Lets Talk Column Packing

Distillation methods and improvements.

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BoisBlancBoy
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by BoisBlancBoy »

Thanks Cranky.

I do like the fact that lava rocks seems to clean/polish/filter the distillate, At least in theory. For me that's great since I want to get the purest/cleanest neutral I can make.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by googe »

My lava always stank, and could never clean it properly, no issue as it never affected taste. Just wondering if the different types differ with reference to oder. I've always used the black/dark very honey comb stuff and not the red dirty type. Anyone found similar?.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Danespirit »

BoisBlancBoy wrote:Ok guys I have been reading everything thread I can find on SPP and Lava rock. What I am thinking of doing is trying out lava rock first and if I don't like it I'll grind out making some SPP.

I know SPP seems to be the best as far as HETP. Now lava rock is about as cheap as it gets and works really well also. But what I can't find much of it, how often do you need to clean or replace lava rock after uses? I've read that the rock can become very stinky, the thought of having to replace or clean the rock often is a big turn off. For my column it would only be used in running low wines from a neutral based wash for neutral drink. Cleaner wash should keep the rock cleaner longer.

So please let me hear your experience with the Lava Rock.
I only run low wines and do a stripping run with my pot still prior.
As I clean up the stilling area, I flush the column with water (i don't remove the lava stones if I know I'll do a run afterward or the day after).
Otherwise, I just take them out of the column and give them a light wash in plain water.
After maybe 10 runs, I remove them and boil them in a stock pot with vinegar....that removes the residue that could probably be in them.
Never had any issues with them.
Maybe Hound Dog will chime in and tell us how he does, as he's also running lava rocks in his column..?
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by jdetechguy »

cranky wrote:I haven't taken mine out ever but I only run the big CM a couple times a year. My thoughts are that the smell of tails is there because that was the last thing through, other packings do the same thing from what I've read and I've seen pictures of used SPP that have so much build up on them that they look like they came from an ancient sunken ship and would be incapable of doing anything besides clogging up the column. I personally believe the fores will wash out any tails smell when you start the next run and haven't gotten any off tastes from them.
I started using lava rock 6 months ago on the advice of Rubber Duck. I asked him about the tails left in the rocks. Since, I have a short 30" column, 3" diameter, he recommended just starting with fresh rocks each time. Its working great for me. Using lava rocks is all I plan to use. Thank you for this info. I wasn't sure how tails affected future runs.
NcHooch wrote:You're not actually planning on drinkin hooch distilled through lava rock, are you?

What are your goals for this experimentation?

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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by shadylane »

I've been using ceramic rings meant for use in an aquarium.
They seem to work better than scoria or SS mesh.
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 17&t=77413
ceramic bio rings (1).jpg
ceramic bio rings (1).jpg (19.97 KiB) Viewed 2383 times
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Yummyrum »

You’ve almost got me wanting to buy Shady .
Just got to overcome my fear of online shopping :oops:

If they sold them locally , I’m in :thumbup:
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by SomethingObscure »

Yummyrum wrote:You’ve almost got me wanting to buy Shady .
Just got to overcome my fear of online shopping :oops:

If they sold them locally , I’m in [emoji106]
Try your local garden center or pond/fish section

I've been thinking about these, does size matter like other media?

Cheers SomethingObscure
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Yummyrum wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 10:55 pm If they sold them locally , I’m in
Huge fish / aquarium place 10 mins from me Yummy....the do salt water as well as fresh.....pretty sure they would stock those if you get stuck.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Yummyrum »

OK , Salty , I might take you up on that :thumbup:

So I got 2 metres x 4” . How much do I need ?
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by LWTCS »

@ yummy
20210206_071205.jpg
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by shadylane »

If I remember correctly 5 pounds of rings has 3.5 liters in volume.
So 23 pounds of rings should fill a 4" x 2 meter column
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Yummyrum »

Thanks Larry and shady
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by tomtom »

Is anybody using gravel, small pebbles from the beach, as packing,
How does it compare to marbles or scrubbers thanks,
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by bunny »

I have a question about how much packing to have in your column.

In an effort to determine the "right amount of packing" to use in my 60" tall column, I plan to use anywhere from 30" to the full 60" of packing.

When I have less than the full amount of packing, where in the column should I place the packing?

At the top? Middle? Bottom?

After this particular test is finished does it matter if I run it this way indefinitely until for instance I want to try a different type of packing?

Any particular disadvantages to doing this?

Want a shorter column but would like to have the ability to add or change packing.

Seeking opinions from those who have farted around with this in the past.

tia, bunny
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by frunobulax »

Why have a 60" column if your not going to pack it the whole way? The taller the better for purity.
If it's a Boka, start an inch or so below the bottom plate.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Twisted Brick »

frunobulax wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 2:11 pm Why have a 60" column if your not going to pack it the whole way? The taller the better for purity.
If it's a Boka, start an inch or so below the bottom plate.
Because not every distiller is looking for neutral. Plenty of guys run 3 or 4 plates for whiskey and the equivalent HETP in a packed column might be what, 12-16"? I think this question has merit simply because 'stillers don't always have column lengths to maximize shorter-length non-neutral packing schemes, me included.

My guess (and its only a guess) would be to place the top of the packing just below the take-off tee as if you were running a fully-packed column.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by fzbwfk9r »

has anyone posted results from perlite?

unfortunately, being in Canada, a LOT of options don't exist.

Lave for BBQs is expensive
marbles are expensive
SPP is VERY expensive

I am on the lookout for a landscaping company.....

plain ol' rocks are readily available.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by 30xs »

fzbwfk9r wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:36 pm has anyone posted results from perlite?

unfortunately, being in Canada, a LOT of options don't exist.

Lave for BBQs is expensive
marbles are expensive
SPP is VERY expensive

I am on the lookout for a landscaping company.....

plain ol' rocks are readily available.
I believe DetroitDIY has played with the perlite. You may look him up and see what he has to say.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by hpby98 »

fzbwfk9r wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:36 pm has anyone posted results from perlite?

unfortunately, being in Canada, a LOT of options don't exist.

Lave for BBQs is expensive
marbles are expensive
SPP is VERY expensive

I am on the lookout for a landscaping company.....

plain ol' rocks are readily available.
h.ttps://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B005CXEEFW/

Work great for me
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by zed255 »

Maybe expensive is a relative thing, but in my corner of Kanuckistan neither lava rock nor marbles are anywhere near expensive. SPP will cost you your first born son, but there's lots of other options between very affordable and expensive in Canada. Unless your in Nunavut. Then everything's expensive.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Sulaiman »

Due to my interest in chemistry I use an all glass still with a 1" diameter column packed with glass.
I have not tried any packing other than glass yet.
I have found that round spheres/balls of uniform size work much better than oddly shaped packing
(random broken glass, irregular shaped glass beads etc.)
I assume this is because there is more free space for falling liquid and rising vapour to pass through.
So if you are going to use broken rocks etc. it is probably best to 'sphericalise' the pieces (rock tumbler?) then sieve them for approximately similar sizes.
You could use different sizes in the same column if each size range has its own layer, NOT allowing small pieces to fill the voids in layers of larger pieces.
This also helps to reduce channeling of falling liquid.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by shadylane »

shadylane wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 10:49 pm I've been using ceramic rings meant for use in an aquarium.
They seem to work better than scoria or SS mesh.
I'm quoting myself to correct where I was wrong.

For higher abv, black glass scoria is better than rings.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Yummyrum »

What is this Black glass Scoria you talk of Shady ?
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Bushman »

FE4309FB-9809-4F71-BE36-0DBF678081BF.jpeg
Yummy it is a volcanic glass.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Yummyrum »

Thanks Bushy
So other than colour , how different is it from the red scoria I have used ?

And shady , what size black stuff is better than the ceramic rings ?
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Stonecutter »

Does lava rock or scoria scratch up the column?
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Ben »

What's the column material? Chances are pretty good it will. Black scoria is mohs 5-6 hardness, glass is the same, so light scratching will occur copper is 3 ish and stainless is 4-5.

Mohs is logarithmic.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Stonecutter »

Thanks for the info Ben. Yeah, it’s copper. I would assume that if it was a real problem nobody would use it.
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by Oatmeal »

Using lava in a short and long column, scratching is not a big concern. The scrubbies took of more patina stuffing them in than the rocks do...
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Re: Lets Talk Column Packing

Post by RC Al »

Red scoria has iron in it, black is more pure, unfortunately for us, the grain structure is going to vary by the bag/load for either type.

Here on Oz, the bags of red from the big green shed seem very dusty and lots of extra junk, I've even found red coated road base in there. The black stuff they have is smaller (not small enough of course), with pretty much no inclusions and looks way more porous on the outside.
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