Venturi.

[Oilybloke]

 Right, so close now to getting started.........but have I cocked up the venturi/condenser pipe work? On drying the oil, the venturi is sucking water from the drain pipe into the tube that goes to the venturi, only getting a dribble out of the drain.

[julianf]

I dont have a specific answer, however...

I never understand why people run the condenser when dewatering - why not just vent to atmosphere?

Its not like you want to be saving the water or anything.

[Jamesrl]

You've got your return pipe in the totally wrong place, it should be on a breather pipe off the distillate vessel NOT on the outlet of the condenser.

[Julian]

You've got your return pipe in the totally wrong place, it should be on a breather pipe off the distillate vessel NOT on the outlet of the condenser.

Has he? ... if the open ended Cu pipe to the right in the second photo is the "vent to atmosphere" (needs running outside by the way), then it looks OK to me.

If that's the case, then it rather sounds like the condensate from the condenser isn't separating from the air flow and could do with something like a plenum to slow the air flow down or re-plumbing to stop flow entering the venturi suction..

I could be wrong ... it has been known!

[Oilybloke]

Thank you all. Jim, I copied this set up from HC's ex processor, and his works fine.......

[Julian]

I you're sure the pipe work is correct, I suspect that the condensate is running out of the condenser and down the lefthand side of the vertical pipe.  Unfortunately you have the venturi suction on the same side, so I'd guess the condensate flow is running and being sucked back to the venturi.

As a quick fix, try putting the venturi suction hose on the open Cu pipe on the right hand side and a vent to outside (running upwards from the Cu pipe) where the venturi suction currently is.

Long term fix would be a plenum arrangement.

[Oilybloke]

Googles 'plenum' and scratches head to recall distant Latin lessons...........

[Rotary-Motion]

cant work that pipe work out, but is that a calor gas cylinder tank?

[Oilybloke]

cant work that pipe work out, but is that a calor gas cylinder tank?

Nope, it's a 300 litre water tank.

[Rotary-Motion]

cant work that pipe work out, but is that a calor gas cylinder tank?

Nope, it's a 300 litre water tank.

nice tank 

[Julian]

cant work that pipe work out, but is that a calor gas cylinder tank?

Nope, it's a 300 litre water tank.

nice tank 

Nicer if it wasn't galvanised!

Also is the position of the heater a little high, or am I missing something out of shot?

[Oilybloke]

cant work that pipe work out, but is that a calor gas cylinder tank?

Nope, it's a 300 litre water tank.

nice tank 

Nicer if it wasn't galvanised!

Also is the position of the heater a little high, or am I missing something out of shot?

S/S Julian, and there is another element below.

[Julian]

Ah, I stand corrected, sorry .... but what's the texture on the bottom of the tank in the bottom photo?  Looks for the world like really heavy galvanising.

[Head Womble]

It looks like the residue left after scrapping off insulation to me.

[Julian]

Googles 'plenum' and scratches head to recall distant Latin lessons...........

Sorry, I missed this post.  A plenum is basically a void.  If you have an air flow through a chamber larger that the pipe entering it, the flow will slow down.  This will allow any entrained liquid to drop out and run to a drain rather than carry on round the circuit.

You may find altering the piping may works almost as well ... come out of the condenser into a T instead of the elbow.  Arrange the T so that the air flow goes up and the fluid drains down.  Block the existing pipe to the venturi and use the pipe on the right as your vent.