My new 2" Column

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

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fanusvdv
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My new 2" Column

Post by fanusvdv »

Hi All
I have build a column for my still, my goal was to get a pot still with a thumper effect in a single column, and I'm so happy with the result.
I mounted the column in a 50L 3KW electric urn. I ran it twice with exactly the results that I set out to achieve.
I do not attempt to do fine tuning of the product, I open the cooling water a bit approximately 2 to 3 liters per hour, and leave it for the whole run like that.
I ran a sugar wash of 12% ABV and 3 liters of Tails
I measure the temperature of at the column outlet.
I start to get the the fore shots from 50 deg C up to 78 deg C. about 600 ml
The first liter of product after the fore shots, measures 85% ABV and drops as the temperature rise at the outlet.
I then run up to 93 deg C and about 35% ABV . Then pull the tails up to 97 deg C.
The Still runs at 4 liters product per hour and combined I got 8 liters of product at 55% ABV that really taste better than anything that I made with my previous still head.
It is difficult if you are the only one you know who distill, so I never have some homemade stuff to compare mine to, but I'm very happy with the taste.
The Column is 2" copper and 1300mm long. I used 1-3/4" to 1/2" reducers for the cups and I did not seal weld them to the 1/2" cooling pipe, so any condensate will collect in the cups but will also drain down to the next cup eventually so no build up of water condensate in the cups. No Packing installed in the column.
The goal was to get a enjoyable product without having to run it twice, and I definitely achieved that.
As I had no idea if it would work or not, please excuse the way the setup looks, I will tidy it up now that I'm happy with the operation.
It was quite an easy build the only challenging part was the 1/4" coil at the top. I filled it with salt to twist the coil and it was a mission to get the salt out again.

Note that the cooling water is fed to the bottom of the 1/2" pipe with a 1/4" tube but the same tube pass through the 1/2" it exits the bottom and then re enter to feed the cooling pipe from the bottom then exits to the coil, so the hot water is at the top.

Just one more thing, I could never get a wash to ferment in less than a month, and by reading the tried and tested recipes here I realized I did 99% correct regarding OG and nutrients but I always added way to little yeast. Buying the 10g packets of yeast is expensive. so I found a bakers supply store that sell 500g packs for a fraction of what I used to pay for the yeast. so now 100 liters at OG of 1.11 gets 500g yeast and the results are crazy, 4 to 7 days depending on the temperature, I aim for 25 deg C.
Thanks for reading and let me know if I was not clear on anything.
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Swedish Pride
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Re: My new 2" Column

Post by Swedish Pride »

so essentially a long coldfinger with collection cups attached to it suspended in the center of the column.
Never seen anything like it before, but I suppose in theory it's a bit like inline thumpers.
you seem happy so that's all that matters, personally I'd not go that high ABV wash but if you like it keep at it.
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Danespirit
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Re: My new 2" Column

Post by Danespirit »

Interesting design...
A cold finger through the cups and an RC on top.
Some of the vapors will condense at the loop where the cold finger returns upwards again.
What you do with your water supply is essential to create a CM inside the column and inside the cups.
Any thoughts about a separate valve for the water supply on the RC :?:
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fanusvdv
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Re: My new 2" Column

Post by fanusvdv »

Danespirit wrote:Interesting design...
A cold finger through the cups and an RC on top.
Some of the vapors will condense at the loop where the cold finger returns upwards again.
What you do with your water supply is essential to create a CM inside the column and inside the cups.
Any thoughts about a separate valve for the water supply on the RC :?:
Hey Danespirit
I use a circulation pump for cooling the condenser. There is a T on the inlet of my condencer with a needle valve to control the flow to the RC as well as a throttle valve on the return line from the condencer to build some pressure and a constant flow rate.
Are you suggesting that the coil and the cold finger should have 2 different flow control valves?

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Kareltje
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Re: My new 2" Column

Post by Kareltje »

Very nice design! Very original! :thumbup:
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fanusvdv
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Re: My new 2" Column

Post by fanusvdv »

Kareltje wrote:Very nice design! Very original! :thumbup:
Thanks Kareltjie

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