Dephlegmator sizing and observations

[30xs]

I was starting this here for a couple reasons. To try and get a compilation of designs and their pros and cons, and I’m slowly putting together a second build and could use a little more information than I have been able to find searching.

I do understand that a dephleg is for partial condensing, for loading plates/keeping column stabilized. I’m just curious what designs seem to work the best.

I’ll start with my first build design:

4” column
I used seven 1” tubes, the end plates are 1/8” thick and the area between plates is 4 1/2”. Coolant flow has always been ran from bottom to top for ease of keeping full, and it seems the most popular way.

The pros to the little short large tube is it holds less than a pint of water when full. When I make a small adjustment, day going from dribbles to a small stream, I can see a change in the product output within 3 seconds, seems stabilized within 10 seconds or less.

The con, if it really is one, is that it can’t fully knock down everything my 5500 watt element is able to throw at it. Watching my temps above the the dephleg my temps say I’m about at my max around 4000-4100 watts. I’m right on the ragged edge of producing temps.

If I’ve read and understand correctly, for neutrals you want heavy reflux. Since I’ll be using a plate and lava rock section above, would I need to upsize/lengthen my design?

I have seen designs everywhere from 1/2” tubes to 1”, shotgun style. Many talk about knocking everything down with less vapor area than I have, although they have both less tubes, and smaller tubes. That would mean faster vapor speeds, but they are still able to knock it down?