Insulator between column & reflux condenser?

[YankeeDistiller]

Hi,

Thanks to everyone here for the great info. I'm buying parts for a VM rig, but this question applies to most designs with active cooling.

Would performance improve if an insulating section was added between the top of the column and the reflux condenser? With the high thermal conductivity of all the connected copper, the condenser is putting some effort into cooling the column, which I think is undesirable. A short section of a low-conductivity tube at the bottom of the reflux condenser would keep the low temps in the condenser *in* the condenser, and the warm column would not lose energy to the condenser, except via the migrating vapor.

I imagine a short tube (maybe 1 inch) of wood, ceramic, or some other inert material, bonded to the top of the column and bottom of the condenser, impeding heat flow between the two (except via vapor) thus reducing condenser load. The short tube would replace a length of copper tube.

Did I describe it well? Is it crackpot? Is the answer different depending on graham vs liebig cooling?

I can imagine a similar insulator at the product output, just before the product cooler.

Thanks,
Yank

[Dnderhead]

I thank you have a point,, but that creates two problems,, one thermal expansion, and two attaching without using synthetics.

[YankeeDistiller]

I thank you have a point,, but that creates two problems,, one thermal expansion, and two attaching without using synthetics.

Yeah I suppose if the insulator was fragile (glass or ceramic), then the thermal stresses could crack it. But even a section of stainless steel, with its relatively lower conductivity, should provide some benefit. Or ... titanium

If I read things right here, silicone is ok to have in the product path. One could dangle an output liebig condenser, hanging it by the silicone section. Holding up a reflux condenser would be more problematic.

Yank