Home Distiller

Hello all,

Looking for suggestions on insulating a 50lt keg for use on propane with rim burner stand.
Aussie based.
Looked at building foils...way too dear for whole rolls and not fire proof.

Fireproof cement seems ok but it would be daggy.

Tried a rubber based mat like pipe insulation but heat from rim burner access slot ate that.

Kind of lost on this one...any advice would be most welcome.

cheers
dave

I want to use air - I'm looking for a good metal garbage can to punch a hole in the top of, and call it a shroud. Just can't get things that aren't plastic though anymore.

Bunnings are clearing out 2mm checker plate sheets at the moment at 24.95 per sheet, they would make a nice shroud.


OD

I use a 44 galon drum as a shroud. Works a treat and cut my start up times by about a 3rd

great Idea aces High. I may have to try this one out also.

G'DAY Aces High
Thats a top idea, do you gas or electric heating?

CHEERS: DOLIKEADRINK

Its run on propane gas. i just have the keg sitting on a couple of bricks and a 3 ring burner underneath. I have a small section cut out on the bottom of the shroud and the burner sticks through there.

Easy

do you find that there is sufficent airflow through the burner slot? or does your keg end up with soot on the bottom, yellow flame, etc.

kiwistiller wrote:do you find that there is sufficent airflow through the burner slot? or does your keg end up with soot on the bottom, yellow flame, etc.

G'day Kiwistiller
Air flow??? Gas fumes??? Thats what i was thinking.

CHEERS: DOLIKEADRINK

the 3 ring burner has the pipe that sucks the air in as the propane is pushed in (this is where the controls are), so as long as this is outside the shroud there are no problems. I could get a nice clean flame.

I'll see if i can find a picture of the other side of the keg when I get home

wonderful, I have the same burner. $50 from bunnings or something, right?

yep thats the one. all the camping stores in Australia sell them as well. They look like this. as long as the end is hanging out you get very little soot. A small layer over time, but thats from over use more than anything. There is also a couple of little discs to regulate airflow. You screw them out for more airflow... i just took them off completely to allow as much airflow as possible

I built a steam kettle to use for injecting steam when mashing. I tried a few ways of insulating as I heat that on propane too. In the end I used a galvanised metal waste bin as a shroud. I went down a slightly different route, cut the botton out of the bin and sealed the shroud to the keg rim with fire cement and fitted a flue to the shroud for the exhaust.



Cooking the fire cement on the range slowly and this also shows the flue for the exhaust.



Using the flue was to give me the option of using the exhaust to further heat the steam lines if I wanted or to vent the exhaust out through the wall.

I then insulated the shroud with a layer of fibreglass mesh that was bonded with fire cement instead of resin, and covered that with a layer of cement mixed up with vermiculite. Its less than 1/2" thick but it insulates enough that the surface is only warm to touch when in use. Fairly heavy - but it does not get moved often. I can fill and drain it in situ without moving it.

This was an earlier atempt at insulating the shroud with expanding foam. Looked OK but in use the layer next to the shroud melted and it smelled terrible. Have had no trouble with the cement instead.



If you need to go for a lighter option then you are probably looking for ceramic fibre like they use on kilns. Absolutely flame proof but not cheap.

Thanks all,

much appreciated... off to get a 44 gal drum!

Now if I can just get exhaust ports one for the kettle and one for the frypan I may never leave the shed again lol
cheers
dave

As Aces High and myles have proven, a shroud is a better way to go that direct insulation... This idea has been used for many many years, and is still used today in some distilleries...

Ceramic wool blankets would be the best. Used to line the inside of an oil or gas fired evaporator for making maple syrup. Wrap the keg with it and you would be good to go!

I've been using a welding curtain that I got from Harbor Freight for $10.00 us, works good.
I like the metal shroud idea, myles

I know others have pointed this out but as most welders know, keep in mind that galvanized metal gives out poisonous fumes. I know this applies when welding or really burning hot so I suppose if it is not getting too hot it should be OK but it I'd something to think about.

Hello

I was also thinking about insulation of the boiler. This product could also be a solution, it is not flamable (class A1) and used for insulation.

http://www.argex.eu/gen/en/

Fred