Winter distilling--air cooled condenser?

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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RadicalEd1
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Posts: 126
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:20 pm
Location: Mitten State, USA

Winter distilling--air cooled condenser?

Post by RadicalEd1 »

Gents--

It's been some time since I was in the hobby, but I finally got off my kiester and have been been making a series of rum ferments and stripping them.

Just one problem--it's freaking cold outside! Living up the in the North, the air temp has been cold enough to freeze water lines from the tap to the condenser in the garage. And let's not even talk about splashing water on your hands, or having a driveway covered in ice....You get the idea.

Well, the notion struck me, that if it's so ridiculously cold here, the air would be a pretty darn good place to put all that heat of vaporization! Doing some searches, folks have alluded to working air cooled stills, but usually just in vague terms and with cautions to run it slow...but I want to run it fast!

Can anyone offer me some guidance on what sort of tubing I'm going to need to meet the following design requirements:

15 gal boiler
strip run (5-6 hour run)
Ambient temp: under 32ºF
Fan cooling A OK :)

This whole cold thing is really dragging me down :/...I want to get back out there and still some more, but it just isn't feasible right now!

Thanks in advance!
Angel_Kefka
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Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:52 pm
Location: Northwest US

Re: Winter distilling--air cooled condenser?

Post by Angel_Kefka »

if its that cold it will have a better chance of working than in warmer weather. But if I remember right heat transfer rate to liquid is something like 15 times more efficient than to a gas, so will need a pretty good set-up. Would love to hear how it turns out if you try it.

Don't remember where I learned that about the efficiency, could have been many places related to anything
blackedout
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Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:11 pm
Location: NJ, USA

Re: Winter distilling--air cooled condenser?

Post by blackedout »

if the worm / condenser is long enough, it should work, but you might need 20 plus feet of coil
RadicalEd1
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Posts: 126
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:20 pm
Location: Mitten State, USA

Re: Winter distilling--air cooled condenser?

Post by RadicalEd1 »

I'm OK with a fairly long coil--I'm just trying to figure out what size diameter and length before I go and drop the cash on the copper :p. You can coil up 25 ft pretty easily. I just want to make sure I'm not going to need a 50 ft monster for this little endeavor!
blackedout
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Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:11 pm
Location: NJ, USA

Re: Winter distilling--air cooled condenser?

Post by blackedout »

i would think 25 feet of 1/2 inch would work, maybe for a little extra boost, put a fan blowing towards the coil too!
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