Easy Thor's Hammer or horizontal CCVM
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:35 pm
So I was playing with my modular setup and came up with this. Ignore the lack of column, as well as the length difference of the horizontal pieces, they would be made even for an LM setup or one would lead to a product condenser for the condenser controlled VM.
you get to reuse your coiled reflux condenser and reap the height benefits without having to build harrys crossflow condenser! (OK, his flow rate slaughters mine but still, this knocked down about 25K BTU's with a boiler full of water)
This was a water run to see if the concept was sound and the condenser was enough in the horizontal position (it did just fine)
I know I can't be the first one to think of either of these ideas,....But it might have just solved my height issue. Not to mention removing the need to find a way to hold the condenser in place when running the CCVM. I know DAD's condensers both slide and stay put, but mine have to clear my gaskets which are smaller ID than the pipe. There's no friction fit, so I had to use small flattened pieces of copper inserted between the coils to keep it set at the height I wanted. Minor adjustments will be much easier from this angle.
One question: How do you avoid massive smearing with a crossflow reflux condenser? from my observation, it seems without a slight angle back to the column distillate would (does) pool badly. I've always wondered this but never needed to pursue an answer til now
The setup is all 2" ID copper with a single wound 1/4" coil around a 3/4" fill tube. I originally made this "condenser" as a wort chilling wand for small batches and since adapted it as my CCVM condenser.
Pics:
you get to reuse your coiled reflux condenser and reap the height benefits without having to build harrys crossflow condenser! (OK, his flow rate slaughters mine but still, this knocked down about 25K BTU's with a boiler full of water)
This was a water run to see if the concept was sound and the condenser was enough in the horizontal position (it did just fine)
I know I can't be the first one to think of either of these ideas,....But it might have just solved my height issue. Not to mention removing the need to find a way to hold the condenser in place when running the CCVM. I know DAD's condensers both slide and stay put, but mine have to clear my gaskets which are smaller ID than the pipe. There's no friction fit, so I had to use small flattened pieces of copper inserted between the coils to keep it set at the height I wanted. Minor adjustments will be much easier from this angle.
One question: How do you avoid massive smearing with a crossflow reflux condenser? from my observation, it seems without a slight angle back to the column distillate would (does) pool badly. I've always wondered this but never needed to pursue an answer til now
The setup is all 2" ID copper with a single wound 1/4" coil around a 3/4" fill tube. I originally made this "condenser" as a wort chilling wand for small batches and since adapted it as my CCVM condenser.
Pics: