Sac run size?

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Selvagem
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Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:49 pm

Sac run size?

Post by Selvagem »

Been running a propane rig for a couple years now. I'm going electric, and I have a new 8 gal mile hi boiler & element/controller (no cycling with their new controllers, fyi). So, the boiler and element need a good cleaning, but I'll be using the same column & condenser. Going to do a sac run, even though the only new welded spot that will be exposed to vapor is the cap--still worth doing, in my opinion. A question about sac run size...I'm thinking that 4 gallons @ 25% (2 gallons diluted feints I have from old runs, plus as much diluted neutral as it takes me to get to 4 gal, if necessary) is a good amount & wouldn't run the risk of exposing the element toward the end of the run (it sits very low on the boiler). Any reason I should run 5-6 gallons for the sac, or is 4 good?
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still_stirrin
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Re: Sac run size?

Post by still_stirrin »

If it were me, I'd just run the feints and water to get above the heater element + enough to keep it covered for an hour run (I like to do at least an hour long sacrificial cleaning run to give it a good cleaning and get everything up to operational conditions). So, if you've got a couple of quarts of feints at an average of 40%, or so, adding a couple of gallons of water to that would probably be good (but I don't know how much liquid it takes to cover your element).

I certainly wouldn't waste any drinkable neutral on a sac run. Use your feints and you'll be fine. Just water it down to the point you need to keep the element covered for your run duration. You can roughly calculate that if you know the %ABV and the approximate volume in the boiler....it'll tell you what you can extract and calculate the volume knowing your average takeoff %ABV...then subtract that from the initial volume and it'll tell you how much will be left in the boiler (conservatively).
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Selvagem
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Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:49 pm

Re: Sac run size?

Post by Selvagem »

OK, thanks!
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