever you call it now

[stilldistillin]

Hi guys. Since I'm new around here, thought I'd post a pic of my recent still. It's always an on-going project.. tinkering away, adding things, changing things.

It started as a pot still, I swear I recently decided to add the inline condenser and VM valve.

- 15L pot
- 2" column
- inline reflux condenser (1 inch jacketed by 2 inch)
- libeig condenser, 1/2 jacketed by 3/4
- 1" SS VM valve
- two CM valves, one on each condenser

Any suggestions would be helpful.. always looking to improve.

[still_stirrin]

Simply put...it's a VM reflux still that uses a stock pot as the boiler. That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it.
ss

p.s. - you've got a vent (hole) in the reflux condenser cap, right? (been there...done that)

[ranger_ric]

WOW!!
Some cool lookin flexible lines and a really tall column... Whew.. takes all kinds in this hobby...
Whatcha makin?? neutral?? Whisky?? Ethanol??
HoooooRaaaaH !!!

[stilldistillin]

Simply put...it's a VM reflux still that uses a stock pot as the boiler. That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it.
ss

p.s. - you've got a vent (hole) in the reflux condenser cap, right? (been there...done that)

Yep vent hole... hehehe.

Thanks for the comments. It's my own design I just keep dreaming up new things and trying different sizes, angles.

Still some kinks to work out. Sometimes I cannot get the steam to go to the libeig even with the SS VM value open 100% when I run on High power. If I run on 30% power, it will stream but slowly. It just wants to travel upwards and still reflux when there is too much power. I have a few options to fix that. The simplest one is adding a 2nd SS 1" value on top just before the reflux condenser and have two valve control. The other would be to make a boka hybrid. The problem is, I'm trying to make whiskey so I need to be able to put it in pot still mode in hearts... Boka hybrid with LM wouldn't be what I'm looking for, so I need to add a second SS value I think. Ideas?

TL;DR: Making mostly whiskey, some issues to work out still.

[rad14701]

You definitely don't want a valve below the reflux condenser... That could make it too easy to leave both valves closed, essentially turning your still into a bomb... We have this discussion with folks all too often...

What you have is a design flaw that needs to be rectified... And that flaw is your VM takeoff branch... Those extra twists and turns are the culprits... Check out any other VM column and you'll see that the vapor path is as unencumbered as possible - for good reason... You want the vapor to have the least resistance as possible... Every fitting and turn reduces efficiency... Keep the size of your take off branch as big as possible for as long as possible, preferably only reducing immediately before the product condenser...

[stilldistillin]

Thanks Rad. I was afraid of that.

A bit of pondering... what I will do is flip the T in the head around to the left and have the libeig slant the other way across the column to the left. The left 135 degree slant will start after the vapor condenses.


Would that work?

On Second thought, first I'll just try putting it on the right and slanting right and see how badly it's unbalanced.

[rad14701]

No... Use the absolute least number of fittings... Stop trying to build it to balance itself... Use an external method if things are that flimsy that the column won't stay centered on its own... I've used a guy-wire in the past to keep a column vertical when a lid was too flimsy... Vapor should exit out of the column, through the gate valve, and down into the liebig, keeping the liebig as close to the column as possible to keep the weight centered...

[still_stirrin]

I'd replace the 1" Tee with a 2" and reduce to 1" just before the VM valve, and keep that as close to the column as possible. The vapor wants to keep rising to the reflux condenser even when your valve is wide open. Using a 2" Tee will keep the vapor velocity slower through the split so there will be more motive to go to the VM valve. That'll allow you to regulate the reflux ratio better.

And by all means, eliminate extra fittings leading into your product condenser. You want as little restriction there as possible.

I run a VM reflux head too (with a concentric liquid take off for combo operations). My column is 2" and the VM branch is a 2"x1-1/2"x2" DWV Tee. The VM valve is 1" and is located only 1" from the DWV Tee bell flare. The DWV Tee has a gradual curve to the branch so the vapors naturally want to "turn the corner". Plus, any vapor that condenses will drip back to the column rather than puddling in the branch line.

After the VM valve, I have a 1" union for attaching the shotgun product condenser. That allows me to use the condenser when I run stripping runs in pot still mode (with a 90* Ell on a short riser). With the VM valve fully opened, my RR is still just 4:1, minimum (reflux mode, obviously). It works great.
ss

[stilldistillin]

SS, thanks for the tips. Yeah When money allows, 2" head takeoff would be nice. I just used what I had lying around.. the 1" works nicely right now. WHen I upgrade the head to 2", I'll be ditching the unions and going triclamps everywhere. Going to upgrade to a 25L pot from my 15L before anything more though, then get a nice SS 2" pipe welded on and use tri-clamps instead. Right now using a pipe wrench and a bench vise to remove it from the lid is annoying.

RAD - I made the modifications. I removed the elbows and turned the T around to the right. It works amazing now thanks.

[bentstick]

"Yep vent hole... hehehe." By op
No bomb issue there then fellas, reread it is all in peticulars!
Yep as I should no valve between the reducers,sorry yall!