24 gallon electric bain marie

[shadylane]

Don't call it a success yet.
The mashing and fermenting is being done with the bain marie only.
For distilling, steam injection will be used in conjunction with the bain marie.

[Swedish Pride]

Delighted to hear it living up to expectations so far, I believe you and yak are breaking new ground here.
New gold standard for the rest of us to look up to

[shadylane]

that's only 60% efficient...just curious...what is the voltage and current on the 4500w element?

I think she needs a heavier coat.

She definitely needs a heavier coat
Time to start engineering some insulation
The water jacket started boiling after 3:05 and the pot temp was 210f
The next time I fire it up, both 4500w heaters will be running.

Edited:
The cheap thermometer used was around 5f high
In other words, subtract 5 or more from all the measurements.

[shadylane]

It would appear my steam injector had a fatal accident

[yakattack]

ComOn shady. Where's the story?

[jedneck]

Welcome to the tangle club.

[shadylane]

ComOn shady. Where's the story?

Someone tried to stir the mash with the steam injector still in place.
It wasn't me, I'd never try something like that.
Oh, by the way have I shown you how I made the fittings for a boiler sight tube?

[MichiganCornhusker]

Someone tried to stir the mash with the steam injector still in place.
It wasn't me, I'd never try something like that.

Um....

Here's a pic of an old injector. It ain't pretty and it's kinda small
But it worked really good and never plugged up.
Don't let the long and flimsy fool you.
It seems to slowly move around in the mash.
And that's good. I'll be making a bigger version
The dents and smashed spots are from my drill powered stirrer

[shadylane]

Recon it's time to engineer a stupid and drill proof steam injector

[Brutal]

Recon it's time to engineer a stupid and drill proof steam injector

I caught mine several times made me think I did it in. She's still good though.

The down pipe seen better days. But she's ok too.


Mine hasn't seen nearly as much action as yours has though. I hope to correct that situation soon.

[shadylane]

I'm thinking something similar, especially the copper retaining wire
That's the simplest way to getter done, I've seen.

[MichiganCornhusker]

I'm thinking something similar, especially the copper retaining wire
That's the simplest way to getter done, I've seen.

Looks like a hog ring!
Sorry, Brutal, but every time I see that image I think of your baking soda induced Stink Volcano.

[shadylane]

Forgot to post this.
Here's what a 100% corn mash looks like around an hour after pitching bakers yeast at 129F.
The temp measured at the surface was 110f when the pic was taken.
It was getting late and I figured to give the yeast a running head start in case I over slept.
I definitely didn't need to re-pitch in the morning. Sorry no pics
Never underestimate the tenacity of bakers yeast.

Edited:
This mash was for a sacrificial run. Normal rules and common sense didn't matter

[shadylane]

I made this little cart years ago.
Figure it will work great for emptying the boiler
Here's my temporary water trap to protect the boiler part of the bain marie from over pressure or vacuum.
It's a 1" piece of pvc full of water, with a 1/2" tube going almost to the bottom.
Under normal conditions the boiler pressure will blow out some of the water
If something goes wrong it will blow out all the water and vent the steam.

[shadylane]

Delighted to hear it living up to expectations so far, I believe you and yak are breaking new ground here.
New gold standard for the rest of us to look up to

Thanks for the kind words
One thing I've learned, there's nothing new, that hasn't been done before when it comes to distilling.
Every one on the forum is just bringing old ideas forward with new ways to do it, on a hobby scale.

[Brutal]

Shady I've been thinking of another injector head design. The more I think of it the more I think a stirring injector head will not be successful at low <5psi applications like ours. So how else to spread the heat? Make a head that spreads it evenly. 1" or 3/4" pipe coming down to a 1/2" x 1/2" x 1"or3/4" tee, then 1/2" around in a circle using 45 degree fittings. Leave a gap in the circle opposite side the down tube. That way you could slide a stainless mesh sleeve on each side and still remove it for cleaning. Holes drilled in the bottom of the pipe. The circle should be about 60% the size of the fermenter/boiler diameter. This wouldn't stir but it would spread the heat out well in the mash while avoiding pressure or the need for it. You could also whack it with the drill and it would survive.

[shadylane]

Ain't that a hell off a coincidence, yesterday I picked up the parts to make a circular, mesh covered injector.

[shadylane]

And I'd better get the injector made !!!
The mash's SG was .995 this morning.

[jedneck]

And I'd better get the injector made !!!
The mash's SG was .995 this morning.

Who need turdo with that speed. I have had mshes go dry in 2 1/2 days before.

[shadylane]

I here what your saying
Fermentation doesn't take very long with an AG mash, bakers yeast and 90f temps
When using enzymes, I've been letting the ferment sit for a day or two after it appears to be done.

[shadylane]

The mashing and fermenting was done, It's time to see if a hybrid bain marie/steam injector will work for distilling.
I connected the condenser and turned on both 4500w heaters.
55 minutes later the condenser started to drip. So I turned one of the heaters to 2/3ish power and left the other at 4500w.
In another hour it produced 2.8 gallons of 35% sacrificial low-wines from 30 pounds of cracked corn.

The corn plugged up the 2" drain, I opened the gate valve but only a trickle came out and could see a plug of corn.
Started to poke it, but figured that wasn't a good idea with a pot of almost boiling spent mash on the other side.

Mid-run the water seal started to slowly boil. The level increased a little then dropped. I added a cup of water and it didn't boil again?

For what it's meant to do. Mash-ferment-distill
I'll call hybrid bain marie/steam injector a definite success

[shadylane]

Shady I've been thinking of another injector head design. The more I think of it the more I think a stirring injector head will not be successful at low <5psi applications like ours. So how else to spread the heat? Make a head that spreads it evenly. 1" or 3/4" pipe coming down to a 1/2" x 1/2" x 1"or3/4" tee, then 1/2" around in a circle using 45 degree fittings. Leave a gap in the circle opposite side the down tube. That way you could slide a stainless mesh sleeve on each side and still remove it for cleaning. Holes drilled in the bottom of the pipe. The circle should be about 60% the size of the fermenter/boiler diameter. This wouldn't stir but it would spread the heat out well in the mash while avoiding pressure or the need for it. You could also whack it with the drill and it would survive.

Here's my ugly and hopefully stupid proof injector

[HDNB]

awesome awesome!

i kinda thought the steam injector (once i finally knew what you were doing) wouldn't really inject steam, since the mash is going to boil below 212.
the question rattling around the hollow space between my ears was-if there was enough surface area to strip the heat away from the water before it boiled away. apparently there is...
still, it's a helluva way to safely vent the water jacket to atmosphere, an not waste a nick of heat in the process.

color me agog with your ingenuity on this project!

[Brutal]

BRAVO!!! Hell yea! That is exactly the great result I hoped you would get buddy. Mash ferment distill and could get a run a week in easy it sounds. Now you can keep a tight process that doesn't change and work purely on varying the recipes. How much water did you lose from inside the jacket?

Oh, and I'd take off the lid and run the drill to keep the corn agitated and flowing, then open the drain.

[shadylane]

Tomorrow, I'll try to explain the theory of why and how the bain marie begins to inject stream into the pot full of mash,
at the point when the bain marie can't transfer any more heat to the mash but steam injection can and will start.
Any of the more articulate members that want to jump in and explain, how this experimental rig works is more than welcome to try....
The minor problem with the water seal wanting to boil might be cured with a drain near the top-outside lip seal and adding a little bit of cool water to keep it's temp below boiling.
Posting with Brutal.

[shadylane]

BRAVO!!! Hell yea! How much water did you lose from inside the jacket? .....
Oh, and I'd take off the lid and run the drill to keep the corn agitated and flowing, then open the drain.

I don't know how much water boiled off. It was less than the upper limit on the boiler sight tube?
Just a guess, less than 2 gallons
Your idea for draining the pot is exactly what I planned to do.
Obviously brilliant minds think alike

[HDNB]

Mid-run the water seal started to slowly boil. The level increased a little then dropped. I added a cup of water and it didn't boil again?

geez. i gotta work on the reading comprehension skills. I read that as "the water jacket "

edited: deleted posting my stupid questions with the OP's last post had answers.

[shadylane]

Mid-run the water seal started to slowly boil. The level increased a little then dropped. I added a cup of water and it didn't boil again?

geez. i gotta work on the reading comprehension skills. I read that as "the water jacket "

edited: deleted posting my stupid questions with the OP's last post had answers.

My apologies, it's some times difficult for a sane person to follow the logic and meaning of my thoughts or words.

[MichiganCornhusker]

That is a fine piece of work! Nice to see how well the jacket heats up the ferment so that it doesn't get as diluted with steam. Great idea, awesome fab skills, congrats and thank you!

[shadylane]

......Nice to see how well the jacket heats up the ferment so that it doesn't get as diluted with steam. Great idea, awesome fab skills, congrats and thank you!

It was a good idea. But my fad skills were amateurish compared to what a professional like Coren could do.