I am going to begin building tomorrow but first i have a few questions.
1. Should i add an inverted elbow on the inside of the T to provide turbulence at the take off point?
2. What is the purpose of a vent hole in the column cap and do i need one?
3. Has anyone had any luck with pvc cooling jackets? i had planned to either use a rubber cork or gorilla glue to seal the copper-pvc joint.
4. should i run the cooling water from the condenser to the coil or the other way around?
5. any criticisms?
Here is my design
1) I would add an elbow and a 1 1/2" reducer.
2) During the equalizing stage, the vent is needed to prevent pressure build-up and an explosion.
3) have seen it done, but usually ends up leaking. The difference in expansion rates is too great for reliable service.
4) Either condenser to coil, or use a manifold with seperate control valves.
5) Column is too short at 24", the longer it is, the better the purity. If you have the headroom, it should be a min. of 48", 60" would be even better. The condencer coil should be about 8" long.
It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.
Valved Reflux, 3"x54" Bok 'mini', 2 liebig based pots and the 'Blockhead' 60K btu propane heat
Mantix wrote:I am going to begin building tomorrow but first i have a few questions.
1. Should i add an inverted elbow on the inside of the T to provide turbulence at the take off point?
dont know was going to ask same question but i think its "NO"
2. What is the purpose of a vent hole in the column cap and do i need one?
dont even need a cap as long as you can support the cooling coil from something
3. Has anyone had any luck with pvc cooling jackets? i had planned to either use a rubber cork or gorilla glue to seal the copper-pvc joint.
i would duck about here . . i know its only cooling but . ......
4. should i run the cooling water from the condenser to the coil or the other way around?
in ==> condenser ==> coil ==>out
Some people say its "FREE" but i say "there ant no free lunch" you get what you pay/work for help those that help them self first
25Lt old school SS keg as a pot with a prototype Ponu still head
Be sure to let us know how this works. My first thought is 3/8" is too small for stripping runs; however, the reflux ratio should be pretty high and you might get away w/the shorter column. If you use a cap, drill a 1/2' vent.
2" Bokmini, VM and potstill heads
7.75gal. & 15.5gal electric boilers
P'raps two sections, one only long enough to get the contraption off the boiler and one with packing in the suggested range for making neutral? either a slip joint before the head, or just leave the bottom joint of the tee unsoldered and seal it as you change bases.
Your design, in it's generalized form, is sound...
However, as pointed out, your condenser needs to be able to knock down anything you throw at it as far as distillate... Otherwise, you will only be able to apply as much heat as your condenser can offset... Better to have too much condenser than too little...
Also, a rough rule of thumb is to have a column height:diameter ratio of between 12:1 and 24:1 with anything beyond 30:1 being overkill... This measurement is for the packed column below the head section only... The greater the length within these ranges, the easier it will be to produce high ABV neutral spirits... The shorter length within these ranges, the more probable that the ABV will be lower and/or more flavor will carry over into the final product...
Mantix wrote:I am going to begin building tomorrow but first i have a few questions.
3. Has anyone had any luck with pvc cooling jackets? i had planned to either use a rubber cork or gorilla glue to seal the copper-pvc joint.
I currently use one, I wouldn't do it again, and I definitly wouldn't ever recommend it to anyone...
The glue will crack or pull away... It will trust me... I tried grommets, I tried silicone, I tried JB weld it all cracked or pulled away. Some lasted a coupla runs but after 4 or five they all sprung a leak...
Not sure what your personal motives are for trying the PVC jacket but this design might work for you
Don't take life too seriously -- you'll never get out of it alive.
Mantix wrote:I was going to leave the joint at the head unsoldered for future expansion/modification and use flour paste to seal the joint.
Also* i've been wondering if the coil knocks down 100 percent of the vapors, if it doesn't won't the vent hole allow for my precious vapors to escape?
Until all the ambient air is expelled and the system is equilibrated, the vent has to be there; elsewise you'll be finding the weakest point in your design
2" Bokmini, VM and potstill heads
7.75gal. & 15.5gal electric boilers
The easiest way to get turbulence at the takeoff is to grind off the stops in the side arm of the tee. Make the connector pipe that enters the tee long enough that it will stick a short distance into the column, like 1/2". This lip with cause enough shear forces (eddies) in the flow to make sure the vapor gets to the side arm.
Minime's big tee design does the same thing because the cross-sectional area gets huge where the side arm comes in and the vapor has to change directions and gets swirled.
The elbow and reducer also does the same thing. Putting an increaser on the elbow (so it looks like an upside down funnel) not only increase the turbulence, but restricts the passage up the column to the condenser. Check the cross-sectional areas and you'll see how it necks down the column right at the entrance to the side arm.
The reason is laminar flow (non-turbulent) will have very little flow at the walls of the column and most of the vapor will be moving through the middle of the tube. You want this vapor to get out the side arm, so it needs to be swirled around to break up the flow so it goes where you want.
There's no magic to it: anything that disrupts the smooth flow in the open column will do the trick.
