Cooling water adjustment question

[freespirited]

I ran a batch throught the reflux still (sugar wash). Seemed to go well. One thing I noticed however, is that when I turned up the water on the condensor coil to help with keeping vapors in the still it actually made the water on the return line come out hotter? Any ideas? I turned it back down and the water came out cool again. Is this a restriction issue?

[rad14701]

Which reflux still design are you referring to, freespirited...???

I wouldn't expect that to be the case with any of the designs as they should all be removing more heat with more water and thus coming out cooler overall... Unless you accidentally feed them hot water... DOH...!!!

[Usge]

If you are using a "T", given a common source, increasing flow to one side...would reduce it to the other.

[Prairiepiss]

By sayin you turned up the water to the condenser. Do you mean you opened a valve inline? Are you using water from a tap. Or are you using a recirculation pump? Did the output flow increase when you turned it up? Did you use a thermometer to tell it actually got hotter? Was you standing an you left foot and checking with your right hand?

I don't know all the particulars of what and how you ran it. But I will say more then likely restriction is not the answer. It would take a lot of pressure and restriction to make a noticeable difference in temp.

[freespirited]

No "T" in the cooling line. It runs through t he main condnesor then through the coil in the top of the still. I have a valve to up or slow the flow. When it started to show a little steam oiut the top of the still, I allowed more flow of water. The water on the return line seemed to pick up a little more but like I said it got hot. As soon as I slowed it again is began to run cool on the return side???? Water is from tap, and definetly the cold side.

[Usge]

Don't sound like a problem to me. Sounds like you just flushed the hot water out of either the reflux coil..or the liebig, when you upped the flow rate at sink. Hard to tell from your description. If you got a single line coming from the exit of your lieibig..with a valve on it..running to the reflux condesner...then you are stuffing back your liebig with backpressure. It will heat up there. Then when you open the valve up..it flushes the hot water out of the liebig ...and then cools. Or it can work the other way....you had a much slower rate of flow through reflux condensor....which heats the water inside the coil. Then, when you upped the flow...it flushed the hot water out...then got cooler.

[HeadCase]

Dumb question, but you didn't turn up the flow by also using the Hot side of your sink?

Some old sinks, like what I have at home, has a sweet spot for the cold water. But if I turn it up it begins to push water from both the hot and cold side actually causing the water from the faucet to become warmer (This is one of those single handled faucets where you lift and point for temp). The heat within the column would then increase proportionally to that and release through the outlet for the water.

This is purely a theory as to what could be the cause. check water temps from the faucet to guarantee no temp change in all positions prior to use in the still.

[freespirited]

Thanks usge that makes sense.

LOL Headcase! It was hooked on the outside faucet.