waterpump+cooling

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:21 pm

Ok, so I have build myself a copper still with a changable head. One head is for the tasty runs and the other is a nixon reflux column.

Yesterday I tested my nixon column with water to see what the capacity would be. And as expected I ran into a problem (before this it was smoth sailing so I was bound to have a glitch somewhere). As a cooling element I rolled up 19.7 foot (6 meters) of 1/4 (6 mm) copper tubing. This was no problem but my waterpump had the greatest difficulty pumping water though it. I have an immersion pump with a capacity of 422 gallon/hr (1600 liters). Needless to say that with this diminished waterflow the cooling capacity was far below what was needed.

Errrrr, well I think my question is: what kind of pump do you guys use and what length of copper tube (1/4).

P.S. I have solved my problem by building a new cooling element with copper tubes that have a larger diameter and this element (thank god) is sufficient (it resembles a shotgun condensor).

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 2:59 pm

By going to a larger conduit size you reduced the headloss in the piping system. Headloss is a function of height the water has to pump to, the velocity it has to pump and the restriction of the conduit. Changing any of these will help.

What flow was the pump putting out of the 1/4" tubing? It doesn't take near the flow to knock down alcohol vapor as it does water. It may have been enough. Whats the power input?

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:35 pm

the waterflow was a small trickle ...... (I am guessing now) something like a cup full in a couple of minutes.

When the watervapor hit the condensor, hot-water started to be pumped out of the condensor. And I don't mean warm but really hot. Then steam started to escape out of the top of my column ............

The heat-source is gas which was turned down as soon as the vapor started to hit the condensor.

I am guessing that (although I have less surface area now) my other cooling-element will be good enough because it cooled much better than the 1/4 inch cooling element and as a bonus alcohol vapor should transfer less heat then water vapor (because of boilingpoint difference)

-While I am at it ....... does a sugar-wash with turbo-yeast turn cristal clear when finished fermenting or is there still a haze? My sugar wash should be finished by now and the yeast is settling nicely at the bottom but I am wondering if the solution will become totally clear or not.

Professor Duck · Post by **Professor Duck** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:44 pm

Pieterpost wrote:While I am at it ....... does a sugar-wash with turbo-yeast turn cristal clear when finished fermenting or is there still a haze? My sugar wash should be finished by now and the yeast is settling nicely at the bottom but I am wondering if the solution will become totally clear or not.

There is still a haze. My last (turbo) sugar wash was a sort of grey, slightly yellowy colour, and it was just a bit translucent I think.

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:00 pm

Professor Duck wrote:
Pieterpost wrote:While I am at it ....... does a sugar-wash with turbo-yeast turn cristal clear when finished fermenting or is there still a haze? My sugar wash should be finished by now and the yeast is settling nicely at the bottom but I am wondering if the solution will become totally clear or not.
There is still a haze. My last (turbo) sugar wash was a sort of grey, slightly yellowy colour, and it was just a bit translucent I think.

ah, that's great

If I can restrain myself I will distill tomorrow, if the suspense becomes too great I will start tonight !