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Ideal Stripping Setup

Lets suppose that you have all the SD parts you might need. What would be your ideal configuration for stripping. For instance, come right off the top bend and condense, put some amount of empty column above the still before bending to condenser, or put some mesh or wool on the column for some reflux? Thanks for your input.

Comments

  • edited December 2013

    Mine would be tall, 4" up to or past the bend reducing to a 3"condensor at 45 degrees and then a 2"condensor the same or at 90. I wouldn't use packing as a regular 8-10% wash will give you over 40% strip.

    I'd have a sight glass part way up the riser to catch any puking.

    I'd have room to fit the GB4 in when required.

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

  • From the boiler 2x 4" bubbletee SG's, 1x 4" x 510mm TC pipe, 1x 4" bubbletee SG, then the4"x 2" reducer. From here on, the rest of the Dash bend, cooling & parrot etc

    +1 on the GB4

  • For me it would be a steam boiler feeding a (same size) boiler / thumper, containing the wash or mash. I would agree with the 4" vapour path but would probably include a thumper to act as a slobber box to protect the condenser.

  • edited December 2013

    Sorry guys ideal stripper set up got me goin wrong place. Tryin to delete my ideal stripper setup. YUP you don't even want to know.

  • 55 gal stainless drum with:

    4" x 3' copper head, reduced with stainless 4"x2" into 2" 90 degree copper. Run 2"x2' copper into another 2" 90 degree copper and down another 2" x 1' copper. Feed into a SD 2" long shotgun condenser. 2" copper reduces to 1" x2' copper... Powered by SD electric controller on one element and off/on switch on second element.

    Initially I had doubts about the SD shotgun condenser knocking down 11kW of heat but it handles full power to both elements with absolutely no issues. 37 gallon Hook Rum wash yields 7.5 gals low wines every time. Once she comes up to temp, she runs exactly 5 gallons an hour. Takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours start to finish.

    RCY..

  • Excellent post @RipleyCountyYankee!
    What is the ABV of your 7.5 gallons of low wines?
    I wouldn't have thought the condenser could keep up with 11kW. Your inlet water must be really cold?

  • @Lloyd said: Excellent post RipleyCountyYankee!
    What is the ABV of your 7.5 gallons of low wines?
    I wouldn't have thought the condenser could keep up with 11kW. Your inlet water must be really cold?

    Also, what is the approximate temp of your distillate? Room temp, luke warm, warmer than that or hot?

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • I ran one of our long 2"shotguns with three 3600 watt elements (10,800) and they overpowered it. Took a little while but the distillate ended up coming out hot, then steaming then a little vapour. We knocked the still back down and put another long shotgun in series with it and it worked just fine with a nice cool distillate. This was on a 1000l recirc tank in summer though.

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

  • I have no idea what the power was, as I was using LPG, but I had 23L per hr of product output from a ~10% wash.

    (~6 US GAL per hr)

    using a 2in long shotgun and 2000L water tank.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPO9suapWq4

  • You have a 4" reflux condensor there acting as a precondensor :^o

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

  • The 7.5 gal low wines runs are around 68% ABV. I use a 475 gallon water storage container and always empty/refill for every run. At the start of a run, this water will be 59 degrees F. After each run, the 475 gal water tank is up anywhere from 84 to 89 degrees F (depending on outside temp). The pump is rated to push 20 gal / Min at a height of 6' (condenser height).

    One element is powered by the SD controller and the other element is just got an off/on 30A switch. Never did the math on raising the temp that far on that much water but I know it uses a hell of a lot of electricity.

    Just for the record, I don't sell anything. Might seem like a lot, but I do have a large family (and I do like to consume) so this is all consumed in house so to speak. I only mention this as I was reprimanded on another forum for asking questions about the head design/condenser on a 55 gal boiler.

    RCY..

  • Distillate comes out nice and cold until the very end. Towards the end the distillate starts to get warm. I never measured it as it doesn't start to warm up until the very end. I simply empty the container and refill with 59 degree water again for the next stripping run. Empty and refill a third time and then do the spirit run on a smaller still with a liebig. The liebig does not raise the water temp as much. Two stripping runs ===> Spirit run yields 6 to 7 gal @ 156% on oak. The gallon difference (I think) is mainly due to outside temp during fermentation.

    RCY...

  • hmm, i do too!, been awhile since i took that vid, will need to post a new one...

  • Well all LOO needs is a good stipper pole and he is good to go.... lol

  • edited January 2014

    Bump

    @citrusdistillers reports that he can strip at 13 liters per hour with the single 3" product condenser and at 26 liters per hour by adding the long 2" product condenser.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • Lovely. Very nice sort of numbers.

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

  • edited January 2014

    So i was gonna write exactly what the perfect stipper setup but i looked up above and someone copied my paper exactly to a T. Sign me up there it is. Or at least just for personal consumption:
    +1

    @RipleyCountyYankee said: 4" x 3' copper head, reduced with stainless 4"x2" into 2" 90 degree copper. Run 2"x2' copper into another 2" 90 degree copper and down another 2" x 1' copper. Feed into a SD 2" long shotgun condenser. 2" copper reduces to 1" x2' copper... Powered by SD electric controller on one element and off/on switch on second element.

    Initially I had doubts about the SD shotgun condenser knocking down 11kW of heat but it handles full power to both elements with absolutely no issues. 37 gallon Hook Rum wash yields 7.5 gals low wines every time. Once she comes up to temp, she runs exactly 5 gallons an hour. Takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours start to finish.

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