Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

After thinking about this over a period of time and asking many questions on here and elsewhere, I desided to try and see the takeoff and reflux inside Boka. I read a lot, tinkered some and then some more. Finally I think, please note THINK, I know how to get this done.

Paper template of takeoff part inside glass (paper badly done sorry, only glass on lid no column between)
Image

3" copper pipe cut section out to fit inside
Image

Short video show fitting inside tri-clover flange (was template for fitting) not soldered yet
Image

My Boka is 3” copper. The sight glass is 3” by about 6” tall. I cut piece of 3” tube to length, then cut a section out and silver soldered together (not lead solder as slant plates need to be fitted still and lead solder will melt again) after annealing and bashing (don't know if bashing correct word here) into shape. Now it fits inside glass. New made pipe now outside diameter less than 3" So the plan is to now get spiral condenser packed with copper mesh (Otis named copper beard :)) above sight glass with copper stopping just above top plate inside glass. Bottom takeoff plate low in glass with takeoff tube going down then out of column. This take off tube split in two with fit inside lower tube to allow sight glass remove with all still inside glass.

After silver solder pipe slide fit inside looking glass (now silver soldered and clean
Image

What this does is I can see reflux dripping from above, gas flow up and also pool collecting on takeoff plate all at same time. If flooding happens, or fluid bed is created (not looking for controversy here, as its two different things I understand) its all visible in one place.

I am hope that this allows me to manage the distill process more visually and as part of my semi automation to tune my algorithms to manage this over time. So tune the various control elements, distill, watch and observe and tune again until the system can be driven according to best distill flow. Flow depends on fores, heads, necks, hearts and tails. It may hopefully include heat up cycle, fores very slow takeof by very low heat input(elecric heater) Then sometime in future it can drive a robot to do cuts for some recipes that are repeated and where the wash is a standard controlled wash. After manually timing the cuts, monitor temps and recording collected volumes as well as power inputs, maybe after quite a few runs, I can write this robot for PLC.

I have done some work and to upload picture. more to follow when time available. Slant plates not done or coil condenser yet, but real soon now I hope. I will also later post on PID heater control. This is NOT controlling boiling point ;) but heat input according to time and what is flowing, PLC with PID and 4-20mA control of heat input.
Edit: Fixed video
Fivey
Bootlegger
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 2:46 am

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by Fivey »

mashins wrote: I cut piece of 3” tube to length, then cut a section out and silver soldered together (not lead solder as slant plates need to be fitted still and lead solder will melt again)
Um. There is a much much better reason not to be using lead solder than you to not wanting it to melt when you heat up a adjacent bit. Please tell me you are not using lead solder elsewhere...?

Besides that, interesting idea to help you understand what is going on, at least with the liquid phase, of course you can’t see vapour. It isn’t clear to me exactly how you are going to position the bits relative to the glass viewport with a diagram, it isn’t obvious to me from the pictures. Also not clear to me how you are achieving sealing between the copper pipe and the viewport TC flange. Be safe!
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

Fivy brother, no lead solder anywhere. Been reading here a few years do know safety. Always lead free. Still true not using solder for making tube as any solder will melt, so using silver soldering.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

Sealing of the pipe is not really needed inside. The pipe is a very tight fit inside the tri clamp fittings, also the gasket of the tri clamp covers the pipe inside the fitting so no fluid vapors will go there. The gasket at the glaas on both sides also seal above and below glass. Remeber, the pipe is cut with call it windows on most of the part inside viewing area so I can see. Liquid and vapous collecting on glass will drain at bottom of glass back for reflux.

The sides of the pipe will be cut open above the collection plate on one half of inside copper tube, and below top angled plate on other side with to sides in middle of plates in tube will be left connecting top and bottom plates to hold respective positions.

I cannot draw this, bad at drawing and designing, its all stuck in my head untill I cut and build.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by Yummyrum »

mashins wrote:Been reading here a few years do know safety.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Thats good to here mashins :thumbup: ..... but guess’n you must have read it a few times that we do not like tapatalk adds would be good if you can remove it thanks .

By the way , you’re doing some fne work . Can’t wait to see the results .
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

Yummyrum wrote:
mashins wrote:Been reading here a few years do know safety.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Thats good to here mashins :thumbup: ..... but guess’n you must have read it a few times that we do not like tapatalk adds would be good if you can remove it thanks .

By the way , you’re doing some fne work . Can’t wait to see the results .
Apologies, normally do not use tapatalk to reply, mostly reading only. Thank you Yummyrum, much busy at work, build taking longer than me wish it to. Will keep posting as the build goes...
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

And the plates are done, waiting still on small 1/4" copper tube for takeoff design....
Image
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

No slots were cut, just shaped plates to profile and fit inside pipe, soldered there.
User avatar
mashins
Novice
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Reunion

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by mashins »

So here we see, no slots... click pic to video...
Image
Image
User avatar
Twisted Brick
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3771
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:54 pm
Location: Craigh Na Dun

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by Twisted Brick »

The cool factor is off the charts.....!
“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”

- W.C. Fields

My EZ Solder Shotgun
My Steam Rig and Manometer
User avatar
Fruit Squeezer
Bootlegger
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2017 6:57 pm
Location: Left of the Atlantic

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by Fruit Squeezer »

Very awesome design idea.
Can't wait to see a video of it in action.
Keep us posted!
Celis
Novice
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:38 am

Re: Boka takeoff plate inside looking glass design

Post by Celis »

Wow, cool idea. Can't wait to see it in action!
Post Reply