SD Packed Column VM Build

TheMechWarrior

Simplicity at it's finest.

kimbodious

My 2" modular VM reflux still has a Big Baby as the RC. I have put teased out SS scrubber material down the top half of the RC.

I have a beer keg boiler with a 2200W Keg King element. I have 1200mm 2" column packed with SS scrubbies, a 2"x2"x2" tee to a 3/4" SS gate valve. Anyway on my first and only spirit run, the first demijon of product was 93% ABV which was produced at a rate of 2.5 litres per hour.

The Big Baby RC was up to the task - the product on the other hand was a smeared mess - I guess you shouldn't push these VMs like you can a pot still aye!

Myles

0.75 litres per hour is a bit more realistic for a 2" packed VM.

Its no problem though, just dilute it and run it again at lower power.

mark85

You say the first demijohn was collected fast and tasted smeared. You presumably slowed off to collect the rest? Did you find the sweet spot?

Kapea

@Myles said: 0.75 litres per hour is a bit more realistic for a 2" packed VM.

Its no problem though, just dilute it and run it again at lower power.

That is the rate my 2" VM column likes to run azeotrope at. If I push her she will do 1L/hr.

A second spirit run definetly improves the product. It is VM column SOP in my distillery.

punkin

I used to collect at 1.2l hr at 2400 watts on the 2". A 3" will do 4-5l/ph for comparison sake.

Good to know the big baby will handle 2200 watts. What sort of coolant temperatures do you run, are you in the tropics mate?

kimbodious

@punkin said: Good to know the big baby will handle 2200 watts. What sort of coolant temperatures do you run, are you in the tropics mate?

can't say it will handle as much as I can throw at it with my fairly well insulated rig. Yes, very tropical, the domestic supply water is around 20C ambient stilling temps not less than 27C. I haven't checked temps on the spent cooling water - I use the spent water to top up the swimming pool.

yep I will be diluting and re-running, will install my new SD SGK today :) but the run will have to wait until the weekend

FullySilenced

is this the AuD.. Kimbo or MD.. kimbodious or a new one :D

kimbodious

aussie kimbo, but somebody was already using that handle so I went for the odious suffix, probably suits me better anyway. I am using the same handle on some other forums and the reddit firewater whatever you call those things?

kimbodious

When I decided to build a modular VM still I believed plenty of people had gone before me. Turns out not all that many at all?! Based on the interest and comments, Sal and I made a Youtube animation of the construction process, it has a beautiful song for the soundtrack!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4KYCtNJmow

kimbodious

oof, I misspelled StillDragon, sorry, no disrespect intended!