Home Distiller

I'm currently running a 5 gallon Clawhammer with a homemade 28" liebig, pulling coolant from a 5 gallon bucket. I've used this setup many times and it always produces good results, but my issue is with the coolant water temperature getting up above 100F about every 30 mins during a run, and having to replace the hot water with fresh cold water. I've tried using ice to help keep the temperature down initially, but the best I can usually hope for is an extra 10-15 minutes before I have to change the water.

I figure I have three options: a longer liebig, a larger coolant supply, or allowing the temperature to get higher before changing out the hot water for cold. Eventually I plan to build a longer liebig and use a large chest cooler for a larger supply of coolant water, but I have a run coming up this weekend and I don't have the money right now to put toward a bigger liebig and cooler. I was wondering, at what temperature would the coolant water through the liebig make cooling the vapor into condensate completely inefficient? I've let it get up to about 110F before (once when I wasn't paying attention) but I like to try changing the water before it ever reaches 100F. Since the boiling point of ethanol is 172-178F, I know the closer I approach that number, the less efficient the condenser will be. Would I be okay to let the temp run up to 120-130F before changing it out for fresh cold water? I guess I should ask, at what temperature point does the efficiency start to completely drop off and I start losing condensate? I've also thought about adding copper scrubbers inside the liebig to slow the flow of vapor in order to catch more condensate, but I'd rather not use scrubbers at all if it will affect the flavor of certain spirits (whiskey, rum, brandy, as opposed to vodka, which needs a clean taste).

Thanks for all your advice over the past few years! I've learned so much from you guys!

The best thing you could do is increase the size of your water vessel. I run a 5 gallon pot still and use a storage tub with about 15 gallons in it. The longest run I had was a spirit run that ran for about 5 hours. The temp got up to about 140F and my liebig was still knocking down the vapor. Next best thing would be to monitor and replenish the water as it heats up. If possible, drain water (hot) from the top of the container and add cool water to the bottom - run a hose to the bottom of the container. I've read that it's important to maintain the proper heat gradient in the cooling water vessel - that is, cool water at the bottom and the warmer water returning from your liebig on the top.

S-C

If you have your coolant water routed in the proper direction (going in where product comes out and exiting where vapor comes in) you should have an adequate condenser . water flow and temperature input are a constant balancing act . Steaming water at the output is not too hot as long as you maintain a temperature gradient along the length of the condenser . Warm to hot spirits coming out is ok as long as you are knocking down all the vapor . Ditch the ice idea . Use a larger coolant reservoir if you can't control the vapor in the condenser .
S-Cak posted same time I did and included details I left out .

When I ran a search I was reading about the heat gradient when using a worm, but I didn't realize it was also important when dealing with a liebig coolant vessel. I have a pond pump from Home Depot that suction cups to the bottom of the bucket I use now, pulling water from the cooler bottom of the bucket, and the return hose from the liebig dumps into the top of the water supply, so I think i've got that part right. I also have the liebig hoses hooked up correctly, with the input at the bottom of the liebig, and the outlet/return at the top. I made sure to double check that when I first set things up.

The size of the liebig seems to be adequate for my setup, and it's produced great results so far, but I'm definitely in agreement that I need a larger coolant tank more than anything. I'll look around tonight and see what I can find. I may be able to borrow a big chest cooler from a friend and set things up that way. At the very least it'll make it alot easier to drain off the hot water and replenish it with colder water. My current process involves using the return hose to fill up a second bucket with the hot water, while simultaneously refilling the first with fresh cold water. Needless to say, I get wet in a hurry. LOL

Thanks for the advice guys!

I use one of these. Best 13 storage bin I've ever bought. I typically put 15 gallons and add free snow or Ice if need be.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_44066-61896-440 ... facetInfo=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I hear your pain on the recirculation of cooling water. I'm running a smaller rig 3gal pot still 2.5 gal worm and 5gal res. I have fashioned a cooling system out of PVC copper and an inline duct fan. I will post pic momentarily

You are having to get rid of the same amount of heat energy that you put into your still. Altering the design of the liebig or the still doesn't change that.

If water is expensive, or in short supply and you can't use a total loss system and dump the hot water down the drain or into the garden, you could try evaporative cooling. Pump the outlet water over some kind of screen, hessian would do, and have a fan blowing on it. Try to arrange it so that it drains into your bucket, then keep an eye on the level in the bucket as it will drop during the run.

This will only work efficiently in a well ventilated space and is more efficient on dry days than humid days. The bigger the screen the more efficient it is.

xbwqs78 wrote:I use one of these. Best 13 storage bin I've ever bought. I typically put 15 gallons and add free snow or Ice if need be.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_44066-61896-440 ... facetInfo=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mine is similar to that, but I wish it were round. The weight of the water tends to distort the flat sides.

S-C

S-Cackalacky wrote:

xbwqs78 wrote:I use one of these. Best 13 storage bin I've ever bought. I typically put 15 gallons and add free snow or Ice if need be.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_44066-61896-440 ... facetInfo=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mine is similar to that, but I wish it were round. The weight of the water tends to distort the flat sides.

S-C

This one from lowes ( I think HD also) is harder and thicker than most I've seen. I never had a problem (yet) with distortion.

So here it is. I know the setup is small but I'm getting 1.5 l per 2.5 gal run
The PVC is 2 in and some 4 in coupling . Return line from worm goes in the and hit an old CPU heat sink then in the 2in tube b4 the T is 5 lengths of 1/2copper out the bottom of the T is a length 2in that meets the lowest water level to create a check valve. On the left side is the duct fan with a standard dimmer switch

So, would a 35 gallon res be sufficient for a 6 gallon run?

snooka wrote:So, would a 35 gallon res be sufficient for a 6 gallon run?

Yes, for straight pot still run (with no refluxing ).even 10 gallons of water should be enough for 6 gallons of wash.

Hopefully i can tell you tomorrow.

i have a 1000 gallon underground cistern that I normally use for the cooling water supply but the suction line from the cistern is not buried deep enough and freezes in this cold weather..... so I have to come up with a winter distilling alternative.

I will be using the same circulation pump as I used with the cistern, along with a second 50 gallon barrel that I ordered at the same time as I bought my primary fermenter barrel. My plan is to fill the barrel with cold water from my well, and then circulate that. I will use about 150 feet of of garden hose in the circuit to route outside and hopefully drop some of the heat outdoors before recirculating back to the barrel.

I suspect this will keep the barrel temperature fairly constant. I will report back with my results.

Cardinalbags wrote:Hopefully i can tell you tomorrow.

i have a 1000 gallon underground cistern that I normally use for the cooling water supply but the suction line from the cistern is not buried deep enough and freezes in this cold weather..... so I have to come up with a winter distilling alternative.

I will be using the same circulation pump as I used with the cistern, along with a second 50 gallon barrel that I ordered at the same time as I bought my primary fermenter barrel. My plan is to fill the barrel with cold water from my well, and then circulate that. I will use about 150 feet of of garden hose in the circuit to route outside and hopefully drop some of the heat outdoors before recirculating back to the barrel.

I suspect this will keep the barrel temperature fairly constant. I will report back with my results.

I've used a old baseboard from a remodel as a heat transfer outside. Worked great!!

Just wanted to post back and give an update! Thanks for the advice guys! I found a 20 gal Rubbermaid storage bin that I forgot I had, emptied it out, and used that as my coolant tank for my liebig. Starting temperature of the water was around 55F, and after each five gallon run, I was still well under 100F! I made four stripping runs of five gallons each, averaging a gallon of 45-50%abv on each run. I'm doing my spirit run now, waiting on the still to heat up again. Doing it this way, I'm only having to change about half the water between each run to get my starting coolant temp back down, which is alot less messy than changing 5 gallons every thirty mins!

Thanks for the help guys!

rubicon_in_ga wrote:When I ran a search I was reading about the heat gradient when using a worm, but I didn't realize it was also important when dealing with a liebig coolant vessel. I have a pond pump from Home Depot that suction cups to the bottom of the bucket I use now, pulling water from the cooler bottom of the bucket, and the return hose from the liebig dumps into the top of the water supply, so I think i've got that part right. I also have the liebig hoses hooked up correctly, with the input at the bottom of the liebig, and the outlet/return at the top. I made sure to double check that when I first set things up.

Thanks for the advice guys!

there's been a bit of confusing info here. The temp gradient is not required in your water vessel but is necessary in the leibig itself. The vessel only needs the gradient if it contains a worm condenser.

As to temp, anything below about 140 deg F at the out flow should be sufficient. I keep my outflow from condenser, water between 120-140 F and feel I have a realistic safety margin.

I say it all the time, but 140 Deg F is pretty easy to recognize. It is the temp where most human hands recoil. If you can hold your hand in it, it is below 140 deg F.