--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Martin Klingensmith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I am exploring ethanol possibilities > I have calculated that with a mash of 14% alcohol, I will need at least 100 > gallons to distill out to ~15 gallons of 180 proof alcohol. > Has anyone ever made a semi-automatic device for fermenting/distilling? > I am a typical mechanical-minded person, the least effort is the best way > right? > I agree that is the best way. I'm sort of half-heartedly exploring that situation myself. (I don't have time or resources to pursue it as a full-time effort) I'm looking for a method of using vacuum on a fermentation tank to remove some of the alcohol on a continuous basis. I found a pressure cooker, boiled about an inch of water in it, letting it vent (hopefully) most of the air, and hooked a hose to a container with Ethanol in it. I had removed the pressure gauge from the cooker, and installed a vacuum gauge from an AirConditioner recharging set. I was hoping that as the steam cooled, it would provide vacuum enough to pull at least some of the Ethanol vapors to another container inline. It was a misuse of equipment and failed to work. The gasket in the pressure cooker is made to hold pressure, NOT vacuum. I got 10 inches of vacuum, and the seal sucked inside. Ethanol will not boil at 100F with only 10 inches of vacuum. I want to keep the temp of the fermenter low enough so the Yeast will survive and continue to produce. Others have told me I need to keep the temp below 95F. I still don't know how much vacuum will be needed. I haven't abandoned the project, yet.
I had a link to someone who provides commercial systems for sale. I can't locate it just now. They have everything from a Still to a complete system including fermentation tanks and pumps, up to 1 million gallons/year. If you find any further info, be sure to post it here. Motie Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
