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I just finished my first reflux run with my Nixon/stone head with a double wound + cold finger

I ran from my previous 3 stripped runs which were at 40%. Off ~10 gallons of this I got 11 litres at just over 93%.

Anyways back to the point at hand.

I’ve learned my coolant for my reflux needs to be *hot*. I got better yields when it was up at like 40°c, which where it maxed at in my closed cooling loop.

I’m my mind, I think what’s happening with the coolant needing to be hot is this:

It takes XXX amount of energy to get to say 92%.

And let’s say the same to go from say that 92% to 95%

- law of diminishing returns -

If you super cool it too much it has to start over further down the ladder, where if you don’t cool it too much it continues along the path upward, but from a much later start point so it can be purified more.

I think I’ll see next run if I can get much closer to say 60° for my coolant. Still cool enough to condense it, but it’s starting quite further up the purity ladder.

Theory here:
http://homedistiller.org/theory/refluxdesign/steps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Basically, off a 10% wash
1 = 53%
2 = 80%
3 = 87%
4 = 90%
5 = 92%
6 = 92.6%
7 = 93.3%
8 = 93.8%
9 = 94.2%
10 = 94.4%



Am I wrong?


Also a tie in to this

http://homedistiller.org/theory/theory/strong" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

From my understanding the warmer you can run the reflux and still knock all the vapor down the better.

The coolant temperature rises with increased heat transfer. So, as you turn up the heat on the boiler, you have to remove more heat in the reflux condenser. More heat in the boiler means more vapor produced which needs to be condensed in the RC.

Now, to relate heat input to purity...as you increase vapor production and knock it back down the column, as the rising hot vapors "splash" through condensed (descending) liquid, it transfers some of its heat to the falling liquid. As it does that, the part of the liquid with higher volatility will again reboil and rise again. As this process continues over and over, purer product is loaded at the top of the column. And heavier (lower volatile constituents) will remain lower in the column or even in the boiler.

So, coolant temperature does not produce purer product. It represents greater efficiency in heat transfer. But the increased vapor mass flow in conjunction with proper reflux will stack the column with higher purity at the top.

Purity depends on reflux ratio; the ratio of condensate falling back down the column to the product collected at the outlet. To approach azeotropic production, you need a high reflux ratio, typically greater than 10:1.

So, turn up the heat on your boiler as far as you can while still fully condensing all the vapors in the RC. Keep it high and slowly start collecting at the output. Maintain the heat input while collecting and your proof should stay high.
ss

still_stirrin wrote:
Purity depends on reflux ratio; the ratio of condensate falling back down the column to the product collected at the outlet. To approach azeotropic production, you need a high reflux ratio, typically greater than 10:1.

So, turn up the heat on your boiler as far as you can while still fully condensing all the vapors in the RC. Keep it high and slowly start collecting at the output. Maintain the heat input while collecting and your proof should stay high.
ss

Will do when my controller comes in. Right now it’s only at 1100 watts in reflux mode.

I just got a horizontal Nixon Stone with a shotgun. We're just getting going with it. We are recycling the cooling water from 275 gallon tote. The first cleaning run sure ran slowly, and the cooling water never got above 80 degrees. Thanks for the tip. I may try running warmer water

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Saltbush Bill wrote:From my understanding the warmer you can run the reflux and still knock all the vapor down the better.

+1 Salty and it looks like OP has just found this out for himself

Yummyrum wrote:

Saltbush Bill wrote:From my understanding the warmer you can run the reflux and still knock all the vapor down the better.

+1 Salty and it looks like OP has just found this out for himself

Yep, you can read all you want, but it has to make sense too to register