Aluda’s SM head

[Yummyrum]

It won't work.

It should . It’s a head that proportions Liquid between take off port and what is returned as reflux to the packed column below .

From Aluda’s second diagram , you can see the packed column below ( although the scale is out)

[drmiller100]

It won't work.

It should . It’s a head that proportions Liquid between take off port and what is returned as reflux to the packed column below .

From Aluda’s second diagram , you can see the packed column below ( although the scale is out)

IMG_8423.jpeg

You are right. I missed the packed column.

Sure seems like a lot if work. I found if you control the fluid going back down the colum. With a needle valve and collect the overflow you don't have to change anything ever unless you change the wattage.

Is there name for this idea?

[Yummyrum]

Is there name for this idea?

What should I call the device for controlling the selection by surface area. I propose to call it as SM.

[Aluda]

For me it is false, it was difficult to come up with a way to make a movable sealed damper. My project stood for some time, until I noticed the silicone tube. It is convenient to cut dressed on a round cylinder, a large selection of sizes. In the design of the sealed damper, the secret of the design. Today I think that there is no simpler design. The silicone tube damper design may not be the cheapest or easiest option. I have not done natural tests. I haven't worked with heat yet. Pouring alcohol, or water, the design works well. Should I keep this a secret? What will give me ownership of the idea, for me it's a hobby, or entertainment. Head charger.

[Wildcats]

I don't know where you are... But in the US..... If you have a new idea and make it your self... You then patent your invention so no one can steal it. I wish I could invent something and patent it. Then either get an investor to help with production or sale the rights to someone else if the profit margin was reasonable. Either way you go. I do like your thinking and ideas. Good luck with your project sir.

[Aluda]

Our direction of distillation is a home hobby for ourselves. This is not industrial production. There are manufacturers who make and sell equipment for us. How many there are. Where I am, and this is Kaliningrad, Russia. There are several shops, there are private traders who are trying to sell individual components or elements of their manufacture. There are new large factories that make equipment and ship it all over the country. There are those who make equipment with pressure reduction, vacuum. From all this volume, I think 5-10% percent where the application of the selection method LM, VM, CM. So my proposed design has a potential of 1% of the entire sales market.
And I can apply for a patent, make a technical description, conduct a patent search, pay all taxes and fees. The question is yes. The skin of a sheep is worth a dress. I read from an American who makes some essential oil equipment, lavender, rosemary.
- I do not show all the photos of my equipment, because tomorrow it will appear on Aliexpress.

[Yummyrum]

- I do not show all the photos of my equipment, because tomorrow it will appear on Aliexpress.

The Clone machine sucks .

Having said that , Home distiller forum is here for the community . If you put something here , it is for everyone to use ..

We appreciate your input , but , if your sole purpose is to advertise a product that you intent to sell ,…… well that's not how it works here.

[LWTCS]

@Aluda,
Have you distilled at all?
If so, what type of system did you gain the most experience with?

Have you tested this particular design yet?

What type of mechanical application inspired you to employ the concept above?

If you are an experienced distiller, do you expect this particular design will create a paradigm shift within the distilling community?

[Aluda]

The forum of home distillate producers was created for communication, open exchange, experience of the result. Everything I brought here will stay here. I do not intend to delete anything, erase photos. Engaged in advertising, I do not intend to sell anything here. I have a good job in my specialty and education. Here is my new hobby. Hobby extraction of essential oils. Personally for myself, I like the selection unit with electromagnetic control more. It’s easier for me, or more understandable. Having a lathe, milling machine, it is much less expensive for me to make a toggle shut-off valve with electromagnetic control. But somehow the idea itself arose to make SM. Technically it is much more difficult, I did it. I shared what I have so far. Thanks to all of you who paid attention to me. To be continued, I will be happy to answer all questions. With pleasure I will listen to your experienced comments.

[Aluda]

Earlier / above in the text, photos of my boiler are posted. There was trouble working with heat exceeding 100 Celsius. I turned the valve and heard a click. The cauldron jacket was slightly wrinkled by the addition of steam. My heater from the kettle was deformed, the metal bottom came unstuck, or split into two, onto an aluminum heat-conducting disk with a heater and stainless steel. After completing the repair, I added a steam valve. The valve is located at the bottom of the boiler. If you blow well, it opens from your unsmoked lungs. Don't forget, alcohol and smoking are harmful to your health. Here are some photos of the design. The pipe was there before, I added a groove for the retaining ring.

[drmiller100]

If you are melting or ripping metal in your boiler you are building a bomb. A very powerful dangerous bomb.

The boiler should never exceed 100 c in a hobby still.

Why do you need a one way valve or any restriction between boiler and column?

[Danespirit]

A boiling wash cannot exceed 100 C.
It will not even reach that temperature because the liquid contains different alcohols, water, and some more volatile stuff.
That means the boiling point is way below 100 C.
Are you planning on distilling with steam?
It's the only reason why I can imagine you would want a check valve (one-way valve) in the bottom of your boiler.

[Saltbush Bill]

There was trouble working with heat exceeding 100 Celsius. I turned the valve and heard a click. The cauldron jacket was slightly wrinkled by the addition of steam. My heater from the kettle was deformed, the metal bottom came unstuck, or split into two, onto an aluminum heat-conducting disk with a heater and stainless steel. After completing the repair

You need to stop and recess this whole thing before you get hurt.
This hobby doesn't need accidents to help tarnish its reputation.
There should never be pressure in any form in any still.

[Whotan]

If I understood the drawing! It shouldn't be a problem that the steam flows upwards in the middle and condenses on the wall above! It collects in the basin and flows directly outside. Where the alcohol is collected!
The only thing I don't fully understand: What's the point of being able to turn your head?
Are the collection pools different sizes?
!Or is the pipe that leads out of the pool different sizes and this can be used to determine the alcohol percentage!


And I agree with the others! Take care!

I don't know if this is a translator error.
You write that you don't want to distill any alcohol at all?
But essential oils via steam?

[Aluda]

Dear friends. I became addicted to alcohol because of my passion for perfumery. In my design of a steam heated water jacket, I can blow water steam from the top of the heating jacket into the bottom of the boiler. The heating jacket has two valves for increasing and decreasing pressure. The valve shut-off piston is made of fluoroplastic, but I did not take into account its expansion due to temperature. It is large in diameter and has a very weak spring. But it jammed. The inside of the beer keg is made of 1mm steel. The bottom is made as a sphere, but small irregularities acted as a provocation. I need the valve to process Lavender, Melissa, Rose, Fruits, and essential oils with steam. The last time I heated the squeezed Quince fruit. I made mocerate from Quince. I can have two safety valves, one on the outside, the other on the inside of the barrel, with a slight difference in pressure settings. Two fuses. Thank you for attention.

[drmiller100]

Redesign.
You do not need any pressure to distill.

You narrowly avoided killing yourself last time.

Search exploding hot water heaters.

[drmiller100]

A boiling wash cannot exceed 100 C.
It will not even reach that temperature because the liquid contains different alcohols, water, and some more volatile stuff.
That means the boiling point is way below 100 C.
Are you planning on distilling with steam?
It's the only reason why I can imagine you would want a check valve (one-way valve) in the bottom of your boiler.

He is using a beer keg with no opening. Pressures went super high and the keg split rather than exploding.

[mjs]

Aside from the boiler pressurization problems, this proposed condensed surface area controlled LM still head is innovative and I believe offers a huge advantage over other mechanically controlled LM designs: constant Reflux Ratio throughout the entire run.

While electronically controlled valves or pumps can be rigged to adapt return rate or product take-off rate of LM stills to maintain constant Reflux Ratio as vapor volume falls during run (Odin's iStill as an example and other ARC builds) this appears to be a clever mechanical method to achieve the same result. Vapor condenses on sides of head and falls down into annular cup with two exit ports - one for reflux and one for takeoff. A fixed divider separates the two ports and a 0-360 dial controls a second movable divider changes the proportion of the annular cups contents that are diverted to reflux or takeoff. As a result, the ratio of surface area controls the reflux ratio and is constant throughout the run even as vapor volume changes.

Understandably as a long time reader but first time poster to the forum maybe I've missed some critical information or some deep history where this design was once tried and discussed. So I'm curious if others share my curiosity / enthusiasm for this design and it's potentially innovative reflux management principle?

Otherwise, I'm curious and have begun considering how this can be scaled up into a larger head and easily constructed from common parts? Are there other potential limitations which render this management method mostly theoretical vs practical?

[Yummyrum]

I agree with all you have said mjs
.
I too am impressed with the head design . The boiler , nit so .

[Whotan]

I'm thinking about building such a head. However, I'm still waiting a little longer. (Until several people have a clue what to say) I haven't been around that long to judge how good or even better the head is!

[Aluda]

Thanks MJS. You managed to write in an accessible, simple and understandable way about the advantages of my control design using a movable damper of the sampling area.
I am very sorry about my language, when I was at school, I studied a foreign language, I chose English, when I studied at the institute, I also studied and passed tests, sessions and exams in English. Only now, thanks to the computer, I was able to communicate a little with you who are passionate about this hobby. I'm very pleased. Unfortunately, I have a job that takes my time away from my hobby. Little time left for hobbies! But this goes away with age. Once again I apologize for my English.

[Wildcats]

Aside from the boiler pressurization problems, this proposed condensed surface area controlled LM still head is innovative and I believe offers a huge advantage over other mechanically controlled LM designs: constant Reflux Ratio throughout the entire run.

While electronically controlled valves or pumps can be rigged to adapt return rate or product take-off rate of LM stills to maintain constant Reflux Ratio as vapor volume falls during run (Odin's iStill as an example and other ARC builds) this appears to be a clever mechanical method to achieve the same result. Vapor condenses on sides of head and falls down into annular cup with two exit ports - one for reflux and one for takeoff. A fixed divider separates the two ports and a 0-360 dial controls a second movable divider changes the proportion of the annular cups contents that are diverted to reflux or takeoff. As a result, the ratio of surface area controls the reflux ratio and is constant throughout the run even as vapor volume changes.

Understandably as a long time reader but first time poster to the forum maybe I've missed some critical information or some deep history where this design was once tried and discussed. So I'm curious if others share my curiosity / enthusiasm for this design and it's potentially innovative reflux management principle?

Otherwise, I'm curious and have begun considering how this can be scaled up into a larger head and easily constructed from common parts? Are there other potential limitations which render this management method mostly theoretical vs practical?

Hell of a first post outside the welcome center. Sounds like we can maybe expect good things from you Sir.