Making a distiller http://www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/pressure.htm#distillSA After some experimentation, our pressure cooker has become a successful distiller with the addition of these items: 10-feet of 1/4-inch outside diameter copper tubing two 3-foot lengths of 3/8-inch outside diameter (1/4-inch inside diameter) food-grade vinyl tubing two hose clamps a bucket a water container

Date:   3/3/2006 11:06:12 PM ( 18 y ago)

How we put the distiller together and run it: First, we fill the bucket with cool seawater and bring it below to our galley. Then we fill our pressure cooker 2/3 full with seawater or any other water that may or may not be contaminated. Our copper tubing is wound into a coil around something cylindrical so it will fit completely into the bucket of cool seawater with one end pointed up toward the pressure cooker on the stove. Our pressure cooker has a vent pipe with an outside diameter of 1/4-inch. We slide one of the 3-foot lengths of food-grade vinyl all the way onto the vent pipe in the lid. Then with a hose clamp over the vinyl tubing, we slide the copper tubing into the remaining loose end and tighten the clamp. The remaining piece of food-grade vinyl tubing attaches to the copper tubing end at the bottom of the bucket with a hose clamp as well. Then the remaining end of vinyl tubing is placed inside the water container, which sits next to the bucket. It helps if your container is shorter than your bucket. Now we are ready to assemble the pressure cooker and heat the seawater. As steam builds up inside the cooker, it begins to make its way through the tubing. When it reaches the copper coils, it condenses into pure water and flows into the water container. The key to making this distiller run efficiently is to replace the seawater in the bucket once it warms up. Be careful not to burn yourself when you lift the coil out of the bucket to change the water. As the flow develops, we turn the burner to medium low because less heat is required. Once the steam begins going through the tubing, we usually get about 1 cup of water after about 25 minutes on medium heat. Keeping the copper tubing in a coil with the vinyl tubing already attached helps with storing and quick assembly. Before using the tubing for the first time, rinse it with clean water. Be sure to use only food-grade tubing, as not all vinyl tubing is safe for drinking water use. We have never found the vinyl tubing to pop off the vent pipe or melt with the heat. The pressure that builds up is not the same because of the lack of the weighted regulator on the vent pipe, so the temperature is not as high either. While this process is slow and uses quite a bit of energy, it could save your life in an emergency. In many situations you could use this process to create pure water. Water tanks can run dry or become contaminated. Or you may be somewhere which only has contaminated water available. You may also need distilled water for your boat's batteries.
 

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