boil rate low sugar

[steve J]

I bought a new pan which I got to use for first time last Friday and by than my sugar percentage had dropped from earlier in season. My quest is when the sugar percentage drops does this affect the boil rate? I felt like the supreme pan was disappointing me. But maybe I have not given it a fair test.

[ecolbeck]

Sugar content and evaporation rate are unrelated. However, the rate at which you produce (draw off) syrup will drop as the sap sugar content drops.

[Sugarmaker]

Well, yes at 2% your rate is 40 ish gallons to make a gallon, at 1% its 80 ish gallons to make a gallon of syrup. if you new pan boils at 40 gallons per hour then a gallon per hour or 1/2 gallon per hour.
Regards,
Chris

[MapleMark753]

Well, I'm not a scientist, but its pretty clear that decreased sugar content in sap would decrease the boiling point of the sap and may increase boiling rate slightly.
The opposite is also the case I think, where increased sugar content of sap raises the boiling point of sap and may decrease boiling rate slightly. Or something like that, there's info (just google it) about boiling temp and rate of sugar solutions on the web.
BUT, it may be that your rig just needs you to get used to it. Wood, firing rate, placement of wood, blower and blower placement, draft etc... One boil, like you mentioned, may not be a fair trial. Took me a full season to figure out how to get the best gph on our small rig.:)
take care, Mark

[ecolbeck]

While it is true that the sap sugar concentration would change the boiling point, that fact is irrelevant. The vast majority of energy consumption in an evaporator comes not from raising the temperature of the liquid to the boiling point but from the phase change from liquid water to vapor (steam).

[ecolbeck]

While it is true that the sap sugar concentration would change the boiling point, that fact is irrelevant. The vast majority of energy consumption in an evaporator comes not from raising the temperature of the liquid to the boiling point but from the phase change from liquid water to vapor (steam).

It doesn't take more energy to boil water at 219 than it does at 211.