Cold water cooling

[fipem]

Hi guys, I'm planning in a system to re-use the water, so it's doesn't get wasted.
Also, since I'm gonna be doing a lot of distillation I was wondering in cool it down with ice.

Is there any danger to the equipment in using water that is too cold? i.e. 15°C.

Maybe the difference between the hot pipes and the cold water may crack the pipes.

Or the coolest the best for separation?

Thanks in advance

[still_stirrin]

Closed loop system. Add something to keep mold from growing, possibly even ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) to increase heat carrying capability.

Ice is expensive. Use a water to air heat exchanger in the loop (radiator). Put a fan to move the air through the radiator.

You want the water's cold (input) around 15C and the output around 50C.
ss

[ranger_ric]

I am not sure if you are using a Liebig or coil condensor. I use a Liebig with an pond pump in a 20 gal cooler. Make sure your pond pump has enough head capacity to lift your water through the top of the Liebig and back into your storage. My water starts out around 65°F. Over the next hour and a half or so it raises to 105°. I get a little nervous there and change out my water back down to about 65.
I have thought it would be nice to have some frozen 1 gallon jugs that I could just change out to try and keep the temp down. However I do not have enough freezer space to allow.
Make sure in your design you can control (valve) the amount you push through the Liebig. You want just a trickle so you can feel the warmth on the outside of the condensor nearest your heat source and cooler nearest the collection point. You may need to install a bypass also so the pump doesnt have to push against the valve and burn out.

[Hound Dog]

Is there any danger to the equipment in using water that is too cold? i.e. 15°C.

Thanks in advance

Too cold can cause various problems. Do a Google search in the forum (read instructions in my signature) on Shock Cooling.

Also for the reflux condenser if you are using one, it will cause flash flooding at the top of the packing as the over cooled condensate does not go back down into the hot packing for redistillation.

You don't need water to be cold to condense alcohol vapor. You just need to transfer the BTUs of energy you put in it to another place. All you are doing is moving energy.

[fipem]

Thanks a lot all of you guys for your advices. A small freezer is not expensive over here, I will keep an eye on it so it won't be too cold, just enough to use the same water after a couple of hour instead of waiting over night to cool it down by it self.
I'm using a reflux still with two liebig condenser.
Thanks again

[carbohydratesn]

In a reflux condenser, shouldn't shock cooling not be much of a problem as long as your flow rate is low enough? It'll be frigid at the input, but the bottom of the condenser should be very hot regardless of what the water's starting temp is. It should be able to establish a good gradient even with freezing water.

[Rastus]

All of the above holds true.

i live where it gets very cold, I have no option but to run with
my water temps that are often cooler than 4 C

I have run a pot still, a boka 3", and now a flute, with my cold water. The condensers, So far, Knock on wood, have not experienced any ill effects, no failures or solder joints breaking loose. my product comes out often at a cool 54 degrees F. of course i usually run the water slow and easy it doesnt take a lot to knock down the vapors and do the job....

the worse scare i had was during cleaning run with the vinegar and water my deflagemater made popping and sounded marbles crunching a like marbles crunching .... never had any strange occurrence with alcohol though... good luck....

[fipem]

Thanks again for your help guys. I'll try to use just enough ice to bring down the temp enough so I can run a second distillation in the day without loosing quality in the final product. I'll tell you later how it went. Thanks a lot