With a 2" pipe, what is a the minimum Colomn height, right now i think i have 48 inches. I need to make it shorter becuase right now, Its a keg. with 2 inch pipe (48 inches) then the reducer, then a T- that goes to my liebig, then Up again for a bokobob. So... what is the minimum,, right now its like 9 feet in the air with the propane burner, then keg, then 48 inches of column then 6 inches of T then another foot and some change on the top condenser?
ANy input is appreciated..
Thanks..
COlumn height
Moderator: Site Moderator
colom height
My colum is 32 inches high and my boiler is 25 gal. The 32 inches with copper mesh for reflux works fine for me. I actually detune mine for making burbon by puting a roll (bout like a rolledup sock) of copper mesh up the bottum about 4 in, one in the middle, and one about 4 in down from the top. Running a corn mash so that the output is a little stream bout the size of a match stem, and seperating the heads & tails, my main run is usually a little better than 130 proof.
Don't know what kind of still you plan to build... But if it's a reflux, mine's workin' very well, measures are in my signature...
Also posted some drafts with complete measurements, I don't remember the topic, but you may search
Also posted some drafts with complete measurements, I don't remember the topic, but you may search
I'm french speaking!
Boiler : 50 L (13 gal) beer keg, gas heated.
Reflux : 104 cm (41 inches) column 54 mm (2 inches) diameter withh SS scrubbers packing.
Potstill : 40 cm (15 inches) column 54 mm (2 inches) diameter without packing.
Boiler : 50 L (13 gal) beer keg, gas heated.
Reflux : 104 cm (41 inches) column 54 mm (2 inches) diameter withh SS scrubbers packing.
Potstill : 40 cm (15 inches) column 54 mm (2 inches) diameter without packing.
Its a reflux... I have liquide managment, and vapor on it.
I took someones advice here and made both i have a gate valve between my Liebig and the column so i can take head and tails via liquide then use the liebig to get my hearts in hopes to seperate the two.. however. I haven't done anything with it. hehehe.. but the thought and design are my favorite part.. I"m thinking about building another one. hehe jsut to do it.
maby with a differnt design.
I will get my measurements tonight,, I wanna say its 48" long meby 50.. its to tall for my shed. i don't want to cut it down but its either that or dig a hole. and i hate diggin =)
so......
its a reflux still. that can be ran as either a liquide or vapor manamgent. although i don't know which i like yet. hehehe both work great with water.
I need to make a decision now on the column hieght.. Either cut it back or leave it be....but thats the last desiscion i need to make.
I took someones advice here and made both i have a gate valve between my Liebig and the column so i can take head and tails via liquide then use the liebig to get my hearts in hopes to seperate the two.. however. I haven't done anything with it. hehehe.. but the thought and design are my favorite part.. I"m thinking about building another one. hehe jsut to do it.
maby with a differnt design.
I will get my measurements tonight,, I wanna say its 48" long meby 50.. its to tall for my shed. i don't want to cut it down but its either that or dig a hole. and i hate diggin =)
so......
its a reflux still. that can be ran as either a liquide or vapor manamgent. although i don't know which i like yet. hehehe both work great with water.
I need to make a decision now on the column hieght.. Either cut it back or leave it be....but thats the last desiscion i need to make.
Enlikil,
I built a still like yours, both LM and VM. I have 48" of structured copper packing in mine and mostly just use the LM side. I have been thinking of removing the VM side (gate valve, liebig) and using the parts for a pot still. I like the simple looks of just a 5' column with the 1/4" LM tube coming out, very clean.
I built a still like yours, both LM and VM. I have 48" of structured copper packing in mine and mostly just use the LM side. I have been thinking of removing the VM side (gate valve, liebig) and using the parts for a pot still. I like the simple looks of just a 5' column with the 1/4" LM tube coming out, very clean.
You can cut your column down to whatever will fit. However, the tradeoff is the rate of distillation. The taller your column is, the more theoretical plates you can develop. The more plates, the more levels of distillation in the vapor path.
With a shorter column you can still get the same level of purity, it just takes a little longer.
With a shorter column you can still get the same level of purity, it just takes a little longer.