Another modular CCVM build

[Schuetzenman]

Starting to get parts together for my 2” CCVM build, just waiting on my 2 24” column pieces and some odds and ends. Can’t wait to get her together for her maiden voyage!

[Sporacle]

What length is the section above your modular T section?

[kimbodious]

looking good Schuetzenman!

[Schuetzenman]

What length is the section above your modular T section?

6 inches. It gives just enough height for the reflux coil to be fully in the column but out of the path to the takeoff.

[Schuetzenman]

And it’s finished. 48” of 2” column, and refluxing during may sacrificial run to clean it

[Saltbush Bill]

It will work better as a refux if you insulate that column.

[Schuetzenman]

It will work better as a refux if you insulate that column.

That is one of the finishing touches I still need to add.

[kimbodious]

I love the look of that sight tower! I have a tee with a sight glass, it does the job, but I do lust for a sight tower.

Great advice from Bill about insulating the column.

We’re you able to put the column in to full reflux? If you can do that then you are good to go!

[NormandieStill]

Ha. I'm just putting the finishing touches to mine and preparing for cleaning runs. It could be a photo of my still that you just posted except that my column and reflux condenser are copper!

[Tummydoc]

I'm not seeing any packing in the views looking down from the site glass. What are you packing with? Regardless, a few copper scrubbers in the vapor path will help with sulfur compounds.

[Schuetzenman]

I am packing with SS scrubbies. I can put it in full reflux as long as I keep the burner down, with 75k btu available I can overpower the RC. Interestingly though I couldn’t flood the tower, or at least saw no evidence of liquid at the top of the packing. Maybe I need more packing?

[kimbodious]

I am packing with SS scrubbies. I can put it in full reflux as long as I keep the burner down, with 75k btu available I can overpower the RC. Interestingly though I couldn’t flood the tower, or at least saw no evidence of liquid at the top of the packing. Maybe I need more packing?

Not sure where the packing ends in your column?

I pack my column right up to the base of the sight glass. My CCVM column is also packed with SS scrubbers and is the same length and diameter as yours. I use electric for my heating not gas. I easily manage 94-95% ABV (temp corrected) at 1.2 litres per hour. If you aren’t able to reach those numbers then you will need to look at the level of reflux occurring and one factor will be the amount of packing. If you find you aren’t able to get maximum ABV without running the column really slowly you need more packing. Hope that helps?

[Yummyrum]

If you can overpower RC before it floods , would suggest to me that RC is too small or inefficient for the job .

You should be able to push power until it floods and still have 100% knock down from RC .( obviously you don't want to run with that much power, but its a benchmark to be aware of)

As others have mentioned , squeeze as much packing in as you can right up to the bottom of sight glass .

Sorry not trying to put your still down , just some suggestions to get the most out of it .
Should make you a very nice Nuetral

[Schuetzenman]

So the packing ends just under the sight glass, and starts at the base of the still.

For the RC, I think I need to change the configuration so it sits lower in the still. I didn’t have vapor coming out the top of the still but I could drive it to where there we some drops slowly coming out of the condenser.

Purity seemed great, it was measured at 96+, but that was I corrected. This first run was mostly about cleaning and making sure there were no leaks.

[Setsumi]

So the packing ends just under the sight glass, and starts at the base of the still.

For the RC, I think I need to change the configuration so it sits lower in the still. I didn’t have vapor coming out the top of the still but I could drive it to where there we some drops slowly coming out of the condenser.

Purity seemed great, it was measured at 96+, but that was I corrected. This first run was mostly about cleaning and making sure there were no leaks.

You could lower the RC, but just think a bit first on power input in relation to the drips. Myself see this as the point where your power input is above your 100% reflux. Turning power down to match your reflux may be the correct option. That said, if the blowby is at a low power input lowering the coil is the correct option.

Your purity would suggest the first option

[Schuetzenman]

So the packing ends just under the sight glass, and starts at the base of the still.

For the RC, I think I need to change the configuration so it sits lower in the still. I didn’t have vapor coming out the top of the still but I could drive it to where there we some drops slowly coming out of the condenser.

Purity seemed great, it was measured at 96+, but that was I corrected. This first run was mostly about cleaning and making sure there were no leaks.

You could lower the RC, but just think a bit first on power input in relation to the drips. Myself see this as the point where your power input is above your 100% reflux. Turning power down to match your reflux may be the correct option. That said, if the blowby is at a low power input lowering the coil is the correct option.

Your purity would suggest the first option

Cool, I tend to agree with you as I am running on propane I have a huge input I can put in, way more than my column could ever handle. My only concern is some of my reading indicates a partially flooded state is the best place to run the column. I can’t achieve that as it is now. With that said though the purity is high and output is a thin steam to very fast drip, which is where I kind of expected to be. I didn’t measure takeoff rate but I will with my next run.

[Saltbush Bill]

If you can get a thin stream at 95+ out of a 2 inch reflux , and that booze is good n clean, your close to running about as good as it gets.
That is unless CCVMs are capable of things I'm not aware off.

[Setsumi]

If you can get a thin stream at 95+ out of a 2 inch reflux , and that booze is good n clean, your close to running about as good as it gets.
That is unless CCVMs are capable of things I'm not aware off.

Agree with SSB.

Regarding a semi flooded state. A few members had good input on this and I can not comment from experience of achieving it in my packed column. But having experience with LM and platers/flutes, I can only see it happening when you have really fine tuned packing.

The parameters for a semi flooded state to me is not just high power and reflux but packing as well. And from a plate experience your packing should be able to hold liquid... to do this on top of a column (in my opinion) you need packing that can maintain a heat barrier. Cool refluxed liquid on top and heated vapour from the bottom...

But this is how i see it to work. Though, i do not think one needs it.

[kimbodious]

I have ran my CCVM at a semi-flooded state but I usually don’t try to. As you can imagine it is running right at the limits for minimal improvement in outcome. It is pretty stressful monitoring and tweaking power to keep the fluid bed at a constant level. In the end I removed a couple of potscrubbers and fluffed out the rest and am still getting very high purity without all the worry.

By removing a couple of scrubbers and fluffing up the rest I slightly detuned the reflux column.

[kimbodious]

If you can get a thin stream at 95+ out of a 2 inch reflux , and that booze is good n clean, your close to running about as good as it gets.
That is unless CCVMs are capable of things I'm not aware off.

Totally agree with SBB.

CCVM’s for a reflux column still are cheap to build and are an easy to run neutral spirit producer but they aren’t a magic wand

[Schuetzenman]

I’m not looking for a magic wand, I just want to make sure my still is as optimized as it can be within reason. Then the only thing I would have to blame for poor results is myself!

[Saltbush Bill]

If you want optimal I'd start with wondering what that dirty big jump of glass at the top might be doing to the overall performance of the still.
I'm probably in the minority with my thinking on sight glasses of that type at the top of reflux columns but I don't see them as improving the still performance......only as a blingy looking crutch for running them.
The only other improvement I see is fully insulating the column as stated before.

[Chauncey]

If you want optimal I'd start with wondering what that dirty big jump of glass at the top might be doing to the overall performance of the still.
I'm probably in the minority with my thinking on sight glasses of that type at the top of reflux columns but I don't see them as improving the still performance......only as a blingy looking crutch for running them.
The only other improvement I see is fully insulating the column as stated before.

Alot of people use them because they havent yet gained the experience to know when the column is at the optimal almost flooded state. And its just neat.to see what goes on inside of there.
I think the window is better than the glass tube style. I feel like id break that too quickly. I used to run without one but now since i have modular window sections from my flute i toss one on top of the packed section. And sometimes one over the boiler to watch for pukes.

[Yummyrum]

I put some in my first LM/VM . It saved me from a flood on two occasions .

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[Saltbush Bill]

I think the window is better than the glass tube style.

I put some in my first LM/VM . It saved me from a flood or two.