A distillery in the Pittsburgh area recently partnered with Rodem to resolve unexplained product loss occurring during long-distance batch transfers between production and bottling facilities.
By applying proven principles from HVAC, steam, and vapor control systems, Rodem was able to identify the root cause and implement a low-cost solution that virtually eliminated losses.
The distillery transfers 100-proof spirits from its production building to a bottling facility located more than 1,000 feet away using a conventional pump and process piping system. Once transferred, the spirit enters a 1,500-gallon, vented vertical holding vessel prior to packaging.
After each batch transfer, compressed air is used to perform an air blow to clear remaining product from the piping. Despite this being a common practice in distillery and beverage processing operations, the customer identified an unexpected issue.
Using a calibrated weight system, the distillery confirmed they were losing 2–3 gallons (approximately 11 lbs.) of product per batch transfer. With no visible leaks and consistent losses, the customer reached out to Rodem for process support.
Rodem Account Manager Russ Smith evaluated the application and suspected the losses were not liquid leaks, but rather vapor carryover during the air blow process.
Drawing on his experience in HVAC and steam systems, Russ recognized that the compressed air was creating mist-laden spirit vapor. This vapor was being pushed out of the holding vessel through a 10-foot-long, 6-inch-diameter vent pipe, allowing fine droplets to escape via a carryover phenomenon before evaporating to the outside air.
This type of vapor loss is often overlooked in distillery and beverage processing systems, especially when long piping runs and vented tanks are involved.
To recover the lost product, Rodem recommended introducing turbulence and back pressure into the airflow path using impaction separation — a method commonly used in vapor and condensate control.
The proposed solution was simple and economical:
Install a 6-inch-diameter by 4-inch-thick demister pad
Constructed from 316L stainless steel
Mounted directly inside the existing vent pipe
The demister pad disrupts laminar airflow, allowing denser liquid droplets to impact the stainless steel mesh while lighter gases pass through. As droplets collect on the mesh, they coalesce, grow in size, and drain back into the holding vessel, preventing product loss.
After installing the demister pad, the distillery immediately saw results. Product loss during subsequent batch transfers was reduced to nearly zero.
The customer appreciated the compact, low-cost solution and Rodem’s ability to apply cross-disciplinary process knowledge to solve a real-world distillery processing challenge quickly and effectively.
This project highlights Rodem’s commitment to helping distilleries and beverage processors improve process efficiency, yield protection, and system performance. By combining sanitary process expertise with HVAC and steam system knowledge, Rodem delivers process engineering support that helps customers identify hidden inefficiencies and implement practical solutions that deliver measurable results.
