Plans for a modular column keg still

[creekrat]

Posted in the newb area earlier and figured I'd start a thread here as a placeholder to cover my column build.

The plan is to have an electric fired keg with potentially 2 elements, on/off and another on a SSVR. The keg will do double duty and also serve as my BAP for bringing my water to temp for mashing. As for the column, depending on what I can acquire at work as far as it pertains to copper pipe, will be either 2" or 3" and approximately 24" tall. At the top of the column I will have a tee so that I can convert to a reflux setup in the future if I am shooting for a neutral. I am undecided if I want to have tri-clamp fittings between the column and tee yet but would probably lean this way to increase potential configurations. In the beginning I am going to come off of the tee with 2" and into a shotgun condenser a la twisted bricks design. Once I am able to run and control how the still in this configuration I want to add in a thumper, most likely another 1/2 barrel keg, to the setup with a larger opening on top so I can plan to run the grains from mashing and increase potential yield and flavor profiles and to just generally experiment with. Both kegs will be upside down and using the sanke fittings as the drains.

With he reading I've done on the SC from twisted bricks, it seams as though I should have no problems running hot and heavy with a 3" column and 2" SC if I were to choose to do so. It's also of note that I am on well water that is note only clean and tastes great but is pretty damn cool as well. I will be running my setup in my heated garage so I will just let the wastewater go down the washing machine drain.

[Twisted Brick]

I vote for building fully modular on every piece, for future versatility. Below is the copper for a 3" CCVM kit I recently finished for a member and should re-config nicely for your thumper down the road.

And yes, a 2 x 21" shotgun will comfortably handle all the heat (+15kw) you can put into a keg and through a 2" or 3" pot. Just know that the conventional height:diameter ratio on a reflux rig is 20-24:1. This translates to a 40" tall (packed) column for a 2" rig and a 60" column for a 3" rig. This is helpful to know when considering the ceiling height you'll need in your garage, even if going electric.

[creekrat]

Just know that the conventional height:diameter ratio on a reflux rig is 20-24:1. This translates to a 40" tall (packed) column for a 2" rig and a 60" column for a 3" rig. This is helpful to know when considering the ceiling height you'll need in your garage, even if going electric.

Height is not a problem for me. My garage has 20' sidewalls and the roof is a 3:12 pitch across 40'. In keeping with the modularity of the rig I would probably go with a 2" column for a reflux setup just so as not to have to build the Burj Khalifa in my garage every time I wanted a neutral. My wife is the only one that drinks vodka but she also likes rum so I imagine I'd have her drinking more rum since I wouldn't have to change the configuration at all or very little to go from bourbon to rum

[Deplorable]

Just know that the conventional height:diameter ratio on a reflux rig is 20-24:1. This translates to a 40" tall (packed) column for a 2" rig and a 60" column for a 3" rig. This is helpful to know when considering the ceiling height you'll need in your garage, even if going electric.

Height is not a problem for me. My garage has 20' sidewalls and the roof is a 3:12 pitch across 40'. In keeping with the modularity of the rig I would probably go with a 2" column for a reflux setup just so as not to have to build the Burj Khalifa in my garage every time I wanted a neutral. My wife is the only one that drinks vodka but she also likes rum so I imagine I'd have her drinking more rum since I wouldn't have to change the configuration at all or very little to go from bourbon to rum

From my experience, if you're only making vodka on occasion, a 2" is fine. I make vodka from my AG feints saved in a corny keg. When the keg gets full I dilute it to 20 to 25% and dissolve about a third to half a cup of baking soda in it right before I turn on the heat and start assembling the column. A full boiler charge of 12 gallons through my CCVM to pull 94 to 95% makes for a long, long day, but I get a good bit of clean neutral to dilute down to 80 proof vodka.
I can reach my RC on a two step ladder.

[PLAYMP]

Your situation seems pretty similar to mine, although I'm jealous of your well water situation. Mine is a 3'' stainless all modular VM rig and I don't know I'd ever go another way. You mentioned you're thinking a 2'' column but I'm really glad I went with 3'' for my 13 gallon boiler for the speed factor alone. Neutral spirit runs would be a real grind otherwise. It's tall and I need a step ladder to get to the valve when I'm adjusting the reflux ratio but makes a great product. For stripping runs I use a 2'' shotgun condenser and use circulated water in a 15 gallon utility sink that I'll refill occasionally and it will handle all 4500 watts I throw at it. For spirit runs I'll upgrade to a kiddy pool of cool water and it doesn't have trouble servicing both my shotgun and reflux condenser in a loop. Here's a pic in case it can be helpful:

IMG_8997.jpg

[Salt Must Flow]

creekrat for a 3" reflux configuration, I wouldn't go with less than 5' of packed column. I've never used more than one 5500W element in my 15.5 gal kegs and I've always been ok with how long it takes to heat up, but the option for two elements would be pretty slick. I would admire the ability to reduce the power on each element to 50% for each and drastically reduce the possibility of scorching of some mashes during a stripping run. I always use two elements on my BIG stripping boiler and I really appreciate how it cuts heatup time in half at 100% power.

[creekrat]

For reflux mode, is it the total height of the column before the tee or would it be total height to include the reflux condenser above the tee?

I was able to get 2 each 4' sections of 2" type L pipe and will also get 2 each 2' sections of 3" type L. That is all I will be able to take in with me this time but I can get more next time I come out. I work a 3 week on/off rotation

[Salt Must Flow]

For reflux mode, is it the total height of the column before the tee or would it be total height to include the reflux condenser above the tee?

I was able to get 2 each 4' sections of 2" type L pipe and will also get 2 each 2' sections of 3" type L. That is all I will be able to take in with me this time but I can get more next time I come out. I work a 3 week on/off rotation

I was saying that if you went with 3" then I wouldn't go with any less than 5' of packed column. That means the length of packing inside the column. They say that the packed section of column should be approx 20 times the diameter of the column. If you're going with 2" then I wouldn't go with less than 40".

[creekrat]

Not bad when you get it for free. This is all I can get in my bag this trip but will be able to get a few more 2" and 3" pieces on subsequent trips. It's all type L. For modularity I will effectively make 2' spools with the pipe I have with the exception of one of the sections of 2". That will be used for a shotgun condenser a la Twisted Bricks

[Salt Must Flow]

Can't beat free copper pipe. Excellent score!