Energy requirements 6" plated column

[MrDisco]

Hi,

This is a tricky one to ask and a understand it's a tricky one to answer but I'm trying to size a column for the energy I have available to run.

I'm looking at a 6" column with 4 plates and I'm wondering if anyone with real life experience of this setup can tell me how many KW they run their rig on.

I have 14KW available for heat-up and Ideally, after heat-up I want to be able to run at a reasonable pace using no more than 7KW.

Does anyone run with similar parameters and how do they find doing so ?

[Southernhighlander]

You need 16 kW to 24kW. You may be able to run it off of 14kw but I've never tried that. 

The size of your still pot is just as important for sizing your column correctly.  What size is your pot?  

Also, are your elements in the mash or is your still a Baine Marie?

 

 

[MrDisco]

Thanks highlander, I think I'm going to end up with a 4" column at that rate...

I find myself in a lucky but strange position where I've been running a small 3" column packed with SPP sat on a 30 Gallon boiler, I also have a potstill head for the same boiler.

it is heated directly with a regulated 5KW element and lady luck has landed a 60 Gallon Boiler with capacity for 3 direct elements in my lap and I'm trying to work out what to do with it.

I want to put a plated column on it and because of the size of the boiler I want a big column so that I run in a sensible amount of time.

I was pretty sure that the energy available to me would be the limiting factor.

I'm thinking because of the power limitation I'm going to end up with a 4" plated column and given that then it may be a long day getting a run done because of the size of boiler.

Any suggestions or advice as to how best utilise lady lucks gift would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Southernhighlander]

I would run three 5,500 watt elements for a total of 16.5kW and the 6" column.  Even if you have to stay with 14kW, you should still run the 6" column, as it will still be faster than the 4" with that much power.

 

 

[MrDisco]

Amazing, thanks Highlander, it's really hard to get help with sizing like this, because of the amount of variables, the boiler is an odd size for what I would want but when like give you lemons you make lemonade i guess

Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

 

[Pour Decisions]

On 6/11/2020 at 4:37 PM, MrDisco said:

 when like give you lemons you make lemonade i guess

lemoncello!