perf plates

[Doxxx]

need to know a few things iv got a 4" x 5' column its made from 316 stainless LM iv got it packed wif SS scrubbers at the moment im running 7kw gas on %40 lowwines. i want to upgrade to plates more the better i want to make a good neutral the questions i have are will i get away with 4" spacing between plates or do i need 6"? the other thing is i cant put rings around the plates to make cups easily will a small gap on the side of the plates affect performance? eg distilate running down the tube wall? the other thing is what size holes perforation would you recomend? is it wise to decrease hole size as the plates get higher to stop flooding in the lower plates but keep liquid on the upper ones. i want to avoid windows if possible (its alot of tricky tig welds). im not too worried about copper contact im stripping mash with a copper boiler and 3" copper reflux column it was an old still i had i put it on there and removed most of the packing to stop it puking. stainless column also has a copper condensor and soon to be copper coil dephlaglamator. Any help would be much appreciated thank you.

[Prairiepiss]

What is the reasoning in going perforated plates in a VM if your after a neutral? What's wring with the packing?

[Doxxx]

4" column is a bit wide for the packing i think cant get the voidage right its a bit inconsistant i want it to be more accurate i cant be bothered making bubblers out of stainless way too much labor i want to switch from LM to somthing like a flute?

[Fjard]

if you can figure out which one you made need ... online metals have SS perf sheets of variety of sizes

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Thats what I been thinking of trying to use, if I don't do a thumper tower

[Doxxx]

i want it silmilar co comercial vodka batch distilation which uses plates i know they use bubblers but i want help doing perf

[Prairiepiss]

i want it silmilar co comercial vodka batch distilation which uses plates i know they use bubblers but i want help doing perf

You are going to want as many plates as you can pack in there. 4" plate spacing on a 4" column is the norm.

Have you read through the threads pertaining to plated columns? All you answers you are looking for are covered in these threads. Flute talk is a good place to start.

[Doxxx]

thanks Prairie iv read through alot of flute talk skiped thrrough the arguments haha i jus wanted to know whether smal gaps on the side of the plates are going to affect it and wether decreasing hole size and what size holes for 7kw most people seem to be using alot less heat on here?

[Prairiepiss]

What size boiler you got that you need 7kw?

And gaps around a perforated plate is not good. You need them to be a tight fit. Or as tight as you can get them.

[Doxxx]

i got given an 800litre 316 stainless milk tank lol probly never going to fill it but its nice having the option

[Doxxx]

this is the boiler and column at the moment

[emptyglass]

Hi doxx the more plates the better you need about 15 for a true vodka still most guys do a double run your plates need to be as tight as you can get them bypass will also let vapor rise as well as distillate run down the edge of the column with perf plates you can make an allowance for it it is not very scientific way to go cups will stop distilate running down sides wont stop vapor bypassing

[bentstick]

thanks Prairie iv read through alot of flute talk skiped thrrough the arguments haha i jus wanted to know whether smal gaps on the side of the plates are going to affect it and wether decreasing hole size and what size holes for 7kw most people seem to be using alot less heat on here?

Yes on all, I built a five plate, weeping over sides is not efficient,not to say my column does not make a nice product, I belive it can be better than what it is,working on 3 plate (perf) but fashioned after olddogs not so many holes.
This time I will be soldering in plates and converting my five plate in to a bubble cap, with removable tree.
I also think I could be using less power than what I am,reason for changing up.

[Doxxx]

thanks alot guys any idea on how many and what size holes just as a starter for the amount of heat im using im hoping to avoid sight glasses also is there any tricks to see if its flooding without windows? i completly new to plates

[Saltbush Bill]

Dox I built a 4 inch perforated plate column with 4 plates......the gap between plate and wall is not that critical in my opinion......just a nice firm fit will do. Once up to operating temp there is lot of steam/vapour going up that column to hold the liquid up there. As for hole sizes and spaceings mine runs 1.5mm holes which are 5mm apart....putting it another way.....mark out your plate in a 5mm grid pattern and drill were the lines meet. You should end up with about 219 holes in each plate give or take a few. Remember not to drill where the down comer cups go. No doubt others here will jump in with different ideas but what I did works fine for me.

[Doxxx]

thanks bill how much heat are you running? is there any flooding in th lower plates?

[emptyglass]

is there any tricks to see if its flooding without windows? i completly new to plates

You might be new, but think about it dude.

No.

Thats why we put windows in.

If you know enough, you can listen, or make an educated guess. If you follow a known and proven design and run it right, you won't get flooding, and wont need glasses. If you want to change the design, then maybe you should install them.

[Doxxx]

i did think about it. windows could be for finer tuning i jus wated to know if there was another way to know if its flooding eg huffing or somthing as iv never used plates. its just a whole lot of work making 15 windows out of stainless

[emptyglass]

Nah, its not that easy, we all wish it was.

If you don't want to make them, don't. You will find them handy, but once you have a handle on it, you won't need them. But it also gives you something to look at while running.

And thats the thing about stainless. It all seems good at the start, with price and all, but due to the fact that its a pain in the ass to work with, form, screwcut, grind and finnish, and the fact it pulls like a 14 year old boy when welded all comes into it in the end.

Why have you settled on 14 sightglasses?

[Doxxx]

lol ok then yeah i might have to go with windows then. i just said 15 as an esitmate for how many plates il put in iv started making the plates on a stainless rod and wedged 15mm copper down comers into them. will 1 window in the top and 1 in the bottom be an easier comprimise?

[emptyglass]

I have tried a few different hole sizes/numer of holes and I'm doing something different with my downcomer cups. One combination gave me flooding on the middle plate. I was glad to have windows in this case, but I knew I was deviating from "known to work" combinations. I was expecting it to run differently.

If you are sticking with what is known to work, then you could resonably expect that you won't need windows. There are a few build threads where guys havn't used them.
One top and bottom might help and as you get a handle on how it runs, you can hear whats going on. I use a screwdriver, just like you would to listen to a car engine, stethascope style.

[Doxxx]

haha thats a cool trick il give it a go thanks alot for the advice

[Saltbush Bill]

thanks bill how much heat are you running? is there any flooding in th lower plates?

The only time Ive had flooding of any kind was on my first run....this was due to the gap between the bottom of one downcomer and the cup below it being to small. I made some adjustments to ecrease the gap and have had no isssues since. As for heat I use a gas 3 ring burner, once up to operating temp I use the two smaller centre rings on full.