What I don't get is the "blue tube tied on the black line"
ozone39 wrote:I'll throw the schematic on this post. It's floating around somewhere else on HDO I had posted it earlier, but it's probably easier to see and understand with the pictures...
Licensed Micro distillery "Bonanza"; fighting the local market
The blue tube is "expanded" for clarity. The condensed alcohol drops down this tube (blue tube) into the lower coil where it is flashed off again by the steam heated coil. Alcohol rises back up and goes out the vapor receiver tube that goes to the condenser. I have found that by sizing the lower coil to the drop tube creates a mini "thumper" reaction with the falling condensate running into the rising vapor.
Well, I'm absolutely completely impressed with the results. Grabbed 10L of cheap wine (%12 ABV) at the store, added another 5L of water and ran her. Once the gauge hit 185 she was at %93, leveled off at %80 stopped putting out at %75. Had to crank the burner up and start forcing out product (not a standard practice by any means) and she hit %70 and just quit....Think I got a winner here....Be running the wash through her next week...
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finished ponu.JPG (20.15 KiB) Viewed 3611 times
ponu still complete 2.JPG (18.05 KiB) Viewed 3612 times
That is one hell of a still head. Beautiful work, compact and good %gs on the output. How much could I get one for? 12% to 80% constant heart I am assuming did it help make it easier to separate the heads hearts and tails and how is the flavor?
Carries a lot of the grain flavor with it (I run with a half barley and half rye wash). I am currently working on installing a temp gauge in on the condenser side. She is a very sensitive to how much cooling water is applied to the condenser side. My first run with a batch of wash was like watching the movie shakes the clown, (difficult, but funny). But the learning curve is starting to level out and the product is getting much better...
Ozone, what are you saying that you're not going to use this still at all and make a new one? That sucks, kind of. I only say kind of becasue although I love distilling I also love build the dam things too. Well good luck on the next one.
She's getting gutted out tomorrow night. Gotta a new plan drawn up that is so far out of the box I can quit thinking about it. Air cooled primary vapor tube here we go......Were going to have some MAJOR surface area on this one....
Simple potstiller. Slow, single run.
(50 litre, propane heated pot still. Coil in bucket condenser - No thermometer, No carbon) The Reading Lounge AND the Rules We Live By should be compulsory reading
It's still a ponu. I'm just utilizing 4 ea .375" diameter tubes as my primary vapor tube instead of one 3/4". The initial vapor travels up these tubes and back down through the condenser, condenses back to liquid and then will hit the lower coil (not installed yet) and flash off into the secondary coil (this one is installed) and come out as product. I went with 4 ea 3/8" tube to keep it uniform and I would have had to offset the tower to one side to fit a 3/4" piece of pipe..4-3/8" tubes have the exact same surface area as one 3/4" (2.355 sq inches). Thanks again for the compliments, I'm going to try and get her sweated up by weeks end. But with summer here kinda makes it tough..
OK, Till now I understand,
Steamchamber, primairy steamtubes (4, looking great! ) going on top into the condenser, into lower coil. Output throug cooiling coil.
Still the same as the ponu, but what are these big holes?
And when you build the inside (4 tubes connected to the lower coil) pleas send pics!!
Well, wife is out of town, kids are with the cousins, it's rainy and shitty out, beers are cold and the tunes are loud... These are the elements for progress....Things left to do: install cooling line ports, secondary vapor tube, install parrot.....Getting close..
Simple potstiller. Slow, single run.
(50 litre, propane heated pot still. Coil in bucket condenser - No thermometer, No carbon) The Reading Lounge AND the Rules We Live By should be compulsory reading
Thanks for the comments guys, I appreciate it..With the old lady out of town things get done..Made some more progress tonight. Really all that's left is attaching the parrot and installing the primer/flushing valve (and distilling of course). After that sanding off the access solder and shooting it in the walnut blaster will be on call...
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ponu still comp.JPG (15.5 KiB) Viewed 2938 times
ponu water outlet.JPG (14.64 KiB) Viewed 2939 times
making sure nothing leaks
ponu water test 2.JPG (10.83 KiB) Viewed 2938 times
ponu still complete 1.JPG (18.2 KiB) Viewed 2938 times