I've got a problem:
My new VM column doesn't work as it should.
I built a new still out of a 30 ltr. beerkeg and 1.80 metres of stainless steel of, what used to be, dairy pipe. One part of the coupling i had welded onto the keg, with the nut i can fasten the column to the keg.
At ca. 20 centimeters from the top of the column a piece of 1/2 inch threaded pipe is welded and to that i can screw on a valve and the liebig. So the packed part of the column is about 150 centimeters.
In the testruns (water) there was no steam coming out of the side. Only when i turned on the gas full-power ther was a little steam coming out of the top, so the condenser can handle a lot of vapour. It is made out of 24 ft. of 3/16" copper tubing, wound to a double helix. The total length of the condenser is 18 centimeters.
My thought what can be the problem is that the space between the take-off point and the bottom of the condenser is too little, and therefore the area remains to cool so there is no vapour reaching up to the take-off. But even when i put the power to (almost) maximum and add extra insulation around the take-off and the condensing area, no steam comes out.
Are ther some of you that have any suggestions for modification ?
KJH
