A question of design understanding.

[yakattack]

OK.

I want to make sure that I am understanding what I am reading and can proceed safely with my build.

I am upgrading slightly from my 2 gallon ss pot set up with a worm in a bucket to a 12 gallon boiler with a lieburg (sp?).

I haven't figured out any demintions because I need a clarification of a point. I understand the scientific principal of how it works to knock down the vapors. But what I am unclear about is configuration.

Is there a significant difference between having a coil inside the jacket or is a straight pipe sufficient to have enough heat transfer to knock the vapor down ?

I will be using 2 inch from the boiler to the 90,after the 90 reduce to 3/4 or 1/2 inch. I will be running the leiburg at about a 45* angle aiming for about a foot and a half away from from the boiler. Burner is a 60, 000 but propane burner. I'll be running a continuous circulation pump system for cooling as I run in the garage.

I understand the need for turbulence both in the vapor path and in the coolant path.

As a matter of design, I considering instead of using wire wrapped around the straight making my own copper heat sink fins to solder around the pipe ( think fan blades) for two reasons. One this should help pull off the heat more efficiently ( conduction) and also cause some decent turbulance in the coolant water through obstruction and the curved blades.

I would love to do a design picture but do not have access to a computer and am just on my smart phone.

I will be able to do a mock up for final inspection prior to building it. Just am looking for input on the ideas.

And if I am way off base please correct me and point me to some further reading to correct.

I await your expertise..

Yak

[cranky]

I don't know if you can call what I have "expertise" but I do have a 15.5 gallon keg and use 1.5" copper pipe reduced to 1/2 into a 32" (?) liebig. I used the spiral wrap of #12 wire for a turbulator and another one inside the 1/2 inch and I can do a stripping run at a qt every 4.5 minutes so I don't really see any reason to redesign anything that works so effectively.

[yakattack]

I don't know if you can call what I have "expertise" but I do have a 15.5 gallon keg and use 1.5" copper pipe reduced to 1/2 into a 32" (?) liebig. I used the spiral wrap of #12 wire for a turbulator and another one inside the 1/2 inch and I can do a stripping run at a qt every 4.5 minutes so I don't really see any reason to redesign anything that works so effectively.

Do you have a design sketch? Or one you recommend? Is your vapor pipe straight or coiled?

[thatguy1313]

Straight vapor pipe us a Liebig. Coiled is a grahm. Samohan has some good sketches if each.

[bellybuster]

Anything flammable a foot and a half from a propane burner is asking for trouble

[cranky]

I did the same thing as npstephe on this thread http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=51787 and made the liebig just like hookline in this thread. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =87&t=9247

[cranky]

Anything flammable a foot and a half from a propane burner is asking for trouble

Nice catch bellybuster, I missed that. My liebig is at a 45 degree angle and even though I'm all electric the end is roughly 3 feet from the boiler.

[yakattack]

Anything flammable a foot and a half from a propane burner is asking for trouble

Nice catch bellybuster, I missed that. My liebig is at a 45 degree angle and even though I'm all electric the end is roughly 3 feet from the boiler.

Understood. Will make sure my take off is farther away

[ShineRunnah]

You're thinking far too much about this condenser. It just doesn't need to be that complicated to be extremely effective.

The wire around the pipe inside the water jacket is sufficient for turbulence, and something as simple as a copper scrubby loosely tucked into the vapor path will do just fine.

As for length, I've not seen anyone have issues from a condenser being too long, its always those running the short liebigs that seem to have issue.

My liebig on my 15gal keg is 36"+ long 3/4" copper with a PVC sleeve. I don't have issues under normal use, and I barely need any water flow.

Keep it simple. If you want to get fancy, build a shotgun condenser. The beauty of a liebig is its utterly simple yet works so damn well.

[rager]

The beauty of a liebig is its utterly simple yet works so damn well.

and it looks like a scrape piece of pipe just laying around

3/4 over 1/2 and about 36inchs long seems to be the minimum of what people are using. but are using with success.

[thatguy1313]

Mine is bout 40" 3/4 over 1/2. No issues at all. Copper wire wrapped around the 1/2" and scrubbie inside.

[cranky]

I just measured mine 36" of jacketed section. works real nice.

[myles]

All condensers should be designed to cope with the maximum power available in the boiler.
size and physical dimensions are personal choice - within a range determined by boiler power, coolant flow rate, coolant temp and several other factors.

Each condenser can thus opperate over a range of boiler powers by adjusting other parameters.

For many the overall size of the condenser is a matter of convenience in use. A big reason some folks change to a tube and shell design is because it can be a bit shorter. This makes it more user friendly.

I have 1 liebig that is over 7 foot long, but I coiled it to take up a cubic foot of space to make it more convenient to use.

Start with considering the power and work on from there.

[Shine NOLA]

I have 1 liebig that is over 7 foot long, but I coiled it to take up a cubic foot of space to make it more convenient to use.

.

I would like to see a picture of that Myles......
sounds cool

[yakattack]

Agreed. A pic would be sweet

[rager]

I have 1 liebig that is over 7 foot long, but I coiled it to take up a cubic foot of space to make it more convenient to use.


.

I would like to see a picture of that Myles......
sounds cool

+2