T500 Output Temperature

[PBD]

Folks, I am finding this site difficult to find relevant links to ask questions in. If not this one, can you point me at the right one.

We have a T500 for product testing in our distillery, but its the latest model with output temp control. No good for controlling column head temp at 78-82 degrees C. I understand the old models had thermometer at top of head to report this, but was removed. Still Spirits refuse to provide the correlation temps of output verses hear temps.
I am hoping someone on this site has an old one and can provide output temp verses 78 to 82 at head.

[Saltbush Bill]

Why worry about temp ..the only temp measured by a T500 is the water temp leaving the reflux condenser.
Unless they have changed a lot since I owned one.
Easier to just run them by watching the product output and just keep the output nice n steady.

[PBD]

Why worry about temp ..the only temp measured by a T500 is the water temp leaving the reflux condenser.
Unless they have changed a lot since I owned one.
Easier to just run them by watching the product output and just keep the output nice n steady.

We are a commercial distillery that has to produce to very strict EU legislation and we cannot afford to pull thru any Methanol,
Aldehydes, 2-methyle-1-propanol, Esters etc. Our products have to be tested for compliance.

Hence I need to hold the top of the still in the very specific range for ethanol eg 78-82 C . So I need to know what output temp relates to these values.

If anybody can advise I would be grateful.

[rubberduck71]

Do you have access to metal fabricating at your site, or know of someone who does? I imagine it would be a nominal cost to get a temp probe installed.

Just spitballing an idea - I'm less than 1 year into this hobby!

Duck

[NZChris]

Why worry about temp ..the only temp measured by a T500 is the water temp leaving the reflux condenser.
Unless they have changed a lot since I owned one.
Easier to just run them by watching the product output and just keep the output nice n steady.

We are a commercial distillery that has to produce to very strict EU legislation and we cannot afford to pull thru any Methanol,
Aldehydes, 2-methyle-1-propanol, Esters etc. Our products have to be tested for compliance.

Hence I need to hold the top of the still in the very specific range for ethanol eg 78-82 C . So I need to know what output temp relates to these values.

If anybody can advise I would be grateful.

Holding a temperature will not eliminate methanol. Also, the methanol in the heads myth is contradicted by this study:
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 33&t=40606

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

PBD,

Please post your license information in your signature. It's required by site rules. I have moved your topic to its own thread in craft distilling. How they can help you.

Thanks.

[Birrofilo]

We have a T500 for product testing in our distillery, but its the latest model with output temp control. No good for controlling column head temp at 78-82 degrees C. I understand the old models had thermometer at top of head to report this, but was removed. Still Spirits refuse to provide the correlation temps of output verses hear temps.
I am hoping someone on this site has an old one and can provide output temp verses 78 to 82 at head.

I don't think this can be done because there is no fixed correlation between the two, therefore Still Spirits is not to be blamed.

The temperature of cooling water after it cooled the dephlegmator and got heated by its heat will depend on temperature of the cooling water when it "leaves the tap", and the flow of the cooling water, besides the temperature of the alcohol vapours, and letting aside ambient temperature.

You could establish a correlation between the two measures only if you set first both the volume and the initial temperature of the cooling water. If you keep temperature and volume of the cooling water during the run constant, then there certainly is a correlation between temperature at the elbow and temperature at the cooling water before discharge.

You could apply a thermowell to the top of the still and get the temperature from the thermowell. Or you could actually seal a metallic temperature probe inside the vapour stream by drilling a hole in the plastic head of the T500 and sealing it with super-traditional flour paste or some more technological means.

You are certainly aware that the results you obtain from your T500 with operating the cuts at certain elbow temperatures, even if your beer-wash is perfectly uniform, will not be exactly replicable on your production still because the reflux will probably happen in a slightly different way. But you will be able to have a valid small-scale test.

My personal question would be: if you are interested in having a small test still, and you want to know the temperature at the elbow, why not buy a still which comes from factory with a thermometer at the elbow, rather than using a T500 and trying to make complicated reasoning trying to infer elbow temperature from cooling water temperature?

[Saltbush Bill]

I understand the old models had thermometer at top of head to report this,

I think you are wrong about that .............I started out with one of those stills and it did have the two thermometers......from memory both measured water temp.......not vapour temp.

[PBD]

thanks folks,

well and truly answered.
Dale

[CopperFiend]

It is a little worrying, reading your question, that there are quite a few errors with respect to how stills work and you're a commercial operation? Is this just because the T500 is a different type of still to your (I assume) plated continuous stack?

Just curious, not throwing any mud at you but it does read a little oddly.

Copper.