Using hot water to run your still. Anyone using that?

[Silk City Distillers]

Our jurisdiction made us do all sorts of interesting things, none of which had anything to do with the boiler. For example, requiring a 3 basin sink plumbed for dish and ware washing (what would be required in a restaurant). They were insistent on a grease trap, until we helped them understand why a grease trap on the floor and 3-basin sink drains was a waste of everyone's time.

But the steam boiler? Honestly he was in the boiler room for all of 2 minutes. Backflow preventer, check, water top off, check, fusible link on the oil line (we run oil), check. He asked about a large heat exchanger we have - on-demand hot water - check, pressure relief on the boiler, check, pressure relief on the still (same one as on the boiler), check. Done.

Failed us on the first inspection. The boiler wasn't on and he couldn't check the temperature of the hand wash sink, he wouldn't wait for the boiler to fire up, so he failed us and came back to test the hand wash temperature.

"Looks good, good luck".

[wigglywalker]

There is a place in NH that is using an old water boiler, he has a 30~40' 2" copper coil? on a 250 gallon still. i am sure if you have a larger still steam would start to make more sense? seems to work for him, he also has a frankinstien hot water heater connected to it, not sure if it is to superheat or a buffer tank? i do understand that to change phases from water to steam requires 970 BTUs per lb. so it is kind of a waste of energy if you don't need it? i am sure heat up time is a factor, but as i type this i am trying to think how to pipe our new steam boiler...