Marbles vs ss scrubbers for packing

[greggn]

Tested the scoria under the same conditions and it was 90%
The scrubbies were 92% and the marbles 85%
I'm rerunning all the tests to be sure.

Do you have any raschig rings ? I like to see how they measure if you're going to run another set of tests with that configuration.

[shadylane]

Do you have any raschig rings ? I like to see how they measure if you're going to run another set of tests with that configuration.

Wish I did

[shadylane]

Interesting results Shady
What was the average size of the scoria ? Its hard to tell but looks bigger than 1/2" .

On the top layer, some of the scoria was bigger than 1/2"
I was smashing most of it smaller until the second time I smashed my thumb

[RedwoodHillBilly]

Do you have any raschig rings ? I like to see how they measure if you're going to run another set of tests with that configuration.

Wish I did

I have 1L of raschig rings (6 x 6 mm) from Brewhaus that I've never used nor do I have any use for them. They're yours if you want them. PM me with your address. I can probably get them to you by Wed.

[shadylane]

I have 1L of raschig rings (6 x 6 mm) from Brewhaus that I've never used nor do I have any use for them. They're yours if you want them. PM me with your address. I can probably get them to you by Wed.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm borrowing rasching rings from Bubba.
On a side note, I've got a big mess to clean up. The wheat mash puked out the end of the product condenser.
And the 4" x 36" column was full of copper mesh

[RedwoodHillBilly]

I have 1L of raschig rings (6 x 6 mm) from Brewhaus that I've never used nor do I have any use for them. They're yours if you want them. PM me with your address. I can probably get them to you by Wed.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm borrowing rasching rings from Bubba.
On a side note, I've got a big mess to clean up. The wheat mash puked out the end of the product condenser.
And the 4" x 36" column was full of copper mesh

OK, I guess that I just have more crap that will sit on the shelf. I'll leave it for the kids to clean up after I'm gone.

[shadylane]

Sounds like you will be successful when your gone.
Ya got kids and crap to leave to them

[shadylane]

SS scrubbers vs rasching rings
I my opinion
On a "short" 4" dia column, the HETP of scrubbies is as good, if not better than 6mm rasching rings.

[rgreen2002]

I have two thoughts:
1. Do you think your SS scrubby packing was tighter with your short sight glass than it would be in an entire column? This could affect the outcome.
2. If you do a cost comparison how does it all work out? I would guess scoria is the cheapest (a whole bag around here is less than $10) with scrubbies as a close second and then rings way behind. This may be beneficial info too.

Thanks for the info shady!

[Tomb]

Was using "lava rock" and now trying marbles.

Big issue with the rock is how porous it is. When the run is finished we have the rock still full of whatever fraction it was working on. I would have to soak it for days to get the "stink" out. Then I thought that I should be doing this between stripping and spirit runs (or just not putting it in until the spirit run).

In all it seemed to be a lot more work than glass. Will try again with the marbles and see if the stability is still there.

T

[shadylane]

Looks like cost, and how easy packing is to clean are important also
Marbles win hands down for easy cleaning, SS scrubbies aren't to difficult to clean.
And scoria is cheap enough to throw away the packing and start fresh.
On thing I sure of, cleaning puke out of copper mesh isn't fun

I decided to run a single bubble plate to compare to the packings.
The boiler is warming up and I'll have some new info for us

[shadylane]

Boiler power is 4500w and charged with 7 gallons water and 1 gallon 95% ethanol
Adjusted the reflux cooling water until the still was making 60ml per minute.
According to my $7 hydrometer the ABV is 87%

On a side note here's the reflux condenser I normally use on my plated column.
It's much smaller than the packed column RC

[bluefish_dist]

Am I correct in summarizing that marbles have a hetp of more than 4.5", stainless steel scrubbies are less than 4.5" and lava is also less than 4.5" and rings are ? Great work.

[shadylane]

Am I correct in summarizing that marbles have a hetp of more than 4.5", stainless steel scrubbies are less than 4.5" and lava is also less than 4.5" and rings are ?

The HETP 6mm rings were less than 4.5"

scrubbies 92% abv
rings 91% abv
scoria 90% abv
bubble plate 87% abv
marbles 85% abv

If anyone is scratching their head HETP stands for Height Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theoretical_plate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[still_stirrin]

scrubbies 92% abv
rings 91% abv
scoria 90% abv
bubble plate 87% abv
marbles 85% abv

But how would they stack up if "first cost" and maintenance cost & effort factored in? Sure, the marble-packed column would need to be a little taller, but how much is really needed to reach azeo?

My 2" ID column is 1 meter tall and I can easily reach azeo with <2kW input power. And, it sure is easy to clean...just pour out the marbles and rinse. I usually soak the marbles in hot water for a short while after a run and then rinse and pour into an old pillow case for storage.

Scoria may be inexpensive to source, but how about that labor involved to get it to the correct size for your column? What about cleaning...or is it a "use once and dispose" packing?

Scrubbies are relatively easy to load and unload. But the marbles are significantly less expensive to procure. If the weight of the loaded column is a big concern, then the scrubbie solution has the advantage...a column full of glass is far from "weightless".

And rashig rings are cost prohibitive although they are designed to produce the purest product with the least amount of energy cost. That's why they are the packing of choice by major alcohol producers where purity and economic (operational) performance are necessary to stay competative.

None-the-less, thank you Shady for running this comparison of options and opportunity for us. Quantative data like this will help make design decisions in the future. And I'm sure this thread will become a "well travelled road" for upcoming novice distillers.
ss

[shadylane]

Thanks for the info SS
On a side note
I've found real lazy way to clean packing or plates in my CM still.
I open the boiler drain, then connect a garden hose to the end product condenser and back flush the still.

[badbird]

Scoria may be inexpensive to source, but how about that labor involved to get it to the correct size for your column? What about cleaning...or is it a "use once and dispose" packing?

Resizing scoria is just something to keep you occupied while watching a run:)
As for cleaning, I just backflush as per shadylanes method then tip the scoria out into an old sieve that sits outside in the roof of the shade house in the sun and rain until the next neutral run. By then its perfectly clean with no smell whatsoever.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

For what it's worth, I got this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E56EP ... B00E56EPEC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

It was prime at the time, and more than I needed. But, it came already dime size and smaller. I only need a liter I think for my 3ft 2" column, and this is over a gallon, at least. I love it, though.

Also, I always strip and then do my reflux run, so I shut down way before the nasty thick greasy tails comes through. I have in the last year never washed them, and never had ANY smell from them.

I do think about seeing what I can get first run, though. Mostly for curiosity. When I do the strip and spirit, I get 96.5% well into the tails. No jar even thinks about dropping off.

[badbird]

I got lazy and generally don't bother stripping any more unless doing best gin so the rocks come out a bit tails'y, the time out in the weather is a good thing.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I got lazy and generally don't bother stripping any more unless doing best gin so the rocks come out a bit tails'y, the time out in the weather is a good thing.