Low wines causing column to flood

[stilly_bugger]

Got a column flooding question.

I can reflux run nicely cleared 10%ABV wash straight from the fermenter on a 2200w element no problems (no power control). However, if I run the same volume of ~35-40% low wines on the same power I get column flooding during equilibration. :angry-banghead:

Does anyone know why? :think:

I don't really want to pull out my packing and repack it more loosely because, as packed, it turns 10% wash into 95% no worries.

[stubbydrainer]

sb
:think: the short answer would be because the absence of water in the low wines compared to wash ,and you could be over powering the column, but you didn't really share too much info here :naughty:

cheers

[stilly_bugger]

but you didn't really share too much info here

Guilty as charged. :violence-stickwhack:

I was trying to keep the info to the important variables, but then how do I know what the important variables are when I don't know what the problem is.

• ~1400mm x 2" insulated liquid management column packed with stainless and copper scrubbers -- copper scrubbers in upper third.
• 50lt insulated keg boiler brought close to boil with 2 x 2,200w electric elements and then shut down to 1 x 2,200w.

I was thinking the higher alcohol content of the low wine was the reason why it behaved differently, flooding the column. But I'm not sure what it would be about the higher alcohol content that would cause low wines to flood the column. Is it the lower boiling temp of low wines compared to 10% wash, meaning that the same amount of heat applied to the same volume of liquid leads to more vapour and, therefore, more liquid in the column when one's running low wines? :think:

[stubbydrainer]

I am assuming you are running a boka :? , what did the thermo reach up to ?? did you see it when it flooded ?
It seems to me that you have over powered the column , ie: too much whoosh going up and suspending the liquid up at the top of the column, dunno :think: Is this the first time or is it an on going thing ?
did you turn off the second element off too late ? What temp did you turn it off early, allowing for lag ?

[stilly_bugger]

I'm using an Ultra Pure liquid management reflux column, extended. Here's what i found when I pulled it apart:

pure_distilling_reflux.jpg

[PS. It's actually a gate valve with a fitting attached that is calibrated to take off no more than 1.5L/hr, not a needle valve]

I've fixed the problem. Pulled out my packing, teased it out a bit, repacked it and voila! Ran it on the same low wines with all same settings and no flooding. Still pulling 95% too. :dance:

Thanks for the troubleshooting stubbydrainer. It made me think out the possible problems. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[stubbydrainer]

I cant say that I helped any
but it's good to see you back on track anyhow :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[stilly_bugger]

Okay. For anyone with the same problem who stumbles across this thread, here's the long and the short of it.

A 14% abv wash put on a 2,200W element will produce 4L of distillate per hour.
A 38% abv low wines on a 2,200W element will produce 6.4L of distillate per hour.

That's a lot more vapour and distillate moving about your column when you're running low wines compared to when you're running a 14% wash straight from the fermentor. It's got to go somewhere. If it's all being knocked down by your condensor and you're not taking the extra off as collected distillate, then the only place for it to go is back into the boiler. If your packing is too tight to let it do that, then your column floods and what you thought would be a relaxing afternoon tending to your still will be wasted.

Play with this reflux still calculator; work out what you're doing. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[crow]

yeah does anyone know why these valves have about 1mm or less hole at the valve outlet , even opened right up the out put is fairly limited , starting to think this valve is causing/not helping some of the issues I'm havingCunts have been making these stills fa yrs why in the fuck don't they use needle valves

[Cane Toad]

because it'd double the price of the still :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[stilly_bugger]

C[a]ts have been making these stills fa yrs why in the fuck don't they use needle valves

They'd be wasting money putting needle valves in them. When their running instructions amount to 'Monkey, after 10 min of stable temp turn on the valve' and 'Monkey, when the temp increases by 1° C turn off the valve' all they need to fit the column with is something that won't take off too much product, and a gate valve with a calibrated fitting attached to it that only lets through a max of 1.5L/hr does that pretty well.