First Time Running Steam Stripper

[Dancing4dan]

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.

Thats a 5 psi relief valve? When you shut down you just open it and prevent pull back, vacuum into the boiler? That is pretty economical.

Would be easy to test in real world situation as well to ensure it works. Inline ball or gate valve after that point to just to test the relief valve.

Put a steam whistle on it and it will wake anyone having a nap!

[Dancing4dan]

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

A question and a comment for BlackStrap.

What plugged your inlet?

Questions by the OP may not be argument. I think he is looking and listening. We learn this way.

"Failure is success in progress." ― Albert Einstein

[acfixer69]

I like the steam whistle idea. Got a teapot to recycle.

[tombombadil]

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

My fear with that kind of valve is when it does blow the steam still just shoots out and burns whoever is nearby. The water heater type let's us direct the blowoff but I haven't found any under 75 psi.

[shadylane]

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.

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

Nice looking steam rig Ya built
Is the thumper end cut straight or at an angle

[BlackStrap]

A question and a comment for BlackStrap.

What plugged your inlet?

Stilling brandy with fruit puree in the thumper about 4" deep, also a poor design flaw in the inlet wand going to the bottom of the thumper.

Wand-before.jpg

Only 2 openings the solids would work their way up the tube, cause the vapor to have to push them out (creating quite a bit of pressure)

Wand-after.jpg

this design strain the solids out before being about to enter the tbe, greatly reducing the change for blockage, and other advantage it the stainless mesh creates a bubble defusion (give more contact surface area for the vapor to interact with the contents of the thumper)

Questions by the OP may not be argument. I think he is looking and listening. We learn this way.

You are correct, I stand corrected. Please accept my apologies for coming off as being harsh.

My fear with that kind of valve is when it does blow the steam still just shoots out and burns whoever is nearby.

I suppose it depends on how hard you are running & how quick you can cut the power to the still...
My experience has been when this does go off, the steam dissipates and is cool within less than 2 feet.
The pull ring makes it very convenient in relieving back pressure to avoid the catastrophes pictured earlier.

Be safe and keep it fun.
Blackstrap

[Dancing4dan]

My fear with that kind of valve is when it does blow the steam still just shoots out and burns whoever is nearby. The water heater type let's us direct the blowoff but I haven't found any under 75 psi.

That’s a good point! It needs a shroud to direct the discharge.

[Dancing4dan]

BlackStrap how long or how many tomes have you used the stainless strainer modification? Is it working well?

[TimothyChurch]

I run a jacket still as a pressurized steam jacket. Whenever I'm using it to mash corn, I have to get it up to a boil which entails a bit of pressure. My setup has an adjustable pressure relief valve, a pressure gauge, and a one-way valve for vacuum relief.

32275.png

Allows me to set the psi I'm happy with and will slowly release if it gets higher vs quickly releasing and flash boiling the water! Plus the one-way valve can be kept open so I don't accidentally forget to vent the system and have it collapse!

[BlackStrap]

BlackStrap how long or how many tomes have you used the stainless strainer modification? Is it working well?

More than a dozen...yes works great, haven't had a clogged pipe since and the modification seems to pick up more flavors.


This mod works for cooking corn with steam too!

BlackStrap

[Dancing4dan]

This mod works for cooking corn with steam too!

I like it!

[shadylane]

My steam stripper is kinda strange, the thumper sit's inside the boiler
Please forgive my poor house keeping

DSCF0275.JPG

Here's my steam injector, safety valve and boiler level sight glass.

DSCF0276.JPG

The lid uses a water seal, so it can be removed easily

DSCF0277.JPG

[BlackStrap]

My steam stripper is kinda strange, the thumper sit's inside the boiler

Maybe a bit strange to look at, but the concept is solid.
What is the volume of the inner "thumper"?

BlackStrap

[shadylane]

Here's a link to the build
viewtopic.php?f=92&t=59138

[Windy City]

AD147395-7E14-421F-92E3-E171F1E30A3A.jpeg

I use a Apollo 5 psi pressure relief valve on my boilers and a Watts vacuum relief on my steam jacketed boiler.
I would recommend both of these devices for a system like yours.
I am not finished building the still with the pressure relief valve in this pic and I just couldn’t get a good pic from my one that is up and running but I pipe the outlet into a bucket of water and it is piped in such a way that it could only be submerged approx 2 to 3 inches
Hope this helps

DCC0E9EA-DCC8-4F9C-80EB-BC853684E11C.jpeg

B451EE64-67E9-4EA8-9D17-D3EEC711D388.jpeg

[Butch27]

OK. the first thing everyone is going to do is look at how many posts I have made and my join date. Don't bother I am a newb to the board but I am most certainly not wet behind the ears. Please do not kill the messenger.

IT IS NOT MY INTENT TO DIMINISH ANYONE'S ATTEMPTS TO PROMOTE SAFETY!

I am a licensed hobby steam engineer in one state and one province for more than 30 years. It would seem that as soon as anyone hears the word "steam" they think dangerous and it is in the wrong hands. Someone posts a picture of his new "steam rig" which he is proud of, and rightly so, and he immediately gets piled on for no PRV. Does it hurt to have a PRV? Most certainly not. Is it expensive to have one? It can be but does not have to be. Would I run a steam engine without a properly working PRV? Absolutely not. Would I run that steam stripping rig without one? Sure, After I have checked that all of the tubing is completely clear of any obstructions. Do I believe that many, many others on this board including some that are professing safety here have done it? You bet!

If the OP had posted this under "postil/thumper builds" I doubt most people would not have given the fact that there was no PRV a second thought. I went and had a quick look (I may have missed it) and could not find one instance of a PRV on a potstill with a thumper. Many of the inlets to these thumpers had all manner of small holes that could be plugged by slop in the thumper or even puke from the pot. So my question to all the safety minded people here is "what is the difference between a potstil/thumper and a steam stripping rig?

To me they are exactly the same other that the fact that one uses the term "steam" in it's name and steam is "dangerous".