Craft distillery upgrade

misguidedCanuck

We're using high-voltage electric submersible elements to operate our three stills at our craft distillery, but looking ahead we are considering the costs vs benefits of switching to steam. We hope to use an electric steam boiler, because it appears to they are more compact and may be a good cost-saving alternative. Our biggest still holds 2,000 litres and it is used to mash the grain as well as to perform the first distillation (stripping run), so it takes a lot of heat to operate.
Currently we run 4 X 8kW elements using three-phase 208V energy, and that is slow to heat up. It takes close to three hours unless we use lots of hot water to start out.
The spirit still holds 400 litres maximum and runs on three 6kW three-phase, 208V elements. It takes maybe 90 minutes to reach boiling point on a 50% alcohol wash.
My questions are simply:

1. How much power do I need to run these two units? (My third still, used to make gin, is smaller and I will probably stay with electric heat for the time being).
   

Question #2: Once we know the energy requirements, what can we expect it to cost for the unit that can provide the steam we need to run both stills described above?

Question #3:, roughly how much cost to install? I know that's a tricky one but a price range would be helpful. We are in British Columbia Canada, and yes, Canadian tradesmen rates are considerably higher than in the U.S. Maybe an estimate of hours required for installation would be a better question? Thanks for any help you can offer.

leonz

I guess my first question is this, can you afford to invest in NEW jacketed stills so you can use dry steam to its advantage to cook?

I may be wrong but I do not think that you need to worry about needing tons of steam to run your plant. The steam ton/hour means that one ton of hydration can be evaporated per hour to provide heat for water vapor for heating or machine operation. One Steamed Ton of Medium is equivalent to containing 0.725 megawatts of heat.

As you are near the coal fields you can use Canadian Sub Bituminous Coal economically as a fuel source for a small coal stoker boiler to make dry steam avoiding issues with wet steam returns.

The Alternate Heating Systems coal stoker boilers can be used to make dry steam using Canadian Sub Bituminous Coal employing a double drop header piping arrangement by using a single main to feed dry steam to the 3 stills.

A mine electrician in Montana uses an AHS S130 to heat his home and make Domestic Hot Water using Sub Bituminous Coal mined in Montana. You can find him on youtube by typing simplified piano or AHS S130 coal stoker in Montana.

EBEBRATT-Ed

The 4 8kw heater if balanced across a 3 phase supply will draw 32000/208=154/1.73= 89 amps. Each heater will draw 39 amps on single phase. 8000/208=39 amps.

The 3 6kw heaters on a balanced three phase supply will draw 18000/208=87amps/1.73=50 amps. Each heater on single phase will draw 6000/208=29 amps.

Depends how the wiring to the heaters are configured.

Amps are amps so wheather you heat directly with electric elements or with steam the cost of electricity will be the same. No savings. In fact the steam will probably be a little more expensive because you will have some boiler heat loss and piping heat loss so heating directly with electric elements will cost less.

pecmsg

steam is more consistent temperature wise.
Roughly 220 - 240* depending the pressure.

EdTheHeaterMan

You need to connect with @RayWohlfarth on this topic. He is the "Brewing With Steam" Guru of HeatingHelp.com. Click on his name and send him a message

EBEBRATT-Ed

No electric boiler is going to use less power than electric emersion.

Once Ray figures out what size heaters they need I would contact Chromalox

EBEBRATT-Ed

Chromalox also makes electric steam generators. They make good stuff but $$$$$