So my question is about the coil. I used 7 feet of 5/16 OD flexible. Does this seem sufficient for a 34 inch long 2 in dia. column? It will be on top of a 15.5 gal keg fired by LP or natural gas. And what do you think of what I did to the top of the 1.5 inch pipe? notice the bent down tab. My only concern is the I may have constricted the flow too much... Thanks!
Last edited by kingearwig on Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Well I wanted to limit the amount of condensate that is able to fall directly back down the column. And I wanted the tab to make the distillate fall into the center of the packing.
olddog wrote:Why have you bent the top of the 2' tube in. Would it not be easier to just put in a plate a la bokabob
It would have definately been cheaper... but too late for that now. I am building 2 more and you have a good point. So do you think it will be too constrictive?
I get the idea of reducing the tube... I use a loose slant plate in my column to serve as a deflector... Saves on buying a T... I've considered a similar method if I was to build another two reducer column...
So I scrapped the idea of crimping the pipe. Here is what I did.
I just used a pipe. I cut it a little short though. I wanted it to hang down towards the colum a 1/4 inch. but instead I crimped the bottom of the pipe slighly in 4 places. hopefully much of the ethanol stuck to the sides will cling to these protrusions and drip onto the packing.
I also soldered a flange on the bottom of the column. waiting on the triclamp now.
rad14701 wrote:I get the idea of reducing the tube... I use a loose slant plate in my column to serve as a deflector... Saves on buying a T... I've considered a similar method if I was to build another two reducer column...
would you mind showing me a picture or diagram of the part you use.... I was thinking about using an ellipse soldered at an angle to a circle of copper wire.
rad14701 wrote:I get the idea of reducing the tube... I use a loose slant plate in my column to serve as a deflector... Saves on buying a T... I've considered a similar method if I was to build another two reducer column...
would you mind showing me a picture or diagram of the part you use.... I was thinking about using an ellipse soldered at an angle to a circle of copper wire.
Third picture down in the first post of the topic in my sig... The throat height into the upper reducer determines the volume in the reflux collection cup... Mine is calibrated to hold one ounce of alcohol before refluxing... This volume is a smear of the ongoing reflux average taking place constantly... You also want to locate the take off branch in a position where it is fully below the reflux level... For example, my 1/4 inch take off branch has 1/2 inch of alcohol above it while reflux is happening...
Would it not be easier to just put in a plate a la bokabob
