glass as packing

[bing]

Howdy, I have been using glass packing from a car windscreen I tapped with a hammer. This sits on top of about 300mm of copper scrubbers. To me it seems to have the required surface area to allow for adequate reflux. does anyone have any comments on the use of glass as packing. The approx hieght of glass in the colomn is 1100mm and the glass fragments are about 5mm cube shaped.

[Kimbo]

Mate, i wouldnt recommend using glass as packing( at least not shattered glass) coz of the temp changes in the column, this may cause more breakages which could lead to a tiny shard following the vapour path.
if you've ever seen a piece of broken glass in water, its near invisible.
stay safe mate ;-)

[bing]

dude we are talking high tempered safety glass. it dont break down

[Kimbo]

'Sup to you mate, I wouldnt risk it ;-)

[bing]

thanks. im not worried about glass in my product or glass causing an obstruction in the process. just wondering about the effectivness of it.

[R-sole]

You can do your own evaluation using these calcs to compare to mesh. It won't be favourable. It is cheap and easily available and if you get enough height (which i don't think you will with 1100mm) you may still reach azeotrope with it.


http://homedistiller.org/calcs/hetp_calc

[wynnum1]

Does windscreen glass have plastic.

[crow]

Not the sort that shatters

[lickermaker]

The copper or stainless steel scrubbers are three times the surface area of the same volume of glass.