Flooded plate question

[spiff]

Got questions for refluxing on a flute and want to make sure my understanding is right here.. after reading the flute talk thread several times I see its common to stop product extraction by cranking up reflux via the deflag for a while... my question is doesn't this flood your plates?

I thought flooded plates was a bad thing.. more then an inch or so on the plate.. so is accumulating on the plate during the reflux the objective and this is an exception to the flooded plate rule?

Or are you modulating power to keep them from flooding? If that's the case I'm really lost then as it would mean its all returning to the boiler..

I would like some clarification on this.

[Sungy]

Full Reflux is done to increase the alcohol % on the plates. Yes the reflux does all flow down into the boiler because you are not pulling off product. As the vapor passes through the fluid bed on a plate the most volatile vapors pass threw the fluid where the water vapor condenses and stays on the plate.This results in the most volatile of the vapors reaching the top of your column where it condenses and fills your top plate. Gradually this higher % alcohol flows down to the plate below. This cycle continues until all plates have increased there alcohol %. If you look at the top plate of your still at the point where all plates have liquid on them you will see large bubbles that are bursting, but at the bottom plate you will see smaller bubbles that are sort of stringy. After refluxing for a bit you will notice all the plates will look the same.

[spiff]

Gotcha

So its not always just water on the plates, that's what was throwing me..thx.

[Saltbush Bill]

So its not always just water on the plates

Its never always just water on the plates, unless you only have water in the boiler.