Tag Archives: renewable energy

New Pages – Reflux Stills and Alcohol Calculations

05 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by in Ethanol

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Good Morning Readers,

I have been hard at work in my shed(Alcohol Fuel Plant) getting ready for the fall.  I am going to challenge my University of Maine mechanical engineering students to replicate Brazil’s successful sugar cane based biofuel program using typha(cattails) as a feedstock.  I am choosing typha because of its hardiness, high reported yields, wide habitat, and ability to clean sewage or farm run off.

Two new pages resulted from doing the background investigation. One is on the performance of my new reflux still:

https://northernselfreliance.com/ethanol-fuel/reflux-still-performance/

and the other is a method for calculating the alcohol produced in a mash based on observing the weight loss from the off gassed carbon dioxide:

https://northernselfreliance.com/ethanol-fuel/calculating-alcohol-production-by-weight-change/

Enjoy!

Stephen

 

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Computer controlled reflux still

23 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by in Ethanol

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Good Evening Readers,

Today I got to try my latest creation, a computer controlled reflux still.  It is too cool!  It has a temperature sensor that controls a fan to adjust the amount of refluxing.

IMG_0826

It is SO much more efficient than my old pot still!!  I am gladly going to have to rewrite my “Ethanol – Is it worth it?” page.  My math was correct but the tech was all wrong.

Using a 5% mash I was able to produce flammable, 180+ proof ethanol with no redistilling.  Granted, the proof tapered off as the run continued, but it was MUCH higher than my old typical 50 proof initial concentration.

I did get the sizing of a few heat transfer surfaces wrong so I’m not ready to post pictures and definitive performance numbers just yet.  It’s coming.

I have a renewed sense of optimism that my UMaine students will be able to build a net energy positive cattail ethanol system this fall.

Stay Tuned,

Stephen