Safety/Space question

[WVShiner]

The area I have (or at least am planning on using at this point) to run my still in is a roughly 75 square foot screened in porch with an eight foot ceiling and a new 52" ceiling fan that I just installed for air circulation. Due to the weight of my still I'm having to run it on a propane stove. I'm using silicone feet and mat underneath to help absorb and block heat going down into the porch itself. The condenser is pretty close to the ceiling. With all that being said, assuming I run the fan on full speed, is this sufficient area and circulation to avoid any types of vapor or fume buildups? I've only done test/cleaning runs of water and vinegar up to this point and I would like some advice on this issue before I produce anything more ...flammable.

One other related question. My output tube is approximately three feet higher and two feet to the side of the flame. How far away should it be or is that enough distance to be (relatively) safe?

Thank you all.

[Bushman]

A screened area should be enough ventilation, we bbq on decks that are close to the house. I would consider putting maybe some type of wind screen like what is used for camping around the propane cooker to prevent wind from possibly shooting the flames to the house, it will also act as a barrier to the alcohol being dispensed. This might not be necessary but this forum is all about safety and if you think of a bbq the actual cooker is encased to prevent wind to the burners.

[Bull Rider]

How much air exchange is there from the outside to the stilling area? The fan will recirculate the air inside the screened area, you just have to make sure that you're getting some kind of fresh air intake and exhaust. Simply stirring the air from top to bottom with no exchange won't work.

Propane and ethanol vapors are heavier than air. Put the air exhaust as low as possible.


Bull.

[rad14701]

Propane and ethanol vapors are heavier than air. Put the air exhaust as low as possible.

Exactly... While both will rise as hot gases they will settle back to low points in an area once they cool to the ambient temperature... This fact has not been conveyed nearly as well as it should be to the general public... Warm carbon monoxide rises but when it cools it settles at floor level and builds upwards from there... With that in mind it is entirely possible to have a small carbon monoxide leak that would never be detected by a ceiling mounted detector yet the room could fill with a buildup from the floor up to sleeping level and kill anyone in the room... And the reason why crawling at floor level in a burning room is recommended is due to the fact that any fresh air being drawn into a burning room will initially drop to floor level because it will be the coolest gas in the room which will push the carbon monoxide upwards, but perhaps not higher than sleeping level... And, as mentioned, it will be the coolest point in the room... But I digress...

[WVShiner]

Ah, that's what I was looking for. I'll add an exhaust fan near the floor to pull any settled vapors out. I was assuming that the vapor would stay up near the ceiling and I wasn't considering what happened when it cooled and settled. Very good points. Thank you guys. I have no desire to have an explosion on my porch.

[Prairiepiss]

These gentlemen have pointed out all the safety issues quite well. So I won't dwell on it. I would like to point out a non safety issue that may arise. Depending on the temps where you are and where the still is placed compared to the fans. You mite want to consider insulating your column. I assume from the hight of it it is a reflux column. A cool draft on the column could hamper the columns ability to achieve equilibrium and or create unwanted reflux. By simply insulating the column you wouldn't need to worry about it.

[pistachio_nut]

I'm getting ready to set up production in my garage, which includes lots of cloth stuff, cans of butane, fix a flat, motor oil, etc. I'm moving all the most volatile stuff out of the garage and into other areas of the property, I don't think a can of motorcycle chain lube poses much of a problem ten feet away from the burner.

When I crack the garage door, I'll have a box fan blowing out on the bottom, and the top of the garage door will allow heat to escape. If I need to I have no problem picking up a nice stainless steel three speed high volume fan for the floor and move some air that would dwarf the output of the box fan.

As long as I keep the burner 8' away from flammable fabric and any flammable fluids and ventilate well, what do you think? GTG?

I'm planning on using a heat shield that will block visibility of the flame from the street, so my other option is to take the badass fan and park it in the back of the garage, aimed at the ceiling, that will move hot air out the top and presumably draw cool air in through the bottom of the door.

As I plan on staying in the garage to monitor the run, I don't want to inhale noxious fumes. What's the best way to ventilate?

[rad14701]

pistachio_nut, don't get overly paranoid with moving stuff in the garage... If you have enough space between the still and whatever is in the garage to comfortably walk or stand between the two then you have enough safe space... Products in cans is fine up to well over 120F, and the sun can easily heat a garage to that point in summer months, so unless you plan on spraying aerosol products directly at the flame you're good to go... A very simple shield will eliminate the possibility of radiant heat warming things like gasoline or paint cans...

Be safe, not paranoid... Kinda like working smarter, not harder...