Evaporation rate on a block arch?

[Starting Small]

So last year was my first real year doing this and I used a block arch. I can say that I did not have any real door in the front and was not a pretty sight. It was more like a block stove because I did not put any material to make the arch. I am considering buying a factory made evaporator and was wondering your opinions are on the difference in evaporation rate (GPH) from:

1. A poorly built P.O.S. (Piece Of ____) block arch

VS

2. Well built block arch

VS

3. A hobby evaporator boiling about 10 gallons per hour.

Thank you all for bearing with my basic questions!

[RileySugarbush]

Too many variables to answer!

It is not all about the arch, blocks or other. The pan design and draft setup make a big difference too. My last year on a block arch I could do 12 to 15 GPH, but that was with forced draft and some drop tubes.

[Starting Small]

Good to know. I have 2 catering pans about 3-4 inches deep and probably 24 inches across. I don't know what a drop tube is. Also when you say forced draft is that basically saying you have a fan blowing into the entrance? Thanks again!

[RileySugarbush]

Good to know. I have 2 catering pans about 3-4 inches deep and probably 24 inches across. I don't know what a drop tube is. Also when you say forced draft is that basically saying you have a fan blowing into the entrance? Thanks again!

Drop tubes are copper tubes soldered into the bottom of your pan. Like lots of little drop flues. Easy to make and very effective.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?6647-Adding-fins-to-bottom-of-flat-pan-(-)&p=79090#post79090

F (http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?6647-Adding-fins-to-bottom-of-flat-pan-(-)&p=79090#post79090)or forced draft on my block arch I used a cheap electric leaf blower ducted in through the bottom of my arch and into the area under the grates.

[spencer11]

i would also use the copper drop tubes. where do you get the hammer arrestors or what ever they are called?i looked on lowes's website but didnt see them. what about raised tubes? basically just flip the tubes over so they stick up in the pan? would that work?

spencer

[RileySugarbush]

I got mine at Home Depot. If I was going to do it again I would just use copper pipe copper tubing. Cut holes in the pan and drop the flared tubing in from the top and solder. Then pinch the bottom's closed and solder them tight. Cheaper and easier than what I did the first and second times. Raising them into the sap would not work well. There'll be no real natural way for the hot gases to flow up in there.

[spencer11]

thats the problem with the raised tubes that i found to. by pinch them closed do you mean put one end in a vice and and make it flat instead of putting an end cap on it? that way would be much cheaper to.

spencer

[RileySugarbush]

Yes that's exactly what I mean you probably won't be able to use a vice though, there wont be room. I would use vice grips.

[Mikeh]

At the end of the season do you have to worry about cleaning out the tubes if they have a square, pinched end? Hard to get a brush in there...

Thanks for the ideas, next year I'll be making a drop tube steam pan for sure.

[RileySugarbush]

I figure it's no worse than the little gap at the bottom of cap soldered on. I would just rinse it with vinegar then water

[wiam]

Yes that's exactly what I mean you probably won't be able to use a vice though, there wont be room. I would use vice grips.

You could pinch them before they were soldered in the pan in a vice.

[RileySugarbush]

Yes but they are flared on the other end so they would not fit in the holes. I suppose you could solder them on the bottom but that would not be as strong a joint. The other choice would be to figure a wayy to flare after they are inserted from below. That is probably more difficult than crimping

[smokeyamber]

I am headed down the drop tube route myself... here is some info if anyone needs it :

Die for making dimple around 3/4" hole : http://www.mittlerbros.com/index.php/mittler-bros/dimple-dies-1/dimple-dies.html

Punch : http://www.all-spec.com/products/12307.html

The process I was planning was to drill pilots, punch with the greenlee, dimple the hole, then flare the end of the pipe ( 3/4 copper cause I have a ton ), tin both the pipe and the hole, drop pipe in and solder. Then I as going to cap the pipe, though the crimp idea sounds good too !

Figured 100 tubes in a 2x3 with 2 inch spacing, 6 inche tubes.

My main difference from everyone else is I was planning on a plain steel pan, not stainless. If this one works nice I could later build a stainless version that will also likely be bigger.

John, you are the inspiration for this stuff, nice simple design that anyone can build !