building arch out of water boiler, jacketed storage tank??

[jayburd73]

I built an arch from a 275 oil tank and made 15 gallons of syrup for the past two years. I rigged a blower up to it last year to cut down on boil time. it worked good but the ash threw the non airtight doors were terrible. I was going to make the doors air tight this year until i came across a wood hot water boiler for free. I also picked up a 40 gallon jacketed stainless culldren tank.
I cut the top off the boiler and plan on flipping the top over and welding it to the back of the boiler up high to get a 2 foot by 5 1/2 foot arch. I would love to incorperate the 40 gallon jacketed tank to preheat sap. I thought of welding the water jackets in the boiler back up with angle to get the rail I need for my pans to sit on. I thought of using a circulater pump to circulate water threw the boiler, out 3/4 inch insulated pipes into the jacket in the tank and back into the boiler. I am hoping the hot water circulating threw the storage tank would heat the sap up enough to get some evaporation before it even gets to the pans.I also was thinking the water around the fire would cool the boiler enough so it wouldn't warp. Also I wouldn"t need fire brick on the sides.
Or I was thinking of doing a pipe threw the fire box to supply the jacketed storage tank with hot water and slipping blanket material in the area where the water would be in the boiler before I weld it up and using 1/2 fire brick up both sides to the pan to insulate the boiler.
I think bricks and board in side would cut way down on my fire box size.
Does anyone use jacketed tanks to preheat?
Can I use antifreeze and make it an open system like my woodmaster outdoor boiler and vent it out my roof so I don't have to worry about it freezing?
What way should I go?
Maybe I'm over thinking this , like always.
Any ideas? I'm running out of time. Got to get my butt in gear.

Thanks, Jay "first time poster"

[jayburd73]

Hello anyone out there????????????????????

[chrisnjake9]

my be you should go help your friend Jake and then you could concentrate and boil at his house hehehaha:lol: :lol: :mrgreen:

[Bucket Head]

I think you would have sap boiling in the boiler pipes, if I'm following this plan correctly. Boiling sap where its only supposed to be warmed up is bad. I'm not saying don't try it. Every great invention started out as an experiment. If you have the time, tools and materials, go for it. However, time is limited at this point.

I just think the old fashioned, tried and true feed tank, to a traditional hood and preheater, or preheating pan, to the boiling pan is the way to go. Gravity works twenty four hours a day, circulation pumps do not.

Post some pictures of the project. Both during and completed. Good luck.

Steve

[KenWP]

Sometimes things are to complicated to actually comment on. I would really wonder about antifreeze near any kind of food.

[jayburd73]

I decided to cut the inner jacket out of the boiler and install fire board and 1/2 brick inside it. I am going to try a bubbler system in the storage tank that gravity feeds into the pan. I was told the bubbler ,when built right ,will heat sap in the tank enough to get some evaporation in the tank. any Ideas on the size and length of pipe i need threw the arch to get enough heat to heat 30 to 40 gallons of sap. I was told to use a shop vac to push the air. Any ideas on what else I can use. As far as the bubbler I thought of using a coil of copper and drill holes in it. Any ideas on the size copper I should use. I thought 3/4 inch with 1/8 inch holes or maybe start with 1/16 inch holes and try it. I can always drill the 1/16 holes bigger. Maybe i'm over thinking this too.:rolleyes:

[jayburd73]

Jake you better get your butt in gear and get that RO put together. Or you can put it off til next year and come and help me with my brainstorms. :lol: Or you can truck that nice new "orange thing" in your barn to bascoms and trade it for an RO. I'm sure they will " Hook you Up".:D