Reflux columns for producing 190 proof ethanol

[Bubba]

Nice one Do you have a tower already?
How tall is yours

No...that is the last thing I need, along with stuffing and a heat source, odd and end connectors, etc. I am going to make two, or one with extension so I can have the 190 setup, plus convert to pot still if need should arise.

Bubba

 

[Bubba]

When I get home I will take a shot of the Liebig tube I built for it. Ever clear is just a little north of 30 bucks for 1.75, so not like I will save a bunch of my money, I think I just want to do it.

I was born in Kentucky, I guess it comes natural.

Bubba

 

[Bubba]

Man, that thing came fast! Here it is with condenser.

 

[Bubba]

Copper works fine and has the advantage of helping remove any sulfur compounds. You can also use copper wool rather than stainless turnings in the packed column.

Also check out Raschig rings.

I was just reading about that and the rings. Does that screen on the grommet small enough to prevent the Raschig rings from falling through?

Bubba

 

[Tattered Old Graywolf]

I was just reading about that and the rings. Does that screen on the grommet small enough to prevent the Raschig rings from falling through?

Bubba

Yes.

 

[Bubba]

Cool. I realized I need a few extra parts, the flange to solder to the copper column, various grommets etc. It said it came with a tri clamp, and it did. Looks like I need two. There is a flange at the bottom of the can, and the block off piece is held with that one. I will need another to clamp column to the top.

It has a double bottom and that small rise allows the bottom flange to be even with the inside bottom of can, due to the space between that and the actual bottom of the kettle.

I have the two inch copper cap for my column, and pieces turning to side, and connecting to condenser. I will put a submersible pump in a 27 gallon tote, to cycle cold water through the condenser.

Bubba

 

[Tattered Old Graywolf]

Here is a source for triclamp parts and brewery ware: Glacier Tanks | Tri Clamp Fittings & Custom Brewing Tanks

 

[Bubba]

Here is a source for triclamp parts and brewery ware: Glacier Tanks | Tri Clamp Fittings & Custom Brewing Tanks

Thanks! Yeah, I still need a lot of odds and ends.

Bubba

 

[ROSTERMAN]

 

[stain]

Will come back later with some questions. Mine is 100% home made...Old school use what you got.

pic of the first one

 

[Bubba]

Not a dam thing wrong with such southern engineering, probably how most shine was made historically. As long as it's hot at one end and cold on the other.

Bubba

 

[ROSTERMAN]

Got to Love Josh from the show Moonshiners
I love the designs he has come up with

 

[ROSTERMAN]

Come on Cutie Pie

Just a Good Ole Boy

 

[WeedHopper]

That guy is a fking mess. I wouldn't hang out with that accident waiting to happen even if i was drunk. He fks more shit up than all the other guys combined. Has wrecks all the god damn time. Cut off some of his damn fingers. Beat up his best friend. Let his dog get snake bitten. Got busted more then once. He is funny as hell and his dog looks nothing like what you would expect him to own. I like the new show where they compete in front of the judges.
The original show got to stupid in the 2nd and 3rd yr because there is no fking way the Feds didn't know what and where they were making Moonshine.

 

[ROSTERMAN]

That guy is a fking mess. I wouldn't hang out with that accident waiting to happen even if i was drunk. He fks more shit up than all the other guys combined. Has wrecks all the god damn time. Cut off some of his damn fingers. Beat up his best friend. Let his dog get snake bitten. Got busted more then once. He is funny as **** and his dog looks nothing like what you would expect him to own. I like the new show where they compete in front of the judges.
The original show got to stupid in the 2nd and 3rd yr because there is no fking way the Feds didn't know what and where they were making Moonshine.

It's only a show, he is made to be the clumsy one on purpose LOL
That was where I was going next
Even the dog walked into a yellow jacket nest and got stung a crap load.

 

[ROSTERMAN]

The 2 brothers or friends that do the show on making it with 3 contestants is Great
The one Guy trained under Popcorn, They know there stuff I gather

 

[Bubba]

What exactly does a "thumper" do? I assume it won't concentrate 190 like a tall column of or Greywolf would do it, right? I might like one anyway for pot still uses.

Bubba

 

[Tattered Old Graywolf]

What exactly does a "thumper" do? I assume it won't concentrate 190 like a tall column of or Greywolf would do it, right? I might like one anyway for pot still uses.

Bubba

Another way to bump up the concentration, but not all the way to 190 proof.

 

[Bubba]

Another way to bump up the concentration, but not all the way to 190 proof.

That's what I figured, more for whiskey making than ever clear. Another thing, I may try a stainless column for water, I'm told water tastes funny out of copper stills? Not that distilling water is that important....

Bubba

 

[Tattered Old Graywolf]

That's what I figured, more for whiskey making than ever clear. Another thing, I may try a stainless column for water, I'm told water tastes funny out of copper stills? Not that distilling water is that important....

Bubba

True, though you can set your column aside and distill water operating as a simple pot still and condenser.

You can't boil a liquid hotter than its lowest boiling point constituent at atmospheric pressure, so if you monitor heat temperatures, you can tell when the lighter weight VOC's are boiling off and when it is water.

If you vent to atmosphere until your head temperature reaches 100C/212F and then pass that through your condenser until head temperature begins to again rise, and then stop and dump the higher boiling point tails and repeat, you will have separated the water fraction from those lighter and heavier than water, as well as its water-soluble mineral content.

If you are going to add thermocouples, consider adding a PID controller for the heat, and then you can set maximum temperatures and not have to watch it so close.