Which condenser is more efficient

Reflux still design and discussion

Which condenser is more efficient

Postby twojaythomo » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:46 pm

Here are my 2 condensers which one would you use?
Vertical one is 300mm long with a 9mm coil to a 19mm coldfinger.
Crossflow is 320mm long with 12mm tubes.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby crow » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:56 pm

that does depend a little on what you are using it on
crow
 
Posts: 2363
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:44 am
Location: Central Highlands Victoria
equipment: ultra pure reflux still and a 4" 4 plate MacStill built copper bubble cap column and a 500mm scoria packed rectifying module

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby TheMechwarrior » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:56 pm

Is that a 2" reflux column?

If so both condensers are big enough to knock down the vapour from a 4" column! (IMHO)
Assuming you have the water supply to keep up.

Take your pick.
TheMechwarrior
 
Posts: 1007
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:43 pm
Location: Tasmania
equipment: Five Star Distilling 6" neutraliser with
100L boiler

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:58 pm

63mm diameter condenser and water flow will be about 1.5 l/m. Using it on a 1.5m packed column with a 2.4kw FSD element keg boiler.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Thu Jul 31, 2014 3:07 pm

Sorry for being so vague I was trying to reduce height of my column so I can use it under cover so wanted to be sure before I chopped the condenser column
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby Yummyrum » Thu Jul 31, 2014 6:33 pm

TJT Nice work ...are you counting 12 tubes as 6 a side?

You need to tell us now you have made it . Just boil water in the boiler and adjust the flow rate until it stops venting steam out the top ....measure the flow rate required and report back :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Edit , did you fit the slant plates in the end?
Yummyrum
 
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:19 pm
Location: Near Coffs
equipment: Did use Still Spirits Reflux
Now use 50l Keg with Pot head for Rum and Neutral stripping runs on gas .
LM/VM head with 1m packed 2" on Still Spirits boiler for Neutrals.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Thu Jul 31, 2014 6:45 pm

6 X 12mm tubes and no slanted plates was going to be a tight fit as you said before don't think there will be much pooling anyway, I tried to solder holding the outer pipe up a little but when it hardened one side was level and the other had the incline I was after but oh well.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby bang300 » Fri Aug 01, 2014 2:52 am

Well you would have to calculate the exposed tube in the crossflow as opposed to the amount of tube area in the wound coldfinger. First impression is that the wound coldfinger coil has more surface area and would use less water flow

And, the crossflow is more demanding of design and being perfectly level so as not to accumulate or hold condensate liquid when in use.
bang300
 
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:38 am
equipment: Condenser Controlled VM

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Sat Aug 02, 2014 2:54 am

Yummyrum wrote:TJT Nice work ...are you counting 12 tubes as 6 a side?

You need to tell us now you have made it . Just boil water in the boiler and adjust the flow rate until it stops venting steam out the top ....measure the flow rate required and report back :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Edit , did you fit the slant plates in the end?
I am hoping it is less than 1.5l/h or I will need a new pump.

HD calculator is telling me at 28 degress C with 12mm pipe and 2.4kw heater I will need 1.78m at 1,56l/m.

I decieded 28dc because in summer water gets hot and you want to compensate for everthing, all is telling me I will be on the limit, no big deal will just have to upgrade pump http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC-12V-60W-5 ... 20e8bf7996 what do you guys think.

forgive me if I am wrong I have had many at this point in time.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:02 pm

Well the crossflow was not effcient enough, was still getting a small amount of steam coming out on the cleaning run so not sure if I can fix it or just knock the guts out of and use my other coil or was thinking making a double wind 6mm.

Still want to keep it horizontal as it fits under my roof nicely, there must be a way.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby pulsetech » Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:11 pm

If your talking about a vinegar cleaning run then the vapour is a lot hotter than Ethanol vapour.
you would still want to see 100% knock down imho

a lot of guys use this one http://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-350w-s ... p_p4816179
I have a 1000W pump in my system using 2 x 1000L IBC tanks
pulsetech
 
Posts: 425
Joined: Sun May 11, 2014 1:40 pm
equipment: 4"

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby Brendan » Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:30 pm

pulsetech wrote:If your talking about a vinegar cleaning run then the vapour is a lot hotter than Ethanol vapour.
you would still want to see 100% knock down imho


I don't think so. Back when I tested my earlier reflux stills, I always had vinegar vapour bypassing the coil (which I got from Mac) and was told that was normal due to the fact that it has a higher boiling point...never happened with ethanol, and condenser was more than adequate.
Brendan
 
Posts: 2154
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:06 pm
Location: Hunter Valley, NSW
equipment: 4.99L Essential oil extractor

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:02 pm

I might run the same solution in my HBS still and see the results, also as I think Zak said before and it is in my HBS condenser part is some scrubbers around the coil this also might help. I still would like to see 100% knock down.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby TheMechwarrior » Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:49 pm

pulsetech wrote:If your talking about a vinegar cleaning run then the vapour is a lot hotter than Ethanol vapour.
you would still want to see 100% knock down imho


Out of interest I always got 100% knock down with my RC on a vinegar run as well.
TheMechwarrior
 
Posts: 1007
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:43 pm
Location: Tasmania
equipment: Five Star Distilling 6" neutraliser with
100L boiler

Re: Which condenser is more effcient

Postby twojaythomo » Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:17 pm

Yep just confirmed my HBS still even with a small amount of water flow has 100% knock down. I have just put some ss scrubbers in and doing another test now, if I am still getting venting I am thinking of going down the 6mm double wind.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more efficient

Postby twojaythomo » Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:44 pm

So my stupid tee thing didn't work, just going to have to build another coil, I will just stick with the vertical and cut 50mm off my packed column to get everything fitting.
Last edited by twojaythomo on Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more efficient

Postby Zak Griffin » Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:47 pm

1.5L/minute doesn't sound like very much on a recirc setup... Get a bigger pump?
Zak Griffin
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 6832
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:34 pm
Location: Radelaide
equipment: "The Heart of Gold" - 4" Bubbler - finally bubbling!
"Zaphod" - 3" Pot - retired
"Agrajag" - 6" Bubbler - midlife crisis build?

Re: Which condenser is more efficient

Postby twojaythomo » Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:50 pm

I was using the water mains for testing even at a high flow rate still got a small amount venting
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Re: Which condenser is more efficient

Postby Yummyrum » Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:56 am

Just wondering where your vent is...guessing up one end.
Is it the end with the cool water entry ...might just give it an extra help :think:
Yummyrum
 
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:19 pm
Location: Near Coffs
equipment: Did use Still Spirits Reflux
Now use 50l Keg with Pot head for Rum and Neutral stripping runs on gas .
LM/VM head with 1m packed 2" on Still Spirits boiler for Neutrals.

Re: Which condenser is more efficient

Postby twojaythomo » Wed Aug 06, 2014 11:58 am

Was thinking about the design today, real it's not a good one because vapor can bypass half the condenser if the think about it would be the reason for venting. Really I would have to put a vent in each side tee into one, still thought it would have worked as the is 1.8m of 12mm pipe for cooling.
twojaythomo
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:48 pm
Location: NT
equipment: 4" Bubbler, keg boiler with 2 elements and voltage regulator.

Next

Return to Reflux Stills



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

x