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clearing recovery lines

S

shiftypickle

Member
So how do I go about clearing my recovery lines After I finish my final recovery, I run 2 appions. I seem to have such a major issue with this. Once my system has reached my desired vacuum depth (20hg) I close my recovery valve and isolate the pump from the system and allow it to rutk, and attempt to push the remaining solvent into the tank. This does not seem to work that well as once I close the tank valve and then shut the pumps off there is still vapor in the lines. It almost does not matter how long I allow the pumps run. I know this is because under vacuum conditions, the pumps have no molecules to compress and create compression towards the tank. The only way I can clear the lines is to open the recovery valve and allow atmosphere to enter the pump and push the solvent through. In the event of allowing atmosphere into the pump I do shut the tank valve while there is still a small amount of butane in the line to reduce the possibility of atmosphere entering the tank.

HELP ME FIGURE THS OUT PLEASE THANK YOU SO MUCH
 
G

GratefulOne

Member
A few T fittings along with some new valves. Pump into a cooled secondary recovery tank for the final clearing.

You can also get more complicated but that will do the trick.

Check out GW's lasts posts. That system has this set up. He posted pics.
 
Rickys bong

Rickys bong

Member
Veteran
If you are not in a hurry, elevate the pump and allow it to warm up. Cooling the tank slightly colder than ambient will help, as it will create a pressure differential between the pump condenser and the tank. The liquid in the pump and lines will find its way to the tank via gravity and evaporation.

This will probably only work for pure butane though. If there's propane in the mix the tank pressure won't get low enough.

Do not pump atmosphere into the recovery tank under any conditions...

RB
 
Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
shiftypickle said:
So how do I go about clearing my recovery lines After I finish my final recovery, I run 2 appions. I seem to have such a major issue with this. Once my system has reached my desired vacuum depth (20hg) I close my recovery valve and isolate the pump from the system and allow it to rutk, and attempt to push the remaining solvent into the tank. This does not seem to work that well as once I close the tank valve and then shut the pumps off there is still vapor in the lines. It almost does not matter how long I allow the pumps run. I know this is because under vacuum conditions, the pumps have no molecules to compress and create compression towards the tank. The only way I can clear the lines is to open the recovery valve and allow atmosphere to enter the pump and push the solvent through. In the event of allowing atmosphere into the pump I do shut the tank valve while there is still a small amount of butane in the line to reduce the possibility of atmosphere entering the tank.

HELP ME FIGURE THS OUT PLEASE THANK YOU SO MUCH
Click to expand...

We do it with a valve that diverts the flow from the pump, to a stand by cylinder. Another valve opens that portion of the recovery leg up to the discrete column recovery circuit.
 
A

~Alaska~

Member
1. Turn off appion input.

2. Allow Pump to ru n15 TO 30 sec to clear out machine.

4. Close appion output, close tank input

***you now have butane trapped in your line*******

5. submerge line into a bucket of hot water., and wait 30 seconds to a minute for to allow the line to warm up.

6. open the tank input, and you will hear the gas flow into the tank from the hose. close tank. repeat steps 5 & 6 until you no longer hear gas moving when you open the input valve on the tank

***8this does not get a hundred percent of the gas, but it does get most of it. Just a small spur is left.
 
S

shiftypickle

Member
So what your saying is I may as well just vent it off because there is no physical way to get it back into my main recovery tank. I can't fucking believe this, this is so incedibly retarded that there is no effective method for clearing the recovery lines without losing the solvent or separating it from the operational equipment
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
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Veteran
shiftypickle said:
So what your saying is I may as well just vent it off because there is no physical way to get it back into my main recovery tank. I can't fucking believe this, this is so incedibly retarded that there is no effective method for clearing the recovery lines without losing the solvent or separating it from the operational equipment
Click to expand...

With the proper ventilation I wouldn't give it a second thought blowing it off to atmosphere as long as I had a slick cya explanation at hand in case the fire marshal thinks to ask. :biggrin:

Thanks for bringing this up shiftypickle, I don't think it's actually been discussed much previously. You guys are getting picky, good! lol
 
NorPene Solutions

NorPene Solutions

Member
shiftypickle said:
So what your saying is I may as well just vent it off because there is no physical way to get it back into my main recovery tank. I can't fucking believe this, this is so incedibly retarded that there is no effective method for clearing the recovery lines without losing the solvent or separating it from the operational equipment
Click to expand...

You can dump the second recovery tank back into your system when you do the next run.
 
G

GratefulOne

Member
There are very effective ways to clear it. Check out other's designs to get a good start. Tweak them to work best for you.

If you would like a 100% clear line install a vacuum generator to clear the last bit of vapor. Vent it to the outside. These run on compressed air and are rated for flammable vapors.

There a many ways to get the liquid moved over to the tank. Use some valves to pump out the cooling coil. Use a very short path from pump to tank for this. A part of that path should dip into a warm water bath. After cooling coil is empty shut off valves like Alaska said and use his method to clear the last short hose. Then vent the vapor with the vacuum generator.

There are many other ways to solve this problem too.

Check out GW's design. It is different and 100% clears all liquid. It then uses nitrogen to clear the vapor.
 
A

A6 Grower

Member
Veteran
Im a few parts away from using nitrogen to completely clear my whole system and coils and push all the butane back into the storage tank. Ill post some pics when i get it all together. For the moment i just vent off my small 3ft hoses inbetween the post and coils and leave the butane in the coils(gravity fed is next step so i dont have to do that) for the next day.
 
S

shiftypickle

Member
My coils are going to be gravity fed which is nice. I just got two TRS21's and I can get them for anyone interested I am on a Johnstone acct. A6 how would one go about separating the nitrogen from the butane once nitrogen enters the tank??
 
Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
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shiftypickle said:
So what your saying is I may as well just vent it off because there is no physical way to get it back into my main recovery tank. I can't fucking believe this, this is so incedibly retarded that there is no effective method for clearing the recovery lines without losing the solvent or separating it from the operational equipment
Click to expand...

Or you can do what I mentioned above, which recovers 100%.

We recover the lines, heat exchangers, water trap, and filter.
 
S

shiftypickle

Member
Gray Wolf said:
We do it with a valve that diverts the flow from the pump, to a stand by cylinder. Another valve opens that portion of the recovery leg up to the discrete column recovery circuit.
Click to expand...


Ok I will try this, why is the column recovery line routed into the separate recovery tank plumbing. Why is the column not recovered to the same tank as the rest and the left over gas in the lines pushed into the separate tank?
 
Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
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ICMag Donor
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shiftypickle said:
Ok I will try this, why is the column recovery line routed into the separate recovery tank plumbing. Why is the column not recovered to the same tank as the rest and the left over gas in the lines pushed into the separate tank?
Click to expand...

You can do it either way, or both. It would just require a tee and another valve.
 
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