Steam build

Steam powered cooking and distillation devices.

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Dancing4dan
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Re: Steam build

Post by Dancing4dan »

NormandieStill wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:24 am If I wanted to do an on-grain distillation with contained grains, I would prefer to use a stainless steel setup à la Malt Pipe. There are various sellers on Aliexpress and Amazon selling "grain baskets" which are essentially a stainless steel mesh in a cage which keeps it rigid.

I'm on a mission to remove all plastics from my process, starting with the highest temperature applications and working down. Until I can justify the purchase of a malt pipe, I will continue to use BIAB for mashing, but I would never subject it to 90C+ for the hour or so required to strip.
I will look into one of these. There are to many issues with the BIAB in a stripping run.
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Re: Steam build

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Re: Steam build

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Oatmeal wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 5:54 pm 'merican company
That would work!
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Re: Steam build

Post by NormandieStill »

Oatmeal wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 5:54 pm 'merican company
They look nice. Shipping and import would be a killer for us Europeans though! :wink:
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Re: Steam build

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NormandieStill wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:43 pm
Oatmeal wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 5:54 pm 'merican company
They look nice. Shipping and import would be a killer for us Europeans though! :wink:
If I had a roll form it would be easy to make these with perforated SS. One of those tools that I want but can’t justify. Take a lot of space as well.

The issue I have with UBS product is that they would be difficult to sanitize for making beer.
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Re: Steam build

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This is a really clean build D4D. :clap: A definite inspiration toward steam Distilling. I didn’t read Michigancornhuskers thread completely. How hard was it to solder that 90 into your tee? I appreciate the PRV explanation. I kept picturing that ball bearing rocketing up into the atmosphere. :ewink:
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Re: Steam build

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Stonecutter wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:42 am This is a really clean build D4D. :clap: A definite inspiration toward steam Distilling. I didn’t read Michigancornhuskers thread completely. How hard was it to solder that 90 into your tee? I appreciate the PRV explanation. I kept picturing that ball bearing rocketing up into the atmosphere. :ewink:
Thanks Stonecutter.

Use a round file or a Drexel to remove the stop in the Tee, then you can push a piece of 3/4 pipe so it protrudes through into the Tee.

The 90 elbow was trimmed short on one side so it puts the down tube in the centre of the 2” once it is on the 3/4 that protrudes into the Tee.

Clean it all up. Solder the ferrule to the 3/4 pipe then put it all together. Put wad of wet paper towel in ferrule when soldering the 90 and Tee to prevent melting the ferrule solder. Solder the 90, down tube and the Tee at the same time from the inside.

Liquid flux and silver solder.
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Re: Steam build

Post by Hillbilly Popstar »

Dancing4dan wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:34 am
Stonecutter wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:42 am This is a really clean build D4D. :clap: A definite inspiration toward steam Distilling. I didn’t read Michigancornhuskers thread completely. How hard was it to solder that 90 into your tee? I appreciate the PRV explanation. I kept picturing that ball bearing rocketing up into the atmosphere. :ewink:
Thanks Stonecutter.

Use a round file or a Drexel to remove the stop in the Tee, then you can push a piece of 3/4 pipe so it protrudes through into the Tee.

The 90 elbow was trimmed short on one side so it puts the down tube in the centre of the 2” once it is on the 3/4 that protrudes into the Tee.

Clean it all up. Solder the ferrule to the 3/4 pipe then put it all together. Put wad of wet paper towel in ferrule when soldering the 90 and Tee to prevent melting the ferrule solder. Solder the 90, down tube and the Tee at the same time from the inside.

Liquid flux and silver solder.
I am literally about to do the same thing, except I am attempting to squeeze a 1" 90 into a 2" tee.

Wish me luck.
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Re: Steam build

Post by Dancing4dan »

Hillbilly Popstar wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:38 am
Dancing4dan wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:34 am
Stonecutter wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:42 am This is a really clean build D4D. :clap: A definite inspiration toward steam Distilling. I didn’t read Michigancornhuskers thread completely. How hard was it to solder that 90 into your tee? I appreciate the PRV explanation. I kept picturing that ball bearing rocketing up into the atmosphere. :ewink:
Thanks Stonecutter.

Use a round file or a Drexel to remove the stop in the Tee, then you can push a piece of 3/4 pipe so it protrudes through into the Tee.

The 90 elbow was trimmed short on one side so it puts the down tube in the centre of the 2” once it is on the 3/4 that protrudes into the Tee.

Trim the 90 short on one side. Then push it up into the Tee. Then slide the 1” tubing through the Tee to intercept the 90. You have to remove the stop from the Tee.
Clean it all up. Solder the ferrule to the 3/4 pipe then put it all together. Put wad of wet paper towel in ferrule when soldering the 90 and Tee to prevent melting the ferrule solder. Solder the 90, down tube and the Tee at the same time from the inside.

Liquid flux and silver solder.
I am literally about to do the same thing, except I am attempting to squeeze a 1" 90 into a 2" tee.

Wish me luck.
"What harms us is to persist in self deceit and ignorance"
Marcus Aurelius
I’m not an alcoholic! I’m a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings!
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Re: Steam build

Post by Stonecutter »

Dancing4dan wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:34 am
Stonecutter wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:42 am This is a really clean build D4D. :clap: A definite inspiration toward steam Distilling. I didn’t read Michigancornhuskers thread completely. How hard was it to solder that 90 into your tee? I appreciate the PRV explanation. I kept picturing that ball bearing rocketing up into the atmosphere. :ewink:
Thanks Stonecutter.

Use a round file or a Drexel to remove the stop in the Tee, then you can push a piece of 3/4 pipe so it protrudes through into the Tee.

The 90 elbow was trimmed short on one side so it puts the down tube in the centre of the 2” once it is on the 3/4 that protrudes into the Tee.

Clean it all up. Solder the ferrule to the 3/4 pipe then put it all together. Put wad of wet paper towel in ferrule when soldering the 90 and Tee to prevent melting the ferrule solder. Solder the 90, down tube and the Tee at the same time from the inside.

Liquid flux and silver solder.
Thanks for the info brotha. :D I’m going to need to do quite a bit of R&D before pulling the trigger SWMBO is already rolling her eyes (in the usual way).
Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
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Re: Steam build

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Hadn't used the steam set up for a long time. I was finding the disposal of the liquid slop difficult and was not enjoying BIAB. Don't have a big enough yard to dump slop and no chickens or pigs to feed it to.

Time to try again. Put the steam still together in the laundry room. Yes I did. Did two stripping runs on grain of cornmeal and rolled oats ferment. Now there are 8 gallons of low wines ready for a spirit run.

Because people ask...Steam pressure safety concerns are mitigated with 1) a pressure relief valve, 2) an open to atmosphere manometer in the lyne arm, 3) a piece of masking tape over a hole in the lid of the thumper and 4) the lid on the thumper is retained with a silicone seal that captures the edge of the pot and the lid. All of them act as individual pressure relief in the event of a blockage. The steam injection also has braided SS sock over the double outlets to help prevent grain from plugging the outlet.

The solution to disposal was to attach a chugger pump to the thumper drain when distillation was done and pump out the thumper while leaving the steam injection running. The steam kept the muck stirred up in the thumper and the chugger pump did its thing to pump it down the laundry room floor drain. Turned up the flow to the product condenser and used the coolant output to flush the drain at the same time. After fermenting on grain there is not a lot left and after steam stripping there is even less solids and it pumper easy.

When the thumper was empty I used the chugger to pump the water from the boiler down the drain for an additional rinse and to clean the chugger pump and hoses.

Worked a charm!

Time to go buy some barley :think:
"What harms us is to persist in self deceit and ignorance"
Marcus Aurelius
I’m not an alcoholic! I’m a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings!
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