distillation coil

johndoe99

can anyone tell me if its possible to buy a distillation coil or condenser as its also known as shown below:



I can buy the copper tubing, but without one of those bender gadgets, it would be pointless.

Are these coils used for anything else, so they can be bought already as a coil, maybe in a store like woodies etc.

i'm building an essential oil distiller to make my own oils.

Thanks.

DublinDilbert

What gauge pipe and what material?

If you could fill it full of water, freeze it, then you might be able to bend it around a former. Apparently you can pack it full of sand and do the same.

Some times on adverts.ie you see pipe benders going quite cheaply...

Outkast_IRE

ya pipe benders are fine , but you wont be able to do a real coil with them.

you could use the softened copper , you would see it running to gas fire places, air conditioning etc, but without knowing what size copper you want and how long a coil etc its hard to answer

http://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?_nkw=copper+tube+coil&_sacat=0&_odkw=copper+coil&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

have you looked here

http://www.coppertubecoils.com/ctcg/tube-coils/copper-condenser-coils.html

johndoe99

never purchased copper before, but it will be the diameter of a standard drinking straw, and it will need to be about 20 coils, with each coil being 5 inches in diameter

edit: that second link is great, thanks, now i have name to ask for (Copper Condenser Coils) in woodies etc.

DublinDilbert

You should be able to wind some 1/4 inch copper around a 5inch former to give what you want. Plumbing wholesalers will sell this.

If your diameter is 5 inches, one wrap will be 2.5 x 2 x pi = 15 inches x number of wrapps... So your looking at over 20 feet, best go to a plumbing wholesalers, they will also have what ever fittings you need for it...

2011

Perhaps you could salvage one form a hot water cylinder:

SilverBell

johndoe99 wrote: »

never purchased copper before, but it will be the diameter of a standard drinking straw, and it will need to be about 20 coils, with each coil being 5 inches in diameter

edit: that second link is great, thanks, now i have name to ask for (Copper Condenser Coils) in woodies etc.

I made one of these last year. Almost as you describe.

I used 6mm (1/4") Cu tubing and bent it around a former. If I can find it in the Lab, I'll take a pic and post it. In my case the former was about 3" diameter. Just find a bit of pipe or wood, plastic that is the correct diameter, use it as your former. Put it in a vice, and restrain the bottom end of the Cu tubing.

I didn't need benders or sand, the 1/4" tube wont kink with "large" bends such as 3 inches or more. However make sure the Cu has not been worked before as it work hardens. Try to minimise straightening and bending of the Cu tube until you make the real coil bends. If it has been worked, you can soften it by heating till dull red (maybe a bit less) with a gas flame to anneal it again.
G