Vapor leaves boiler enters column. Vapor then enters 4 or more smaller tubes through the column and in turn heats up space in between. Vapor hits center condenser, condenses and falls down first down tube. Enters the first chamber (the four small tubes) and re vaporizes. Vapor travels up tube to second condenser, condenses then falls down into second chamber (below the first). Vaporizes again and travels to the third condenser, condenses and travels to the parrot then out to the collection container.
Could figure out a way to pump cold water into each condenser. Each condenser would either be a double wound or a single wound with a coldfinger. Grey part before the parrot is a one way valve to drain methanol in the beginning.
Would this work and If it would what size tubing would you use?
Yeah ! ! ! !
Go ahead and make it = I want to see it in the flesh ! ! ! !
It is not the matter, nor, the space between the matter,
but rather, it is that finite point at which the two meet,
that, and only that, is what is significant...........
(Of course, I could be wrong) ..........
Sounds like stacking condensors, did you plan to have any packing? I don't think this is going to work like you think it will work without some packing unless I'm not understanding what you are explaining. You can just have one reflux condensor and keep refluxing it as much as you want, probably don't need 2-3 doing the same exact thing. Eventually, I imagine, it will start to stack the column.
Yes I Could fill the spaces in between with packing to help with reflux. The column would look like a Shotgun condenser only instead of condensing, the inner tubes would be where the vapor passes through and then on the outside of that, thats where the condensed liquid would return to a vapor form from the heat produced from the vapor passing through the center tubes. I could pack the space between with copper mesh to assist with heat transfer.
I think the problem would be that if you have no packing, or in some cases even with packing, you get all the condensed vapor on the walls of the tubing and it channels down the sides. You need some kind of centering device to drop it right in the middle of your column. if you just use a shotgun condenser at the top of your column you should be fine, just ensure it is dropping the condensed vapor in the middle of the column and not letting it run down the outside walls.
First question. Why? What are you trying to achieve with this monster? It looks to me to be a whole bunch of unnecessary trouble. That could be avoided by building an already proven design.
My suggestion is ditch the plans and look into a ponu still.
But like I told you on your other idea. If you just feel the need to build something go for it. But don't expect any of us to be able to help you work the kinks out of it.
although i think we all agree about it being a wast of resources and time, and that it would be an over engineered rig that may or may not work, i think with a few tweaks it would be an interesting piece of work if only for the fun to build factor.
perhaps you went ahead and added the packing that was suggested add the return valves from the 2 side stages to return to the bottom plate and maybe even add a few needle valves to allow for take off from each stage of the run for different flavor structures. and of coarse a valve at the final product take off to be able to close and try and reach some sort of equilibrium
again i agree it not needed and there are many tried and true rigs out there but i am always a sucker for interesting works of art that with a little work could produce a descent if not great product. not to mention with all the return valves and cooling control it could be fun to run.
I wonder also if the second reflux chamber so to speak would not end up hotter then the first given its closer to the boiler. And would this not effect velocity in the second chamber causing more smearing and less fractioning then in a tradional reflux still where the fractions get cooler the farther away from the boiler they get?
