Power Tower (VM)

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

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MidnightThunder
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Power Tower (VM)

Post by MidnightThunder »

I'm pleased to introduce my newest stilling addition, the Power Tower!

The tower starts with a 6" ProCap plate then reduces to the 4" column, first filled with 18" of my CHP packing up to the sight glass, then another 18" of SPP on top. Next is the 4"x4"x2" tee feeding into the 2" SS gate valve which runs to my monster liebig of 1.5" jacketed with 2" and a bit of twisted CSST in the vapor tube. On top of the tee, I have one of StillDragon's 4" ProCap plates without any caps installed just to constrict the openings to be able to yield a 1:1 takeoff ratio with my valve fully opened, before leading up to my CSST double wound reflux condenser, which is approximately 11" long.

I am excited to be able to give this thing a run soon with the 35 gallons of mash I have fermenting. I am expecting a takeoff of about 2 gal/hour of azeo, is that reasonable?
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Yummyrum
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by Yummyrum »

What a beast .
Hope you get your target but 2gal/h @azeo sounds pretty optomistic .
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by Saltbush Bill »

9 Litres an hour huh?
OtisT
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by OtisT »

I don’t think you will hit Azeo with the amount of packed height you have. I hope you prove me wrong. I’m guessing around 92.5 to 93%.

I’m curious about the placement of the lower sight glass. Why not just below the takeoff tee? You can see liquid reflux falling and any flooding just below the takeoff.

The name you gave your column reminds me of Hewey Lewis & the News. The horn section in the band was known as the “Tower of Power”. :-)

Otis
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
Learning to Toast: Toasting Wood
Polishing Spirits with Fruitwood: Fruitwood
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Archee72
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by Archee72 »

Looks cool
MidnightThunder
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by MidnightThunder »

I've got no idea how much this will produce but came up with 2 gal/hr estimate based on being 4 times the surface area of my old 2" that produced at about .5 gal/hr. If this is off base, what's a more typical output for a 4" column?

Otis, the reason I've got the site glass there is cause I have a piece of perforated stainless under the bottom seal that is supporting the SPP while still allowing me to disassemble that part of the column. How tall would you say I'd need on a 4" column with SPP to hit azeo?
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Yummyrum
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by Yummyrum »

About 2meters and you need a fuckton of power ti get the reflux needed . That is where I get stuck .Condense can’t handle power so have had to dial back to less than 4litres an hour .
OtisT
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by OtisT »

Looks like Yummy has an answer for you on the minimum height of 4” packing needed to hit azeo. 2 meters with adequate power and cooling. I’m glad he answered because I would not know the answer because like you, my ceilings are not high enough to pack my 4” column with more than 42” of packing. That is why I guessed your max ABV because that is what I get with 42” packed. It’s not a direct comparison, but I think it should be close.

I like that perf plate you have there. I am guessing it just slips in with the gasket? Any chance you could link me to where you picked that up? If it is just a slip in, I’d love to pick up one of them. I’m using a dedicated modular screen at the moment.

Otis
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
Learning to Toast: Toasting Wood
Polishing Spirits with Fruitwood: Fruitwood
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MidnightThunder
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by MidnightThunder »

I've got 9kw and I've tested both condensers independently with each able to knock down all the vapor so I hope that is enough reflux to run the SPP in the semi-aquatic state. I am surprised that I'd still need such a tall column with SPP to hit azeo as I thought its low HETP would yield enough theoretical plates to get me there at this height. Oh well. I'll be happy to run this and see what I get.

Otis, the perforated plate seen is just cut from a piece of perforated stainless sourced from Amazon. It doesn't sit at the tri-clamp connection, but rather between the glass-chimney gasket and the stainless flange. I surprisingly received more stainless than expected, so I'd be happy to cut a plate sized for wherever it would best be suited and send it to ya. Just give me a precise diameter for the cut.
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RC Al
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by RC Al »

Looks great man

YMMV, but I daresay the 6" plate hasnt got the height or volume above it to work properly, it will add to the whole, but not as well as it could. I would shift that sight glass down to give it some room above. Arguably the sight glass would be best filled with packing instead and even loose the cap and fill the 6-4 with packing instead as well.

That perf plate is looking a bit tight, with small spp piled on top at that input power it might restrict flow to the packing and more importantly the reflux back down, it might be fine, but something to look at if you experience stability issues

Cant wait for you to run it :)
MidnightThunder
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by MidnightThunder »

Hey RC, the main reason for the 6" bubble plate is two-fold. First, I know it's not running to it's max throughput, so I know it's acting similar to an inline thumper, regulating the vapor speed and amount to help stabilize the rest of the column. Second, I know it's got one additional distillation taking place which even if minimal, raises the proof. So I have it there more as a buffer than anything, since I already had the ProCaps from two 4" plates, before deciding not to use them. I know they could handle more power than I'll be using but I just didn't want my buffer to be a choke point. About the perf plate restricting reflux flow, I considered that while ordering the stainless, but couldn't go with any larger opening for the SPP I had purchased, so I'll see how it runs and modify the plate holes as needed.
I will certainly update about how the runs go, as I'm anticipating this being able to out-produce my drinking abilities. 😁 After discovering limecello, I can't make this stuff quick enough!
MidnightThunder
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Re: Power Tower (VM)

Post by MidnightThunder »

Finally got to make a couple of runs on this new tower and I am very pleased with the results! I didn't have 12 gallons of low wines to charge the boiler with, so I instead was running my mash through. After sorting out some issues, I got it running properly and with only 30 inches of CHP and SPP, I was still able to pull off azeo at a quart every 8 minutes. I think with a boiler full of low wines at 30 or 40% and the full 36" of CHP/SPP, I should be able to pull over 2 gallons/hour of azeo. I will report back with my findings after some more runs.
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