Doubler vs. Thumper - Why choose one over the other?

[Joey Bender]

Distilling newbie here,

I believe I understand the difference between a thumper and doubler. Correct me if I'm wrong... The doubler basically reboils condensed low wines to make high wines. Thumper does not use condensed low wines, only low wine vapors to make high wines. I've seen continuous systems that allow for a doubler still to work as a thumper or a doubler by changing valve configurations.

Why would you use one over the other? What affect does each one have on the high wine product?

Looked online for an answer and didn't really see much. I know there's a lot of expertise on this website, so I thought I'd ask here.

Cheers,

Joey

[whiskeytango]

I thought a thumper had the in feed line submerged in liquid giving it a "thumping" sound as it bubbled.  And a doubler just created more air space in a second container.  But I'm really have no idea.  

 

 

[Rum]

I've always thought they were the same thing... We run a double thumper. Heat source is in the pot. 1st thumper is filled with 50% tails and 50% water. Second thumper is filled with 25% heads and 75% water. Approximately. The pipe into the 1st thumper is submerged and the vapor from the pot heats the liquid to boiling. The exit pipe is above the liquid line and feeds the next thumper the same way.

The thumping sound occurs during heat up of the liquid in the thumpers. The hot air bubbles from the pot hit the colder liquid in the thumper and collapse due to the change in temperature. That causes the thumping sound. 

They are also referred to as retorts. I believe a double is the same but I may be wrong on that. A slobber box is a thumper with the input pipe above any liquid line. It simply catches overflow.

[Rum]

Here is a video of one of the thumpers heating up. Make sure your volume is on.

IMG_8586.MOV

[whiskeytango]

15 minutes ago, Rum said:

I've always thought they were the same thing... We run a double thumper. Heat source is in the pot. 1st thumper is filled with 50% tails and 50% water. Second thumper is filled with 25% heads and 75% water. Approximately. The pipe into the 1st thumper is submerged and the vapor from the pot heats the liquid to boiling. The exit pipe is above the liquid line and feeds the next thumper the same way.

The thumping sound occurs during heat up of the liquid in the thumpers. The hot air bubbles from the pot hit the colder liquid in the thumper and collapse due to the change in temperature. That causes the thumping sound. 

They are also referred to as retorts. I believe a double is the same but I may be wrong on that. A slobber box is a thumper with the input pipe above any liquid line. It simply catches overflow.

So maybe a thumper and doubler are the same.  With the intake pipe submerged and a sober box is with the inlet pipe not submerged?   

[Rum]

Yes.

Slobber boxes aren't really used much in commercial distillation. If you're running a still in the back woods with a bunch of burning logs for heat you might want a slobber box. It's easier to control the heat source on a modern still and hence control the potential for foam, etc, flowing over.

[Silk City Distillers]

Doubler not the same as thumper.

Just google the images of the Vendome/Michters doubler, you'll see that it's fed liquid, not vapor, from the beer stripper product condenser and has active steam heating (traps and steam lines clearly visible).

 

[Rum]

Thanks for the clarification.