First Time Running Steam Stripper

[tombombadil]

steam_stripping_small.jpeg

Things went very well. The cans are 8 gallon and 16 gallon. The thumper connector is 1 inch diameter and goes down to 1 inch above the bottom, the rest of it is 2 inch diameter.

The heating element is 5500w 240v ultra low watt density, I'm controlling it with an scr from Amazon.

The coolant is water, running it through a radiator with air flow from a box fan.

The radiator and fan slow down the heat increase of the coolant water but doesn't reachequilibrium. It did balance out at 120f when I was heating with a 1500w hotplate. By the end of the run it was up to 140f and I was getting steam out of the condenser so I moved the pump over to another water bucket to get the last half gallon out.

The weird thing is, I was getting a little puking at the end, maybe from the volume increasing?

Went from 6ish hour stripping for runs to like 3ish hours.

Regardless, I'm very happy with the results, very glad I spent the time and money to switch over to steam.

[Dancing4dan]

Tom that’s a nice looking rig. What are you using for pressure relief on the boiler circuit? In the photo I can’t see it.

[RC Al]

His Foo Foo valve by the looks

[Dancing4dan]

I hope not Tom! We don’t want to change your name to Tombombastill!

[Tabucowboy]

Why would he need a pressure relief valve?

He has an open air system.

[acfixer69]

Why would he need a pressure relief valve?

He has an open air system from the thumper to atmosphere. But boiler to thump easy plug.
Is a nice looking rig.

[The Baker]

Why would he need a pressure relief valve?

He has an open air system.

Not so simple with a steam stripper or a bubbler/ thumper.
Yes you do need a manual or automatic pressure/ vacuum relief valve.


Geoff

[Tabucowboy]

So he would need one of these?



And would you put that in the thumper or in the line between the boiler and thumper?

[tombombadil]

I hope not Tom! We don’t want to change your name to Tombombastill!

As it cools down it sucks some mash back in to the steam kettle. Where is the explosion risk?

[RC Al]

When your thump tube gets blocked and pressurises the boiler....

[tombombadil]

When your thump tube gets blocked and pressurises the boiler....

What part of the system is going to explode exactly?

[The Baker]

When your thump tube gets blocked and pressurises the boiler....

What part of the system is going to explode exactly?

I'm not waiting around to see.

But please do trust those experienced stillers, they do know.

Geoff

[RC Al]

Now thats an industrial sized boiler, your home one is of course on a smaller scale, but that wont matter if your next to it if it goes off.

If you dont notice the block, the boiler will build pressure until the weakest link fails. If everything is well built that pressure can get quite high, the boiler walls are usually it, as you can see its quite spectacular.

Your only running wash in the first boiler? TODAY, but even that superheated steam and water (the pressure lets it get hotter than boiling) will give you significant burns and the potential for injury or even death is very real.

Someday you may want to put some 40% in there, the potential of a catastrophic event increases when your spraying a flammable liquid everywhere.

This of course is an 1 in pick a number event, but the more you do to increase the second number the better.

Everyone who has posted, isnt saying this for the sake of a pile on, its a very real safety concern that plays into one of the key points of this forum - SAFE distilling.

All you really need to do is add a tee off the outlet of the boiler and a valve as posted above or, my preference, a very simple manometer/blow off tube - $10-20 and your significantly safer

[The Baker]

Might be a suitable note on which to lock this thread.
And I haven't said THAT before!

Geoff

[Dancing4dan]

So he would need one of these?



And would you put that in the thumper or in the line between the boiler and thumper?

That valve is kinda high pressure at 2 bars or 29 Psi! The boiler needs to make enough pressure to overcome the liquid in the down tube. Column of fluid in Feet X 0.433 = PSI I think is the formula. More experienced guys here please give your thoughts.

If the down tube in the thumper plugs under steam pressure or under vacuum when cooling, the boiler can fail catastrophically. Explode or implode. This has the potential to destroy the still pot full of ETOH bearing liquid as well as the collection vessel full of high proof fuel. Think explosion and fire.

Tom I didn’t intend to start a “pile on”. I couldn’t see a pressure relief. This is something that you need to address and it’s easily done. Reach out to guys with experience here. Or better yet, guys, offer up experience and advice.

The trouble with people saying “do your reading” and leaving it to new members to rediscover information that has been buried in off topic threads is, things get missed. So don’t say it. Reading this site is not research it’s needle in haystack hide and seek. As steam distillation becomes more common we need clear safety rules and build guidelines that are sticky topics.

One accident causing loss of life from a members still will set back or halt efforts to legalize home distillation. It’s in everyone’s interests to ensure we progress safely.

To see the potential of steam from a still run a pot still without the condenser! CAUTION!!! It makes a lot of steam. That is what is going on inside the thumper. The liquid in the thumper acts as a condenser as steam energy is transferred to the mash raising its temperature. Boiler stem is condensed to liquid diluting the thumper contents. The steam energy and pressure are collapsed by the thumper liquid contents.

Turn on a milk frother on a espresso machine without the milk under it. Steam jets out. Put the cold milk under it and there are not even bubbles until the milk heats up.

Steam exponentially increases the potential for an accident compared to a pot still. That risk has to be mitigated by addressing as many of the potential danders as possible. Pressure relief is probably the biggest mitigating factor. Collecting high proof ETOH in a large collection vessel is convenient, but next to a potential explosive device it is elevating the risk if the boiler system fails. Think steam explosion and fire as the ETOH is spilled making contact with the heat source.

[tombombadil]

Isn't the weakest part of the system always going to be the open ended pipe?

[acfixer69]

Isn't the weakest part of the system always going to be the open ended pipe?

We are talking about an unexpected obstruction. Which does happen.

[tombombadil]

Would one of these be sufficient?



I would have to look for a lead free version...

[tombombadil]

Being able to direct the steam that comes out seems like a good feature.

[Dancing4dan]

This is a demonstration of what can happen after you shut down and the boiler tube plugs with a mash dough ball

[Dancing4dan]

Or this

[LWTCS]

.5 bar should be the max

[Dancing4dan]

Being able to direct the steam that comes out seems like a good feature.

That is a great idea! Venting is great, but not if you get burned try to get at the still to shut it down. Extension doesn’t have to be expensive copper either. Just has to take the heat.

[Dancing4dan]

Would one of these be sufficient?

When a water heater blows. That’s the part that fails

I like the idea others have of using a water filled manometer. It can be used to monitor pressure and as pressure relief. Polycarbonate tube so you can see the fluid level. Easy to zero for each run. Food coloring in water for easy visibility. If you have a blockage the water in manomerter just blows off and the boiler vents. Directed in a safe direction of course!

[tiramisu]

There is virtually 0 risk with this solution and I love the simplicity. Will definitely be looking at this as an upgrade. Not having to filter the wash gets rid of an annoying step

[acfixer69]

There is virtually 0 risk with this solution and I love the simplicity. Will definitely be looking at this as an upgrade. Not having to filter the wash gets rid of an annoying step

If the manometer blows you still have a problem just a different one not so traumatic one.

[shadylane]

There is virtually 0 risk with this solution and I love the simplicity. Will definitely be looking at this as an upgrade. Not having to filter the wash gets rid of an annoying step

If the manometer blows you still have a problem just a different one not so traumatic one.

On the plus side
With a manometer you can see the pressure and make adjustments as needed.
It also has some side benefits.
Based on boiler pressure, I can tell within an inch of how much liquid is in my thumper.
I can also see how much power a column can handle before it starts flooding.

[Dancing4dan]

Based on boiler pressure, I can tell within an inch of how much liquid is in my thumper.
I can also see how much power a column can handle before it starts flooding.

Can you post a sketch of what you have in mind?

[shadylane]

On my rig under normal conditions, the boiler pressure will be around 1 inch WC.
With 6" of liquid in the thumper the boiler pressure will increase to 7"

Running the same boiler with my packed column on it.
The normal pressure is around 2.5 - 3" WC
Increase the power a little and the pressure will rise a little.
The moment the column begins to flood, the pressure will rise dramatically.

Water Manometer Illustrated.jpg

[BlackStrap]

Been following this link...I run a double boiler steam system.

Anytime the vapor path is not open to the atmosphere it is then a closed system. Period!
adding a thumper would make a system "closed"

Adding a relief valve is HIGHLY recommended.

This is mine. drilled and tapped into a 2" tricover "blank" cover"
It's placed between the 1st boiler and 2nd boiler "thumper" it is 5psi and cost $7.00 us dollars on Amazon.

PSI-blowoff.jpg

Is it needed...NO.

Here is an honest story!
I was distilling on the grain and had the thumper loaded with grain, this was before the added PSI relief valve, but because I know my equipment, and it was taking to long to "heat" up...The still was under a lot of pressure (could it, or would it have blown...glad those limits were not tested that day) found out the inlet tube at the bottom of the thumper was plugged up tight, before any damage occured I shut things down and I didn't run again till I had a safety measure in place.

This group has saved me many times from instances that would have turned out poorly, instead of arguing with those who are trying to save you... Try reading up on the matter a bit first.

Good Luck
Blackstrap