Understanding plated columns before I build

[Saltbush Bill]

it was much easier to put out than when my still caught fire and 70% abv was spurting out the pipe and into gas cooker . …

Spot on Yummy , anyone who has ever had or been present when there was a still fire doesn't argue the point .......those that haven't will at times.

[VLAGAVULVIN]

The rules of this forum seem to indicate < 40% for safety

and

You've been here long enough to know why., if you don't know the reasons by now then you need to start doing some searching and reading.

At least, it's getting clear now, thanks.

How then do we do the third run under the "Irish protocol" to get at least 80% from the spout? How far should I run away from my reflux still when 96.6% is dripping, being condensed from the vapor tap? Is it all prohibited even to discuss?

This has to do with (un)safety much-much more, folks... Is there anything in the rules about such "don't be an idiot" installations?

it was much easier to put out than when my still caught fire and 70% abv was spurting out the pipe and into gas cooker . …

Spot on Yummy , anyone who has ever had or been present when there was a still fire doesn't argue the point .......those that haven't will at times.

I had. On the gas stove. In an apartment on the 7th floor. Not sure that I'm arguing now... But the fire has been nipped in the bud, and the conclusions have been drawn, since I am still with you.

[Yummyrum]

Vlag , some of us get lucky .
Some are not so .

On this forum we have to accomodate the lowest common denominator.
That be circa 40% abv ……faaaaark

Like I said , your place , your family ….. and iff’n it counts … your insurance policy .

HD forum has recommendations . Thats it

[DAD300]

I started with five copper bubble cap plates. They were professionally made plates. I hated that they were not adjustable and that I had to disassemble the entire column to clean them.

So, I made five SS Sieve Plates with .125 holes.

Parts for a perf plate with .125 holes

Assembled plate upside down. I don't solder the downcomer (pressure fit only) so that I can move it as desired. Yes it leaks a small amount, but no more than two or three holes.

Downcomer is now a 1" x 6" tube, 2" above plate and 4" below. The cup at the bottom is a SS Shot Cup dangling on a wire put thru them.

upside down assembled

I put copper tubes on the first plate so that I can remove them to clean them.

I put copper bite on the bottom plate

2" fluid bed on plate during operation,

2" fluid bed while in operation

This isn't an "old school" build. It's completely modular. I can clean the whole five plate still by rinsing from the top. It floods the downcomers and yes, rinsing leaves some water in them.

Now, the .125" holes will scare some people as too large. But, I can adjust the plate by laying SS Washers on the plate.

The washers then act as a "flap Valve" and often you can hear them dancing/rattling during a run. The washers never get overlapped. I suspect they meet edge to edge when flapping, it never lifts the whole washer off the plate. I have pressure gauges on every aspect of the still and never get any perceptible pressure in the pot!

The idea of a flap valve for booze was proven by someone else on HD.
So, plate #1 has six washers and is covered in copper tubes, plate #2 has five washers on it, plate #3 has five washers, plat#4 has four washers and plate #5 has four washers. Each plate will have at least a 2" bath during operation.

Big point I'd like to make is, don't fear you'll put to many or too large a hole in a perf plate. It's as simple as laying a washer on top of the plate to adjust the flow.

I'd rather drill one thousand .125" holes and lay something on top to adjust it than to have drilled two thousand .0625" holes and feel I ruined a plate.

In between runs I take the copper tubes out and soak them in acetic acid, flush the column from a port in the top.

for a stripping run I simply use no reflux delphlag cooling. There is still a small amout of reflux but no plate loading.

So, the performance question...from five plates I can get ~85% for most of the run and an aggregate of ~75% for the whole run, really getting deep into tales, from 10% mash.

I don't think there is a simpler plate build.

[Yummyrum]

Dad , what size plate are you using ? It looks bigger than 4”
6”-8”???
2” level on plate is also high by most folks , so again I can only assume you are not running 4” plate s

[shadylane]

As I understand it, I can’t wait for your arguments on the "over 40%" matter?

Here's my opinion and I'm not always right.
First would be safety, spills are less flammable.

Next, since we are talking about plated columns, most likely a flavored spirit is being made.
If the lowines are higher than 40% the stripping run ended too early, and flavor got left in the boiler.

Last, spirits need to be diluted to drinking proof.
I think it's better to dilute the lowines, so less water is needed to dilute the finished product.

[Saltbush Bill]

So, the performance question...from five plates I can get ~85% for most of the run and an aggregate of ~75% for the whole run, really getting deep into tales, from 10% mash.

I'm confused as to why your ABVs for most of the run and for the aggregate are so low when your using 5 plates ?
They look like the figures for 3 plates from my experience.

[shadylane]

Downcomer is now a 1" x 6" tube, 2" above plate and 4" below. The cup at the bottom is a SS Shot Cup dangling on a wire put thru them.

First time I've seen it done that way.
That works really good for a no solder or weld, SS downcomer and cup.

[VLAGAVULVIN]

Next, since we are talking about plated columns, most likely a flavored spirit is being made.
If the lowines are higher than 40% the stripping run ended too early, and flavor got left in the boiler.

Agreed with regard to the plated columns' case

[DAD300]

So, the performance question...from five plates I can get ~85% for most of the run and an aggregate of ~75% for the whole run, really getting deep into tales, from 10% mash.

I'm confused as to why your ABVs for most of the run and for the aggregate are so low when your using 5 plates ?
They look like the figures for 3 plates from my experience.

Because I collect tails down to ~20% abv before I stop. Of the tails some portion around 35-30% (the cardboard) gets rerun later. Then some portions get mixed back into the aggregate.

[DAD300]

Dad , what size plate are you using ? It looks bigger than 4”
6”-8”???
2” level on plate is also high by most folks , so again I can only assume you are not running 4” plates

2" is just below the sight glass.

Those pics are from 8" sieve plates, five plates over 170gal ban marie boiler with 35,000watts. That's why I didn't post the production rate. The hearts are coming off 85% abv, a gallon every 12 minutes. If I'm stripping for the little still it's quit a bit faster but not trying to make as nice cuts.

The column on the 50gal still is dif now...4" x 48" of SPP and a dephlag on top.

[higgins]

I received my parts this week and have been playing with them a bit.

3 4" inline sight glasses (disassembled)
4 4" tri clamps + PTFE gaskets
2 4" x 2" TC reducers
2" TC tee
2" TC elbow
2" TC filter plate (for my gin still)
several 2" TC clamps, ferrules
2 1 1/2" TC ferrules
2 2" TC x 1" MIP plates (these are for the steam rig I'm going to build)

So I guess its time to start an actual column build thread.
Here is a link to the build thread.