Internal Reflux Plan

vairox · Post by **vairox** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:02 pm

after reading that an internal reflux will yield a significantly higher proof distilate than a pot still, and deciding that it really isn't much harder than making a pot still - I am planning to go this route.

I understand the concept of the internal reflux, the cooling water goes through the reflux column near the bottom, comes out the other side and goes into the bottom of the jacket condenser, out the top of the condensor and through the reflux column again - this causes the water to condense on the inside of the reflux column and go back into the boiler and the alcohol passes through the top of the reflux column and into the condenser where the alcohol vapor condenses into liquid and gets you drunk.

couple of questions -

all of the plans I have seen use a 2" reflux column and 1/2" tubing to pass through the column and bring the water.

since it is much more economically viable to use 1.5" pipe for me, will it work to use this size with either 1/4" or 3/8" tubing through the reflux column instead of 1/2" since the column is smaller ?

from what I have read you must get the cooling almost exactly right or you will have wasted your time completely using the IR design, too much cooling and you get nothing, not enough and you lose your alcohol to the atmosphere...

my plan for the jacket condensor will use 1.5" tubing with probably either a 2.5" or 3" jacket to give a layer of water that is 1 to 1.5" around the condenser so there is atleast enough cooling on that end.

also, you can use scrubbers with the IR design as well right? atleast a little.

my reflux column will be 2 feet tall, first cooling tube will enter the column approx 2 inches above boiler, 2nd will be about 2 inches from the top, the jacket condenser will be 2 feet in length and the still will use a 16qt boiler running about 14 qt's of wash to prevent any from entering the column, with a 1100 watt electric hot plate.

suggestions greatly welcome, mostly worried about whether this design is viable or not....

copperhead · Post by **copperhead** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:11 pm

you mite want to read more about building a reflux still. don't sound like you have done much research. try search on the http://homedistiller.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

vairox · Post by **vairox** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:29 pm

been reading for a week and a half, as i type i have another browser open reading from the search engine...

maybe you didn't read the entire body of my post...lemme break it down for you real quick so theres less reading, I'll use a lot of abbreviations to make it even less reading.

16 qt boiler w/14qt wash.

2 foot column of 1.5" diameter

2 foot jacketed condenser with a 3 inch jacket

3/8" or 1/4" tubing through the reflux column

1100 watt electric hot plate

basically a slightly downsized version of the 2" columb - 1/2" tubing model

yay or nay?

copperhead · Post by **copperhead** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:32 pm

what i'm trying to tell you is you coulm is to short for a reflux still

vairox · Post by **vairox** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:47 pm

I see, I do find that a lot of folks use like 5 feet for a column, what would you recommend for a small boiler like 16qts?

if I'm using a thinner column would it have to be longer to make up for the lack of thickness? still reading the search... so much info

edit: the bokabob reflux column is 24", through the search one guy is using 54" column, but no idea on boiler size...another guy using 6' column and it didn't work - too big. 24" seems to be fine to me, maybe go 3 feet with 20" of packing or something

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.

Big J · Post by **Big J** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:36 am

I think the little quote you posted pretty much says it. You can get the same purity with a short column as with a tall column, you just get less distillate per a given amount of time.

The bokakob 'mini-still' design is tried and true. If he can get 95% ethanol from a 2 foot column, so can you. You don't really need the jacketed condensor if you are doing something like the bokakob. Unless you want to cool down the distillate even more as it comes out for whatever reason.

Yes, you have to use the scrubbers through most of your column. I'd say just follow the bokakob mini-still design, its basically what you described anyway.

Go for it.

Cheers,
J

vairox · Post by **vairox** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:09 am

sweet.... I bought this really nice SS stock pot at macy's yesterday, was normally $80 but they had it for $19.99 - I kinda feel bad using it for a boiler cause it's so nice.

with the reflux still I understand that you need to use a TEE so that you can use a cap on top for easy removal of packing, my question is since it is to be removed how do you put it on during distillation, threaded or?

copperhead · Post by **copperhead** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:09 pm

sorry dude did't know you were biulding a bukabob style should work i don't know much about them others say they work

nanosleep · Post by **nanosleep** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:45 pm

I would build the column as tall as is feasable. Yes you *can* get away with a shorter column, but it's much easier to get pure alcohol or tight cuts on a taller column. Also you won't have to spent hours and hours distilling. You can run faster (less reflux) and get the same results. Sometimes bigger actually is better.

My $0.02

drunk2much · Post by **drunk2much** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:46 pm

Its a good thing you got your stock pot for cheap make up for the price your gunna pay fir your coppper. I whent all over town tring to find 1 foot of 1 inch copper to a running purity display meter (what is the tenical term?) nobody sells the stuff buy the foot any more cheapest i found was two foot at 25 buck. and the five foot stick was 38 and the 10 foot was 42 Make any sense i dont think so.

2 foot jacketed condenser with a 3 inch jacket
2 foot column of 1.5" diameter

I know last time i just bought 2inch it was like 13 buck a foot and that was like 2 years ago thank god i stoled my copper for my reflux

vairox · Post by **vairox** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:05 pm

copper is out of the question, it's price is absolutely ridiculous - there is really no justification for it, I don't care how much china's demand is up. $50 for a2x2x2 Tee is retarded.

im gonna use stainless steel (literally pennies compared to copper).

the only thing I worry about with using a tall column is that the 1100 watts won't be enough to get vapor out of the column and into the condenser.

edit - with the TEE at the top of the reflux column, how do you attach the cap since it has to be removable, is vapor not lost through it by just setting it on top or what?

nanosleep · Post by **nanosleep** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:40 pm

edit - with the TEE at the top of the reflux column, how do you attach the cap since it has to be removable, is vapor not lost through it by just setting it on top or what?

Use an inline style head and avoid the tee problem altogether. The cap for the inline head will be after the condenser. This location is cold and no vapor will be present (it will have already gone back to liquid).

I used to run an offset head. At first I just dropped the cap on. I got a few drops 'weeping' out from under the cap. To help this problem I 'lapped' the cap onto the head. When lapping you put a grit paste inside the cap, place it on the head, then spin the cap around (many times). Any bumps will be ground off. This will form two close tolerance surfaces between the cap and head. (similar to grinding valves in an engine).

If you already have an offset head built, then use the 'lapping' method. Otherwise I would build an inline head.

vairox · Post by **vairox** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:19 pm

any pics of what an inline head looks like? never heard of it - other idea sounds good too.

CoopsOz · Post by **CoopsOz** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:13 am

There are lots of inline plans on the parent site, using the drop down menus click Equipment, Making a still, designs and plans, Bokakobs designs.

Hope they help.

nanosleep · Post by **nanosleep** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:34 pm

This one is closest to what I have
http://homedistiller.org/image/drawing_ ... r%20SR.jpg

My valve is attached directly to the outside of the reducer. This causes a little more pooling, but it's easier to build. I use a 90 degree valve to make the handle easy to reach. Remember to space the valve away from the column enough to allow screwing a take off tube onto the value (compression fitting).
Also my thermometer is below the inner part of the reducer so you don't have to drill the second hole. My inline head isn't a slip-fit onto the column as shown. Instead I use threaded adapters like what's shown at the boiler connection. The head easily screws onto the end of the column, or directly onto the boiler. USE TEFLON tape on copper threads. They will gall and be stuck otherwise. I also use a coil-inside-coil instead of the single coil shown.