Modifications on a Crystal Dragon

I've started to make a few mods on my 8" CD so I don't have to reconfigure the pipework between stripping & spirit runs & also so I can redirect the hearts through the basket either in pot still or column mode.

Normally, when making our gin I do a stripping run and then 2 spirits runs through the column. We use have a 50lt conical as a gin basket. I do the second spirit run with the basket in the vapour line - starting with it empty. Once I'm happy we're into the hearts, I put the column in full reflux & load up the basket.

I've now added a bubble T section (no plate) below the column with a 3 way valve off the T. I've added a second 3-way valve off the head of the column. Connecting the valves means I have a permanently mounted 2" bypass - I just have to switch the valves between column and pot still configurations. I didn't have any 2" pipe that I could configure to the right length (will have to get some made up) but for now, with a few elbows it looks a bit frankenbrew but it works well.

The 3-way valve at the bottom will also allow me to permanently connect to the bottom of the gin basket with a T at the top of the basket connected into the vapour line (the basket also has a condense line back to the pot). This will mean that by simply changing the valves I have 4 useful configuration options :

  1. Pot still direct to product condensor
  2. Column still direct to product condensor
  3. Pot still via gin basket
  4. Column still via gin basket (and one very dangerous one)
  5. dead end the column and have a big bang!!)

Option 5 means I will need to add a pressure gauge and a relief valve on the pot but I'll discuss that in a later post.

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