Solar Distilling

[contrahead]

Naturally I preformed a cursory HD search, but found the information base here, on alcohol from solar stills - to be very wanting. Spent some time yesterday searching the omnipotent and uncontested World Wide Web for new images and information regarding the same subject and was likewise disappointed; and found much “link rot”. What I did find though were a half dozen or more pictures taken from my own old web-page, linked through other sites. It seems that in the last six years, very little progress has been made in the world of solar stills. Rather than reply to the new parallel thread "I've seen the way of the future"; I think this post may deserve its own title.

7_gabriele-mes-3.jpg

<link>

The advantage of using the sun's energy should be obvious. Although the atmosphere blocks out more than half of sunlight's energy before it ever reaches the earth's surface, enough energy remains to do useful work. Parabolic reflector ovens can reach temperatures in excess 350º F and even bone simple heat trap ovens can get up to 250º F inside. Obviously several complications apply but the potential for solar energy preforming at least rudimentary distillation, is still there.

569381.fig.0016.jpg

As I reported once in a post about sundials, my latitude is 34 N. A basin type solar still would preform poorly for me right now (Jan 21) but should preform admirably for someone living in an inverse latitude – like Sydney Australia for instance where the sun would be more directly overhead in January. Right now I, or people living at latitudes even further removed from either side of the equator could benefit from tilted tray or tilted wick type solar stills should they desire.

29P09.GIF

The practicality I seek is in a solar apparatus or vessel that can strip or process say 5 gallons of wash in a day. I want to go out there and pour a whole ferment bucket into a sanitary and materials safe still, let it sit there all day long and then reclaim both product and back-set in the evening. The finish or second distillation would be done inside. Afterwards, sanitation might possibly be preformed simply by running a batch of clean water mixed with Star San sanitizer, detergent, vinegar, etc. The details can be worked out. The main issues are still design and choice of fabrication materials. From a survivalist standpoint solar stills for water purification would be handy to have around anyway, but when they are used constantly for the desalination of seawater they can really take a beating from corrosion.

My current still setup is small and able to sit atop the kitchen stove. Embarrassingly, I probably make more frequent distillation runs than just about anyone else here on the HD forum. My routine is usually to getup before dawn, fill the small boiler and assemble the still and turn the heat on: all before making coffee, watching an hour of TV or Internet before cooking breakfast. I almost always have a 5gal batch at some stage of fermentation development which means my little still stays pretty busy. It would be sensible for me to reduce the workload by finding an alternative stripping method. Hence the interest in a solar still. However, I've found some so called “Water /Alcohol Distiller Electric Moonshine Stills” on Amazon.com that would suit my needs, practically as well. (I would keep the boiler pot, trashcan the tiny thumpers and install a small reflux column instead).

51XfVx2RVZL._AC_SX679_.jpg

51+FtsXni9L._AC_.jpg

71iRYDPsabL._SL1500_.jpg

Personally I like the idea of a low profile still (like a “ghille still”). One that can be assembled, used and then put away quickly. Remember this is a “hobby” that can potentially put some of us in a jail cell (and will likely remain so as long as politicians can continue to collect and spent a “sin tax”). I think a novice distiller should consider or be attracted to the concept of a small still at first. A still with a boiler capacity of 2.5 to 3 gallons - so that the stripping of a 5 gallon batch could be accomplished in only two runs. Sitting atop the stove a small or modest pot might yet have 3 or 4' of headroom (for a riser) before contacting the ceiling. I am also attracted to a smooth stainless pot that works atop a stove or external heating element – for the simple fact that one can ferment and distill on the grain or with the pulp solids, without fear of scorching. Once the size of the still and the ambitions of the distiller grow bigger though, the greater the number of complications. Once the still gets bigger, it needs more room - so it gets moved to the garage, some outbuilding or into the woods. The bigger still requires more thermal energy, takes longer to setup and takedown (probably), the boiler takes longer to cool down (if backset is to be saved) and the whole thing is harder to conceal from prying eyes.