Can a Product condenser be too big ?

[snapperhead]

Real newbie question I know, but I need to ask. I have read lots of threads from all over about suitable sizing of the PC, and I was wondering if these were the minimum sized units for a given power input. Is there a maximum? can I make something that will strip massive amounts of condensate down and run it on a small boiler for now ? Are there any negative effects to running massive PC ?

[DaveZ]

I'm only a relative newbie too but I would say no, you can't make it too big. Once the product is condensed it's only going to run down the rest of the condenser to the exit point, no matter how big it is, and it'll only cool to the coolant temp so there's no issue there. The only thing I could see as maybe being an issue is the piping size, if large pipes where used, sized to handle a large volume of vapour, then maybe with a smaller volume of vapour you may not get as good contact with the walls?? But that's something I don't know a lot about.

Reflux condensers are whole different kettle of fish.

[Brendan]

Can a Product condenser be too big ?

Nope :handgestures-thumbupleft:

But a reflux condenser can, and if you were going to later have a plated column with RC being fed cooling water from the PC, then it could cause problems if the water delivered to the RC was too cool...

For a simple non cooling-managed still though, the PC will never be too big (unless it weighs so much full of water that it can't be supported ;-) ) :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Bushy]

The thing is Snapper, it depends what condensor yr talkin about. A shotgun is so efficient that you only need a trickle of coolant thru it. So why go big?

[Brendan]

Also, I would say the size of your cooling water reservoir (and pump's ability to move it) is more important than the size of the condenser for knocking down large amounts of distillate...

I would rather a 2" shotgun with a 2000+L tank, than a 4"+ condenser with a 200L tank... :think:

[snapperhead]

Thank you for clearing that up for me.
I wont be considering something outrageously large, but .... hahaha, but, I wondered if there was any issues making a product condenser that was much larger than the versions I have seen. Its probably more about the look of it too, I want to make what can only be called "theatrical shotgun", as I wanted to have a glass outer shell (pyrex), in order to have a look at the flow patterns through the shotgun styled unit. And sneak in some lighting for that steampunk/star trek look to it .

I do like taking the long hard road to doing things, so if you are wondering "why", well its just cos I like the journey as much as the destination. And I want to see if an idea I had about coolant flow through the shotguns units out there, is correct before making false claims of a better way. I'm just retarded this way.