| |
Main
Date: 08 Jun 2006 18:34:05
From: spongehead
Subject: Newbie help with reflux still
|
Hello, I am going to make a reflux still to produce ethanol this summer
to power the lawnmowers and have a few sips myself ;) I will be using
old fruit from the grocery stores and late in the summer we have
hundreds of potato fields. The only part I need help with is the
boiler and what to mix with the fruit or taters to produce a good
percentage of ethanol.
I'm trying to be as cheap as possible. I've seen a few different
variations. The keg boiler seems ok but if you have to clean it out,
the lid looks like a pain in the ass to make and remove. The stainless
milk can seems fairly simple but theyre hard to come by around here. I
was thinking an old 20 lb propane tank would be sufficient. Theres
hundreds of older tanks at the recycling center and of course having a
trained professional remove the valve. The hole looks to be about an
inch to an inch and a half and its threaded so making a fitting on to
the column would be fairly easy so all you would have to do is screw
off, screw on. But, is the hole too small to allow the vapors to rise
properly?
oh yeah, one more question, those Raschig Rings some folks use are
quite expensive. I heard that using steel pads is good and using
marbles is better, but what about those plastic beads the kids use?
They are 1/4 inch and look just like the Raschig Rings but is the
plastic gonna be a problem?
|
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 14:51:14
From: Sam G. Daher
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
I downloaded the plans from http://www.gin-vodka.com/ and in their plans
they use a 5 gallon electric water heater for the boiler, It is actually a
really good plan. As i do not drink the hard liquors i did not build it. But
the plans are really good.
George.
"spongehead" <hgoodale_msp@msn.com > wrote in message
news:1149816845.566406.8950@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Hello, I am going to make a reflux still to produce ethanol this summer
> to power the lawnmowers and have a few sips myself ;) I will be using
> old fruit from the grocery stores and late in the summer we have
> hundreds of potato fields. The only part I need help with is the
> boiler and what to mix with the fruit or taters to produce a good
> percentage of ethanol.
>
> I'm trying to be as cheap as possible. I've seen a few different
> variations. The keg boiler seems ok but if you have to clean it out,
> the lid looks like a pain in the ass to make and remove. The stainless
> milk can seems fairly simple but theyre hard to come by around here. I
> was thinking an old 20 lb propane tank would be sufficient. Theres
> hundreds of older tanks at the recycling center and of course having a
> trained professional remove the valve. The hole looks to be about an
> inch to an inch and a half and its threaded so making a fitting on to
> the column would be fairly easy so all you would have to do is screw
> off, screw on. But, is the hole too small to allow the vapors to rise
> properly?
>
> oh yeah, one more question, those Raschig Rings some folks use are
> quite expensive. I heard that using steel pads is good and using
> marbles is better, but what about those plastic beads the kids use?
> They are 1/4 inch and look just like the Raschig Rings but is the
> plastic gonna be a problem?
>
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 14:50:45
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
On 8 Jun 2006 18:34:05 -0700, <hgoodale_msp@msn.com > wrote:
> Hello, I am going to make a reflux still to produce ethanol this summer
> to power the lawnmowers and have a few sips myself ;) I will be using
> old fruit from the grocery stores and late in the summer we have
> hundreds of potato fields. The only part I need help with is the
> boiler and what to mix with the fruit or taters to produce a good
> percentage of ethanol.
This is the wrong place to ask about distilling. Try over in
rec.crafts.distilling since you'll probably get a lot more answers
there.
John.
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 07:39:05
From: cyberzl1@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
spongehead wrote:
> Todd wrote:
> > What do you mean by "ferment"
> >
> > When I say "ferment" I mean add yeast to a fermentable wort, and by
> > "fermentable wort" I mean one in which the starches have already been
> > converted to sugars.
> >
> > When you say "ferment" you seem to mean a process that will convert the
> > starches to fermentable sugars. What are you going to use to ferment the
> > potatoes to produce the sugars?
> >
> Forgive my ignorance, again Im just starting out and do not understand
> the whole process yet. Fermenting in my mind is letting whatever
> produce sit out for awhile until it stinks really bad. Im sure theres
> a much more technical process that I have yet to figure out in due
> time.
>
> Youre right Cyberzl1, maybe the potato thing is more time and resource
> consuming that I would like. Fruit seems to be the way to go. I'd be
> happy with a gallon every other week so its not going to be a full time
> hobby.....
>
> I've read a little on that cellulosic conversion process, apparantly it
> is getting closer to being more competative with gasoline. Maybe
> someday the lawnmower will have a catch bag with an auto processing
> unit built in. Truly self propelled.....
>
> Any ideas on the propane tank boiler?
Sent you some stuff offline. If you didn't get it, ping me.
JW
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 07:36:25
From: spongehead
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
Todd wrote:
> What do you mean by "ferment"
>
> When I say "ferment" I mean add yeast to a fermentable wort, and by
> "fermentable wort" I mean one in which the starches have already been
> converted to sugars.
>
> When you say "ferment" you seem to mean a process that will convert the
> starches to fermentable sugars. What are you going to use to ferment the
> potatoes to produce the sugars?
>
Forgive my ignorance, again Im just starting out and do not understand
the whole process yet. Fermenting in my mind is letting whatever
produce sit out for awhile until it stinks really bad. Im sure theres
a much more technical process that I have yet to figure out in due
time.
Youre right Cyberzl1, maybe the potato thing is more time and resource
consuming that I would like. Fruit seems to be the way to go. I'd be
happy with a gallon every other week so its not going to be a full time
hobby.....
I've read a little on that cellulosic conversion process, apparantly it
is getting closer to being more competative with gasoline. Maybe
someday the lawnmower will have a catch bag with an auto processing
unit built in. Truly self propelled.....
Any ideas on the propane tank boiler?
|
| | |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 17:48:48
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
On 9 Jun 2006 07:36:25 -0700, <hgoodale_msp@msn.com > wrote:
> Todd wrote:
>> What do you mean by "ferment"
>>
>> When I say "ferment" I mean add yeast to a fermentable wort, and by
>> "fermentable wort" I mean one in which the starches have already been
>> converted to sugars.
>>
>> When you say "ferment" you seem to mean a process that will convert the
>> starches to fermentable sugars. What are you going to use to ferment the
>> potatoes to produce the sugars?
>>
> Forgive my ignorance, again Im just starting out and do not understand
> the whole process yet. Fermenting in my mind is letting whatever
> produce sit out for awhile until it stinks really bad. Im sure theres
> a much more technical process that I have yet to figure out in due
> time.
I think you need to do a lot more reading before you try distilling anything,
otherwise I see a possible Darwin award in your future. ;)
I'll repeat my recommendation that you try rec.crafts.distilling, if you
haven't already. You'll get people that know a lot more about it over there.
Most people here are beer brewers, not distillers.
John.
|
| | |
Date: 10 Jun 2006 15:29:56
From: two bob
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
>
> Youre right Cyberzl1, maybe the potato thing is more time and resource
> consuming that I would like. Fruit seems to be the way to go. I'd be
> happy with a gallon every other week so its not going to be a full time
> hobby.....
Just buy 'Turbo yeast" add sugar, wait a few days then run through the
still.
>
> I've read a little on that cellulosic conversion process, apparantly it
> is getting closer to being more competative with gasoline. Maybe
> someday the lawnmower will have a catch bag with an auto processing
> unit built in. Truly self propelled.....
>
> Any ideas on the propane tank boiler?
Whatever works is ok
>
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 07:05:21
From: cyberzl1@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
spongehead wrote:
> >
> > How are you going to convert the starch in the potatoes?
> >
>
> Im just starting my venture into this realm of home brewing, but my
> belief is that first to ferment the potatoes to produce the glucose or
> sugars, add yeast which converts the sugars to ethanol and carbon
> dioxide. There you should have your basic beer mix. Than boil the
> crap out of it to get the good stuff.
You will need to boil the crap out of the pototoes first to get them
into a gooey state. Add some enzymes(either malted barley or processed
additive). Then after a conversion takes place to turn the starches
into sugar, you can add yeast and let it ferment.
>From there it is pretty easy.
I guess I would not pick potatoes to work with. I can see a lot of
problems. Waste fruit you should be able to deal with pretty much
"stock".
First you need to get your boiler. First run, I would recommend a
basic sugar wash. From there, look into how to convert other stuff
into fermentable sugar.
I personally would like to figure out how to get my hands on some of
the stuff they use for cellulosic(sp?) conversion for ethanol. It's
some sort of fungus that breaks it down into simple sugars. Wouldn't
it be nice to dump your lawn clippings in a tub and make ethanol from
the runnings?
JW
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 06:37:31
From: spongehead
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
>
> How are you going to convert the starch in the potatoes?
>
Im just starting my venture into this realm of home brewing, but my
belief is that first to ferment the potatoes to produce the glucose or
sugars, add yeast which converts the sugars to ethanol and carbon
dioxide. There you should have your basic beer mix. Than boil the
crap out of it to get the good stuff.
Thats what I understand the process to be from reading various
materials...
Any thoughts on a propane tank boiler?
|
| | |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 13:53:45
From: Todd
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
"spongehead" <hgoodale_msp@msn.com > wrote in message
news:1149860251.348960.136610@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>
> >
> > How are you going to convert the starch in the potatoes?
> >
>
> Im just starting my venture into this realm of home brewing, but my
> belief is that first to ferment the potatoes to produce the glucose or
> sugars,
What do you mean by "ferment"
When I say "ferment" I mean add yeast to a fermentable wort, and by
"fermentable wort" I mean one in which the starches have already been
converted to sugars.
When you say "ferment" you seem to mean a process that will convert the
starches to fermentable sugars. What are you going to use to ferment the
potatoes to produce the sugars?
> add yeast which converts the sugars to ethanol and carbon
> dioxide. There you should have your basic beer mix. Than boil the
> crap out of it to get the good stuff.
>
> Thats what I understand the process to be from reading various
> materials...
>
> Any thoughts on a propane tank boiler?
>
|
| |
Date: 09 Jun 2006 13:14:37
From: Todd
Subject: Re: Newbie help with reflux still
|
"spongehead" <hgoodale_msp@msn.com > wrote in message
news:1149816845.566406.8950@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Hello, I am going to make a reflux still to produce ethanol this summer
> to power the lawnmowers and have a few sips myself ;) I will be using
> old fruit from the grocery stores and late in the summer we have
> hundreds of potato fields.
How are you going to convert the starch in the potatoes?
Todd
|
|
