nabtastic Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Curious here, what is the proper way to evacuate a still - post distillation? To my understanding, we are supposed to capture all distillate, but some stills requiring the manway or a pressure release to be drained releasing what could be potentially hazardous vapors right? I don't think I've heard anyone talk about this and haven't came across it anywhere. Also, are people actually checking and recording each batch to verify that their waste distillates are actually below 10%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mash Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Personally I don't think it is an issue. There should be no pressure in the vessel anyways. Once I've collected what has been distilled it gets dumped as stillage. If there is more than 10% abv in the stillage then I won't be in business very long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabtastic Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Thank you for your response, I suppose I should rephrase my question though: When you drain your still, do you have to open it (manway/relief valve/etc) while it is still hot or do you let it cool before draining? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradocaster Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Ours is hot when we empty it. actually still boiling a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabtastic Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 but you just pull the drain or do you vent the still first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskeytango Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I will open the man way and hit it with some cold water to cool it down a bit before draining, but its still probably hotter than 150 when i start draining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabtastic Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 hmm ok thanks everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dehner Distillery Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 drain it boiling turn and burn those batches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captnKB Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I wouldn't recommend dumping boiling stillage down the drain. ABS pipe can only withstand 180 degree water. you are gambling with your plumbing dumping boiling liquid down the drain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluestar Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 normally, you have so little alcohol left in the stillage at the end of distillation, opening to "vent" is not going to be a problem. the only place with higher alcohol content vapors would be closer to the head of the still in a hybrid still with a plated or packed column. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artisan Still Design Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I recommend running a cast iron pipe for your floor drain, its kinda old school, but will wick off a tremendous amount of heat before dumping into a ABS drain. theres no worries about it rusting out in your life time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skaalvenn Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I recommend running a cast iron pipe for your floor drain, its kinda old school, but will wick off a tremendous amount of heat before dumping into a ABS drain. theres no worries about it rusting out in your life time. My landlord informed me all the drains in the building are cast iron--music to my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silk City Distillers Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 You'll still want to confirm allowable discharge temperature and pH with your local sewerage authority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Peeple, hear me! the proper way to vent and drain a column still is important! Do it wrong and you're looking at hot mash sprayed everywhere. Step one: turn off energy/heat/steam two: observe trays in column. When the bubble caps stop showing bubbles, you have somewhere close to pressure equilibrium three: vent boiler with vent valve, prepare to close it quickly if hot mash is still under pressure (it shouldn't be if you followed steps one and two) four: open manway five: empty boiler, don't get scalded Notes: adding cold anything to that hot stillage creates steam reactions and can splash. Adding cold anything to that boiler creates a vacuum in your steam jacket (if equipped). Helps to have a vacuum relief valve on the jacket or the baffles and internal welds may deteriorate over time. if they do, you'll know it by the bong-ing noise on heat up and cool down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabtastic Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 ^that's a good answer. It seems pretty common to have a positive pressure relief but not so often do you find one with a negative pressure relief. Still evacuation, in regards to plumbing and code, is not something I've came across often. Thanks to everybody for your inputs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iskiebaedistillery Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I know this thread is a little older, but I also wanted to 2nd what Blackheart said. The cooling mash will create a vacuum. This is very important for the few commercial distilleries running traditional pot stills with a doubler/thumper. Being that the inlet tube in the doubler is submerged in liquid, the vacuum upon cooling will pull that liquid from the doubler back through the column. Depending on the strength of the still, the vacuum can damage it causing it to collapse inwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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