Adding steel to a cinder block evaporator

[Pdiamond]

You've done a very nice job with the arch. are you covering it with a tarp over the winter?

[Swingpure]

If I replaced the top, front, flat faced cinder block of the “ramp” with a solid concrete, wedged shape block, that would be on a 45° angle and fire bricked it, would the improved slope of the ramp make a big difference to the efficiency of my block arch?

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[Pdiamond]

Most all manufactured evaporators are made this way. I am not sure at what angle it is. As they say, couldn't hurt.

[Swingpure]

Most all manufactured evaporators are made this way. I am not sure at what angle it is. As they say, couldn't hurt.

Hmmm, your comment made me think.

I already made the form to pour the angled block, one block deep, at a 45° angle. As you say, it cannot hurt. The angled ramp is mostly under pan#3. Pans 4 and 5 have about 2” space underneath them.

When you said most manufactured evaporators are made this way, it made me think, if I am making this concrete ramp, I could make it two blocks long, versus one block long.

Many angled ramps I look at in pictures are at a 45° angle, some are shallower, almost all are deeper, than 7.5 “ mine would be. If I made mine two blocks long and a shallower angle, the ramp would end under pan 4.

I have no real evidence to make a decision one way or another, but I will go with the single block angled ramp. It will be easy to change back after the first boil.

I will also make a form for a two block ramp as well, as not to waste the concrete from the bag and it gives me three options. If the first boil goes well with the one block angle ramp, I will then try the two block angled ramp and go with what is best for the fourth boil.

Edit: Looking at other evaporators and the long shallow areas they have, I think the one block angled ramp is the way to go. I also calculated the weight of the two different ramps and the one block angled ramp is about 38 lbs and the two block ramp is around 150 lbs, which is a weight not easily placed and removed. I will still make both, just because I will have more than enough concrete mix from one bag to pour both, but will likely stay with the one block ramp.

Second edit: I totally underestimated the amount of concrete I needed, I should have purchased two bags. After I filled the one block form, it was obvious that there was not enough to fill up the two block form. The two block form likely will need at least a full bag, if not a bag and a third. Not sure if I will fill this form, unless I have a need to do other concrete work.

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[Swingpure]

Colour me happy. The angled concrete block I made, fits perfectly and looks good. I have to put it back in the garage to cure more. (temps outside too cold for the curing chemical reaction). I will firebrick the flat bottom block and the angled block and the sides of the evaporator in the angled area, after I put the angled block back.

Just about the whole third pan will be under the new angled ramp.

I had been told before not to have the flames go up the sides of the pans. I have metal plates at the start of pan1 and between pans 1 and 2, 2 and 3 and used to have one between pans 3 and 4, but found that at that time, there were no flames going up between the pans and it was preventing pan 4 from boiling, so I removed it.

The angled block ends exactly where pans 3 and 4 meet. I think I will put the metal plate back. I can always remove it easily if I find pan 4 does not vigorously boil. I think with the new angled ramp and the baffle I added, pan 5 will also boil.

I have pictures, but had trouble loading any of them.

[Swingpure]

I have had trouble loading photos the last couple of days, I am not sure if these links will work to show pictures of the new concrete ramp or not. I will firebrick it in a couple of days.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XYqzFrbTddpEsWiS6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rBzmbCW45Vq3jDiHA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9HfLS4TVkm28RD966

[berkshires]

Your links work great (and the pics are much clearer than the typical uploads). And the evaporator really looks good.

GO

[Pdiamond]

Very nicely done Gary. I believe you are well on your way to making yourself into a syrup maker. Just imagine that with a raised flue pan in the back and the syrup pan with a draw off valve in the front someday. Inside a nice sugar house with a head tank and incoming float boxes controlling the levels of sap. Yeah I can see it all now. You have done a fine job with the block arch. You should be able to cook off an easy 8 to 10 gallons an hour just keep that fire hot and burning good.

[Swingpure]

Forgive my rookie question. Is a flue pan a pre heat pan, or the main boiling pan that dumps into a pan to finish the syrup?

I would love if my evaporator can boil 8 to 10 gallons an hour. I tried to build the best one I could. I’m watched a lot of You Tube videos, got a ton of tips and advice on this forum, and I think I did a few things that I thought of. Obviously the original plan to line the walls with steel was a complete failure, but after 4 practice boils. I think I have something good to go into the season.

I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to the start of the season. I will learn a ton and at the end of the season will decide if I want to expand, do less or just the same. If I want to do the same or more, the big thing will be to reduce boil time, either with larger, better pans or an RO unit.

[Swingpure]

I am likely going to firebrick the angled ramp area today. My plan is to angle the top of the fire brick to be even with the top of the rest of the ramp that runs to the stove pipe. The area of the opening under the pans 1.75” x16” (28 sq in) almost exactly matches the area of the 6” stove pipe.

I could have the firebrick go up above the flat ramp area, the thickness of a firebrick, (1.25”) and have firebrick extend on top of the block ramp, at least the distance of pan 4. That would reduce the space between the pan and firebrick to a half inch. That would leave an area of only 8 sq inches for the gasses to get through. Although that might make pan 4 super hot, I think it would kill the draft.

My plan is to leave the opening at the 28 sq inches, unless someone tells me I would be just fine reducing it down to 8 sq inches, somehow creating a super jet flow. The narrow area, would open up to a 28 sq in area, prior to reaching the stovepipe.