StillDragon® Community Forum

Welcome!

Be part of our community & join our international next generation forum now!

In this Discussion

Loony bin and crazy ideas

1356711

Comments

  • @punkin said: Score.

    The fittings came from a customer request rather than us trying to beat the price of a conical. A couple of Aussies wanted em, so we built em. :-bd

    It's a nice idea. I could see it being more feasible if the fitting was welded on instead of using expensive 8" TC components. That would knock off $90 for the clamp, ferrule and gasket. It would probably also be cheaper to produce without the TC flange on the 8x2x2.

  • @thunder88 said: It's a nice idea. I could see it being more feasible if the fitting was welded on instead of using expensive 8" TC components. That would knock off $90 for the clamp, ferrule and gasket. It would probably also be cheaper to produce without the TC flange on the 8x2x2.

    You're probably right thunder88. You only need to ask @Lloyd (or your respective SD rep) if they are willing to make them. But the existing 8" ferrule on the conical allows for easier cleaning and the option of fitting a sieve/filter. Much like the 4" - 2" filter discs already available from SD :D

    You could also soak a large amount of product with woodchips this way....

  • OK guys how about this then:

    Crystal Dragon Shotgun Reflux Condenser. Sorry for the crap illustration. image

    Using COMPRESSION fittings to secure the coolant tubes into the condenser so there are no heat problems for the glass. Only showed 1 tube but perhaps our illustrious illustrator could do a more realistic image.

    1 thermowel T, 2 sight tower modules and 2 modified versions of the element guard kits.

    Frigging expensive no doubt - put for those that must have!!! ;)

    SD Crystal Reflux.jpg
    1297 x 500 - 32K
  • Myles that is a brilliant idea for a mod to the existing product condensor (stainless medium 2" shotgun) to be a Jackson style cross flow for VERY little extra expense.

    Not that the glass idea doesn't want exploring.

    But if we had a 2" branch pulled in the middle of the tube before welding in the pipes ect then we would have a crossflow. To get the coolant flowing through the tubes just use a ferrule with the ferrule bit on both ends (can you draw this for me please?) as an extra item. Clamp the ferrule/ferrule adaptor to either end of the shotgun, clamp a 2" x 1/2" endcap on the end of each of those and connect up the coolant.

    Instant Jackson condensor.

    Choke washer in between the column and condensor to center and create a bit of back pressure....

    Make it Lloyd, i will order twenty, great addition for a VM or LM. You could put a slant plate in the ferrule/ferrule connection and people could use two of them to make a LM. Just have the slant plate angled at opposite ways to each end in the condensor and it will create turbulence in the coolant supply.

    Wish i could draw it.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited November 2013

    I haven't seen a drawing of your element guard so I made an educated guess.

    image

    If this is correct you already have what you need. You just need to screw in a coolant connector instead of the element, turn it around 180 degrees so the coolant connector is at the extremity, and mount that on the end of a shotgun condenser with the extra branch pulled from the centre.

    Is my interpretation of the element adaptor correct?

    SD El Guard.jpg
    314 x 308 - 16K
  • edited November 2013

    Something like this? image

    or

    image

    SD Reflux.jpg
    547 x 309 - 20K
    SD Reflux2.jpg
    547 x 309 - 18K
  • edited November 2013

    image

    Something like this?
    Add a 2" pull to the center of the condenser and clamp on 2 reducers. The reducer end could easily be a threaded fitting instead of the 3/4" triclamp shown.

    What keeps the water from filling only 1/2 of the tubes? Do you need to elevate the hose on the output end? Would it be better to put the threaded water fitting on the side of the "bowl" instead of the end so it could be positioned at the top?

    And does this device need to come with a warning that a vent is needed if they intend to use valves to regulate product flow?

    crossflow.JPG
    800 x 600 - 62K
  • Lloyd where did that reducer fitting come from - sorry I missed that.

    You put the coolant flow control on the output of the reflux condenser - that way the tubes are always full of coolant. You also need to add in an atmospheric vent into the condenser body.

  • image

    Better?

    crossflow1.png
    378 x 216 - 3K
  • @Myles said: Lloyd where did that reducer fitting come from - sorry I missed that.

    That's the new bowl shaped reducers. Cool, huh?

  • edited November 2013

    Very nice - i had just forgotten that you did them in the small size because I couldn't think of a use for them. Well there is one now. :))

    The coolant can go in at the ends if the flow control is on the output. If you have the flow control on the input then as you drew it will work fine.

    I would actually pull a small outlet from the body for the air vent, or include a threaded insert instead of the hole. That way you could always screw in a blanking plug for those folks that aren't sure which way they wish to use the condenser.

  • image

    crossflow2.png
    465 x 203 - 4K
  • @Myles said: ... I would actually pull a small outlet from the body for the air vent, or include a threaded insert instead of the hole. That way you could always screw in a blanking plug for those folks that aren't sure which way they wish to use the condenser.

    Or put a balloon on the fitting to see if there is any vapor escaping?

  • Or a Kazoo even? :))

  • @Myles said: Or a Kazoo even? :))

    I have thought about a whistle!!!

  • Well just so long as it does not end up like this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KCj7_wFZ_Q

    =))

  • This is great. That would work brilliantly an not be all that more expensive to produce.

    You are also correct in that the element guard body would work myles, although that has a 1" yjread and would require a rducer to fit a PC fitting.

    I'm pretty sure this would have enough knock down for a 3" rig too although i don't know how to do the maths.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Well as we are talking about a 3" VM or LM punkin, I think I am correct in saying that the packing that can cope with the highest power input is SPP. I have seen a figure quoted of max power being 115 watt per cm square. That works out at roughly 4.8 kW for a 3 incher.

    Now I think that might be a bit high and I doubt that I will run that hard. However, does that sound in the right ballpark for the capacity of the condenser when in product mode?

  • edited November 2013

    Could well be handled by the medium 2" i think Myles. Bit hard for me to test as a i run gas. Maybe Lloyd could do it for us?

    I do know that a 2" Long condensor will knock down up to 4800 watts. The product is hot at that rate though.

    ZeroGee is a lot more conservative than me and most others but his theory is sound. In his Teach Me post on Artisan Distiller (VM / LM Builds) he has this to say...

    Finally, because vapor flow rate is the issue, accurate heating is important. A 2-inch column requires 824 to 1235 watts, a 3-inch column from 1853 to 2780 watts and a 4-inch column from 3295 to 4942 watts. Assuming a 2-inch column, a 1500W 120V low watt-density water heater element costs around $15.00 US. While it’s above the 1235W maximum, it’s quite usable but requires a bit more cooling. However, a 4500W 240V low watt-density element costs around $10.00 US but is nearly 4 times over the 1235W maximum.

    I have comfortably run a 2" at 2400 watts which is about twice the ideal that he recommends. This is a 1.2 l/hr takeoff. So his recommendation for 3" doubled would be not much above what you recommended there as maximum. I have only run these on gas, but have taken off as much as 5 l/hr or more and now take off about 4 l/hr.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Have you found that running at less than full potential power is a lot easier? The column is a bit more stable etc. It is certainly easier on the nerves knowing that you are less likely to get into a puke scenario. My 2" scrubber packed column used to be quite happy at 2000 watts.

    I don't really like driving the still flat out and prefer to just cruise along at a comfortable power setting.

  • Is there any chance the gut of the Shotgun Reflux Condenser being made in copper?

  • @luckyliqueur said: Is there any chance the gut of the Shotgun Reflux Condenser being made in copper?

    None.

  • No. That is how it was done on the early prototypes at a local welding shop. Lloyd has recently had more done at the factory and the findings were that it was very difficult to get to our standards and very expensive for the customer.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • ...and like @RedDoorDistillery experienced, they couldn't seem to stop the leaks.

    I can get a local tradesman to do it but his SS welds tend to rust, causing people to throw rocks at me.

  • @Lloyd said: ...and like RedDoorDistillery experienced, they couldn't seem to stop the leaks.

    I can get a local tradesman to do it but his SS welds tend to rust, causing people to throw rocks at me.

    Silver brazing would work much better. Something like the Muggyweld SSF-6 in paste form. Apply the brazing paste to all the all the joints and then heat it to proper temp. It will flow evenly into the joints and seal everything up. I think this would in a furnace as well for mass production.

  • ...in a perfect world @thunder88, I'm an old American living in China and far from a perfect world. I make do with what I can, create what is in my bounds, live day to day knowing that my mate Tan pulls all the strings that keeps StillDragon together.
    You and me and everyone else is just along for the ride.
    With your help I have the ideas but StillDragon is built on the shoulders of Tan. Nothing SD moves without her.
    Thinking I should be nicer to her now...

  • $2 Hi/low power controller....

    image

    hilo.JPG
    418 x 263 - 29K
  • LoO you'd need to find switches capable of supporting high current (10+A) - I'd be worried about the switch giving out due to arcing. Also need a hi power diode too. both of these will cost more than $2....

  • @crozdog said: LoO you'd need to find switches capable of supporting high current (10+A) - I'd be worried about the switch giving out due to arcing. Also need a hi power diode too. both of these will cost more than $2....

    Not to draw? :))

    FortyCentsWorthOfPaperPunkin

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

Sign In or Register to comment.