Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Anything cooling/condenser related.

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theflyingnun
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Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by theflyingnun »

I'm getting back into the hobby after a long time away and just ordered a copper Mighty Mini Pro from MH. I need your help with specific recommendations for my irrigation/cooling plumbing, though. I have read almost all of the CM mod recommendations, and I definitely want to mod the cooling flow right off the bat. But I'm not familiar enough with plumbing or pneumatic setups to confidently design/order my system online.

I've scoured the forum and can't find many specific recommendations for needle valves, connectors, and tubing to actually mod the reflux jacket and condenser. Do any of you have a setup you particularly dig that's compatible with the input and output of Mile Hi 2" parts? I intend to disassemble after every run, so I like the idea of quick-connect pieces like SD's pneumatic setup or Jesse's quick connect hoses on Still It. I just don't know how to make those work w/ MH parts.

Thanks for your help!
kimbodious
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Re: Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by kimbodious »

I use 3/4” triclamp fittings for my plumbing fittings. The do add weight but as long as you don’t lose the gaskets can be used over and over again without ever leaking :thumbup:
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NineInchNails

Re: Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by NineInchNails »

Do you intend to recirculate water or are you going to plumb from the home water supply and send it down the drain?

If you're going to recirculate then I'd get pump. On the output of the pump, you can install a tee and a valve. If the valve is closed then 100% of the water gets sent to the still. If you crack the valve open a bit, you will slightly reduce the flow to the still. Open it more and it reduces flow more. There's many ways to achieve the same thing, but this way is very easy. Just remember to prime the water lines first because some pumps have a hard time initially priming the lines.

If you are going to plumb from the home water supply, then all you need is a valve to regulate the flow.
theflyingnun
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Re: Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by theflyingnun »

Thanks to both of you! I am going to pump and recirculate. And yeah, I intend to get a tee and at least put a needle valve on the input reflux line.

NIN: you seem to be suggesting using the tee as a bypass to return water to the reservoir, with the valve on the bypassed return line, correct? That sounds like a good idea.

What I'd really like help with is recommendations for specific supplies if y'all can offer them. What size and/or brand of tubing, fittings, and tri-clamps would you recommend for a quick-connect setup that can be frequently and easily disassembled? I see some love for PEX fittings, but I don't think 3/8" tubing will work with a still that seems to want 1/2" internal diameter, right? I'm a bit out of my depth when it comes to plumbing.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by still_stirrin »

theflyingnun wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:39 am...I see some love for PEX fittings, but I don't think 3/8" tubing will work with a still that seems to want 1/2" internal diameter, right? I'm a bit out of my depth when it comes to plumbing.
Plumbers need to know 2 rules:
-> 1) payday is on Friday, and
-> 2) shit don’t run uphill.

But seriously, tubing ID affects how much fluid the tubing will pass per time (flowrate). For liquids, the fluid is basically incompressible so flowrate is limited by pressure drop due to friction, or more appropriately, the source pressure. As a result, how high you need to lift the coolant (lift head) will limit flowrate through a pump, especially a centrifugal pump (like most pond pumps) can pump.

So, diameter of the tubing does matter, a larger diameter means slower flow velocity and since friction loss is proportional to velocity (and viscosity) of the fluid/liquid/coolant, the pressure loss for a larger diameter will be less.

With your Mile Hi stillhead that has 1/2” ID coolant nubs, the best solution for tubing/hose ID would be for 1/2”, or possibly even 5/8” ID, accounting for the wall thickness of the nubs. But, since your pond pump has only a 3/8” discharge outlet, I would use a reducer immediately after the outlet to increase the diameter to 1/2” or 5/8” ID, again to minimize the flow friction loss in the hose. And keep the hose the minimum length needed to connect to your stillhead as length of the hose also contributes to flow loss.

Finally, centrifugal pumps have a “deadhead” lift, the maximum height it can pump before the flow stops due to gravity. If your pump’s deadhead is close, equal to, or even less than the height of your reflux condenser’s coolant inlet, then you’ll have little success with the pump’s selection (operation) regardless of the hose ID. You can circumvent this problem somewhat by elevating the coolant reservoir, thereby reducing the absolute lift you need to raise the water to get it to flow.

OK, sorry for the “techie description”, but I hope you understand a little better the physics of your plumbing. I’ve tried to address the science in terms you can grasp. And don’t forget the “number 2” rule addressed above. :-)
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NineInchNails

Re: Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by NineInchNails »

theflyingnun wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:39 am NIN: you seem to be suggesting using the tee as a bypass to return water to the reservoir, with the valve on the bypassed return line, correct? That sounds like a good idea.

What I'd really like help with is recommendations for specific supplies if y'all can offer them. What size and/or brand of tubing, fittings, and tri-clamps would you recommend for a quick-connect setup that can be frequently and easily disassembled? I see some love for PEX fittings, but I don't think 3/8" tubing will work with a still that seems to want 1/2" internal diameter, right? I'm a bit out of my depth when it comes to plumbing.
Yes, just a simple bypass.

I use 1/2" red and blue Pex and compatible brass fittings. To use Pex you need to buy one of those crimping tools. I bought the multi-size crimp tool sets rather than the 'single size' crimp tool. It costs more, but well worth it for versatility. I use an aquarium/pond pump for recirculation with a bypass. These pumps aren't rated for high temp water so you can either use a larger water reservoir or rig a return water cooling setup.

It is possible to use significantly smaller and more convenient size tube & John Guest fittings like 1/4" for instance, but that would require using a higher psi pump like a 24VDC diaphragm pump rated for 'continuous duty' (long run times). A common one is a 'Reverse Osmosis Booster Pump'. Now these pumps aren't rated for high temps so you can either use a larger water reservoir or rig a return water cooling setup. I like these pumps because they produce high psi, a consistent flow rate and allows you to use cheap 1/4" or larger tubing. These can easily cost over $100 though and it would be ideal to use a bladder tank too. Many of these pumps have a pressure sensor built in and can turn on & off as needed and with a bladder tank it would make a nice consistent flow rate that would not require a bypass. Just a needle valve to regulate flow rate.
theflyingnun
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Re: Help Designing Cooling Setup for MH 2" CM

Post by theflyingnun »

Thanks a ton, y'all!
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