StillSmart

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-05-26T21:36:03+00:00

I see you got the splitter working mate. Congrats.

Statistics: Posted by Harry — Tue May 26, 2015 9:36 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-29T11:31:23+00:00

Nice one CC even if you've still got be a bit baffled

Statistics: Posted by Admiral Toad — Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:31 am

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-28T21:55:10+00:00

Interesting to read your observations so far Capt.
Awaiting a "proper" run,and your findings,for which,I wish you luck.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:55 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-28T14:51:32+00:00

Some finishing touches done yesterday.

Soldered in a thermowell

Stuck on a thermometer

Blinged up the parrot

And did a final cleaning run as id done a bit of soldering and repacked with new scrubbers that got a good wash in the dishwasher first.
Charged the boiler with 35L of 11% wash, and about 3L of 70% junkahol, (so about 15-16%)

Managed to get about 94% reading on the parrot using a 70-100 narrow range alcometer, but the liquid was about 12oC so it may have been higher ABV as the alcometer is calibrated for 20oC, I have no problem believing it will do azeotrope if charged with low wines.
I'm waiting on a couple of 6mm fuel line valves to let me bypass the tube going through the parrot to prevent overcooling of the distillate in future. I could have just changed the plumbing yesterday, but it was just a cleaning run.

I'm also not sure how often I will actually run with the parrot, it does hold quite a bit of liquid, so I've bent another bit of 22mm that I can screw on to the fitting to use a spout if I find I get smearing (shouldn't really be pulling anything but hearts off down the product arm any way)

I found I was able to adjust the reflux and increase the output quite finely and dialed in 93,92 and 90 ABV - so looks like this might be good for things like white rum, or doing a grain vodka where you want to preserve some of the flavour.

I then stuck it into pot still mode and stripped the rest of the alcohol out.
Don't think I'll actually use this still as a pot still, as its just so cumbersome to get onto the boiler. I'd have to have a boiler that I could fully drain and clean in place with the still head still attached to make that something that wouldn't turn into a huge PITA after the novelty wore off.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:51 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-14T19:04:42+00:00

Hopefully this video will make clear how it works for anyone still scratching their heads.

https://youtu.be/4l3c9PHN78M

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:04 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-11T06:20:19+00:00

bloody Hell CC

"It's Distilling Jim but not as we Know it !"

Statistics: Posted by Admiral Toad — Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:20 am

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-10T23:26:41+00:00

Looks good Capt C

Bet you can't wait to put it through it's paces, I love the look of a clean copper still when it rolls off the production line, shame they change colour so quickly once you start using them, its a differnt design to what others are using so I'm looking forward to reading about how it performs

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:26 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-10T20:03:43+00:00

Finished and just needing to be plumbed in and cleaned up

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Tue Mar 10, 2015 8:03 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-08T17:14:06+00:00

The 4 core shotgun condenser is a bust, I know what I did wrong and I'll recover the inners as the 10mm bits are hard soldered in and leak free, it's the 22mm pipe going into the manifold that has the leak.
So in order to get this bloody thing finished, I've made up a new condenser.

This is a 28mm inside a 35mm outer, with a 15mm cold finger. I wound and soldered some 2.5mm wire around the 28mm which was then too tight to fit inside the 35mm, but 20 mins with a file and all was good. this should make a nice path round the tube for the cooling water to travel.

click for bigger pics

I soldered on some bits of 6mm tube to act as a centering device for the cold finger

All put together and leak free

As you can see all I need now is to mop that floor, its disgusting.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:14 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-02T10:14:32+00:00

Capt-Cudellez wrote:
Thats correct AM, rather than sending the condensed vapour back the way it came, it will come out that spout and be returned to the top of the packing below the splitting section.

There is an upturned bit of 15mm tube inside the 64mm connector (shown in the pics) this will set a liquid level in the silicon tube.

By closing the needle valve you cause an obstruction in the flow, raising the liquid level until it overflows the loop (I'll probably drop this a little more than shown in the last pic).

This is for heads removal only. After that the needle valve will remain fully open, and I'll use the splitting section to divert a portion of the vapour to the product arm.

Got it! An ingenious creation addressing many different operating requirements.

I'm constantly amazed by the ingenuity and creativity of distillers here who develop their equipment based on their live experience and CC has always been one of our leading innovators.

Can't wait to read your reports of operations with this new development.

AM

Statistics: Posted by Almanac — Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:14 am

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-02T01:49:32+00:00

Capt,
Maybe I am slow,I am still trying to get this still sorted in my head!
I can't wait for you to say that is finished and working as expected!

Robert

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Mon Mar 02, 2015 1:49 am

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-01T20:24:50+00:00

Thats correct AM, rather than sending the condensed vapour back the way it came, it will come out that spout and be returned to the top of the packing below the splitting section.

There is an upturned bit of 15mm tube inside the 64mm connector (shown in the pics) this will set a liquid level in the silicon tube.

By closing the needle valve you cause an obstruction in the flow, raising the liquid level until it overflows the loop (I'll probably drop this a little more than shown in the last pic).

This is for heads removal only. After that the needle valve will remain fully open, and I'll use the splitting section to divert a portion of the vapour to the product arm.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:24 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-03-01T20:10:00+00:00

I got to ask cause I can't figure this out.

In the "almost horizontal condenser" it appears the condensed liquid will come out the pipe, below the coolant tails, that has a piece of clear tubing on it connected to the pipe below?

As I said I can't figure this one out and would appreciate if you would put me out of my misery

AM

Statistics: Posted by Almanac — Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-02-28T21:07:16+00:00

Got a wee while to finish the head today. You can click for a bigger pic.

Unfortunately the shotgun leaks - I had a concern when sealing the outer shell that I had put too much heat in and desoldered the internal 22mm tube that went into the 4x10mm manifold, in retrospect I should have filled the internal tubes with water to stop that happening.

It will be easily fixed but not today. I'll sort it out during the week, or knock something else up to let me do the cleaning run.

The almost horizontal condenser has a double wound coil with loads of knock down power, I'll be able to push the full 3kw I have without issue.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sat Feb 28, 2015 9:07 pm

Re: Capt C's glacial speed build

2015-02-21T09:15:09+00:00

Capt-Cudellez wrote:
Last post was my 1000th Should have said something cool.

Congratulations CC you've just joined the elite club of two but the gloss wears off pretty quickly around here.

AM

Statistics: Posted by Almanac — Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:15 am