Still Controllers

[Salishseaorganicliqueurs]

Hi,

So we recently purchased an X-11 Burner with a rectifying pilot safety system from Ward Burners out of Tennessee and I am now on the search for a good controller for the system. I am not very familiar with this area as my experience with a still up till now has been on a stove top. Could someone suggest a good controller that will work with this burner or point me to who I should be talking to. It would be really cool if I could interface this with an iPad or similar device.

[charbar]

All though this system isn't intended for distillation try these guys. I've been eyeing there systems for a while it'd be more than robust enough to run a still system.

http://www.ebrewsupply.com/

[Silk City Distillers]

Direct fired? I vote for manual burner control with a safety shut off near the still (big red button) but not so near that you would need to put yourself in harms way to hit it. There are plenty of places to effectively use process automation/controllers, but in this specific case, I say that low-tech is the best tech. Low tech is probably a bad description, that burner is pretty high-tech, but you don't need to automate it.

Besides, there isn't much automation you can do with boiler temp control. Inserting a controller in the mix only means that you'll be doing double the work to override your controller settings throughout the run. Once it's up to temp, the boiling point governed by the wash, not the controller. Once you hit boil, the controller is largely useless in automatic mode. Technically, you could automate it, but you'd need to reprogram the controller based on the wash ABV, every run, and you'd need an array of sensors to tell the dumb controller what is very obvious to you (vapor blowing out of the condenser, for example).

You'll get more bang for your buck from automating your condenser temp control (coolant temp in your flake stand). In this case automation can do a better job than a person could.

[Salishseaorganicliqueurs]

James,

Do you have a supplier suggestion? I basically just want something that will read out the temperature and allow me to control it and shut it off in an emergency (big red button). When looking around I see a lot of very expensive systems and not really sure what specifically to choose. We are looking into inexpensive ways to control our coolant temp, however, at this point it appears we may not be able to afford a chiller.

[jeffw]

You could use a bcs-460 or bcs-462. Super easy to setup, but I have to agree that I am not sure it is really worth the trouble. I use a bcs-462 to give me temperature readouts on my still and fermenter and open and close valves for fermenter temperature control. You could also use it to control your condenser water flow. I would think with solenoid valves. In truth though, a simple ball valve there should do the trick as well. You could build in a "big red button", but in general, this whole setup is going to require you to build out a box, though you can have front panel express make you a nice front to your box.

[Silk City Distillers]

How comfortable are you with basic electronics and wiring? Do you know someone you can enlist to help? If you want turn-key, you are going to pay for it. The individual parts are all relatively commonplace, and not complicated, but you are going to need to put it together.

Assuming that your Ward burner came with all the appropriate pilot and flame monitoring safety equipment - and also assuming that you'll be calling a commercial plumber to run your gas lines and hook up the burner to code. Have the plumber add an additional 2 way fuel gas solenoid valve, 24 volts AC, normally closed to the line, he/she will know what you are talking about (they'll install an Asco or Honeywell). This shouldn't add more than $150 to the total bill, but do it when you have the lines run, because adding it afterwards will cost you triple. Have it added in a location such that it isn't in close proximity to the still. You want to be able to cut gas to the whole area. They'll add this in addition to the shut off valves required by code.

The solenoid is going to be an important part of your safety cut-off. When power is applied to it, gas flows, when power is removed (or the power goes out entirely), the fuel gas line is shut down. That'll put your Baso into failure mode, preventing gas from flowing if power was restored.

Once the solenoid is in, you'll have a number of different options with regard to a manual shut-down. Most wall mount emergency switches are nothing more than a mushroom switch in an enclosure. You've got a 24vac transformer already, or you can add an additional. But wiring the wall button to the solenoid is relatively easy. Button out, gas on, button in, gas closed.

From a procedures standpoint, this would not eliminate the need to physically shut your gas valves when you are done using the appliance, and turning them on immediately before. All disclaimers apply, this system does not monitor for failure conditions, it simply gives you a way to quickly cut gas flow for any reason, including failure of any of the down-stream components. Chances are your local codes will be having your plumber add a valve somewhere within 6 feet of the appliance. If that device needs to be shut down in an emergency, getting within 6 feet of it probably isn't possible.

The whole point is to locate an additional fuel cut off switch in an alternative location without needed complex routing of gas lines to do it. The fuel line solenoid will be a necessary prerequisite of any more complex control system, so just go ahead and add it.

[KarlJohnson]

I'm 90% of the way done with a control box using a BCS 462 to remotely (from the iPhone using BrewBuddy) monitor fermenting temps and watch temps in the still/condenser. I am using relays in the box to control mixers, valves and pumps from a central location. And yes, I have a big red cutoff switch. I am not attempting to control my steam boiler.