Huge shotgun condensator

[Slyline25]

Hello, I'm new here on the forum and I want to build a brandy boiler somewhere at 30 gallons with a 12 gallon Thumper, I'm interested in some dimensions for a shotgun condenser that can handle a boiler and double, no I'm interested in a double boiler but it wants to work very well

[Salt Must Flow]

Are you going electric, gas?

If you are going electric, in this calculator enter tube outer diameter and how many watts you'll be running. The calculator will tell you how many inches of that size tube will be required. The more tubes you use the shorter the shotgun condenser needs to be. Personally I build shotguns to be able to knock down more than what my element can put out.

[Slyline25]

I will go on wood or maximum on gas, wood is very cheap for me. I thought a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long capacitor would suffice, what do you think?

[Slyline25]

[Salt Must Flow]

This shotgun condenser should be able to knock down 16500W. That's enough condenser to handle three 5500W elements. I personally do not know how to guesstimate power input with flame. This shotgun may very well be overkill. Just depends on power input, but I don't imagine you would need that much power for your still.

You can play with that condenser calculator, play with power inputs, pipe sizes and knowing total length of pipe ... you can determine the number of pipes and the overall length of shotgun condenser. It's a really handy tool.

If you made a 3" shotgun with eight 1/2" pipes, you would need at least a 27" shotgun to handle 11000W. If you used 3/8" pipes and more of them then you can get away with a shorter condenser.

[Slyline25]

Thanks you

[shadylane]

I thought a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long capacitor would suffice, what do you think?

I'd make a dimroth condenser instead of a shotgun.

[Salt Must Flow]

I thought a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long capacitor would suffice, what do you think?

I'd make a dimroth condenser instead of a shotgun.

With what specs?

I made a 2" Dimroth with a double wound 1/4" coil just over 24" and it couldn't' handle a 5500W stripping run at full flow. My shotgun at the same length easily handles 5500W with very little water consumption and the product comes out 55F-60F.

[Salt Must Flow]

I will go on wood or maximum on gas, wood is very cheap for me. I thought a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long capacitor would suffice, what do you think?

Sorry, I missed this question. To handle 5500W a 2" with four 1/2" pipes could be 27" long. If you used 3/8" pipe and more pipes, it can be shorter. If you used 3/8" pipe and more pipes it would have more knockdown power at 27" long than the four 1/2" pipe version. Just use that calculator and it will tell you what you need.

[shadylane]

I made a 2" Dimroth with a double wound 1/4" coil just over 24" and it couldn't' handle a 5500W stripping run at full flow.

Seems like the dimroth product condenser should have handled more than 5500w
The dimroth reflux condensers used around here, knock down that much power and are shorter.

[shadylane]

I will go on wood or maximum on gas, wood is very cheap for me. I thought a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long capacitor would suffice, what do you think?

It can work.
I'd use the most 1/2" tubes that would fit inside the 2" jacket while leaving room for water flow.
If you use 3/8, the smaller tubes would be more likely to get plugged up by puke.
And all the extra solder joints needed are more likely to leak.

On a side note.
When I say 1/2" or 3/8" I mean the inner diameter.

[Slyline25]

would there be another more efficient condensator? I want to make sure it works well for me?

[Salt Must Flow]

would there be another more efficient condensator? I want to make sure it works well for me?

Worms Liebig condensers and shotgun condensers are somewhat similar because they are all essentially pipe/pipes which vapor travels through and condenses inside of because they are surrounded by water.

A Dimroth condenser is totally the opposite. It's a coil with water running through it surrounded by the traveling hot vapor.

I prefer shotgun condensers because they have a ton of knockdown power in a small package. If designed right they will use very little water. I do not know of a more effective and convenient product condenser. They are a workhorse.

I've searched this site and could not find anyone boasting their 2" Dimroth product condensers.They use Dimroth condensers as reflux condensers or dephlegmators, but that does not serve the same purpose as a product condenser. I thought it would work, figured it would be easier than making a shotgun so I tried it. It didn't work so I converted it into a shotgun and now it's a beast.

[Ben]

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Is that galvanized?

[still_stirrin]

… would there be another more efficient condensator?

… I prefer shotgun condensers because they have a ton of knockdown power in a small package. If designed right they will use very little water. I do not know of a more effective and convenient product condenser. They are a workhorse.

Bingo!

I designed equipment for oil & gas production platforms a few years ago and the “shell & tube” heat exchangers were always the best (economical) solution. And they are designed around the flow requirements, ie - fluids required to extract heat from.

Whether a vapor or a liquid, the condensers were designed for the operating conditions, be it - horizontal or vertical, long vs short tube bank, diameter and number of tubes in the bank, tube bank material and wall thickness, shell baffles, inlet and outlet location and size, etc.

HEX (heat exchanger) design is an elementary skill in thermodynamics in engineering education. It’s fundamental to mechanical engineering curricula and required in most universities.

The Liebig design is just a simple “shell & tube” example. The shotgun is another “shell & tube” example and as stated, can be designed as the most efficient condenser for your requirements. Efficiency is relative to energy transfer and in our case, includes waste water cost. I would suppose too that convenience and storage space or “real estate” is also a consideration to the design as well.
ss

[Twisted Brick]

would there be another more efficient condensator? I want to make sure it works well for me?

In addition to a shotgun condenser's efficiency, it may be the best option in that multiple tubes could mitigate the possibility of a puke. Selecting the proper size to build will be the question. It would help to know the amount of heat you plan to put into your boiler, the diameter(54mm?) of your riser and the volume/rate of coolant you plan on using.

A 27" x 2" shotgun is grossly oversized for 5k watts. If you plan on running gas, this thread may help in determining a size. (still_stirrin's and DAD300's posts)

[Salt Must Flow]

would there be another more efficient condensator? I want to make sure it works well for me?

A 27" x 2" shotgun is grossly oversized for 5k watts. If you plan on running gas, this thread may help in determining a size. (still_stirrin's and DAD300's posts)

In the condenser calculator page enter the following:

Tube dia = 15.875mm
Heat input = 5500

The calculator will recommend 108"

If you make a 2" shotgun with four 1/2" copper tubing (15.875mm OD) that would be 27".

I made mine well over the recommended spec of the calculator and my 24" shotgun easily handles well over 5500W. I never frowned and wished my shotgun required a higher water flow.

[shadylane]

In the condenser calculator page enter the following:

Tube dia = 15.875mm

That's the outer diameter of 1/2" tubing
1/2" tubing has an ID of 12.7mm

A liebig or shotgun condences vapor on the inner diameter of the tubing
A dimroth has the surface area advantage of condensing on the OD

[Salt Must Flow]

In the condenser calculator page enter the following:

Tube dia = 15.875mm

That's the outer diameter of 1/2" tubing
1/2" tubing has an ID of 12.7mm

A liebig or shotgun condences vapor on the inner diameter of the tubing
A dimroth has the surface area advantage of condensing on the OD

Good point and I think you hinted at that previous, but I didn't catch it. I didn't consider that, but I imagine after adjusting for that, there will be little difference. I'll give it a try and see if it changes much with the overall length.

[shadylane]

Good point and I think you hinted at that previous, but I didn't catch it. I didn't consider that, but I imagine after adjusting for that, there will be little difference. I'll give it a try and see if it changes much with the overall length.

According to our calculator it's around 25%
Dimroth has another advantage, the vapor speed is considerably slower.

[Salt Must Flow]

Good point and I think you hinted at that previous, but I didn't catch it. I didn't consider that, but I imagine after adjusting for that, there will be little difference. I'll give it a try and see if it changes much with the overall length.

According to our calculator it's around 25%
Dimroth has another advantage, the vapor speed is considerably slower.

Based on the ID vs OD of the copper pipe I have, the calculator says 27.25" for OD and 31.5" for ID using 4 pipes. 4.25" is not really all that big of a difference, but a difference none the less in order to be most accurate.
Calipers read the following.
OD 15.748 mm
ID 13.589 mm

Since I made mine with seven 3/8" pipes at a longer length than recommended, it's still well over spec for what it needs to be.

[jonnys_spirit]

This is an interesting one if you haven't seen it yet.

viewtopic.php?f=87&t=59998&start=30

Cheers!
-j

[shadylane]

I will go on wood or maximum on gas, wood is very cheap for me. I thought a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long capacitor would suffice, what do you think?

What copper do you already have?
At todays price that makes a difference.

If you already have a 2-inch-diameter, 30-inch-long, Then use it.
If your starting from scratch and want the most bang for the buck
A 36" long lieBig with 1" vapor tube inside a 1-1/2" jacket
I made one awhile back, didn't even have to use any Expensive copper fittings.
Here's the 1" x 36" condenser hanging on a little 2-1/2" column.
Now that's overkill

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=49585