StillSmart

Now that I have built and used a pot head for my T500 boiler, my next project is to replace the original reflux column. This is what I thought.



Would I need to fit some form of reducer in the column either above or below the T to centralise the refluxing liquid or will it work better full bore as my diagram.
I have the liebig from my pot head and a power controller for the boiler

Any other suggestions will gladly be received

That looks like a plan!

I run my 2" column without centering rings and it works fine.

How are you going to connect the gate valve?

Good luck, but having seen your pot head I don't think that you are going to need it.

YHB wrote:How are you going to connect the gate valve?

I was thinking of using a compression fitting without using the olives or tension nuts but using endfeed copper female's or something along that line

It will work but I honestly wouldn't build one in that configuration again. I prefer the offset variant with reflux and product condensers on opposite sides of the column.

And what is wrong with the compression olives?

Myles wrote:And what is wrong with the compression olives?

Just a personal preference for solder connections. I like olives as long as they are stuffed with Jalapeno.

Yes I am partial to that sort of olive too.

The solution to your valve issue is actually fairly easy. Gate valves with female BSP threaded connections are actually more common than the ones with compression ends. I tend to buy threaded valves and mate them with threaded to compression adaptors. However BSP male to end feed solder adaptors are also available.

Just screw the adaptor into the valve so that you can get the orientation of the threads correct before you solder it onto the tube. Mark the positions and take the adaptor out of the valve before you solder it.

I see you are planning on using SPP - I really wouldn't put a long column on the T500 boiler using that packing.



I have run a full VM on the boiler and it is a bit wobbly for my liking. I would guess that my column with SPP is easily twice as heavy as when it was packed with scrubbers.

It is possible to get azeotrope with a short column using SPP. See this thread. http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2621

If you want a full length column I would suggest something more rigid like a 30L keg, or consider supporting the column somehow.

Capt-Cudellez wrote:I see you are planning on using SPP - I really wouldn't put a long column on the T500 boiler using that packing.

Yep, didn't think about the weight, but I can get round the "keeping the column sturdy" bit by using a pipe clip to support it.
I will however try running the original T500 column with SPP when it gets here in the next week or two, I'll use some 40% strip I have stored and my power controller to get the reflux right, I hope !!.

Good stuff. The SPP will have been machined, and if your is like mine, could have some oily residue on it.
I wouldn't waste any "good stuff" by using it on the first run, instead, put on a sugar wash and run that through to clean the packing (a bit of soap and water before packing it doesn't hurt either).

Keep all the product produced in a container marked as poison, and use it for cleaning new still equipment.

CC, the SS SPP is coming from iStill, but I will take note of what you say and make sure it is thoroughly cleaned.
I have just made some mods to my design and added a LM section to get the best of both types.



Any reasons as to why this would not work, which should come first the LM or the VM ?.

I would do it as you have it, the LM plates then act as a bit of a choke to help encourage vapour out of the VM. My VMs have the tube for the take off most of the way across the column to do the same thing.



An alternative is having the take off between the plates like this