Still with bubble plates

[still crazy]

Proud of ya Joe
Congrats
May you prosper in good health

[Rufus]

Joe, I've one quick question concerning your bubble cap plate fabrication. I see that you used a weir (ring wall) around each plate to keep the condensate flowing down the downcomers only. My question to you is: How do you ensure that the vapor doesn't bypass your bubble plate caps i.e., flow up between the column wall and the edge of the plate.

Though I'm a big reader of this forum, I'm not much of comment writer so please know that like many others here your work is impressive. I just can't seem to find the answer in all of the posts I've read. Someday I may have some design experience to share but in the mean time I enjoy reading and learning about fabrication.

Rufus

[Kentucky shinner]

Hey Rufus I am going to try to answer your question. With out soldering the plates to the walls of the column I am sure you have some vapor slip around the edges. But your are putting so much vapor up the column though It also must pass through the bubble caps.As for the restricted space around the edge, the vapor will take the easiest path with less restriction, which would be the bubble caps.
Look at it like this, if you have a garden hose and you put a Y on the end and one side say has a 1/8" tubing and the other has the 1/2" hose, you going to get much more flow out of the 1/2" side than you will on the 1/8".
Pretty much the same principle.
I hope that makes some sense to ya.
KS

[Rufus]

KS, that does make sense. I guess what I'm hearing (reading) is that you minimize the problem by keeping a tight tolerance between the plate and column. Up until this point I've been assuming that the spacing between the plate and column was being sealed off by soldering or some sort of gasket. but I couldn't understand how you could braze or seal in such a tight space as a 4" column or smaller. Thanks for your explanations - all the whole bunch of you.
Rufus


Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:39 am
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[rednose]

Kentucky nailed it, the space between the column wall and the plates is that small, if you do it right, that only very few vapor pass by.

[rednose]

So, after installing the sight glasses I was able to run my still today and guess what?

What I said from the beginning in the flute section that it is impossible that a bubble plate don't bubble is now clear.

I could have bet my ass on it.

That means as I also said from the beginning that the perforated plates don't are calculated well, the holes have to be smaller and more of them.

Bubbling first plate

[JethroBodine]

Glad to see that you are such a good winner, Joe

Another piece of the puzzle falls into place. If Spooky has any extra plates, he could make one up as his are removeable.

[Samohon]

How many bubble caps have yo got on the plate Joe..?
Does the 30% surface area of plate for bubble caps still hold as they do for the perforated plates?

Nice to see it working...

[rednose]

No Sam, I don't use that formula of 30% surface.

I have 7 3/8 inch tubes that pass the vapor through the bubble caps in a 6 inch column.

I'm sure that Spooky will make some modifies based on this fact.

[LWTCS]

A single 1.5 will work too Sam. Stack 3 stages atop each other,,,,,,and they (so I'm told) call that a thump tower

[rednose]

It's night time now and I'm running another batch, I tried to make a small vid to show how strong the bubbles are working.

I converted it to a wmv file to be able to post it as a zip, just download and unzip.

Just an hour ago the upper sight glass started to leak a bit and I tried to tighen it, it cracked.

Anyhow it doesn't leak anymore and I can finish the run.

Tomorrow maestro Pepe have to make me a new glass, cost 0.50$ each.

The sound in the vid is coming from the 300 glass marples I use as boiler chips.

bubble plate 1a.zip

(963.35 KiB) Downloaded 360 times

[Kentucky shinner]

The Marbles are getting it red.. Hey looks like she working perfectly.. Thanks man,

[olddog]

A bubble plate is bound to bubble, regardless of whether there is water on the plate or alcohol, it holds liquid at a height where it has to bubble from the upcoming vapour, whereas a perforated plate will collapse when the alcohol diminishes as a lack of surface tension in the water based residual allows it to collapse. This is evident as the run progresses as the lower plates turn themselves off in sequence starting with the lowest plate and gradually moving up until only the top plate is left bubbling. Both types of plate work, each in their own different way.


OD

[Kentucky shinner]

A bubble plate is bound to bubble, regardless of whether there is water on the plate or alcohol, it holds liquid at a height where it has to bubble from the upcoming vapour, whereas a perforated plate will collapse when the alcohol diminishes as a lack of surface tension in the water based residual allows it to collapse. This is evident as the run progresses as the lower plates turn themselves off in sequence starting with the lowest plate and gradually moving up until only the top plate is left bubbling. Both types of plate work, each in their own different way.


OD

Yep I will be keeping mine just like she is.. I am getting just what I want from it now so I aint messing with the ole girl.

[rednose]

Both types of plate work, each in their own different way.


OD

I know that both plate types work, "Apollo" has 4 plates fixed soldered in the head but the holes are very small, maybe about 1.5 mm, that makes it more difficult for the liquid to fall down.

Don't ask me to install sight glasses on that head please.

[rednose]

Yep I will be keeping mine just like she is.. I am getting just what I want from it now so I aint messing with the ole girl.

That is a wise decision Kentucky, your still has good results and unsoldering the top can make a lot of mess.

One of the funny parts of distilling is to built copper/SS porn and you always can built an additional still or make someone, that don't have the skills to built, happy and keep the new one.

[holliday]

Red what would be the advantage or disadvantage to use downcomers vs using an upside down cap to return your liquid.

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