pan dividers

[woodsmith]

I want to know what the difference in performance between pan dividers that run side to side and those that run front to back? I am thinking of adding dividers in my pans.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Well lets answer this one again because the answer we gave last week might have changed. Its about the heat from below. The temp is consistent side to side and fluctuates front to back. You want the syrup to transition back and forth over the same temperature fire and not go in and out of mild and high heat.

[Maple eye]

Hello all,
I currently have two flat pans and am looking at modifying to have more of a continuous flow vs. batch boiling. Along with rigging up some type of a float box system, I thought that I would put in dividers in my 21" X 27" pan. It looks like most of the commercial evaporator would agree with the side to side like it was earlier stated. I have a couple possibilities I was thinking of:

3 dividers making 4 - 6 7/8" X 21" compartments
2 dividers making 3 - 9" X 21" compartments

Which one would work best for establishing a gradient, 4 or 3 compartments? I was also wondering how much of an opening should be at the ends of the dividers? 2 1/2" 45 degree angle be enough?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[maple flats]

With 4 compartments you get a longer flow path and will thus get a better gradient. You could also have both draw offs on the same side. Then to use an inlet float you would need 2 float boxes (That's what mine has, 2 on the same side) in order to reverse the flow. It depends on how much you want to build and refine.
The more conventional old school had 2 float boxes, one each side, and 2 draw offs, also one each side, but then the partitions ran front to back. Mine are side to side and I like that better. I like the flow running in my front section first and draw off from the back section because the heat is slightly better, thus when I reverse to back first I only run about 2 hrs and then return to front first and generally run for 4+/_ hrs before reversing again.

[Maple eye]

Thanks for that, that definately gives me something to think about. I hadn't put too much thought about having to switch direction, as I am not doing that much volume, but if i keep the pan and expand in the future it would be nice to have that as an option to do to keep ahead of the sugar sand.

Any thoughts on how big the opening should be from one divider to another(1", 2", or 3"; at a 45 degree angle or squared off)? I read another thread where somebody was making his opening between the dividers smaller to help limit backflow and help his gradient.

Thanks!

[maple flats]

The cut outs are good for the size pan you have if they are 2" diagonal. My syrup pan has 3" diagonal and that may be more than necessary. Remember, the cut outs just allow the gradient flow. The only exception might be if you need to flood the pan in a hurry. But even then a bucket of fresh sap or even water is the quickest remedy.
My Thor pans have the 3" wide and 3" high diagonal cut outs on a 3x3 syrup pan and my old 2x6 leader had a 2x3 syrup pan and that had 2" x 2" square cut outs. The most important thing there is to have the smoothest possible bottom across the cut out.