What I Did Today

[Myles]

Started building a new reflux condenser. This is an offset version of a tube in shell crossflow based on Harry's design.

Because I had it available I am using 8 mm tube instead of the more usual 6 mm tube. In a 54 mm shell with a central T vapour inlet. Will have 19 x 8 mm x 300 mm tubes.

The end plates are brazed inside the tubes that are the shell sections. 56% silver solder, borax flux, and tried to use minimal solder so as not to get it where the tubes are to go. This is a high temperature solder, the tubes will be soldered with a soft solder.

[Almanac]

Nice looking piece Myles. I'd love to be able to build this type of condenser but I can only handle soft solder at this time

One question, is there a particular reason for using that many small bore tubes in the 54mm shell? The reason I ask is that, although I can't build one at the moment, it is in my plans to make a shotgun condenser but the drawings I made for mine involve using 5 x 15mm tubes inside the 54mm shell. This concept was based solely on my perception that soldering 5 tubes in place at the same time would be nightmare enough for me

AM

[Myles]

I am also doing a product shotgun using 7 x 12 mm tubes that I suspect will be the same style as what you mentioned - that is both the vapour and the condensate inside the tubes with the coolant inside the shell. You are just using 5 x 15 mm tubes instead of my 7 x 12 mm tubes.

This one with the small tubes is a reflux condenser so it is the other way round. The coolant is inside the tubes, with the vapour in the shell.
The condensate drips off the outside of the cold tubes and falls into the bottom of the shell. It is just an alternative to a coil - the total tube length is the same as the coil, just in many straight parallel lengths.

The condenser body is just off horizontal so that the reflux condensate flows to the drain near 1 end, vapour goes in horizontally at the mid point of the shell.

Crap illustration but it should give the idea.

[Almanac]

Trust me to get the wrong end of the stick .... or condenser I see what you're at now

AM

[Myles]

1 step closer, the body is complete just need to fit the end caps and coolant connectors.

The reflux output is offset deliberately so that when the condenser shell is mounted just off horizontal (so the reflux flows to the correct end) the output tube will be vertical.

Although the tubes look to be a bit close together, they actually have a 2 mm gap between each tube. It is just that the tubes are not perfectly straight.

I think next time I might increase the spacing a little bit - perhaps 3 mm. And there is 5.7 meters of 8 mm tube in there.

[Almanac]

That is truly lovely work Myles, I wish I was half as neat. You're obviously a skilled technician.

I actually thought you were doing that in Stainless.

I definitely can't do anything like that in copper as I can't get enough heat into the copper to get the silver solder to run.

I use a Mapp Pro gas and can just about manage with silver solder with SS but every attempt with copper has failed miserably

But one of these days...

AM

[Myles]

The end plates were brazed with 55% silver solder (630 - 650 deg C). I too use MAP but the only way I could get the copper to temperature was to use 2 torches at the same time. Once it was hot 1 could keep it there, but even so I had to use a thin 0.7 mm solder rod.

I once managed a welsh seam in a 3 foot long 54 to 28 mm taper but it was really difficult. I had to build a temporary forge just to get enough heat into the copper so the MAP could get the joint hot enough.

54 mm is my limit at the moment (for brazing), anything bigger would need one of those multi flame torches to heat all the way round the joint at the same time.

The rest of the build, the shell, the tubes etc was all done with lead free soft solder.

I have worked in stainless but I really don't like it, I have found it is very easy to overheat the stainless and then it will fail eventually. For stainless to stainless there is a specialist soft solder, but you can't use it on stainless to copper.

[FullySilenced]

I use oxy-Act. for most everything... cause i got it and own the bottles....

[RumJohn]

Broke down my still and have battened down the hatches. Tropical storm JEBI to hit the island head on later today or tonight. The fishing fleet is heading in so down to the harbour to watch the fun. The Chinese fishermen drive boats only a little better than those with cars.

[chill]

The Chinese fishermen drive boats only a little better than those with cars.

LOL! I still have scars proving that to be true. And that was Taiwan! Stay dry RumJohn.

Chuck

[alan]

Just finished racking off a sweet feed wash i started last sunday, i will restart the mash again in the morning for a second run.alan

[alan]

started a second generation sweet feed off this morning added 6 kg sugar 1 tsp dap and a ph booster, its now going like a goodun
alan

[alan]

just finished a strip run on a sweetfeed wash and cleaned up ready to strip a sugar wash first thing in the morning while its still cool in my kitchen.alan

[Capt-Cudellez]

Made cuts from yesterdays soured corn\bourbon spirit run - got 2 gallons at 67% aging on charred oak, plus a couple of bottles kept in the white.

Cut some more oak sticks, toasting some now, others I charred up with the MAP torch.

Made a couple of copper centering collars to go in my reflux column.



A busy afternoon - so time for a wee snifter

[Almanac]

I have been developing a malting machine to simplify the process of mashing grains and I'm hoping to bring an affordable production model to market by the beginning of 2014.

Tomorrow the final prototype will be running its first actual grain mash and conversion and the wort produced will be fermented and distilled.

I can't show any details or photos of the equipment at this time as I intend to patent it, or at least I hope to. I'm told patenting anything can be quite expensive

However, I can show you my grain bill for this historic event, for the laugh



The total grain bill is 9kg and is made up of all the rag-tag contents of my grain bin which is 6kg of Maris Otter Malt, 4 X 500g Roasted Rye Malt and 1kg of Flaked Maize. Now that should make for an interesting wort.

So I spent the day getting everything ready for the morning. It's been a hot and humid day so I'm in need of a shower and a long cool glass of something delicious

AM