New Pot Up and Running

[Almanac]

Well, I finally made it to the finish line and my new 50lt Pot Still has had it's first distilling run.


The wash was junkahol made from an old Alcotec 24 turbo that has been lurking in my garage since I banned turbos last year. I used 6kg sugar and made the wash up to 30lt. The end result was a wash of 11.5% which was fine for a first cleaning run.

The boil took a total of 1hr 20mins.

From the point of first product emerging from the condenser I played about with the power controller to see the effect on product flow. I was very surprised at how quickly a change in the power input to the 2Kw element was reflected in the product output rate. The initial strength of the distillate was 64%ABV

Once product started to emerge from the condenser I reduced the power input to 80% and this had little effect on the flow rate which was a steady trickle. See pics



However, reducing the power input to 60% had a dramatic effect that was visible in approx 5 seconds and the flow rate had halved. A further reduction of power to 40% reduced the flow to a drip that I measured as being 500ml/h.

At the end of the run I had collected 6.6lt of strip @54%ABV - I let it run all the way down to 15%. Once this was finished I was able to open the filler cap and pour it all back into the boiler for a second run.

The second run was to see how much I could increase the strength of the product by running at a slow rate. Running at 40% I was able to collect the initial distillate at 72%ABV.

A third run was made with the same recycled wash and this final run was to record max stripping rate. This worked out at 2.64lt/h

Coolant control was a doddle. I ran my Liebig at a trickle not much more than the distillate flow you can see above and never had to adjust that although I did turn off the flow near the end of the third run to reset it and see what point was the minimum coolant flow. I didn't measure it but I estimated it to be around 2lt/h.

In the top pic you can see a fitting sticking up on top of the Pot Head. This was intended for a thermometer but in the end I decided against using one there. I've run my Airstill for almost 2 years on taste and smell and I see no good reason to change now. I do have a 3" Dial Thermometer in the boiler which I think is necessary for power conservation.



Last thing: The Armaflex insulation works brilliantly. The temp loss, with the boiler at sustained max temp, was 15oC. I used two digital thermometers to measure this. The one on the left below was inside one of the securing straps and pressed into the outer surface of the Armaflex and the other was recording ambient air temperature in my garage in the area of the boiler. (Notice the ambient temp, 22.5oC its been a regular heatwave here for the past two days. If this keeps up we might even have a summer - some chance!)



Very satisfied and looking forward to first real run on Tuesday next.

AM

[Capt-Cudellez]

That's brilliant Adian, Looks like you have a handle on things, that's a good looking boiler too.
Just a quick one, it looks like you have the condenser insulated, I would think that would be counter productive - you want it to be able to lose as much heat as possible, by insulating it you will have to run the cooling that bit faster.

With 2kw and a condenser that size you probably wouldn't have any issue (doesn't sound like you did from your report) but you could use even less water if you take that insulation off - it also lets you touch the cooling jacket to see where it is hot down to to help setting the cooling.

I use heat sensitive stickers to do this too, I dont run this config, but you can see them in the pic.

[YHB]

You beat me too it by a week or so, but if mine turns out half as good as yours I will be very happy.

I am really pleased for you.

[billmcc]

Nice work Aidan Happy stilling

[Almanac]

Thanks all Big sigh of relief that all went so well.

CC: I know what you mean about the insul on the Liebig - don't know where I got that brain fart came from but I've taken it off now. I checked the water jacket during the cleaning runs and the pipe never got hot more than two inches below the top 'T' fitting.

YHB: Thanks Brian, I have to admit it was very satisfying to have all the work pay off without a hitch Yours will be well worth the wait too.

AM

[Frank]

Hey AidanMac
nice looking new toy...fancy that, I've got one too now!!!(see airstill thread)

+1 re insulating the condensor..not really something I understand as beneficial either. what did you use to insulate the column???

BTW, I was told that 'you' slow down the heat (flowrate) for foreshots/inital heads but then you can ramp up flow (within reason) for the rest of the collection....do you know different???

Anyway, enjoy that x litres per hour mate (and tell your Airstill you love it regardless )

[Almanac]

Insul gone off condenser - brain fart, sorry 'bout that!

The insul on the column is bog std pipe insulating foam but it has proved to be next to useless for this purpose. I think that stuff is only meant to bew used to prevent pipes from freezing in winter. It certainly doesn't keep the heat in.

My posting on the first runs were just messing about to see what the pot was capable of. Foreshots will be run nice and slow till clear of the worst heads. It'll take me a while to get fully used to the operation of this size still - quite a bit different from the Airstill and yet quite similar in some respects.

The main difference is having control of the power input and the cooling system.

Next part for me is to get my VM column welded and give that a run out too.\

I love my little toys!

AM

[Admiral Toad]

Hey AM
Good to see your having fun too

Be interested if you find suitable insulation for your column as I would like to insulate my new pothead column

Jut finishing second stripping run went really well again

By the way for temperature I drilled a small hole in the outlet PVC tube pushed a short bit of smaller diameter pipe inside to act a a restricter and make the water pool a bit then pushed a temp probe through the drilled. hole works a treat

AT

[Almanac]

Hey AT,

How'd the stripping runs work out for you. Have you done a spirit run yet? My first serious wash for stripping in the new pot is ready and waiting. I'm hoping to get to it tomorrow - every day there's something in my way

I have everything set up to put on two more 50lt washes and then a Corn Mash.

I've already modified my VM by replacing the copper column with a Stainless one. I damaged the 2" Copper I had set aside and had just got my hands on some 2" Stainless pipe at 2 Euros a foot

I'm not with you on the temp probe thingy - lets see a picky! - I just can't visualise it!

I'm picking up some new insul material for my column tomorrow. I'll post pics and a brand name - supposed to be the dogs b...

AM

[Admiral Toad]

aidan

No only done stripping runs but went really well

Going to research some recipes next

AT

[Capt-Cudellez]

Be interested if you find suitable insulation for your column as I would like to insulate my new pothead column

AT, having seen the nice work YHB did for you, my advice would be not to bother insulating it - it's not that big a riser and any slight natural reflux will push the abv a tiny amount, but not that much to worry about.

By the way for temperature I drilled a small hole in the outlet PVC tube pushed a short bit of smaller diameter pipe inside to act a a restricter and make the water pool a bit then pushed a temp probe through the drilled. hole works a treat

With Adian on that, a bit confused - at a guess it sounds like you are measuring the temp on the condenser cooling water - if that is the case then you still in your CM mind set, a pot head doesn't work like that, if you're measuring the temp it should be the vapour temp, not the water.
If I'm completely wrong with this and you are measuring vapour - I wouldn't put PVC anywhere near it personally.

I've already modified my VM by replacing the copper column with a Stainless one. I damaged the 2" Copper I had set aside and had just got my hands on some 2" Stainless pipe at 2 Euros a foot

Glad I'm not the only one - I'm a clumsy bugger too. I've knocked my column over loads of times, if it was copper, it would have some character by now, if it was still in one piece

[Admiral Toad]

C'pn
Only using outlet water temp to make sure of steady running

Using my magic infra red point and squeeze thermo to see what's happening all over still and boiler for now

Thick Geordie learning off master distillers I hope ( long way to go mate x )


AT

[Capt-Cudellez]

C'pn
Only using outlet water temp to make sure of steady running

Na, dosn't work like that, the product condenser has no impact on how you are running with a pot still, it's all done with the power you put in to the boiler.

I can run my water fast it comes off cool, and the product comes out at 17oC, or I run the cooling slow, the water comes out piping hot, and the distillate is 40oC - still come off at the same rate as it does not cause any reflux sending distillate back to the boiler.

[Admiral Toad]

ok will mess about with that though I'm sure you are right

At present simply running on standard 1.8 kw until I get my power cotroller sorted which is fine for stripping I guess

Then its time for recipes

yours humbly
AT

[Capt-Cudellez]

At present simply running on standard 1.8 kw until I get my power cotroller sorted which is fine for stripping I guess

It will be great for stripping - depending on the ABV going it you can turn it all into low wines in a little over 2 hours after warm up.