A safe stand-alone still

[Maritimer]

Jeepers! Control yourselves!

Edits are in blue.

When you get right down to it, running a still is really really boring, like spending your day watching a leaky faucet.

We are surrounded by devices that have been made safe by careful engineering. Why not the still? We don't have to watch our oil furnaces, watch our kitchen appliances, space heaters, whatever.

So, if a still were to be constructed that would be safe to run on its own, what safety precautions, sensors, and reactions to malfunction conditions would be necessary?

My VM system incorporates a microcontroller that monitors the incoming coolant temperature, the temperature difference across the liebig, the temperature difference across the reflux condenser, and the output coolant temperature. These signals are used to measure the reflux ratio, but they also tell a lot about how the still is operating. I intend to add a temperature sensor for the outgoing vapour. The power to the boiler is also computer-controlled.

In a case like this, monitoring the functioning of the microcontroller is also required for safety. This can be done with the "watchdog timer" that is part of the microcontroller system. In this case, the watchdog timer must be reset within a certain time, otherwise it will generate an interrupt that will shut down all power. Alternatively, or in addition, the main loop can generate a square wave that must exist if operation is OK.

So, please add or modify these suggestions:

Precautions:
1) All electrical work must be to code.
2) All plumbing must be to code
3) No explosive vapours must escape--bellybuster
4)

Sensors:
1) A detector to monitor coolant flow
2) A leak detector
3) Boiler fluid level
4) Watchdog timer
5)

Reactions to malfunctions:
1) Turn off all power
2) Turn on shower in case of fire
3) Sound alarm or raise an alarm signal
4)

M

[Dnderhead]

just fiend something to do, like make the next mash.

[bellybuster]

Hot water heaters and space heaters don't have explosive vapours to tend with. On top of that, we are hobbyists. Our builds are nice but hardly commercial grade systems with all the safety additions.
I'm all for automation, my brewery pretty much runs itself but no explosive vapours.

[bellybuster]

I collect in 250 ml jars, with proofing each jar etc i really don't have any spare time on stillin day anyway

[bobtail]

I enjoy the time i have to spend in the garage on my stillin days. I put on some good music ,get a few magazines, drink and a comfy chair and im set for the day. Half the time i have a pork butt or brisket on the smoker just outside the garage.