Home Distiller

I have had the idea for awhile about building a pumped reflux side column for my dedicated neutral/vodka still.
Many people and distilleries have height restrictions. Home distillers normally overcome this with using smaller diameter to match their height available. Commercial distilleries regularly use side columns to get enough height/length to match their purity and production speed goals.

I built this 4" x 60" CM using Siporax Pro for packing and have been happy with it....but I wanted to make it better.

viewtopic.php?t=80901

The current still was producing at 10.5 liters per hour around 95%. I believe this will increase those numbers.
I wanted to increase the length of the column but I am already at the ceiling. I also wanted to get the boiler off the floor for cleaning but that would have stolen precious column height. I have built side columns before and actually have a 4 plate side column still as my primary still. So building another one seemed like some more building fun.

By not using a gravity return drain I could start the column almost at the floor and get much better efficiency from the columns. The idea is to have a packed column that sits on the boiler ( column #1) and the outlet of column #1 would feed into the base of the packed side column (column #2). Both columns have dephlegmators but I will only use the dephleg on column #2. As the reflux/condensate drains down to the bottom of column #2 into a collector a variable speed stainless steel gear pump will pump it up to a spray head just below column #1 dephleg. By doing it this way it should work as one single column minus a little inefficiency from piping going from column #1 to #2. I have now gone from a 5' column to a little over 11' column and my boiler is off the floor.
This is what it looked like before polishing powder coating and a ton of other work

Sweet rig! Would love to hear a lot more about running that beast and the results when you get some runs under your belt.

How are you managing the pump speed? Float valve in the base of the 2nd column?

<—— Otis, green with envy.

Wow!

That's the only word I have........

All I can say is wow!!! Nice work man.

you aint playin nice!!!

OtisT wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:10 am Sweet rig! Would love to hear a lot more about running that beast and the results when you get some runs under your belt.

How are you managing the pump speed? Float valve in the base of the 2nd column?

<—— Otis, green with envy.

I am using a variable speed drive and a sight glass.
A lot of commercial distilleries do use a float switch but I wanted the reflux to be a smoother flow.
I kept it simple and once I dial in the speed I don't think it should take much tweaking.
I will post a bunch more pics and explanations soon.

Dammit Windy. Now i gots a case of the finish my wall mounted twins

I’ve always considered using a pump too Windy , but anything suitable was prohibitively expense.
But compared to what you have already , it would be a drop in the ocean .

Initially , I think you should be able to follow pump speed by hand , but it will probably become tiresome . I’d imagine that the amount of vapour and consequently reflux requiring pumping will slowly reduce as the run progresses.
.

Which pump did you use ?

Nice.
That's really the best way to maintain efficiency. Nothings worse than send very enriched liquid back to the kettle.

OK that's not true. Having gout is definitely worse than that. And a root canal. That's worse too.

Working on the control panel again today
Very time consuming
This is the ugly part before all the wire management gets tightened up Ran temp power to the fan circuit just to test
Hoping to work on it again tomorrow

Nice work Windy.
That panel looks almost big enough.
I know these won't work on SS, but since I hate sticky-backs with a passion I use these https://magdaddyusa.com/products/cable- ... e-tie-s-b/

juana_b wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:25 pm Nice work Windy.
That panel looks almost big enough.
I know these won't work on SS, but since I hate sticky-backs with a passion I use these https://magdaddyusa.com/products/cable- ... e-tie-s-b/

It’s a 20” x 20”
I wish I would have been able to fit a 24” x 24” but this is a retrofit from an existing still and that is all I can fit in the space. I am squeezing everything in but a little bigger box would have made wiring a little easier.
I agree that the stickies are a pain but I like them better than channel just for space
I have already went through a 100 count bag of stickies plus a small container I had in stock

Use better packing. I use marbles. What are you using ?

Here are some pics of the collector for the bottom of column #2.
The base is a 4" sweat x 150# flange adapter with some cool stainless adjustable levelers.
I used a piece of 4" type L to house the copper hemisphere with 1/2" condensate outlet, 2" vapor inlet, 3" sight glass and topped off with a 4" ferrule that the column sits on.

I love the idea.

But it is way above my knowledge grade AND my pay grade.

Good luck everyone with it.

Geoff

good job, someone loves neutral I see lol

I have no use for it myself but if I needed stove fuel this would be great.

The Baker wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 11:27 pm I love the idea.

But it is way above my knowledge grade AND my pay grade.

Good luck everyone with it.

Geoff

Have read many of your posts and would believe this is definitely not above your knowledge
As far as pay grade the real expense was having the pump custom made for me to match our guidelines.
I am working with a manufacturer in China trying to bring down the cost per unit.

squigglefunk wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 4:42 am good job, someone loves neutral I see lol

I have no use for it myself but if I needed stove fuel this would be great.

I have traditionally been a bourbon and aged rum guy.
But the last few years I have been making a lot of limoncello, ginger honey vodka, apple pie and of course vodka (who doesn't love a dirty martini )
I would like to start making gin but want to build a dedicated still for it
stay tuned for my next build

Looking great. Can't wait to see what you do next. Nice work man

Hi Windy -

Is this for a commercial operation, or are you just a very enthusiastic amateur?

What is special about the pump that you had made?

Looks awesome, congratulations!

tommysb wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 9:45 am Hi Windy -

Is this for a commercial operation, or are you just a very enthusiastic amateur?

What is special about the pump that you had made?

Looks awesome, congratulations!

I guess I could be called a very enthusiastic amateur. I am a plumbing, sewer and boiler contractor by trade. I would like to open up a distillery/brew pub for my retirement, but we will see. I have also been toying with the idea of starting to build/sell distillery equipment with the design of this still and some other items I have designed in mind.
The pump is all stainless and teflon

drmiller100 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 7:20 pm Use better packing. I use marbles. What are you using ?

I am using Sera Siporax
https://www.sera.de/us/service/info/how ... orax-work/
It is a very porous sintered glass that is 15mm x 15mm.
It is as close as I could get to large format SPP without spending a fortune.
I have used rashing rings, copper mesh, stainless mesh and marbles.
I have had very good results with this product, I just want to do better.
Years ago Olddog took a commercial design and made it smaller by creating the flute. I am also taking a commercial design and down sizing it.
I am putting packing in mine but could easily go with plates. I am also only going with one side column but you could go with more.

Windy City wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 10:59 am

drmiller100 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 7:20 pm Use better packing. I use marbles. What are you using ?

I am using Sera Siporax
https://www.sera.de/us/service/info/how ... orax-work/
It is a very porous sintered glass that is 15mm x 15mm.
It is as close as I could get to large format SPP without spending a fortune.
I have used rashing rings, copper mesh, stainless mesh and marbles.
I have had very good results with this product, I just want to do better.
Years ago Olddog took a commercial design and made it smaller by creating the flute. I am also taking a commercial design and down sizing it.
I am putting packing in mine but could easily go with plates. I am also only going with one side column but you could go with more.

If vodka is your game you'll do just dandy with with packing at that scale.

Windy City wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 10:59 am

drmiller100 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 7:20 pm Use better packing. I use marbles. What are you using ?

I am using Sera Siporax
https://www.sera.de/us/service/info/how ... orax-work/
It is a very porous sintered glass that is 15mm x 15mm.
It is as close as I could get to large format SPP without spending a fortune.
I have used rashing rings, copper mesh, stainless mesh and marbles.
I have had very good results with this product, I just want to do better

Sweet rig And what a great “hangout” in general - I can see the barrel warehouse peeking out from around the corner.

The Siporax is decent, however you can up your separation efficiency 40-50% by using metal Pall rings. They come in many sizes; much better HETP than Siporax and Raschig rings.

Leave the marbles in the chemistry set. There’s better options, and they are a safety hazard in large stills.

Well as long as we are on the subject of packing, let me show you what I did to support the packing.
The old still had a copper plate at the base that was extremely perforated with 3/8" holes. I had 2" of rolled up stainless mesh on top of this for the Siporax to sit on. I always felt that this was a choke point for the column to drain.
Siporax is a very through porous sintered glass and has way different performance than Rashig rings, check out this explanation.
https://www.sera.de/us/service/info/how ... orax-work/
It operates very much like large format SPP. It wants a ton of power and reflux,
My idea was to use 1/8" copper rod through drilled in the base of my bottom tees in a grid pattern. I tig welded the copper rods where they protruded. I left the welds because they reminded me of rivets and I thought it looked cool.
I made the spacing as big as I could without the possibility of the Siporax falling through. And just to complete my OCD, I will stack the first row in the vertical. This probably isn't needed but I figured it couldn't hurt and I am really trying to prevent choke points.

Ok here is what I built to disperse the pumped reflux/condensate to the top of column #1.
I drilled into the bottom of column #1 dephleg. I than took a Sioux Chief stub out https://www.siouxchief.com/products/sup ... pin-closed and through drilled it at 11/5, 12/6 and 1/7 o'clock with 1/8" holes. I put a 1/2" female adapter on it and soldered it into the bottom of the dephleg. This is where the the gear pump will pump to.
This should give a nice rain action for the condensate to drop on top of column #1 packing.

As always with your skill set... NICE WORK!!!!! Thank you for taking the time to share your work. Very very nice.

Really enjoying this build thread so far. I would love to have a run through your parts stockpile you're pulling from.
I've been pricing out 4" copper and get sticker shock. Looks awesome and cant wait to see how the pump and nozzle work out.
Keep the pics and the build going. Thanks for sharing.

I have been working a bunch on this and here is some of my progress.

I built a stand for the gear pump. I used aluminum and small versions of the leveling feet I like to use. This is the pump mounted in the stand.
Check out the 8 pin connector (real pain in the a$$) I installed 8 pin connectors on the pump, an extension cord from pump to the control panel and then the 8 pin round on the control panel to a molex connector on the variable speed drive. I spent a lot of time with my electrical meter making sure I did not cross any wires and thankfully I did not let any smoke out of the equipment.

I built a stand for my boiler so it is finnaly off the floor.
I used a 1/4" stainless disk, 3" legs and the heavy duty leveling feet I like for the bases of my equipment.
This is only 4" tall but at least I can now clean under the kettle.