Another VM post

[Chasin' Tales]

Here's the paper version of what I'm looking to build:


I got the 2" ball valve for free. I know this is overkill.

I've already built three of the column sections along with the slant plate condensor head on top. It's quite nice to be able to break down the sections easily for cleaning and storage. For the VM takeoff, I will weld two 3" tri clamp ferrules together and then weld a 2" coupling on the side. I will make up the ball valve to the 2" coupling with a close nipple.

The only part of this build I'm questioning is the condenser. I already have a 1/2" inside 1-1/4" liebig that I can use. Is the 1/2" going to be too small? I have read many posts on this subject and can't say for sure that I have seen 100% conclusive evidence that the smaller size will have a big impact on takeoff rates. It really wouldn't be a problem to make a 1-1/4" inside 2" liebig instead.

I was also considering building a shotgun condenser to go on the VM takeoff as shown here:

The vapor would be on the shell side and the cooling water on the tube side.

So the question is: what condenser would give the highest output of the highest ABV, 1/2" inside 1-/4" liebig? 1-1/4" inside 2" liebig? or 2" tube in shell condenser?

Thanks in advance for any input!

[kiwistiller]

cool, someone else thinking with shell and tube! ok, so output won't change one bit based on your product condenser, you might have something a bit backwards in your head on that. also, you could do the condenser the other way, with the vapour / condensate in the tubes, this would eliminate any potential pooling problems?

good effort on the modular design, you're going to love being able to play around with that.

[Chasin' Tales]

cool, someone else thinking with shell and tube! ok, so output won't change one bit based on your product condenser, you might have something a bit backwards in your head on that. also, you could do the condenser the other way, with the vapour / condensate in the tubes, this would eliminate any potential pooling problems?

good effort on the modular design, you're going to love being able to play around with that.

I was thinking that going from 1-1/4" to 1/2" in the liebig might be too dramatic a change and constrict the flow.

Also, with the shell & tube condenser on a good angle, there shouldn't be any pooling issues provided the product outlet is properly positioned. If I eventually go that route, I will put a 2" tri clamp connection on the vapor side to where the condenser could be swiveled around to suit different setups.

So as long as the 1/2" constriction occurs at the condensor, it won't have any impact on output?

[kiwistiller]

It doesn't seem to, no, you could probably use it no worries.
for what it is worth, I'd be trying to keep the takeoff port at 3", even if you reduce imediately after it.

[HookLine]

If you are making that shotgun condenser just as the product condenser on a VM, it is SERIOUS overkill. Much easier to make another Liebig, just a lot smaller. 1/2 inside 3/4, x 12" should be plenty for that job. I have a 1/2 x 3/4 x 20" Liebig, and it handles 2400 w stripping runs no problem at all, with room to spare. When used as a product condenser on my VM it barely gets warm to the touch in just the first inch or so of the cooling jacket.

[jdpete]

Is that reflux centralizer a design of your own and if so how effective is it?

Jeff

[Chasin' Tales]

Is that reflux centralizer a design of your own and if so how effective is it?

Jeff

Yes, it is something I came up with when putting all this together. I was originally going to try to find some stainless steel funnels to use. I was in the kitchen making dinner one evening and while mixing some stuff in a stainless steel bowl the idea hit me. After dinner I was out in the garage w/ a pair of tin snips cutting disks out of the stainless steel bowl (which I think was a wedding present when my exwife and I got married ). My girlfriend still hasn't noticed the bowl is missing. The next day I welded the pieces up. The way the column sections are built, the pipe has a bigger ID than the tri clamp fittings. When I roll the copper mesh up and stuff it in the column the lip holds it in place nicely. This also keeps the mesh snug against the reflux centralizer.

I ran 3 of the sections w/ the slant plate head. The lower two column sections had the centralizers, along with one just underneath the slant plates. Everything worked well, but I have nothing to compare it to as I did not run prior to installing the centralizers.

[jdpete]

Here is a very good read on inter-distributors (centralizers) in reflux columns.

http://www.cannoninstrument.com/Pro-PakBulletin.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Jeff

[Chasin' Tales]

I don't want my previous post to imply that I came up with the idea of using the centralizers. The design used in my column was somthing I thought up, but the idea was put in my head by the efforts of others on this forum and elsewhere.

[jdpete]

I only posted the .pdf because I thought it had some real good information that readers may want to look at. I actually think I may try to make a couple of the distributors they show in the .pdf to see if it will make a difference.

Jeff

[Chasin' Tales]

I finished this build quite a while back. I've only ran one batch of sugar wash through her. So far the results have been right on with my expectations. No problem hitting azeotrope with an output of 1.5-2L/hr. I'm sure with some tweaking I can push the output up some more. Since the first run I have insulated the boiler and column sections w/ spray foam insulation. I insulated part of the boiler with the spray foam between runs. I was surprised how effective the spray foam was. I have another sugar wash fermenting away. Can't wait to try it having the column insulated with the spray foam.

Sorry for the poor picture quality.