Dual (inner/outer) plated column design
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:17 am
Wow!!! Dinner, a quick smoke, and now to post.
Thank you all for the welcome.
The objective is to build a still that can produce 95% ABV in a single run. The part that makes this a unique design is the restriction I have placed on the units height. 80 inches! Including the boiler. LOL here!!!
My boiler is a 35 gallon stainless open top barrel that is currently my thumper for my pot still so the open top is perfect for switching between uses. I started off looking to build a Horizontal column design, and knowing nothing about how a fractional still works I quickly learned my concept was a few cards short of a full deck. (51 short) Sooo after many attempts to solve the problem of 95% in a reduced height column it clicked.
Column inside a column. A quick google gave me instant hope. I'll post all the info I found at the end.
The CAD's I drew are hard to follow (not for me tho) so I will just post them up with a basic overview to see if you all think this bird can fly.
Some of the rough numbers are off in the complete rig diagram. Same for scale. The idea is there tho.
I also have some different options for the outer column reflux coils. Like a doughnut shaped shotgun to sit on top of the outer column cap instead of inner coils.
All thoughts are appreciated! Thanks...
The first issue is getting into the inner column. I found I could go thru the modified center of a shotgun condenser. The vapor out of the outer column will be introduced above a re-boiler inside the bottom of the main boiler. The modification of the shotgun is insulating the vapor tube in, from the cooling effect of the unit. This is pretty easy with a few modified reducers, and some silicone sealed within.
You will see the vapor tube in terminates inside the re-boiler, and is partly submerged to maintain a positive pressure on the vapor. The pressurized vapor is released above the re-boiler into a packed section of the inner column. This will allow the continuous state of the outer column to be carried over to the inner.
If this makes sense so far I will scream from a mountain top!
I think this is a good place to leave off for now because if none of this is realistic, I don't need to waste your time with the rest. I appreciate everyone that has ANYTHING to say about the concept. I am here to learn.
Thank you all for the welcome.
The objective is to build a still that can produce 95% ABV in a single run. The part that makes this a unique design is the restriction I have placed on the units height. 80 inches! Including the boiler. LOL here!!!
My boiler is a 35 gallon stainless open top barrel that is currently my thumper for my pot still so the open top is perfect for switching between uses. I started off looking to build a Horizontal column design, and knowing nothing about how a fractional still works I quickly learned my concept was a few cards short of a full deck. (51 short) Sooo after many attempts to solve the problem of 95% in a reduced height column it clicked.
Column inside a column. A quick google gave me instant hope. I'll post all the info I found at the end.
The CAD's I drew are hard to follow (not for me tho) so I will just post them up with a basic overview to see if you all think this bird can fly.
Some of the rough numbers are off in the complete rig diagram. Same for scale. The idea is there tho.
I also have some different options for the outer column reflux coils. Like a doughnut shaped shotgun to sit on top of the outer column cap instead of inner coils.
All thoughts are appreciated! Thanks...
The first issue is getting into the inner column. I found I could go thru the modified center of a shotgun condenser. The vapor out of the outer column will be introduced above a re-boiler inside the bottom of the main boiler. The modification of the shotgun is insulating the vapor tube in, from the cooling effect of the unit. This is pretty easy with a few modified reducers, and some silicone sealed within.
You will see the vapor tube in terminates inside the re-boiler, and is partly submerged to maintain a positive pressure on the vapor. The pressurized vapor is released above the re-boiler into a packed section of the inner column. This will allow the continuous state of the outer column to be carried over to the inner.
If this makes sense so far I will scream from a mountain top!
I think this is a good place to leave off for now because if none of this is realistic, I don't need to waste your time with the rest. I appreciate everyone that has ANYTHING to say about the concept. I am here to learn.