azeotrope .....what is diss is ???

[stubbydrainer]

Hi Brains trust
Me again :oops: :? :oops:
Can someone explain to me WTF azeotrope is ?.... In plain ol' lay mans terms would be good please.
I have read about this and it just seems to go straight over my head not making any sense at all :? :doh:
I just don't get it
Thanks in advance

Cheers
Stubs

[bradsgonetrekkin]

96+% alcohol (ethanol). Don't know all the chemistry behind it but with a good reflux column many home distillers achieve around 95% which is pretty good I reckon.

[QLD.Andy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeotrope

[Frank]

Hey Stubbs
basically, its the ultimate ABV% finish line for talented but humble distillers like yourself and others with proper home gear. Beyond that is the point of 'no return' :think: perhaps..... unless you use freeze points and/or vacuum chambers and :crazy: stuff . As BGT says 95% is pretty good really ;). Why do you ask? If you like, mate PM me and I'll try to put you onto someone who can scientifically answer your question :shock: .

[stubbydrainer]

Thanks all for your replies :clap:
Frank, its something I stumbled across in the reading up the length of packing in reflux stills and I couldn't work it out ...or WTF it was , I had read about it , but it was all scientific and mumbo jumbo that I couldn't get my head around tis all, I don't think I'll worry about it too much , just wanna run the still for shortest time possible for the highest abv %, I think the packing length in the 3" boka will be 1500 mm and be done with it :whistle:

Cheers

Stubbydrainer

[MacStill]

I think the packing length in the 3" boka will be 1500 mm and be done with it :whistle:

Cheers

Stubbydrainer

Looking forward to seeing this beast after some of your other work I've seen :mrgreen:

[stubbydrainer]

:text-offtopic:
Mac

been thinking about a 4 element coil reflux condenser for this one :teasing-neener:

Cheers Stubs

[Sam.]

Stubbs, in laymans terms the closest thing I can think of is say you have a lake of fresh water, some of this will evaporate at 40C right? Well if you are cooking a brew and running it at around 78C you are always going to have a small portion of water being evaporated which will dilute your spirit down. The reflux cannot seperate this as the water has a higher boiling point than anything you are wanting but nonetheless there will always be that small portion that comes through. If it didn't we would be pretty fucked without rain :o

[stubbydrainer]

Thank Sam & liv
that lil bit of info just made the penny drop, and put it all into focus for me ;)
thanks again

Cheers
Stubbydrainer

[R-sole]

Without clicking on the wiki link...

aezotrope is the maximum purity that alcohol can be stored at (95.6%) without it drawing water back in from the atmosphere. It's the most pure you can reach through distillation without vaccuums and storage without filters.

If you just remember the 95.6% that'll do.