The Red Door Distillery and the tale of the 8" Crystal Dragon.....

RedDoorDistillery

No Pictures or Video as I forgot my phone at home.

Ran the new DCs yesterday. And I think we have it fixed. Running 250 gallon Strip Run from 10% wash. The new Dephlem can still only handle 4 elements so we ran 100% refluxed on the column for 1 hours with 4 elements. No flooding.

Then I turned on a 5th element and started squeezing off the heads while still having the Dephlem on full open. After 30 mins of heads take off (1 gallon) I stated turning down the reflux to take Hearts. Collected 31 gallons of Hearts at a combined 169 proof over 7 hours. At the start of the take off I was pulling 34 L an hour but it slowed way down towards the end of the run. So I averaged 16.74L/hr across the entire 7 hours.

The top plate tried to start flooding a little bit at one point I bumped the reflux down just a touch and it cleared off the overload quickly.

Still need to run a Spirits run to verify we are totally fixed but the way the column reacted with the Strip run is promising.

punkin

Excellent news, so summing up would you say the major fix has been the downcomers and the addition of the larger condensor?

The 3" product condensor still handles 34l an hour just fine (i'm assuming you have an SD condensor rather than checking back 14 pages) ?

RedDoorDistillery

Dephlem could be even larger than the one I built but it can work with my new one. My cooling water is Cold. 50F. It is was warmer I would probably still have a problem. Larger DCs appear to be a must. I do not have a SD condenser. I built my own from 4" TC pipe and 2.5feet long before I ever knew about SD. But with a slow water flow the product comes out at 11C even at 34L Hr so I am sure mine is overkill.

Going to try and plan to run a Spirits run with it next weekend so see how it acts with higher proof in the boiler.

RedDoorDistillery

Loaded up the Still with 237 gallons of 98P / 49% High Wines tonight. Testing out the new DC pipes tomorrow with a Spirits run. Will report how it goes.

RedDoorDistillery

Eureka. :-)

So this weekend we ran the Spirits run. This is the 8" CD with 10 plates.

Brought it up to temp. Ran it with 3 elements and full reflux for 1 hour to compress any heads that were left behind from the strip runs. Slowly took these off after the 1 hour compression time.

I then went all the way up to 5 elements but needed about 85% open on the flow of the dephlem to hold over 190P. Dropped back to 3 elements with very little cooling flow. 191 no problem but just a slow trickle on output. And I was getting dumping on the lower plates.

Turned the power up little by little until the lower plates stopped dumping. These elements are rated at 5500w but I am really only getting 5333 watts each based on the Amps and Volts they are drawing.

3 elements + 14amps 142volts on the 4th. = 17,987watts  
PID Output 35 to cooling flow. Output 13.33 L/hr 191+ proof

Then I kept adding more power without running any more cooling.

3 elements + 17amps 165volts = 18,804watts  
PID Output 35 to cooling flow. Output 15.93 L/hr 190.2+ proof

3 elements + 19 Amps 182volts = 19,457watts  
PID Output 35 to cooling flow. Output 20.68 L/hr 189.7 proof

As you can see the increased watts started to over drive the cooling flow and the proof dropped below 190. Not acceptable for legal Vodka in the US.

Added a little bit more cooling at the same power.

3 elements + 19 Amps 182 volts = 19,457watts  
PID Output 40 to cooling flow. Output 18.57 L/hr 190 proof 

The proof can not drop below 190 for legal vodka here in the US so I was not happy with being right on the line. So I wanted to see if I could increase the power and cooling more to get a faster output but at a higher proof.

3 elements + 21 Amps 203volts = 20,262watts  
PID Output 55 to cooling flow. Output 13.54 L/hr 190.7 proof

Output was slow so I tried to reduce the cooling a little.

3 elements + 21 Amps 203volts = 20,262watts  
PID Output 50 to cooling flow. Output 15.79 L/hr 190.6 proof

I decided that I was happy with the output at almost 16 L/hr @ 190.6 proof. So I left it alone. Ran off 38 gallons of 190+ over 9 hrs. Never changed the power or cooling flow the whole time. Completely Stable.

I could probably squeezed another liter or 2 per hour out but I wanted to see if it would run stable for hours and keep the same proof output. Next time I will.

NO FLOODING issues as all.

Here is video 1. This was during the 1st phase of above Lowest power and lowest cooling @ 13.33 L/hr.

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

Here is video 2. This was during 4th test phase. 19,457watts Output 18.57 L/hr 190 proof.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_I2bY_il-c

And here is a picture of the barrel with 38 gallons at the end of the night.

Mtnmann

Nicely done!

Grip

Hi RDD. Been watching your posts with great interest. Based on what I have seen we are now awaiting delivery of a x11 (copper bubble) plate glass column with a 380L boiler and gin basket. Still to decide on heat source but probably 4 x 3kw immersion heaters. It's all making it's way to us now should be here early Feb. All very exciting. I'll be posting photos and reports as we get it up and running. Your info has been a big influence on us.

RedDoorDistillery

@Grip Excellent. The bubble caps will run quite different I am sure. Should require a bit less power. Not sure if 12k watts will be enough power but you will find out soon enough. Some reports on the performance and output and watts required would be nice to see on the 8" bubble to compare against the perf plates.

Lloyd

@RedDoorDistillery has been an awesome contributor here as well as providing the push we needed to get the Crystal Dragon product line developed. It was all uphill for both of us as he worked closely with every phase of its production. It was a great adventure for me to work backwards from 8" to 4" instead of the other way around.

Looking forward to seeing your build, @Grip. PLEASE feel free to start your own thread so everyone can share in The Tale of Grip's 8" Bubble Dragon :)

One crate for the big boiler and one crate for 13 boxes of fittings...

I suspect it will go from tale to legend.

awesome

@Grip welcome to the 8" crystal world

Grip

Is that really our boxes? Now I'm scared!! Thanks @awesome - we are hoping that the crates will be with us mid Feb, so we're clearing a space now.

Lloyd

@Grip said: Is that really our boxes? Now I'm scared!!

Yep, all yours. But about 1/2 is the glass as they take a lot of room.
I don't pack anything else with the glass so it really is 'shipping a lot of air'.

Grip

Wow! A consignment of Chinese air. I'm looking forward to that,

punkin

I got a big bundle of old newspapers in a Chinese crate once.

Lloyd

The first big order of glass chimneys that I received were packed in shredded clothing and lawn clippings.
Customs inspectors would have been very unhappy if that had been shipped.

Early on I tried to get the boiler factory to let me pack fittings inside the boilers but they refused, stating the inside might get scratched. Shipping boilers is shipping a LOT of air.
They are not too happy about adding a carton or two of fittings with the boiler crate but I do it anyway.

CothermanDistilling

I was going to ask why you did not ship stuff inside the boilers, glass would have been perfect to fill them with.. ;-)

Law_Of_Ohms

Lloyd's forgetting, the boilers are shipped full......

Full of love...

XOXOXO

RedDoorDistillery

A boiler full of Lloyd's love... Umm Eww.

Smaug

@RedDoorDistillery said: A boiler full of Lloyd's love... Umm Eww.

Oyeee

Grip

Is CIP the best way to get rid of that?

Lloyd

=))

Grip

OK it's arrived and it's undamaged and looking fantastic. 380L boiler, 8" Glass column,11 bubble plates and a gin basket, what more could I possibly want? Well,........ limitless money, a full head of hair and a Ferrari for starters, but in the meantime this will do.

punkin

Moonshine

@grip, congratulations, with that equipment you are definitely in the top league. Please let us all take part in your endeavor, start your own discussion and post lots of pictures and videos. :-bd

Grip

In assembly stage of 8" crystal @reddoordistillery (or anyone else) can you let me know how much to tighten the connecting rods. I've done them finger tight and a touch more at the moment which makes it all quite rigid. I suppose it'll become clearer when I fire it up!

Lloyd

In anticipation of your new thread which we all hope that you begin!

(Very strong finger tight and 2 to 3 more half turns does the trick). It tightens up even more when hot so no need to over do it.

Important it is to set the backnuts tight since they take the stress. Check for plumb as you go.
The Force is with you young Jedi as you wield your light-saber column for the first time.

OK, enough StarWars analogies for the moment but as @Grip said

finger tight and a touch more at the moment which makes it all quite rigid. I suppose it'll become clearer when I fire it up!

very true, you learn so quickly and with the great tools you have it is about time you started a new thread and shared it with the gang here.

Grip

New thread started!

Moonshine

@RedDoorDistillery said: I do not rely on Copper to remove my sulfides my system is entirely stainless steel. I use another process to eliminate the sulfides. The only copper I have in my system is a small section of copper mesh after the product condenser. I use this more as a way to test that my other process is actually working. After the run I check the copper to make sure it is still clean.

Please tell us more about it. There is a lot of thought on how much cooper in a still is enough to take care of the sulfides, so the process of eliminating sulfides if having a still without copper may be of great interest.

Smaug

Hydrogen peroxide?

RedDoorDistillery

I am not at liberty to say. As a Commercial Distiller if I were to provide this info and someone gets hurt or uses the wrong thing I could be held liable. Sorry.