hey everybody,
I’m curious as to what methods everyone is using for condensing hydrocarbons during recovery, especially in larger volumes. We are currently using 30’ condensing coils in dry ice/iso bath but really need to get away from the purchasing of so much damn dry ice. it gets ridiculous after some time. I’m looking to upgrade to a powerful enough chiller to get rid of the need of ice during recovery. I use two cmep’s with the condenser box upgrade and I run a 1200W 15L polyscience chiller on them, but it doesn’t really do much, I still need to use some form of post pump condensing. any suggestions to any chillers or heat exchangers out there would be highly appreciated, or any input from you guys. Looking to recover as efficiently as possible without needing dry ice. Thanks!!!
As long as youre not trying to run Propane Passive, 0- -20 is fine, so ice is fine, some salt if youre really keen on higher blends.
Save your dry ice for injection, its useless to get recovery that cold
check the Chart at Propane Butane Mixture - Evaporation Pressure
As for your CMEP coolers, tap water should be fine, or recirculate your icewater from your recovery coils.
But frankly, now that I think of it, isnt the cmep water coolers meant to eliminate the need for post compression chilling?
Turn your system passive and get rid of the cmeps all together and dry ice. Do want to have a reduced amount of consumables or just wanting to switch to using machinery
I can help you with getting an lc02 condensing coil. You can get a jacketed tank with a chiller that can get down to - 50 or colder (what temp range are your chillers?) and run that on the tank to keep it cold. The negative pressure would vac your solvent to the tank and the coil would condense it. I’ve been using about 2k a month in dry ice and can use 4-600 ish after that.
I was using regular ice but the amount I’m buying is ridiculous as well, hundreds of pounds of ice from the store gets old. I’m basically looking for a chiller or heat exchanger solution.
I’m pretty much wanting to steer towards a chiller solution and get away from consumables all together. just for recovering during crude runs, for work like shatter or sauces I’d still be buying dry ice to run cold extracts.
and yes the cmep liquid condensers are meant to eliminate the need for post pump condensing but I don’t have a chiller powerful enough to accomplish that. I’m running a pretty weak polyscience chiller.
You shouldn’t be using regular ice for condensing hydrocarbons. It works, but in the way making out with your sister does too. I’m just being a smart ass. But the vapors coming out of the cmep are too hot Anyway. I was on this path a short while ago, but for passive. My current chiller isn’t capable of keeping up with that phase change. I would need a strong condensing coil of sorts. I have two jacketed coils, one I’m probably going to have modified to use lc02 instead. It won’t cost much. Other option is a huber CS100 and I know julabo has a similar model. They will both run you $24,500 or more (msrp).
Huber just joined the GLG and are offering 5% off 
The cmeps are good pumps, but loud and annoying. They produce a great amount of heat after the pump. Their condenser is meant to chill it before coming out to the condenser. They remove it to speed it up, because you need dry ice to keep up. But I pestered bizzybee to no end and found out the CS100 is pretty bad ass. It has an 83L min flow rate and has 4kw power at - 20 or colder. That’s pretty powerful.
Other option, I’ve seen that company icedtech advertising they have a bad ass methodology for recovery. All are going to cost $20k+. But, not having to spend 2-3k a month is killer
But I did settle on wanting to mod my jacketed coils for lc02 and get rid of dry ice, as well
I’m in the same position of trying to do away with constant dry ice runs. Can someone school me on condensing with liquid CO2 or N2? Like benefits of either, costs vs dry ice, and what heat exchanger to buy? Any help would be appreciated !
I have a coil from nboler (two) that are meant to be used with a chiller, but with the right coil and prv (blow off valve), lc02 boiling off in that small chamber (you’ll add more as needed during, or between runs), will be just as if not more powerful than dry ice and alcohol.
It would look almost exactly like this, but moded with a PRV and some valves
thanks everybody for your responses, all input here is much appreciated! what a great spot to talk to the people:sunglasses:
how much cheaper is lco2 compared to dry ice? when I’m recovering I’m using about 1lb of dry ice for every lb of solvent I’m recovering, which basically costs me $.80/lb of solvent on recovery. I’m familiar with the dewars that you purchase but do not know how long they last and all that.
so are you using these coils with lco2 recovering passively?
I get charged about .80-85 lb for pellets where I am. I use about one tote or so a week depending on what my work load is. I get three each delivery. Lc02 would cost me about 400~ a tank and I would probably use a tank every 2-3 weeks. At my same workload.
And yes I am passive, so I use less energy to condense, as my vapor temp isn’t as high. And my setup isn’t as conventional as a standard passive arrangement, I could be going much faster
Build a shotgun condenser, or get some like a heat exchanger that Bhogart sells. I have a 17cf freezer full of water with a pump that pumps ice cold water to my heat exchangers. No dry ice no coils and no added psi because your having to push gas thru the coil. I have 4 cmep on top of a shelf heat exchangers below and tank below so no added resistance
that’s gettin shwifty with it right there. how fast are you recovering with four cmeps like that?