# Need Help With Valve



## GasPipe (Aug 12, 2012)

If I have a 20 psi valve attached to a boiler with different liquids in it, and only one of those liquids has enough pressure at that temperature to open the 20psi valve, would the valve only stay open until that liquid was gone, or would all the liquids come out until it's under 20 psi again? I hope that makes sense. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

This makes no sense.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Yeah it does:laughing:


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

How 'bout an intro Dude:thumbup:


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Those never mind valves are always a pain in the arse

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

Are we related


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Get pictures of the equipment and post them here.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Tommy plumber said:


> Get pictures of the equipment and post them here.


Post them _after_ your introduction, please


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

20 psi is 20 psi no matter the mixture. 

Sure don't sound like a plumbing professional. More like a DIY trying to figure out why there heating system is leaking.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

God help him if its a 20 PSI gas regulator.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

GasPipe said:


> If I have a 20 psi valve attached to a boiler with different liquids in it, and only one of those liquids has enough pressure at that temperature to open the 20psi valve, would the valve only stay open until that liquid was gone, or would all the liquids come out until it's under 20 psi again? I hope that makes sense. Any help would be appreciated.


I went brain dead after reading this....cry...


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Gettinit said:


> God help him if its a 20 PSI gas regulator.


I'll be able to hear the explosion from here and see the mushroom cloud 

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## GasPipe (Aug 12, 2012)

Haha, I guess this is more of a chemistry question than a plumbing question. Don't worry, I am just a college kid trying to figure out if this experiment would work and I wanted to ask professional plumbers, not other DIY ass clowns. It's cool that a lot of you guys are from DFW, I live in Fort Worth.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

GasPipe said:


> Haha, I guess this is more of a chemistry question than a plumbing question. Don't worry, I am just a college kid trying to figure out if this experiment would work and I wanted to ask professional plumbers, not other DIY ass clowns. It's cool that a lot of you guys are from DFW, I live in Fort Worth.


Chemistry or not, clarification will be needed as well as other pertinent info would be needed to answer your questions. You gave no specifics.....nobody would have a clue as to how to even attempt to answer the question you tried to pose.


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## GasPipe (Aug 12, 2012)

Basically, I'm trying to think of a design to build an ethanol still. I was thinking that maybe I could distill ethanol based on pressure. Ethanol has a much higher pressure at 200 degrees than water, so I was thinking that maybe if there was a pressure valve, it would only allow the ethanol through until there wasn't enough to keep the valve open.

It all comes down to: would the valve let ethanol and water through, or just ethanol? I doubt it would work because I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of it, but it was just a "what if."


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

revenge said:


> Are we related


You bring the funny, my man.


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## patrick88 (Oct 14, 2008)

It will close after the pressure drops below 20 psi it wont care if its water or not. You might want to rethink this. I sorta see what your doing. If you need higher pressure get a higher set pressure valve. Make sure what ever your using for a still will handle the pressure or I might see the mushroom cloud here in new England. Lol there are many movies on you tube of water heaters exploding


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

There are tried and true methods of building a still. Not that I would ever do that, it's illegal.....

Don't try to re-invent the wheel.....


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## GasPipe (Aug 12, 2012)

Okay, thanks guys. If I ever build one I'll get a permit and use a proven design. It was worth a thought; if no one ever tried to re-invent the wheel we wouldn't have wheels.

:icon_cheesygrin:


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## patrick88 (Oct 14, 2008)

GasPipe said:


> Okay, thanks guys. If I ever build one I'll get a permit and use a proven design. It was worth a thought; if no one ever tried to re-invent the wheel we wouldn't have wheels.
> 
> :icon_cheesygrin:


Try any ways just be safe about it. We wouldn't have half the technology of today with out people trying new things


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

The thing to keep in mind is that alcohol is flammable. 

Add heat and pressure and it is explosive...hence the good advice to use caution and stick to proven methods.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Ethanol boils at approx, 70 C and water at 100 C that is your differential not pressure!


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## GasPipe (Aug 12, 2012)

Well I know that, but I saw that water vapor pressure at 175 degrees is ~6.8-7 PSI and ethanol vapor pressure is ~14.5-15 PSI. I was just thinking that maybe you could have a valve that would only open for ethanol, thus distilling it.


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