Chopped up my column. Need advice on redesign.

[Time Lord]

After much reading here I decided to revamp my column to give me control over reflux. Original version just had cooling water running through and back the column.

Here is what I have at the moment:
(Beer bottle for scale)
The condenser is 1" through a 2" water jacket. Tube with flange (bottom left connects to the boiler). Above that is a space that I will fill with a couple of feet (more is better?) of 2" tube. Beside the coil is a 2 1/2" tube that the coil will be fitted into.

My questions for the experts: where to take off the vapor? Just above the coil, way above the coil? With the flanges I have, I can make changes quite easily to lengths should I get this completely wrong. Also, any suggestions on where to put my thermometer. Previously it was right at the top, more or less reading the temp at the take off tube.

Any and all suggestions welcome!

Time Lord
PS. Minus 32 this morning which is why I'm in the shop building a still...

[astrangebrew]

Hi TL,

Check out vapour management reflux stills (lots of threads here). Basically you want a “Tee” section below your reflux condenser and that’s where you tap off the vapour (through a gate valve) into your Liebig condenser. Also you want a “turbulator” inside the condenser to kick the vapour around to the cooling surface ( I used a 20mil strip of twisted copper foil – copper wire works too). Thermometer for that configuration resides best between the “Tee” and the valve.

SB

[Time Lord]

Finished the rebuild. Thermometer has to be installed but not sure if I'm going to replace the glass and mercury with a thermocouple and hook it up to my multimeter which has a temp scale.

Overall height is about 65". Getting close to my ceiling...

My relief valve is a ball bearing pressed into a scrap of 1/2" tube sitting on a stub of 1/4" countersunk tube. 2 minutes to make!

Various valves and fitting were not my first choice, simply what I had lying around. If money was no object (my wife says it is), I would have just opened the Swagelok catalog and bought everything needed to go first class.

Gate valves are really not used for flow control in my opinion, but if they work in this application I guess it will do.

Comments and suggestions welcome.
Time Lord

[kiwistiller]

My relief valve is a ball bearing pressed into a scrap of 1/2" tube sitting on a stub of 1/4" countersunk tube. 2 minutes to make!

so... wouldn't that more or less turn into a gun if it decided to go? why have anything there at all, it should be open to the atmosphere at the top.

[Time Lord]

My relief valve is a ball bearing pressed into a scrap of 1/2" tube sitting on a stub of 1/4" countersunk tube. 2 minutes to make!

so... wouldn't that more or less turn into a gun if it decided to go? why have anything there at all, it should be open to the atmosphere at the top.

It can't turn into a gun as it will constantly relieve any and all pressure that is created. It's only resting on the relief tube, thus it will be pushed up (and open) by any pressure at all. It's patterned after the pressure regulator / relief on the pressure cooker in my kitchen - which has a much heavier weight and maintains only about 14 psi.

[olddog]

If you reflux coil condenser is efficient enough to knock down vapour, no relief valve is needed at all.

[rad14701]

If you reflux coil condenser is efficient enough to knock down vapour, no relief valve is needed at all.

+1

The reflux head should be open to the atmosphere, not even partially blocked... Not doing so will potentially reduce condenser efficiency...

[rc22]

Gosh this board is entertaining !

A musket ball for relief.

The stainless workmanship is very nice looking.

[The Baker]

My relief valve is a ball bearing pressed into a scrap of 1/2" tube sitting on a stub of 1/4" countersunk tube. 2 minutes to make!

so... wouldn't that more or less turn into a gun if it decided to go? why have anything there at all, it should be open to the atmosphere at the top.

A relief valve can be an extra safety measure if mounted on the BOILER. If you are distilling a fruit or grain wash on the pulp/ grain, say, (which you probably would not do if your boiler is internally electrically heated as it can burn onto the element) or there is a wasp nest in the column....
Then you can get dangerous pressure in the BOILER because of blockage in the column.

[rc22]

J

Gosh this board is entertaining !

A musket ball for relief.

The stainless workmanship is very nice looking.

Your a year late.

The story of my life ! and a dollar short...
Doesn't mean I'm not entertained reading the OP now

BTW, I can see that there could be a conflict between my selected shorty monicker and yours.
U got here 1st and I must defer to you.
Would U desire I change my handle ?

Best
rc