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Continuous still for wash run


PeteB

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To increase my efficiency I need a wash still. I currently use one pot still for 3 wash runs then one spirit run. Produces nice product but not very efficient with time.

I build my own equipment and was thinking about a continuous still that would push wash up to only about 25% ABV. I still wish to use my pot still for the spirit run.

I have no idea if such a thing exists. I imagine a water pot on the bottom producing steam which rises up through some type of plate column. The wash could be pumped in slowly at the top with offtakes at various levels.

I currently lauter my mash because my still is direct fired. I did visit a very large continuous still in Scotland that that was run "grains in". If I could build a small grains in continuous still that would save the problems associated with stuck mashes with rye.

Anyone have any plans or suggestions please.

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  • 2 months later...

Been thinking a lot about this same problem, as we also tie up one of our pot stills doing the beer 'stripping'.

My thoughts are for a basic single column, with a minimal boiler. Emphasis is on stripping out the water rather than any considered fractions. The challenge with any small continuos column still is balancing the beer feed with the removal of the product and the tails, while maintaining thermal equillibrium. I am leaning towards a computer controlled system, rather than tweaking flows.

Will keep u posted.

rich..

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  • 2 months later...

Has anyone pursued this direction anymore? Would like to build a test still on this but only can figure flow control. Would there be any tails on flow control until the very end. Would also have to have a continuous alcholmeter attached to watch the proof to make sure there are no tails(proof wise).

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If I went to the trouble of building a continuous still I would want to run it grains-in. I don't think this would work with a "packed still", if you mean the column is packed with something like marbles.

I think it would need sloping sieve trays.

Ps. I have been off the forum for a couple of weeks because I have had no topic notifications. Must check if my email is working properly. Now I have come back I see everything looks a bit different, has it changed or is my computer playing games with me?

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I think it would need sloping sieve trays.

Right and wrong. it all depends on how thick your mash is.

if its the consistency of runny porridge then a slight slope may help, but a thinner wash should flow easily in the desired direction if the downcomers are staggered right.

I've played around with continuous designs before, and I know it can be done efficiently but there is a bit of playing around with design to get it right.

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I've played around with continuous designs before, and I know it can be done efficiently but there is a bit of playing around with design to get it right.

Do you have any designs or links to web? The only ones I have managed to find are design principals only with no detail. I will be building it myself and would like to keep it as simple as possible.

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  • 3 years later...
Hi Violent Blue,


I am very interested in continuos still design and was wondering if your company progressed to making a continuous still design that is available. Im hoping to set up my distillery with a continuous steam driven still and a small pot still for the spirit run.


Please let me know what you think,

Cheers

---Kris
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Pete - great idea. I have made parts for my batch still to do this very thing, but I don't use it ever. That is because I have a dedicated continuous still.

It would very easy to turn your pot still into a continuous still. ALOT easier than you think. And you don't use packed columns for grain in (rum would be great), you don't even use sieve trays. The simplest way is to use duel flow trays (AKA- perforated stainless trays or sheets).

If you hard the right tools it should take about 10 min or less to convert over. with about $20 in stainless tubing.

your parrot would be the same, you would allow some of the higher tails to go out the waste side.

I should do a you-tube video. :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I would love to know more about this. The idea of using some continuous still features on a pot still would increase efficiency, which I am looking for as my only heat source is propane.

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