Cross tube column

[firewater706]

Let me start off by saying that I have a pot still that I made and it works great, however this a hobby for me so I wanted to try something new and became interested in reflux. So I done a little research and decided to purchase a 30” cross tube column from milehigh distillers. It is an impressive looking piece of equipment, however I’m gradually coming to the conclusion while it looks great it isn’t very functional. No matter how low I run the temperature gets entirely to out coming out of the liedbig. The condesor will be cool to the touch and the cooling water will be cool but the distillate is still hot. I have tried two different pumps, the first one has a flow rate of 320 gallons per hour,and the second has a flow rate of 640 gallons per hour. I have run out of ideas and would like input from more seasoned hobbiest.

The column I purchased can be found here http://www.milehidistilling.com/product ... -tube.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[T-Pee]

If anything a cross-tube setup would be a half-assed CM. The cross-tube would be for reflux only (if that). You still need cooling water in the liebig.
That's a pretty :!:ed up design but it can be improved by adding inlet/outlet ports on the liebig and running the cross-tube as a separate flow.
Make sure the water inlet is the bottom port and the outlet is the top which ensures that the liebig is completely full of water instead of a falling stream along the inside tube.

This will get you in the ballpark: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=25732

tp (CM operator)

[DAD300]

The leibig already has water ports.

Mile Hi products are well made. They unfortunately offer some older/bad designs. But that column will make a good drink.

Hot product isn't a problem as long as no vapor is getting through the leibig.

Getting cooler product is improved by more or cooler water flow to the product condenser. Make sure you have routed the water through the condenser first, and then to the column tubes.

The water entering your leibig should be between 70-80 deg F. The water leaving your column as waste needs to be exiting at less than 130 deg F.

Next, you say you're using a pump, so that means you're using a reservoir/tank. Enlarge the tank, use a cheap 30-50 gallon trash can. As a trial try tap water if you can.

[firewater706]

sorry forgot to mention, I am using a 30 gallon garbage can as my reservoir and that water is a cool 68 degrees.

Vapor is getting through the leibig. I'm using the bottom inlet for my water going in and the top for the water going out. I'm not sure, I'm following you when referencing water to the "column tubes". Are you saying I need to have a water flow to and from the Cross tubes?

[T-Pee]

I'm not sure, I'm following you when referencing water to the "column tubes". Are you saying I need to have a water flow to and from the Cross tubes?

Yep. That's how the reflux is initiated in the column.

tp

[firewater706]

well thank you for helping a reflux rookie out. That explains a lot. This may solve my overheating issue also.

[DAD300]

If vapor is getting through the leibig and you are using 68 deg F water...you need to speed the flow of water until no vapor escapes!

Water into bottom of leibig and out top, from top of leibig to lower column tube, out of lower column tube to top tube, out of top tube to trash can.

No more than 130 deg coming out of column tubes...if you still have vapor escaping...lower power to boiler!

[firewater706]

Not sure what the issue is. I have the power to the boiler turned down to the point I have to keep an eye on it just to make sure it will run. I've increased the water flow from 620 gallons per hour to 1000. I have the cross tubes for reflux connected to an independent pump which circulates 320 gallons per hour. Just for testing purposes I've tried using boiling chips (which created huffing or puking).

I'm totally lost, I do not have these issues with my pot still.

[W Pappy]

Do you have any copper mesh in your liebig to help knock down vapor?

[BigSwede]

Not familiar with that design. It's obviously CM, but with only two cross tubes, how can you get more than just the smallest bit of reflux? Do the tubes form a coil or something inside the column? Or are two cross tubes alone adequate for CM?

If the liebig is inadequate even after sticking some scrubby into the tube, it'd be possible to cut the stainless tube leading to the liebig, installing a stainless union compression fitting or similar, and then mounting either a bigger liebig, or a graham, or even a simple copper worm in a bucket.

[heartcut]

Along with the suggested piece of scrubbie in the product condensor, wedge some scrubbie between the cross tubes so that any vapor going to the PC has to pass through the scrubbie. That will increase reflux and decrease the outgoing vapor temperature. Those ss liebegs have to be pretty much twice as long as a copper one to have the same cooling ability, Swede is giving you good advice about upgrading the PC. With those mods, your column should make some good hootch.

[John Barleycorn]

I had a 3" which had three cross tubes. There was never a problem knocking down the vapor. If anything, I had more issues with it knocking down too much ... a very small flow was more than adequate .... I had to get a better valve for better control at such low flow rates. Finally started using only two of the three tubes to allow more flow/easier control. I'm sure you could drive the column hard enough with enough power to overwhelm the capability of the column condenser ... but that would be operator error.

@T-Pee: The fact that some units use horizontal tubes for the column condenser doesn't make it a " :!:ed up design" ... just different ... with a few of its own nuances.

In any case, given a reasonable collection rate, I'm at a loss as to how 1000 GPH would be insufficient for the product condenser ... unless there is something else going on.

[rad14701]

You definitely need separate water controls for the liebig and those reflux cross tubes... And you are correct in thinking those cross tubes are not the best way to go about inducing reflux... Not the best design, but not the worst either...