Thanks, Martin. My thoughts also. Regards, chris
-----Original Message----- From: Martin Klingensmith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 12:07 AM To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [biofuel] RE: Vacuum Pump for Condenser Tan wrote: > Fred, > Actually, I have been contemplating on this for quite a long time. I have > been studying Dale Scroggin's processor which has a vacuum pump in it. > (http://home.swbell.net/scrof/Biod_Proc.html). His schematics > (http://home.swbell.net/scrof/procdraw.htm) indicate that the vacuum pump is > connected at the end of the vapor line--process tank, condenser, alcohol > trap then vacuum pump. But, my concern is since the pump is connected at the > end of the line, the alcohol trap is also subjected to vacuum and so > considerable alcohol will be re-vaporized and lost to the atmosphere. To > minimize alcohol lost, I am thinking that the vacuum pump must be situated > before the condenser--process tank, vacuum pump, condenser then liquid trap. I believe the goal may have been to prevent alcohol vapor from going through the vacuum pump. If I were going to build a processor like this, I would add a bubbler full of water after the liquid trap, further cleansing the gas stream of any alcohol vapors. > In this setup only the process tank is subjected to vacuum. The condenser > and the liquid trap would have a higher pressure, which is conducive to > condensation, by constricting the liquid trap air outlet. A totally close > condenser system is, I think, close to impossible since the vapor other than > alcohol pumped from the processor must go somewhere. A closed system is ideal, and like all ideal things - not possible. With a good condensor [kept cold] the vacuum pump wouldn't have to pull much more than the volume of the alcohol. > By the time gas reaches > the outlet, the alcohol should have been condensed due to lowered > temperature leaving us with just gas (other than alcohol). The velocity of > the gas will be diminished as it enters the liquid trap due to its bigger > cavity (Bernoulli's principle), thus there is less possibility that the > alcohol recovered will be re-vaporized and escape into the air. > The recovered alcohol should be kept as cold as possible while it is under the vacuum. If it is kept at the same temperature as the condensor only a small amount should evaporate. I'm sure you know this, I'm just adding comments. > How does this sound? > good -- -- Martin Klingensmith http://infoarchive.net/ http://nnytech.net/ Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
