having an issue with huffing on a boka

[haze]

Hey guys, im doing a spirit run right now on a 3" boka and for some reason (maybe due to the temperature is colder) my still has started huffing??? not a great time for it im doing a final run right now.

Some details on still - Its 3"SS , insulated keg and all the way up to the thermometer, efficient double helix condensor about 250mm long, column has about a metre of punkins copper packing in it.

The run im currently trying to do is a final spirit run on some TPW that ive already stripped. Keg is 75% full of 40% low wines. Ive got 2 x keg king 2200w elements and i only use 1 once it is up to temperature. But atm it seems too much.

Ive read some suggestions on internetland to put copper packing in condensor hole stuffing the centre so i did that. Also tried reversing the flow of water in condensor. The water im running through it is as small as possible without losing vapour, its just trickling.

Any other ideas? im currently pulling out foreshots very slowly and having to turn the power on/off manually every few mins to control the huffing and the temperature from rising to 81deg.

i can submit a pic of my setup if it helps

[haze]

if i leave the power on its like i can hear the whole column flooding. is that possible?

Is it a case that ive insulated the keg so well that 2200w is too much >?

[stilly_bugger]

She's flooding = Too much heat being applied for the speed that your reflux can travel back down the column.

Had a similar problem myself. It has to do with the %ABV of the low wines. Heaps of vapour coming off the boiler.

You can hear the flooding moving up the column. Eventually she starts coming out the top.

Turn down the heat OR loosen your packing.

You're wasting your time if you have to shut it down every few minutes. You're not getting any decent separation. Shut down for the night. Let it cool and come back to it later.

I'm assuming you have no heat control, so when it's all cooled down repack your column or water down your low wines.

Even if you think the boiling is too violent DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE BOILER WHILE THE LIQUID IS HOT. IT MAY EXPLODE IN YOUR FACE. (See this thread for more info that every hobby distiller should know.)

[crow]

Got the same bullshit happening right ATM shitting me to tears turning the heat up and down . Just one of those bastard washes got the flame down so much its turning my keg black . Longer night than I hoped for , are least I got Johnny Cash to listen to

[stilly_bugger]

I hope Haze is still with us :teasing-poke:

Croweater, it's pretty annoying. You spend the time heating up only to find that just when the action's about to start you have to stop prematurely, or really slow things down. Used to happen to me a bit. :)) No more :?

[Sam.]

it's pretty annoying. You spend the time heating up only to find that just when the action's about to start you have to stop prematurely, or really slow things down. Used to happen to me a bit. :)) No more :?

You still talking bout stillin? :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[MacStill]

When you hear the train coming it's time to open the station :dance:

[stilly_bugger]

This train always pulls out in time. ;-)

[haze]

Ahh it was annoying, the train derailed just before it blew its load out the top.

Ive used the still a few times before without this issue but the ambient temps were a lot warmer before. Im guessing thats making it worse as it cools the uninsulated top of the column more.

stilly_bugger thanks for pushing me to stop. Avoided the total fail.. iwas gonna sit there all night with the power switch being a binary digit. 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

any whooooooo's, buying stuff online for a panda spec electronic controller. Looks like fun :D

[MacStill]

I would say it's time to pull the packing out and re pack your column, what you've described can also be from the column choking due to uneven packing.

Sometimes you'll find one/some of your scrubbers is slightly compressed after a few runs in a tall column, this can prevent a lot of reflux making it back to the boiler and have the same effects as flooding from too much power.

[haze]

sorry to bring up old thread but i like to complete threads when i can.

Thanks for help. I have pulled out the packing and taken about 25% mass out. I really rolled up the copper well when i did it, it needed to be looser for sure. Ive also made a temp controller and tonight im finally in a position to run the wash again :)

So far collected foreshots and getting into the heads soon.

Cheers all

[stilly_bugger]

Let us know how the full run goes.

[haze]

still in the heads atm. Collected about 1lt so far.

about 2 drops per second in collecting. I dont have the experience on my 3" boka to know how fast i can collect heads but at this rate it might be a long night. I expect to collect about 3lt's heads from this 40lt's of 40%low wines.

[stilly_bugger]

Two drops per second is taking it slow. I find that collecting three drops per second from my 2" reflux column on 2,200W gives me around 900mL an hours of real nice neutral. But when I run a ~40L charge of low wines at this take off rate, the day's a write off. Bye, bye 12 hours.

On a 3" you could up the power and up the collection rate. How much you could up the power, I'm not sure.

But you'll be there tomorrow morning running at 2 drops per sec.

[haze]

I thought that once i got through the slow heads collection and into the hearts that i could quadruple the output. :think:

[stilly_bugger]

I wouldn't go much over 1.5L/hr. You're pretty constrained by the heat that you're putting into the boiler. A 2,200W element in a 37.5L 40% abv wash will start off producing about 6L/hr of condensed (not collected) liquid. As your boiler charge % abv drops off, so will the vapour produced and, therefore, the amount of condensed liquid.

Collecting 1.2L/hr you're running a reflux ratio of 4:1 — 4.8L/hr refluxed to 1.2L/hr collected. At 1.5L/hr your reflux ration will be 3:1. You don't want your reflux ratio to drop much lower than this. Any less and your column will be running sub-optimal separation of hearts and tails, and a slightly reduced % abv. A lot less than this and you'll be close to 0 reflux, which will really mess with separation, not to mention giving you a steaming hot distillate.

If you really want to collect it quicker while maintaining quality, you need more heat in the boiler. Your 3" column should be able to take it, especially if it has been loosely packed. It's just a matter of whether your condensor can knock it all down.

But while you're only pumping 2,200W into the boiler, you can't pull off too much per hour.

If it was me, seeing as how you had troubles with your last run I'd be taking things slow until you get to know your lady.

Play with this calculator if you want to test your running limits. It mighn't be perfect, but it will give you a good idea of your running limits.

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

[LWTCS]

Drips,,,,, oh You poor bastards.
Focus on keeping your head temp stable... Collect as fast as stability will allow for.

[stilly_bugger]

Drips,,,,, oh You poor bastards.

I know, I know. :doh: